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 Jim DeMint Ping! |
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Posted on 04/04/2009 11:24:37 AM PDT by rabscuttle385
One of the greatest threats to the security of the United States is not from a military, but from a psychology of denial. It is the Sept. 10 mentality that minimizes the threat posed by jihadist terrorism and rejects the idea we are even at war at all. According to this thinking, suicide bombers, their leaders and financiers are nothing more than street-corner criminals; a problem for our criminal justice system, not our armed forces.
A quick look at terrorism in the 1990s exposes the inadequacy of the Sept. 10 mindset. In 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed. In 1995, a car bomb exploded outside a U.S. government office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In 1996, the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia were bombed. In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed. And in 2000, the USS Cole was bombed. After each of these terrorist attacks, all of which took American lives, President Clinton promised criminal investigations. The flaw of this policy proved fatal on September 11, 2001 — prosecuting terrorists after they kill does nothing to thwart future attacks.
After Sept. 11, President George W. Bush changed our policy from one of prosecution to prevention. Rather than wait for terrorists to attack and throw a few of them in jail, President Bush sought to stop the terrorists before they struck. Despite some mistakes of implementation, the success of this policy is indisputable. It has been seven years and five months since the last terrorist attack on American soil, and tens of thousands of terrorists have been killed or captured since we finally began fighting back. Of those, less than one-tenth of one percent have been deemed so dangerous or of such high intelligence value that they have been detained as enemy combatants and shipped to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Despite the success of this program — and with the harrowing events of 9/11 conveniently receding into the distance — President Barack Obama has signed an executive order to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, where 245 of the world's most dangerous terrorists are being held. Unfortunately, President Obama has offered no clear alternative plan and seems indifferent to the logistical and security concerns surrounding this potentially disastrous policy decision. After all, what are we going to do with those 245 terrorists? Some have already been slated for military tribunals, but tribunals have been temporarily shut down to allow the new administration to study the system. What about the rest? During the campaign, President Obama praised the old policy of trying captured terrorists in civilian court. But what about those detainees whose public trials would expose national security secrets? Will our intelligence community be forced to decide between a conviction in court or keeping a source of information classified so more terrorists can be captured? What about terrorists detained in the future, for instance during his proposed surge of troops into Afghanistan? Where will they be sent?
President Obama has not answered these questions, and with good reason. Several countries have taken detainees from Guantanamo Bay only to release them, allowing them back to the front lines and to once again fight U.S. forces. And if President Obama can't convince foreign governments to take all of the detainees, the president's order will force U.S. cities to host them — which could include the Naval Brig in Charleston. A recent Pentagon report concluded that Guantanamo detainees have been treated humanely. And as commander in chief, Obama has the constitutional authority to order the Navy to make whatever reforms at the facility he deems necessary. But the president's executive order is a symbolic gesture to his Sept. 10 fringe, and it will put American communities in danger.
To truly secure our nation, President Obama should reverse course and do two things. First, reaffirm the right of our military to detain enemy terrorists. And second, design a commission or national security court system capable of processing current and future terrorist detainees without disclosing intelligence secrets.
The men being held at Guantanamo Bay are there for a reason — their commitment to murdering Americans. That's why I joined Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma in introducing legislation to prohibit moving any detainees at Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. Without a realistic plan, the president's policy to "close Gitmo" is much worse than an empty promise — it creates a new and unnecessary danger to the people of the United States of America. It's not Sept. 10 anymore, and these detainees aren't just common criminals.
Jim DeMint, a Republican, is the junior U.S. senator from South Carolina.
DeMint ping!
I thought Obama would protect us. I thought he was making us live up to our highest ideals. I thought he would make nice with the likes of Bin Laden so they leave us alone.
Hasn’t it ever occurred to Demint that the Obamicons actually don’t care if there are successful attacks on US soil. In fact, I suspect they rather relish the prospects. All part of the “chickens coming home to roost” business; reparations for those unjustly persecuted by the neocons and their cursed white Christian supporters.
I love this guy (no, not in that way)!
I believe the Obummer administration is willfully endangering America and its citizens. Not only by its insane wordplay with Islamo fascism and terrorists but by its willingness to appease our enemies and the supporters of global terrorism through their policies. Closing Gitmo was the first sign of this insane policy and then all the others followed accordingly.
Obama either overestimates the endearing power of his charm or he’s out to destroy this country. Both propositions are dangerous.
When you have the media and millions worshipping you, difficult to maintain perspective. We are hooked on celebrity and those we adore, are on the same drug.
Well, our dumchit Demicrat POTUS and his entire administration suffers from this dangerous malady!!! (WASS!!!)
