Posted on 06/26/2006 2:11:34 PM PDT by pissant
THE VICE PRESIDENT: "In the decade prior to 9/11, we spent more than $2 trillion on national security. Yet we lost nearly 3,000 Americans at the hands of 19 men armed with box cutters and airline tickets. In the case of al Qaeda we are not dealing with large armies that we can track, or uniforms we can see, or men with territory of their own to defend. Their preferred tactic, which they boldly proclaim, is to slip into countries, blend in among the innocent, and kill without mercy and without restraint. They have intelligence and counterintelligence operations of their own. They are using the most sophisticated communications technology they can get their hands on.
"In pursuit of their objectives, they have carried out a number of attacks since 9/11 – in Casablanca, Jakarta, Mombassa, Bali, Riyadh, Baghdad, Istanbul, Madrid, London, Sharm al-Sheikh, and elsewhere. Here in the U.S., we have not had another 9/11. Obviously, no one can guarantee that we won't be hit again. But the relative safety of these past nearly five years now did not come about by accident. We've been protected by sensible policy decisions by the President, by decisive action at home and abroad, and by round-the-clock efforts on the part of the people in our armed forces, law enforcement, intelligence, and homeland security.
"Some in the press, in particular The New York Times, have made the job of defending against further terrorist attacks more difficult by insisting on publishing detailed information about vital national security programs.
"The first was the terrorist surveillance program. Sometimes the press calls it domestic surveillance, it is not domestic surveillance. It's a program aimed at the communications that are international in nature – at least one end of the communication has to be outside the United States, and one end has to be affiliated with or associated with al Qaeda.
"The second program that The New York Times has now disclosed is the terrorist financial tracking program, just within about the last week or so. These are both good programs. They provide valuable intelligence. They are very carefully managed to safeguard the civil liberties of the American people. They have been successful in helping break up terrorist plots. They are done in accordance with the Constitution, and there has in both cases – both programs have been properly notified to the appropriate officials in the United States Congress.
"The New York Times has now twice – two separate occasions – disclosed programs; both times they had been asked not to publish those stories by senior administration officials. They went ahead anyway. The leaks to The New York Times and the publishing of those leaks is very damaging. The ability to intercept al Qaeda communications and to track their sources of financing are essential if we're going to successfully prosecute the global war on terror. Our capabilities in these areas help explain why we have been so successful in preventing further attacks like 9/11. The New York Times has now made it more difficult for us to prevent attacks in the future. Publishing this highly classified information about our sources and methods for collecting intelligence will enable the terrorists to look for ways to defeat our efforts. These kinds of stories also adversely affect our relationships with people who work with us against the terrorists. In the future, they will be less likely to cooperate if they think the United States is incapable of keeping a secret.
"What is doubly disturbing for me is that not only have they gone forward with these stories, but they've been rewarded for it, for example, in the case of the terrorist surveillance program, by being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for outstanding journalism. I think that is a disgrace."
I don't know, but I'd rather just give them a hard kick in the arse.
Well, I think we've got them all covered not! I knew you would bring out Tony!
Well, he was right about very little, but that one he at least was in the ballpark.
Yep, I saw the thread...
I think that even lining the bottom of a garbage pail with the N.Y. Slimes, is far too good for it. And they need to give back the Pulitzer for Durant's smoke&mirrors, bent over backwards to paint Stalin and the USSR as "good"!
Apparently, the commie, anti-america lovers in the Times are still working just as hard as Durant did to fool the public. Grrr.
Now, you have covered them and don't bring out that other Skerry one!
You have FREEPmail. :-)
Yep. got it. Have a pleasant eve.!
What's the likelihood of that happening? We pretty much already figure it's just another leftist DemRat. And when DemRats like Sandy Burgler get off with a slap on the wrist for stealing and/or destroying classified documents, how can we logically expect any harsher consequences for the leakers?
"The only way things like this are going to be prevented is to find the leakers and throw them in prison."
You too. :-)
I think that if MOST Americans know about it, they'll care. Looks like it's up to us, Free Republic, other forums and right-wing talk shows to make SURE that most Americans know about it. It sure as hell isn't going to get broadcast by the Leftist Mainscream Media branch of the DNC.
"Problem is, many Americans simply do not know or care."
LOL!
That is very apropos re: pissant's comment!
You're very welcome.
Thank you for all you do.
What I do is fun.
What you do is nice!!
GOOD points, and GREAT music!
Thank you!
Awwwww...you're too sweet.
Thank you. ;o)
If the New York Times gave the information to Osama on a chip, someone would be tried for treason. Why is it different? Is telling a few million extra people worthy of a pass?
That was a GREAT article, and I couldn't agree more!
Thank you for the ping.
I do have one question, though.
"That being so, what has our government done about in the ensuing six months? Sadly, nothing."
Isn't the AG conducting an investigation into this matter?
I seem to remember something about it, but I haven't seen anything on it in a long time.
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