Posted on 09/21/2005 11:17:25 AM PDT by YaYa123
WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter said Wednesday he wants answers from the Defense Department about Able Danger, a secret military unit that is said to have identified four of the Sept. 11 hijackers more than a year before the terrorist attacks.
Pentagon officials blocked five key witnesses from testifying in the Able Danger hearings on Capitol Hill Wednesday, citing security concerns.
"I think the Department of Defense owes the American people an explanation about what went on here," Specter said. "The American people are entitled to some answers."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
If Gentry's exact job description, and boss, was given, I missed it. What I gathered, and I could be wrong, is Tony Gentry was a Pentagon lawyer. Kleinsmith made clear he sought legal advice even before he was ordered to shut down and destroy Able Danger. Kleinsmith was very aware of Army Regulations which prohibit the military from gathering information on civilians. And Kleinsmith made clear, the Army regulations are separate from the Posse Committatis (sp)law, but equally binding to all military personnel. As I understood it, Posse Commi prohibits the military from becoming involved with law enforcement against civilians. The Army regulations Kleinsmith referred to, prohibit intelligence gathering on American persons. Kleinsmith identified several specific Army regulations by their numbers.
"Who's side is Specter on?"
Impossible to answer. Grudgingly, I'll concede he's wearing the white hat at this point. Here's a guy who led the attack on Bork, and led the defense on Clarence Thomas. Go figure. I fought to prevent him from being appointed Judiciary Chair, but I have to admit, I'm loving him at the moment.
Sean Hannity had Congressman Weldon on today. I only caught the last sentence or so. So I don't know what was said, but I'm glad to see that Hannity is not abandoning this fight.
"Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the Defense Department had a representative at the hearing and that it had provided sufficient information to committee members."
STICK A FORK IN YOU, Bryan!
"Many of Jamie Gorelick's former legal underlings are still at work in the "Bush" Pentagon. Holdover civil servants are perhaps the biggest internal threat any President faces."
That's right. Your hammer hit the nail. Now its time to get rid of the termites.
Because some DoD attorneys are dirty. Maybe others over at the Pentagon as well.
"This hearing today has gotten NO COVERAGE that I can find, except for this lone FOXNews article."
There's a news blackout on on Able Danger. It's part of the cover-up. MSN is participating, because Clinton is the main guilty one. It is now clear that the Bush administration has also done wrong vis a vis Able Danger, so they are running to cover up. pretty powerful combination.
The only surprising things about everything that you're telling us are that Fox news reported it, and that Specter is challenging the administration.
It'd be nice if FR could do something. How about if the Washington, DC Chapter staged its own Able Danger hearing in front of the White House? Every single person would have their mouth completely taped over. Some people would be doing the interviews with microphones and some would be giving the interviews, using a lot of hand gestures and facial expressions. Every once in awhile, someone would rip the end of the tape off his mouth and say, "No comment."
Maybe Sean Hannity would cover it on his TV show.
"other terrs were known and nothing done about them" can you spell OK City Bombing, TWA 800, just to name two with lots of terrorist fingerprings all over them (not to mention government cover ups.)
"Those within Able Danger wwere confident they didn't cross the legal line, Zaid says. "
Thank you so much for these notes. I think these are fantastic. I'm going to try to e-mail them to Sean Hannity, simplistic as that is.
The hearing will be replayed tonight on C-Span
09:25 PM EDT
2:19 (est.)
Senate Committee
Able Danger and Intelligence Sharing
Judiciary
Arlen Specter , R-PA
Curt Weldon , R-PA
Shermy Troll, terrorists killing 3,000 people in cold blood is a lot more scary than Condoleeza Rice's name popping up on a database - if in fact it did.
i've seen shermy on all these able danger threads saying the same thing "oh it was an illegal intelligence gathering information".
it was NOT. lt col schaffer has been on many talk shows and said that this was NOT illegally gathered.
I always assume he is against America's best interest.
Rummy is not blocking witnesses, Fox News (Brit Hume's show) just did a recap. Evidently there are aspects of this that are classified and Rumsfeld offered to have closed hearings on AD...but he was turned down. I hope they still have them..we may get a watered down version of what went on but it will have enough visibility by those who can correct these things...and it would still be enough to nail the 911 commission (IMHO)
Here's AP's version, released at 630pm.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBJEC86WDE.html
Care to elaborate with some facts to help enlighten us?
thank you much for adding AP to the mix.
It was explained today at the hearing, the difference between Posse Committtatis (sp), and Army Regulations.
Posse Comm. prohibits the military from becoming involved in police actions against American citizens.
Army Regulations prohibit the military from conducting surveillance or gathering intelligence on American persons. (persons includes more than just citizens, it includes foreign nationals in the country legally).
Specter and Kyle too, kept talking about Posse Comm, but all witnesses said and repeated, Posse Comm was NOT breached by Able Danger. The only concern by Pentagon lawyers was that Able Danger might be breaking Army Regulations.
Witness Kleinsmith gave the exact Army Regulations and identified them by number.
I'm glad I'm not a Republican any more. Bush is a decent man, I fully believe that, but he doesn't make me glad I voted for him often enough lately. The Demonrats need to be called on the crap they pull and the harm that has resulted from their being in power. I just wish there were some Republicans somewhere, anywhere, who would do that.
I've seen "compassionsate" conservatism, now I would like to try some "tough love" conservatism. No more enabling Demonrats!
Posture now, retreat later!
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