The terrorists are chanting both over there and over here... "Hit 'em again... harder, HARDER!!!" (but wait till they're fast asleep again)
Perhaps this explains why Jim DeMint didn’t endorse Bob Conley, the Democrat opponent of Lindsey Graham who advocated surrender in the WOT. Even Jim DeMint understands that someone with a Sept. 10th mentality is NOT “more conservative” and is in fact wholly unfit for the Senate. Too bad the Graham haters here tried to argue that “bring our troops home” Bob was “more conservative” Shame on them for promoting a white-flag waving Democrat.
I like DeMint. I hope he runs in 2012.
It’s not Sept. 10 mindset Obama has, it’s much closer to October revolution 1917 mindset he has.
This article should be in all the MSM just to annoy them . But, too, it could inspire some voters who are having buyer’s remorse that this naif in the WH is just not able to do the job domestically or for national defense. And that could help some in 2010.
TOWNHALL.com: "A ROOKIE PRESIDENT" -Column by Thomas Sowell (SNIPPET: "We now have a rookie President of the United States and, in the dangerous world we live in, with terrorist nations going nuclear, just one rookie mistake can bring disaster down on this generation and generations yet to come.") (March 31, 2009) (Read More...)
DAILY TIMES.com.pk: "QAEDA, TALIBAN PLANNING 9/11-LIKE ATTACKS IN US, EUROPE: NWFP IG" (SNIPPET: "ISLAMABAD: Al Qaeda and Taliban are planning to stage terrorist strikes similar to the 9/11 attacks in the US and Europe, NWFP police chief Malik Navid told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior on Monday. The briefing, on the law and order situation in NWFP, informed the committee that the extremists were spreading throughout Pakistan, adding they planned to destabilise the Middle East to have a launch pad for terrorist attacks on the US or Europe. He said Arabs and people from other countries had entered Afghanistan in large numbers between 1979 and 1995, adding some had expertise in making biochemical weapons.") (March 31, 2009) (Read More...)
THE MEMRI BLOG.org: "Pakistan-Based Kashmiri Militant Commander: "The Path Of Enemies Has To Be Blocked In Kashmir And Kabul In Order To Save Islamabad; Obama Is The Bigger Enemy of Muslims Than Bush; The Kafirs Love Life And Muslims Love Martyrdom."" (Posted March 30, 2009) (Read More...)
INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER (IICC): "Hezbollah senior activist Omar al-Moussawi stressed that while Britain's policy toward the organization had changed, the organization itself had not: Hezbollah, he said, is one entity and no distinction can be made between its military and political wings, and will continue its terrorist activities ("resistance") and refuse to recognize Israel." (March 30, 2009) (Read More...)
MIAMI HERALD.com: Guantanamo Bay - "OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OKs RELEASE OF YEMENI DOCTOR FROM GUANTANAMO President Barack Obama approved the release of a Yemeni doctor accused of treating a Qaeda members and who met Osama bin Laden." by Carol Rosenberg (SNIPPET: "Ayman Batarfi, 38..." SNIPPET: "...detainee No. 627...") (March 31, 2009) (Read More...)
DAVID LIMBAUGH.com - New column: "ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SCARY NOMINATION" by David Limbaugh (SNIPPET: "As usual, President Barack Obama is multi-tasking the dismantling of the American system on so many fronts that not all of the outrages can be properly monitored.") (March 30, 2009) (Read More...)
JIHAD WATCH.org (NEW YORK POST): "OBAMA NOMINEE SEES NO 'REASON WHY SHARIA LAW WOULD NOT BE APPLIED TO GOVERN A CASE IN THE UNITED STATES'" (SNIPPET: "Koh has called America's focus on the War on Terror "obsessive." In 2004, he listed countries that flagrantly disregard international law -- "most prominently, North Korea, Iraq, and our own country, the United States of America," which he branded "the axis of disobedience.") (March 30, 2009) (Read More...)
SC MAGAZINE: "GhostNet SPY NETWORK PHISHES INTERNATIONAL VICTIMS" by Chuck Miller (SNIPPET: "A cyberespionage network, known as GhostNet, possibly operating out of China, is making use of malicious websites and phishing emails to take control of hundreds of sensitive government machines across 103 countries, researchers revealed this weekend.") (March 30, 2009) (Read More...)
