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Cheney says U.S. faces threat of worse attack
Rueters ^

Posted on 05/16/2002 5:52:25 PM PDT by Dallas

NEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday raised the specter of a new, devastating terror attack on the United States and said Democratic Party criticism of the White House's handling of pre-Sept. 11 terror warnings at such a time was "thoroughly irresponsible".

Cheney said in a speech in New York that an investigation by Congress into possible intelligence failings ahead of the Sept. 11 attacks, in which about 3,000 people were killed, should be handled with great circumspection.

"An investigation must not interfere with the ongoing efforts to prevent the next attack, because without a doubt a very real threat of another perhaps more devastating attack still exists," Cheney said at the start of the speech at a dinner marking the 40th anniversary of the New York State Conservative Party.

"The people and agencies responsible for helping us learn about and defeat such an attack are the very ones most likely to be distracted from their critical duties if Congress fails to carry out their obligations in a responsible fashion," Cheney said.

The vice president attacked Democratic Party critics of the White House's handling of pre-Sept. 11 terrorism warnings, saying that suggestions the attacks could have been prevented were "thoroughly irresponsible and totally unworthy of national leaders in a time of war."

Key members of Congress had demanded earlier to know if the U.S. government had had enough information to head off the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Was there a failure of intelligence? Did the right officials not act on the intelligence in the proper way? These are the things we need to find out," said House of Representatives Democratic leader Richard Gephardt.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said he was "gravely concerned."

Administration officials said President George W. Bush had been warned in August of a possible hijack plot, but the intelligence was too general to act upon.

In his speech Cheney said he wanted to tell "my Democratic friends in the Congress is that they need to be very cautious not to seek political advantage by making incendiary suggestions".

"The president and I believe that one of our most important responsibilities is to do all that we can to ensure that an attack like 9/11 never happens again," he said.

"We believe that a thorough investigation of the events that led up to 9/11 is entirely appropriate and at the president's direction I've worked with the leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees to ensure that they get the necessary cooperation...

"There is an obligation on the part of the Congress to make certain that any investigation is conducted in a professional and responsible manner by members who are knowledgeable and are committed to improving our ability to defend the nation, not those who would seek short term political advantage," Cheney said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
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To: Darlin'
My choice for quote of the day is post 36
41 posted on 05/16/2002 6:58:11 PM PDT by TLBSHOW
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To: blueriver
Re:"The war on terrorism is a big farce."

What's the color of the night time sky on your planet?

42 posted on 05/16/2002 7:00:38 PM PDT by ChadGore
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To: TLBSHOW
FOFL. Thankyouverymuch. :)
43 posted on 05/16/2002 7:01:04 PM PDT by Darlin'
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To: Scratch shooter
You know colonialism isn't looking so bad after all just now.
44 posted on 05/16/2002 7:02:06 PM PDT by hscott
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To: piasa
Amen to that !
45 posted on 05/16/2002 7:02:18 PM PDT by Darlin'
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To: demlosers
The DemoRats pucker factor is going up. The November elections are just 5 months away, and the fools may lose the Senate.

They would deserve to lose the Senate. Additionally, I concur that they are endangering the very individuals assigned to gather information about terrorists and act appropriately. It's totally irresponsible and yes, absolutely sick and disgusting.

46 posted on 05/16/2002 7:02:52 PM PDT by grimalkin
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To: Darlin'
Bright, shiny objects? What may they be?

To be honest, I am amazed at the reaction my one, fairly innocuous post has engendered.

Nothing like free speech, huh?

47 posted on 05/16/2002 7:03:03 PM PDT by independentmind
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To: Scratch shooter
Scratch: Gotta agree with that last statement...they would and WILL launch the hot shit at us when and where they can...they've clearly stated that.

Yup...we need to spark off a few of those Tactical nukes and see if they're worth a damn...we are the only nation to ever use that drastic a power...but that was 60 years ago...maybe some folks have forgotten that Fat Man was just our prototype?

48 posted on 05/16/2002 7:08:10 PM PDT by NMFXSTC
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To: independentmind
"Well, better to be a liberal than a moron, I guess."

Y'know, you've been consistently wrong with every one of your posts on this thread. The preceeding post was the icing on the cake.

Being a moron is much better than be being a liberal. Morons are much more intellectually inclined.......

49 posted on 05/16/2002 7:13:01 PM PDT by yooper
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To: independentmind
"And now that I've had my daily dose of trivialities, it's time for me to bake my brownies...."

Don't forget the hemp, although I'd say you've already had more than enough....

