Fighting terror like it's 1993

NY Post ^ | May 11, 2010 | MIKE ROGERS

[Scanian]

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly noted last week that the investigation of the Times Square bombing attempt was in some ways similar to the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. He was talking about the police work that nabbed Faisal Shahzad -- but the comment also highlighted the similarity of our government's response then and now.

Then came Attorney General Eric Holder's weekend comments about seeking a broader "public safety" exception to the Miranda rule. That agenda shows that he's still too focused on gathering evidence for a court case, when the top priority in such instances should be gathering intelligence to prevent future attacks -- something that Miranda in no way prevents.

That drove the point home: Somehow, we're back to a 1993 mindset on terrorism. Holder actually boasts that law enforcement is "the backbone of our national-security efforts." Sorry -- that's not a good thing.

[RU88]

Mirandize and incarcerate. That worked real well the first time. s/

[KeyLargo]

An Analysis of US Law Enforcement Agencies’ Actions Upon Encountering a”Venomous Snake” Within Their Jurisdiction:

1. FBI - Searches for, but cannot locate the snake. After the snake
is caught by local police, the FBI forms a Snake Task Force of 150
agents, sets up a command center, holds a press conference, and takes credit
for capturing the snake. Upon taking credit, the impressive command post
is packed up and the FBI task force returns to their office to await
another large event to take credit for...In the mean time, FBI
management requests 4,000 more agents to combat snake activity
associated with terrorism.

2. US Secret Service - Forms a protective ring of agents around the
snake and escorts it to a safe area.

3. ATF - Sends SRT team to arrest the snake. They expend all of their
ammo, then burn the forest down, killing the snake, and everything
else in the forest. At a Congressional inquiry, they make a presentation of
why additional funding is required to properly train agents to battle
the threat of snakes. The only questions asked by ATF management
after the operation is whether or not there was a proper operational plan in
place, if the plan was followed, and who can take the fall for anything
that went wrong.

4. TSA - Abiding by a Congressional ruling to prevent “profiling”
venomous snakes, the TSA makes random inspections. Venomous snakes are
regularly allowed to pass while TSA officials strip search a family of
squirrels.

5. IRS-CID - Performs an in-depth investigation of the snake and
writes a 100-page summary of why the snake should not be prosecuted. The
investigation is closed and all agents are out of the office by
4:30pm.

6. ICE - After obtaining permission from the BPA, CBP, FBI, FPS, IRS,
FINCEN, DEA, ATF, FAMS, FEMA, and the Girl Scouts of America, they
mail the snake a notice to appear on a specified date for a status hearing.
The snake never responds and is promptly forgotten.

7. DEA - Initiates a Title 3 and an MLAT investigation on the snake’s
cell phone after discovering that the above-listed agencies have begun
an investigation on the snake. DEA spends $3 million to discover the
snake is not Colombian.

8. U.S. Attorney’s Office - Declines prosecution out of “professional
courtesy” and “lack of resources.”

9. USBP (Border Patrol) - Captures the snake. Their inability to
communicate with the snake results in a recruitment drive for snake
handlers. They take the snake back to the border (for the 40th time).

10. US Forest Service - They have meeting after meeting. Management
wrings their hands and decides to deny any existence of the snake on
public lands. All agents are ordered to Washington to prevent any
sighting of the snake. All agents are ordered to refer to the snakes
as “legal reptiles.”

11. Local Sheriff’s Office - Shoots the snake after driving over it
several times. The Deputy then puts the snake in a City Police
Officer’s car while it is parked outside the nearest Krispy Kreme.