EconomicTimes.INDIATIMES.com: Toronto - "CHINESE HACK INTO INDIAN EMBASSIES, STEAL DALAI LAMA'S DOCUMBENTS" (SNIPPET: "After initial investigations when the group widened it research it found that the China-based cyber espionage had hacked computer systems of embassies of India, Pakistan, Germany, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea and many other countries. In all, the hackers had gained access to 1,295 computer systems of foreign ministries of many countries, including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Latvia, Indonesia, Iran, and the Philippines, the researchers said. After gaining access to foreign government and private computer systems, the hackers installed malware to exercise control over these computer systems to access any documents.") (March 29, 2009, 0900 hrs, IST, IANS) (Read More...)
INDEPENDENT.co.uk: "POLICE IDENTIFY 200 CHILDREN AS POTENTIAL TERRORISTS" by Mark Hughes (SNIPPET: "But Inayat Bunglawala of the Muslim Council of Britain said the police ran the risk of infringing on children's privacy. He warned: "There is a difference between the police being concerned or believing a person may be at risk of recruitment and a person actually engaging in unlawful, terrorist activity.") (March 28, 2009) (Read More...)
MY SAN ANTONIO.com - News: "PREDATOR DRONES MIGHT JOIN FIGHT AGAINST CARTELS" by Patrick Hendricks - Express-News (SNIPPET: "Discussing Mexico's war against the drug cartels, Cisneros said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered U.S. military equipment and aircraft to the Mexican government during her Mexico City trip Wednesday. Mexico would buy the equipment and operate it, not U.S. military forces.") (March 27, 2009, 12:00 CDT) (Read More...)
FBI.gov - Congressional Testimony: "ROBERT S. MUELLER, III DIRECTOR FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Statement Before the Senate Judiciary Committee" (SNIPPET: "Today, we still face threats from al Qaeda. But we must also focus on less well-known terrorist groups, as well as homegrown terrorists. And we must consider extremists from visa-waiver countries, who are merely an e-ticket away from the United States.") (March 25, 2009) (Read More...)
OSAC.gov - Consular Affairs Bulletins - Report: "Warden Message: GUATEMALA CITY VIOLENT INCIDENTS" (SNIPPET: "The Embassy has confirmed that in the early morning hours in zones 2,7, and 9, a number of passengers on city buses were killed.") (Read More...) (March 24, 2009)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "GAFFNEY: OUR ENEMIES SENSE WEAKNESS Retrenchments are perceived as exploitable openings" -Commentary by Frank J. Gaffney Jr (SNIPPET: "President Obama's stewardship of the national security portfolio to date amounts to a wrecking operation, a set of policies he must understand will not only weaken the United States but embolden our foes.") (March 24, 2009) (Read More...)
FOX NEWS.com: "'FUSION CENTERS' EXPAND CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY MILITIA MEMBERS" (SNIPPET: Do you like Ron Paul or oppose abortion? You may be a member of a militia, according to a new report by a government information collection agency.") by Joshua Rhett Miller (March 23, 2009)
LONG WAR JOURNAL.org - blog: "AL-QAEDA-TRAINED BRITONS RETURN FROM PAKISTAN" by Bill Roggio (SNIPPET: "More than 20 Britons who have trained in al Qaeda terror camps inside Pakistan have returned to Britain, according to Pakistani intelligence.") (March 24, 2009, 6:32 pm) (Read More...)
NY DAILY NEWS.com: "ASSEM HAMMOUD, SUSPECT IN ALLEGED NEW YORK TUNNELS PLOT, RELEASED ON BAIL IN LEBANON" (SNIPPET: "The accused Al Qaeda mastermind of a foiled plot to use suicide bombers to blow up Hudson River tunnels has been freed in Lebanon on a mere $667 bail. Assem Hammoud's release from a Beirut jail occurred months ago, but was kept quiet until he appeared in a TV interview Tuesday claiming his innocence.") by Alison Gendar and Bill Hutchinson (March 18, 2009, 2:16 am) (Read More...)
JIHAD WATCH.org (CHRISTIAN POST.com): "GREECE: IRANIAN GROUP THREATENS TO MURDER EX-MUSLIM PASTORS" (SNIPPET: "Although the three Iranian pastors live and serve in Athens, the Iranian extremists threatened them and their families with death.") (March 20, 2009) (Read More...)
WSJ.com - Opinion Journal: "IRAN'S AXIS OF NUCLEAR EVIL" by John Bolton (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "There is very little time for Mr. Obama to change course before he is committed to negotiations. He could start by following Iran's money trail.") (March 21, 2009) (Read More...)
