Posted on 07/09/2004 9:12:26 PM PDT by FairOpinion
SPEARFISH -- Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said Thursday that he was very concerned about homeland security issues in the face of what he called the most sobering terror report he had heard recently.
The United States is tightening security in the face of a steady stream of intelligence indicating an attack aimed at disrupting elections, the White House said Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security is addressing the threat and has efforts underway to ''ramp up security,'' White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Thursday.
"It is absolutely essential for the U.S. Senate to turn its attention to what we can do to make America safe," Daschle said.
Of particular concern are the nation's borders and ports, Daschle said, and there are security issues unresolved as the homeland security appropriations are "hung up" in the Senate.
Asked if the timing of the terror concerns might be aimed at stealing political thunder from the announcement of John Edwards as the democratic vice presidential candidate, Daschle replied, "The report is so sobering and so serious that I cannot bring myself to believe anyone in this administration would use this for political purposes."
Daschle said the most recent terror briefing was the second this week and contained information that there is a higher threat than there has been at any time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Ha! We should be so lucky. ;)
Unless the terrorists attack a McDonalds.
Which report, Don?
Remember the grudge held by some Americans over the 2000 election.
If terrorists can call into question the results of the 2004 election (regardless of which president "wins"), they can push for a revolution.
Would you sit idlely by if it was announced that "Kerry appears to have won" since the poll counts in several contested states were blown up?
How about if only 20% made it to the polls because of reports that a toxic substance had been released into the air in several major cities?
There are any of a number of things they could try.
If a story is big enough, would people break away from tv to go vote?
The protestors on the left are socialist-anarchists anyway; they do not like this present political system. Ted Rall is a self-declared Socialist-Anarchist and does hope for the day there is a revolution in America (it is why he supports gun ownership, seriously).
Oh, I don't doubt that at all. I know of at least one time when the Coast Guard locked down the entire channel, from Galveston to Houston, for about three days. Never saw anything in the news about it though. I only know this because one of the ships we were waiting on got waylaid at Galveston because of it. In fact, a lot of the ships we work with have been delayed by the Coast Guard. Which is good. Also, we've noticed the helicopters that patrol the channel have been unusually active. Maybe a month ago, we watched one fly up and down the docks (from about #25 on up). Dunno what that was all about, but they were obviously looking hard at something. A day or two later, we watched two (which is rare) do something unprecedented; they each, in turn, landed and took off near the 'cop shop' there at the port. I don't know what to make of all that, but I can tell you this: security at the port has been very busy these days.
It's almost ironic you would mention the bridge. That weakness has been known for a long time. IIRC, it was even mentioned publically at one point. This is my own wild speculation, but I think that was a lure of sorts.
They could hurt us anywhere from The Houston Yatch Club up through pipelines leaving the city heading north.
Yes, that is a lot of ground to cover.
History has shown us all too clearly that these guys (al-Qaeda and other radical Islamacists) are not exactly the brightest bulbs in the light department, if you get my meaning.
Never underestimate the ability of some (including the terrorists themselves) to overestimate themselves.
Does that mean we should not take these guys seriously?
No, we should be very careful. Very alert. And very responsive. They have great numbers, and are rabidly determined. And even tho their preferred modus operendi is invariably low-tech, remember, low-tech is just as lethal as high-tech, even if the end result for some of them is a quickening of the appointed time with their maker.
But it's not their determination that is at issue here - it is their thought processes. Born into the world in a region marked by millenia of hatred and self-loathing, products of a culture that glorifies lying, cheating, misogony, and death, and has it institutionalized under the guise of a religion, these guys simply do not think like us - ever! It's a grave mistake to equate what they think with what we think, and vice versa.
Nothing these guys do surprises me, and you shouldn't be surprised, either.
CA....
Instead, all we hear is about how many Americans have died in Iraq.
There could (should) be some great disaster/horror films made about terrorist plots
Houston is too large (in sq miles) and decentralized to have any large death toll with a dirty bomb.
But both conventions are going to cause horrendous upheavals to the lives of "regular" folks.The one in Boston is the worst of the two,but yes,this will probably be the last political conventions in such large,crowded places.The security is a nightmare for ALL concerned.
But we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Right after he gives Michael Moore another hug.
Kerry who wants to Lead this country, can't even find the Time to be briefed....he's too busy partying!! NERO comes to mind!!
I couldn't agree more. Any chance we have to deprive the enemy of information must be evaluated. That would necessarily include misinforming the public, since they can't tell us anything without the enemy hearing it. But in the grand scheme of things, we don't need to know how it gets done, we just need it to get done.
"In war-time, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies". - Winston Churchill
Instead, all we hear is about how many Americans have died in Iraq.
So true.
There could (should) be some great disaster/horror films made about terrorist plots
Would make for a good series on the History Channel someday too.
Thank you. :^)
Something the left will applaud and will say it was well deserved: CIA headquarters. Democrats will say it happened because the CIA lied, Iraqis were insulted and just fighting back. (Recall some lefties said it was our arrogance that brought us 9-11) The Rats will then say they're the only ones that can be trusted to build the intelligence agency back up in a way that regains the world's respect. Then Gorelick will be appointed director.
Kerry: "I don't need no stinking intel brief about imminent terrorist threats to the US! Can't you see I'm busy?"
Do you want to take a look at my post 258?
Maybe there is a cartoon idea in there, somewhere?
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