Posted on 12/17/2004 7:29:07 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
President Bush (news - web sites) on Friday signed into law the largest overhaul of U.S. intelligence gathering in 50 years, hoping to improve the spy network that failed to prevent the Sept. 11 attacks.
"Our vast intelligence enterprise will become more unified, coordinated and effective," Bush said. "It will enable us to better do our duty, which is to protect the American people."
The 563-page bill, which endured a thorny path to congressional passage, also aims to tighten borders and aviation security. It creates a federal counterterrorism center and a new intelligence director, but Bush did not announce a candidate for that post at Friday's ceremony.
"A key lesson of Sept. 11 is that America's intelligence agencies must work together as a single, unified enterprise," the president said.
Bush was joined at the signing ceremony by CIA (news - web sites) Director Porter Goss, FBI (news - web sites) Director Robert Mueller, members of Congress, leaders of the Sept. 11 commission and relatives of people killed on Sept. 11, 2001.
"Those charged with protecting America must have the best possible intelligence information and that information must be closely integrated to form the best possible picture of the threats to our country," the president said.
The new position of national intelligence director was one of the bill's most controversial aspects. Although the legislation gives the new director strong budget authority, its language is complex enough that there could be continued debate over the exact extent of the director's power.
But Bush attempted to leave no doubt about the sweeping nature of the intelligence director's budgetary authority.
"It will be the DNI's responsibility to determine the annual budgets of all national intelligence agencies and offices and to direct how these funds are spent," he said.
"A key lesson of Sept. 11 is that America's intelligence agencies must work together as a single, unified enterprise," the president said.
They probably put her in the back since she is taller.
GREAT POST. You are so correct. I find the new law similar to moving the chairs on the Titanic.
No need to read...just sign on the dotted line...
HR # 10 aka 'Bill of Goods'
Power to the State....Right On Bro
Thanks. I take no comfort from being correct on this one. It sucks. You have a good weekend.
D1
There is truth in the statement, but AP should avoid that wording. We must remember the Sept. 11 attacks, not just as the fault of security agencies, but as the evil action of a determined and unvanquished enemy, and generally a caution against indulging complacent habits (such as political correctness) that give enemies an opening.
Anyone notice that President Bush only used ONE pen and threw it down on the Bill and kind-of gave a disgusted look at the "Lawmakers" the were behind him?
HOW DO YALL KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT THE NEWS?
If the President wants to make America secure, then he must replace Norman Mineta ASAP! That man is lauded by the ACLU for preventing profiling and profiling is a must for the airlines and all officers of the law. Mineta even sued the airlines for removing passengers profiled as Arab, Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian decent or Muslim.
Since all the afore mentioned are always behind some terrorist act, they must be profiled. Political correctness or sensitivity towards predominately Muslim terrorists should END today! Mineta is a hazard to our health and a poster boy for the ACLU.
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