FOX NEWS.com: "ELECTRICAL 'SMART GRID' NOT YET SMART ENOUGH TO BLOCK HACKERS" by James Osborne (SNIPPET: "Obama's economic stimulus package allocates $4.5 billion to modernize the nation's electricity system and put smart-grid technology on the fast track.") (March 30, 2009) (Read More...)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com - Exclusive: "HEZBOLLAH USES MEXICAN DRUG ROUTES INTO U.S. Works beside smuggler cartels to fund operations" by Sara A Carter (SNIPPET: "Hezbollah is using the same southern narcotics routes that Mexican drug kingpins do to smuggle drugs and people into the United States, reaping money to finance its operations and threatening U.S. national security, current and former U.S. law enforcement, defense and counterterrorism officials say.") (March 27, 2009) (Read More...)
DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "IRANIAN INFLUENCE, TERRORIST LINKS, THREATEN LATIN AMERICAN SECURITY" by Donna Miles (SNIPPET: "Iran is increasing its presence in Latin America, and Hezbollah, a terrorist organization it sponsors, is making inroads in drug trafficking in Colombia, the commander of U.S. Southern Command told Congress today.") (March 17, 2009) (Read More...)
FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "TERRORISTS AMONG US" by Jamie Glazov (SNIPPET: "Furman: No one knows how many terrorists are currently in the United States, but that they are here is not debatable, and the tally goes up each day.") (March 16, 2009) (Read More...()
DISCOVER THE NETWORKS.org: "ISLAM'S HISTORICAL JUSTIFICATION FOR JIHAD" (SNIPPET: "This section of DiscoverTheNetworks explains that the concept of jihad as "holy war" is by no means a recent departure from longstanding Muslim tradition, but rather is a continuation of that tradition.") (Read More...)
MEMRI.org - Specail Dispatch - No. 2282: "BIN LADEN IN NEW AUDIO MESSAGE: Victory in Iraq Will Allow Us to Infiltrate Jordan, Enter West Bank, and Liberate Al-Aqsa" (SNIPPET: "In a 33-minute Al-Sahab audio message, posted March 14, 2009 on Islamist forums, Osama bin Laden outlines his plan for liberating Palestine.") (March 16, 2009) (Read More...)
stepping back in time...FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (THE TIMES ONLINE/UK, January 14, 2007): "UK PREACHER IN SECRET WEB CALL FOR JIHAD" (SNIPPET: "ONE of Britain's most vocal, extremist preachers has been using a false name on a secret website to incite Muslim followers to go on jihad, or holy war, in Somalia.") (January 16, 2007) (Read More...)
FOX NEWS.com (WALL STREET JOURNAL): "ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS SOME GUANTANAMO INMATES MAY END UP IN U.S." (SNIPPET: "Holder, in a briefing with reporters, said administration officials are still reviewing individual cases of the approximately 250 detainees to determine which will be put on trial and which may be released.") (March 19, 2009) (Read More...)
MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch - No. 2278: "Egyptian Cleric Muhammad Hussein Ya 'qoub: The Jews are the Enemies of Muslims Regardless of the Occupation of Palestine; 'Believe That We Will Fight, Defeat, and Annihilate Them, Until Not a Single Jew Remains on the Face of the Earth'" (Posted March 12, 2009)
MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch - 2276: "Egyptian Cleric Safwat Higazi Calls to Shut Down Starbucks in the Arab and Islamic World, Saying: Their Logo is the Jewish Queen Esther" (Posted March 10, 2009) (Read More...)
MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch - No. 2272: "Egyptian Expert on Israeli Studies/Head of Hebrew Studies Depart at 'Ein Shams University Ahmad Hammad: What Hitler Did to the Jews Was 'Incidents,' Not Massacres" (Posted March 4, 2009) (Read More...)
PHILLYBURBS.com: "SCHOOL BUSES 'SOFT TARGETS' FOR POSSIBLE TERRORIST ATTACKS" by Amanda Cregan, The Intelligencer (SNIPPET: "Terrorism experts say homeland security begins at the school bus stop. It's a school security gap that most parents, police and school officials don't always see, but terrorists do.") (March 10, 2009) (Read More...)
THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Fars, Iran, March 7, 2009"): "IRANIAN OFFICIAL: GAZA 'DEFENSIVE BATTERY' OF ISLAMIC REVOLUTION" (SNIPPET: "Davoud Ahmadinejad, brother of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has called Gaza the defensive battery of the Islamic Revolution, and that Iran must step up the idea of the revolution and its values in order to conquer every peak of "the arrogance" (i.e. the U.S.)." (Posted March 9, 2009) (Read More...)