50 posted on 05/16/2002 7:15:21 PM PDT by yooper
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To: independentmind
"Was there a failure of intelligence? Did the right officials not act on the intelligence in the proper way?"

These aren't legitimate questions as you tell us. These are answers in the form of questions, and considering the source, they are transparent insinuations. That is the reason for the objections you are hearing this evening.

But otherwise, it's obvious that there was a failure of intelligence. Well, duh, if there handn't been, these acts would not have occurred, would they? But to pin this failure on Dubya is to reveal total ignorance (or pretend it in this case) of how this mammoth government operates.

This is what's troubling to me: there was this Phoenix FBI memo, there was the knowledge that the Saudis, the governmen and the local yuppies there, support bin Laden, there was the knowledge that he did have his eye on the World Trade Center after one failed attempt at bringing it down, and there was the knowledge of thousands (hundreds?) of Saudis at US flight training schools. Somehow the dots were not connected. Could they have been connected? I dunno, we'll never know!

51 posted on 05/16/2002 7:15:51 PM PDT by Revolting cat!
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To: Dallas
That's nice. This means they are trying to cover their asses when the next, deadlier attack occurs. Will America then have the guts to shape up and do what it has to do to end the madness? I'm betting we don't. We'll just have more "diversity" commercials and Memorial servies with America hating Muslim clerics. Enjoy the ride down.
52 posted on 05/16/2002 7:17:27 PM PDT by Captainpaintball
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To: TomGuy
We keep hearing the possibility of something more massive coming. Do they (the government) know something?

I think the threat of attacks has always been out there ... long, long before September 11th. The public gets restless when Tom Ridge issues terror alerts which aren't specific but most threats are not specific. Then when non-specific alerts (in hindsight) point to September 11th, the media says "Why didn't you warn us". They want it both ways.

53 posted on 05/16/2002 7:20:54 PM PDT by BunnySlippers
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To: Dallas
"The vice president attacked Democratic Party critics of the White House's
handling of pre-Sept. 11 terrorism warnings,
saying that suggestions the attacks could have been prevented were
"thoroughly irresponsible and totally unworthy of national leaders in a time of war."

I'm sure Vice President Cheney gallantly restrained himself from saying that perhaps Dastardly Daschle was promoted well above his mental capacity to perform in such a high level position as senate majority-by-one-turncoat-leader. How much more damage does Daschle seek to incur upon innocent Americans as he demonstrates his inability to understand the vital paramount importance of President Bush's war on terrorism, a war for our survival and way of life, with his incessant petty baseless lies and insulting attacks on our President's integrity and sterling honor?

54 posted on 05/16/2002 7:28:17 PM PDT by harpo11
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To: independentmind
Well, better to be a liberal than a moron, I guess.

A liberal is a moron.

55 posted on 05/16/2002 7:40:37 PM PDT by gcraig
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To: Dallas
I think it’s irresponsible of the government to not run TV programs to educate the general public on the various types of threat we face as a people. No doubt, they are afraid of causing panic without an incident. Instead, they’re ensuring panic of ignorant masses at the worse possible time – when the terrorists strike.
56 posted on 05/16/2002 7:48:04 PM PDT by Barnacle
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To: Dallas
One word: Profiling.
57 posted on 05/16/2002 8:07:26 PM PDT by nonliberal
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To: independentmind
So I'm a liberal? Well, better to be a liberal than a moron, I guess.

Actually it isn't. Morons don't know any better...liberals are just plain evil.

58 posted on 05/16/2002 8:20:41 PM PDT by pgkdan
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To: Dallas
Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday raised the specter of a new, devastating terror attack on the United States and said Democratic Party criticism of the White House's handling of pre-Sept. 11 terror warnings at such a time was "thoroughly irresponsible".

Well said. Now it's time to really take the gloves off...the 'New Tone' didn't work. The damned dummocrats are tone deaf! Start beating them up on their hypocrisy...Gephardt and Daschle got the same briefings the President got. I heard Senator Shelby say so this morning...Bush can't try to stay above this, now's the time to come out swinging...I'd dearly love to see him land a clean right hook on Daschle's jaw!

59 posted on 05/16/2002 8:24:55 PM PDT by pgkdan
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To: independentmind
Nothing like free speech, huh?

Are you insinuating that the mere act of disagreeing with you somehow constitutes an infringment on your right to free speech? Your post wasn't removed, it wasn't singled out for ridicule by any moderator. It was disputed, by people with every right to free speech that you have.

If you don't like being outnumbered, you can always try DU, where opposing viewpoints are rarely tolerated.

60 posted on 05/16/2002 8:37:26 PM PDT by cgk
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