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Slaying Able
Investor's Business Daily ^ | Novemeber 23, 2005 | Editorial

Posted on 11/23/2005 11:29:08 PM PST by Jim Robinson

Intelligence: The whistle-blower who embarrassed a presidential administration about its intelligence failures has seemingly been punished for his actions. No, this isn't about President Bush and Joe Wilson.

Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer knows a little about intelligence failures and being persecuted for saying things not in tune with the conventional wisdom.

He is the Army Reserve officer who went public in August with details about a secret military intelligence unit called Able Danger that, using a technique known as "data mining," determined pre-9-11 that four of the future hijackers were al-Qaida operatives.

Shaffer has been stripped of his security clearances, in effect being fired from his post at the Defense Intelligence Agency, a move that could effectively end his military career, on charges ranging from making false statements to showing his military identification while intoxicated and, yes, stealing ink pens.

Is this punishment for disclosing that Able Danger had identified Sept. 11 ringleader Mohamed Atta and three other hijackers as members of al-Qaida in early 2000? U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., thinks so and has called for a review by the Pentagon's inspector general.

For his part, Shaffer notes the same people who now judge him unfit promoted him to his current rank in October 2004.

Last June, Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., made known Able Danger to the public in a speech at the end of the legislative day under a rule known as "special orders."

"Two weeks after 9-11, my friends from the Army's Information Dominance Center, in cooperation with special ops, brought me a chart," Weldon said. "What's interesting in this chart of al-Qaida is the name of the leader of the New York cell. And the name is very familiar to the American people. That name is Mohamed Atta."

(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 911; abledanger; atta; cialeak; clinton; gorelick
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"But liberal Democrats and their allies in the media aren't interested, perhaps because the dots, when connected, point to Clinton and not Bush.

They are more focused on whether "Scooter" Libby engaged in political hardball than whether the U.S. could have prevented the attacks on New York and Washington that killed 3,000 people and started the war on terrorism in the first place."

1 posted on 11/23/2005 11:29:08 PM PST by Jim Robinson
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To: Jim Robinson
But why does this DOD put the brakes on this investigation?

Do you have any idea Jim?

2 posted on 11/23/2005 11:31:16 PM PST by MJY1288 (The Democrats have the wisdom of a new born and the vision of a still born)
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To: Jim Robinson

My only guess is the entrenched liberals in the DOD are fighting its release tooth and nail


3 posted on 11/23/2005 11:35:51 PM PST by MJY1288 (The Democrats have the wisdom of a new born and the vision of a still born)
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To: MJY1288; Jim Robinson
But why does this DOD put the brakes on this investigation?

Unfortunately, just like CIA and State, DoD is filled with bureaucrats who may not necessarily be loyal to this White House...so, when the facts point, inconveniently, to Bubba Klinton and other Dem buffoons, the stonewalling begins. Plus, the President has allowed the "why can't we all get along" mentality that keeps Mineta in DoT, to creep into the Pentagon...

4 posted on 11/23/2005 11:37:11 PM PST by JRios1968 ("Cogito, ergo FReep": I think, therefore I FReep.)
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To: Jim Robinson

self ping


5 posted on 11/23/2005 11:38:21 PM PST by whenigettime
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To: JRios1968
Thanks, just what I thought...

It makes me sick to think about the CYA mentality in the DOD and the other government agencies. It seems the safety of all of us is secondary to covering up their own incompetence

6 posted on 11/23/2005 11:41:19 PM PST by MJY1288 (The Democrats have the wisdom of a new born and the vision of a still born)
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To: MJY1288
My only guess is the entrenched liberals in the DOD are fighting its release tooth and nail

Well, that would be a decent guess...except that we ARE in charge after all.

My guess, the outgoing administration of idiots passed a truckload of files onto the Bush adminstration. They can probably prove it; and they were either never read prior to 9/11...or read by someone who didn't realize their significance.

That's really the only plausible reason; unless GWB actually genuinely likes Clinton and is trying to protect him. Gag.