GUARDIAN.co.uk - THE OBSERVER - "BRITISH MUSLIM LEADER URGED TO QUIT OVER GAZA Abdullah advocates attack on foreign navies if they halt arms smuggling" by Jamie Doward (SNIPPET: "One of the UK's most influential Islamic leaders, who has helped counter extremism in the country's mosques, is accused of advocating attacks on the Royal Navy if it tries to stop arms for Hamas being smuggled into Gaza. Dr Daud Abdullah, deputy director-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, is facing calls for his resignation, after it emerged that he is one of 90 Muslim leaders from around the world who have signed a public declaration in support of Hamas and military action.") (March 8, 2009) (Read More...)
PAJAMAS MEDIA.com - blog: "MEXICO'S FOREIGN EMBASSIES: A TERROR THREAT TO AMERICA? Travelers from Muslim countries are bribing Mexican foreign service workers for travel documents that will get them access to the U.S." by Todd Bensman (March 1, 2009) (Read More...)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "FOREIGN TIES OF NOMINEE QUESTIONED Post handles classified data" by Eli Lake (SNIPPET: "An independent inspector general will look into the foreign financial ties of Chas W. Freeman Jr, the Obama administration's pick to serve as chairman of the group that prepares the U.S. intelligence community's most sensitive assessments, according to three congressional aides.") (March 5, 2009) (Read More...)
KSTP.com: "FEDS INVESTIGATE MILITARY INFO FOUND IN MPLS. APT." by Nicole Muelhausen, Web Producer (SNIPPET: "Inside a closet, they found numerous rolls of maps. "We ran into a bunch of blue prints of Minneapolis-St. Paul Army Air Force property. It had thickness of walls, hour ratings, explosives and fires," said one of the men with the cleaning crew, who wished to remain anonymous.") (Note: Video included.) (Updated March 5, 2009, 23:31 pm) (Read More...)
MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch - No. 2273: "Al-Qaeda Yemen Presents Arguments Justifying Attacks on Embassies - Including in the West, Which Often House Intelligence Branches - Citing As An Example the U.S. Embassy in Yemen Which "Houses the Offices of the [Local] Branches of the CIA and FBI"" (March 5, 2009) (Read More...)
OSAC.gov - Consular Affairs Bulletins - Report - N. Africa - Egypt: "CAIRO SECURITY INCIDENTS" (SNIPPET: "These events do not appear to be connected, but there is some indication that additional incidents are planned.") (March 2, 2009) (Read More...)
WTOP.com (AP): Frederick, Md. - "4 TONS OF FERTILIZER STOLEN IN FREDERICK" (SNIPPET: "...2,000 pounds of urea and 6,000 pounds of other fertilizer are missing. The fertilizer was in white 50-pound bags with a company logo.") (March 2, 2009) (Read More...)
FOX NEWS.com: "REPORT: OBAMA OFFERS TO SCRAP MISSILE SHIELD IF RUSSIA COOPERATES ON IRAN (SNIPPET: "President Obama wrote to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to tell him Russia's aid in resolving the threat from Iran would make plans for a missile defense shield in Europe unnecessary, according to Russian news agencies.") (March 2, 2009) (Read More...)
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - OPINION JOURNAL - OPINION EUROPE: "OBAMA'S IRAN CRISIS It's arriving faster than he seems to think." (SNIPPET: "Iran now possesses 5,600 centrifuges in which it can enrich uranium -- a 34-fold increase from 2006 -- and plans to add 45,000 more in the next five years. That will give Tehran an ability to manufacture atomic bombs on an industrial scale. Iran also announced Wednesday that it plans to begin operating its Russian-built reactor at Bushehr sometime this spring.") (March 2, 2009, 9:27 p.m. ET) (Read More...)
YNET NEWS.com: "EXPERT: IRANIAN BOMB POSSIBLE IN A FEW MONTHS Israeli security experts unsurprised by US Joint Chiefs of Staff head's statement that Iran has enough fissile material to make nuclear bomb. 'Everone agrees the Iranians have the systems; the only question is the timetables,' says Dr. Ephraim Asculai" by Daniel Edelson (Published March 2, 2009, 09:55) (Read More...)
PAJAMAS MEDIA.com - blog: "MEXICO'S FOREIGN EMBASSIES: A TERROR THREAT TO AMERICA? Travelers from Muslim countries are bribing Mexican foreign service workers for travel documents that will get them access to the U.S." by Todd Bensman (March 1, 2009) (Read More...)
THE SUN.co.uk: "BRIT NUCLEAR HQ ON GOOGLE EARTH" by Alex West (SNIPPET: "BRITAIN'S nuclear defence HQ could be under threat from terrorists using Google Earth. Close-up aerial views of the top-secret Naval base are on the computer program -- available for free over the internet.") (March 2, 2009) (Read More...)
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