Posted on 05/14/2007 12:11:02 PM PDT by FreedomNeocon
Stepping into the middle of a partisan debate on Capitol Hill, the nation's top intelligence official has endorsed a comprehensive study by spy agencies about the impact of global warming on national security.
In a letter written last week to the House Intelligence Committee, Michael McConnell, director of national intelligence, said it was "entirely appropriate" that the intelligence community prepare an assessment of the "geopolitical and security implications of global climate change."
The question of whether the country's spy agencies, already burdened by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the global hunt for members of Al Qaeda, ought to investigate the security implications of global warming has been debated in Congress for several weeks.
A provision requiring a national intelligence estimate on climate change was in the 2008 intelligence authorization bill that the House passed Friday. The amount of the authorization is classified but it is believed to be about $48 billion, which would be the largest intelligence authorization ever considered by Congress.
Republicans tried to defeat the provision on the national intelligence estimate, saying that intelligence resources were too precious to be used to study the impact of climate change. "Let other federal agencies, as more than a dozen already do, cover the 'bugs and bunnies.' But let our spies be spies," Peter Hoekstra, the ranking Republican, wrote Thursday.
The proposed national intelligence estimate would examine political, social, economic, and agricultural risks. In his letter to the House Intelligence Committee, McConnell said that intelligence analysts would not do primary scientific research about climate change, but would instead rely on analyses by other government agencies.
Last month, a report written by several retired generals and admirals concluded that climate changes posed a "serious threat to US national security," and could further weaken unstable governments in developing countries.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
A sure sign that the Global Warming Discussion is ginned up.
How about that $48 Billion for national security by closing our borders.
Our tax dollars at non-work.
The guest on Coast last night suggested there is no $$$$ in Global Warming. Hoagland makes more sense (on this issue).
Was there ever any doubt?
This kind of largesse just encourages them, makes them shout louder, and thereby convinces more people that the problem is getting much worse.
We’ve got to put a stop to this kind of crap in Congress. Call your Critters!
What a complete waste of money.
Or........funding the war in Iraq? What a novel idea!
Yeah... we really taught those Republicans a lesson! I may even vote in Hillary just to give them a good spanking they'll never forget! /sarc
It’s because of stuff like this I am going to move over to a third party. The GOP spends even more than the Defeatocrats and neither one will defend our borders. There’s not enough difference between them to matter.
Vote Constitution Party.
CIA speak
Global warming funding = black ops funding
I think 2006 was more about the Republicans losing the traction they used to have with the socially conservative Democrats than anyone “teaching them a lesson.” The differences between the parties in the public perception is so small that the Reagan Democrats went home.
48 Bbbiiiilllllllllliiiiiiiiooooooonnnnnnn dollars.
What a-holes.
Total a-holes.
This from the people who missed the fall of the Shah as well as the fall of the Evil Empire.
$48Billion must be the entire budget for Intelligence operations?? Our Congress can’t be that insane?? I would think $0.48 would be proper to study GW.
By now all thinking conservatives know the CIA is full of George Bush saboteurs, Valerie Plame style liberal democrats, affirmative action hires and Federal lard asses putting in their 25 years for fat pensions. This 48 billion will go to a lot more of the same. What is the minimum pay at the CIA? Probably $80,000/year for a secretary.
What a waste of money. The CIA will become even more usesless as it’s swamped with this global warming study.
Fire him immediately!!!
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