7 posted on 11/24/2005 12:02:20 AM PST by garandgal
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To: garandgal

What keeps GWB from going after the corruption of the last Administration is his respect for the office he holds. GWB believes the Executive Branch has been under assault for the past two decades and wants to make sure the Executive powers are not ignored as the RATS exercise their Bury your head in the sand approach to National Security


8 posted on 11/24/2005 12:11:54 AM PST by MJY1288 (The Democrats have the wisdom of a new born and the vision of a still born)
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To: MJY1288
What does making the truth known have to do against any respect of the last administration or the office of President?

I think this is just old school bureaucracy not wanting their mistakes to see the light of truth and feeling they have the right to destroy a good man's life to do it.
Reminds me a bit of Hillary with the Travel Office Staff.
9 posted on 11/24/2005 12:18:18 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: MJY1288

I suspect that "data mining" looked like baloney to every brass hat who handled the reports. Data mining is pretty neat but also heavily mathematical, statistical, and counter intuitive. (Fun.)

Never saw a big shot who understood even the concepts.

Now those same brass hats, all the way up to Clinton, look like fools (because they are, natch).

You want to really make enemies in any large organization offer to data mine the data bases. The "nuclear option" ensues. Fear and rage from the brass. Personal experience here.


10 posted on 11/24/2005 12:20:07 AM PST by Iris7 ("Let me go to the house of the Father.")
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To: A CA Guy

I think your analogy is accurate


11 posted on 11/24/2005 12:20:52 AM PST by MJY1288 (The Democrats have the wisdom of a new born and the vision of a still born)
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To: MJY1288
I think a Congressman did pass on an Able Danger issue right after the Cut and Run vote last Friday.

There is interest in this issue, I just hope there is enough to save the career/life of this whistle blower.
12 posted on 11/24/2005 12:25:21 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: MJY1288

with that much flak, that caliber of flak, you know they are on to something


13 posted on 11/24/2005 12:53:48 AM PST by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
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To: MJY1288
My only guess is the entrenched liberals in the DOD are fighting its release tooth and nail

Thats not my guess...my guess is that in terms of colors, Democrats and Republicans are just different shades of gray. I don't trust either of them. The establishment status quo as an institution is comprised of a cadre of bit players that toe the line. Its a club.

I think the blind party loyalty expressed here and elsewhere is nauseating...Rush is not a Saint...and neither is Bush...

Savage has it right...the real true enemy is the enemy within...that includes most of the republicans and all of the democrats in Washington...and all of the bureaucrats...

14 posted on 11/24/2005 1:04:36 AM PST by antaresequity (PUSH 1 FOR ENGLISH, PUSH 2 TO BE DEPORTED)
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To: antaresequity
Where on this thread was Bush or Rush mentioned?

What blind party loyalty was expressed?

I think you need to question your blind loyalty to Savage needs questioning

15 posted on 11/24/2005 1:08:54 AM PST by MJY1288 (The Democrats have the wisdom of a new born and the vision of a still born)
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To: sure_fine

It's obvious what happened but NOBODY is thinking!


16 posted on 11/24/2005 1:34:58 AM PST by BILL_C (Those who don't understand the lessons of History are bound to repeat them.)
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To: BILL_C

It's obvious what happened but NOBODY is thinking!




but the paper proof went down Sandy Buglar pants and through a shredder


17 posted on 11/24/2005 2:44:42 AM PST by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
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To: Jim Robinson
'The Wall'... the enabler of 9/11. Any serious discussion of that terrible day always comes back to it.

If it were just Clinton & Gorelick's necks on the line... we 'might' have found out just what Able Danger DID know prior to the deaths of almost 3000 Americans. 'Might' have found out that some of those 3000 would still be alive if action was taken.

The stink you smell is more than just the foul aroma of Clinton & Gorelick...

18 posted on 11/24/2005 3:57:28 AM PST by johnny7 (“You have a corpse in a car, minus a head, in the garage. Take me to it.”)
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To: Jim Robinson

bump


19 posted on 11/24/2005 4:31:36 AM PST by RippleFire ("It's a joke, son!")
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To: MJY1288

That 'new tone' strategy just continues to pay dividends! I sure am glad the Bush Admin isn't pissing anybody off in DC. < /s>


20 posted on 11/24/2005 4:38:06 AM PST by ovrtaxt (Does this suicide belt make my butt look big?)
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