Posted on 05/18/2002 7:44:52 AM PDT by DKM
Dem senators lambaste vague terrorism warning
By Noelle Straub
Senate Democrats criticized the Bush administration Tuesday for its warning that another terrorist attack could come in the next week, without giving any specifics.
As if were not on high alert already, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said after Director of the Office of Homeland Security Tom Ridge briefed Senate Democrats. It provokes its own level of panic.
On Monday, Attorney General John Ashcroft cited credible information to indicate there would be new terrorist attacks within the United States or abroad in the next week. But he said he could not identify specific targets or the type of attacks.
Dodd said many of his colleagues questioned Ashcrofts action. What the hell are you saying this for? We all know this is a pretty precarious time.
Sen. Richard Durbin (Ill.) said the Democratic Caucus wants to be as cautious as the administration but wondered whether that kind of vague warning would only create more fear and anxiety.
I think we have to caution the administration to be careful, Durbin said. They can only do this so many times before they lose their credibility.
He said hes been peppered with questions from constituents who wanted to know what precautions to take, but all he could tell them was to go on with their lives while remaining vigilant.
When these warnings are given, the people we represent dont know what to do, Durbin said.
Republicans were much less critical of Ridge when he briefed their caucus, with Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) describing their reception of Ridge as cordial, loving, affectionate.
Speaking to reporters after the lunches, Ridge admitted that senators of both parties had cautioned him against repeated warnings of new terrorist attacks, which they compared to the little boy who cried wolf example.
Ridge said the administration was walking a tightrope on what information to release to the public, but said, It is very important, I think, at this juncture to continue to raise the level of awareness.
If even one security guard at a shopping mall pays extra attention to a suspicious package because of the warning, Ridge said, the warning would be justified.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) was less critical, saying the administration was in a very understandable dilemma.
To avoid leaks or misunderstandings, Daschle said, the administration made a choice that had some downsides. But he added, Under these circumstances I really dont know that they could have made any other choice.
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said he was ambivalent about the warning. It serves a purpose and Im not really quarreling about it. It serves a notice to the terrorists. On the other hand, its frustrating not to know why were on alert. You can only do that so many times before people become rather blasé about it.
Democrats have also complained that the administration has given out conflicting information about the terrorist attacks since Sept. 11.
Dodd said Democrats expressed the desire for Ridge to coordinate the various agencies on counterterrorism but also to provide a single voice for the administration. Theres a lot of noise and not a lot of clarity, Dodd said.
Hell go back with a stronger sense that people are disappointed about how this is being managed, Dodd said of Ridge.
Dodd advised Ridge to emulate Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who often appears at press conferences with several experts who can bolster his message.
The Republican track record in dealing with Democrat Marxist warfare isn't very encouraging. I hope they all grow a pair between now and the Sunday shows tommorrow.
I'm convinced that if we fire back each and every time they lie about President Bush, like typical bullies, they will back off. One thing they can never escape or explain away is the damning indictment of the Sudanese offering bin Laden to Bill Clinton and Clinton refusing to take him.
Like someone said on a previous thread, all roads lead back to Clinton. Just like Enron.
He was IIRC member and sometime chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Anyhow, it's been done, and the right always loses when they try to play the left's game. The right just isn't as evil and hateful as the left.
Do they think we won't find things out
I predicted this last night on Post #18 of this thread...... :-)
***************************************
Last night I wrote:
"I disagree that making public a generic threat that someone, somewhere, at some future date planned to highjack an aircraft (in the traditional pre-911 meaning of the word) would have saved a single life.
Aircraft highjackings have been going on since the 1960's. What, exactly, would anyone have done differently? Avoid air travel? Implement post-911 security measures in a pre-911 world?
If post-911 security had been implemented, the Democrats would have howled about "fear mongering". If special measures were taken to monitor young Muslim men, the Democrats would have thrown out the Racist Ethnic Profiling Card.
Now, we have generic threats of possible future shopping mall bombings. What, exactly, do the Democrats propose President Bush do to prevent such a future bombing?
Bomb detectors and metal detectors at shopping malls? Watch the Democrats accuse Bush of sabotaging the economic recovery. Extra vigilance for Muslims? Watch the Democrats throw out the Race Card.
Just for the record, Islamic terrorists in the unspecified future will try to:
1. Poison some American city's water supply.
2. Bomb some tunnel during rush hour.
3. Attack American military targets somewhere in the world.
4. Attack American tourists somewhere in the world.
5. Bomb an American airliner somewhere in the world.
6. Poison American food supplies somewhere.
7. Bomb an American bridge somewhere during rush hour.
8. Bomb a some American sports event.
9. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
One week after any of those events happen, we will all, with 20/20 hindsight, know exactly what could have been done to prevent the tragedy. Monday Morning Quaterbacking always yields the correct solution to any problem."
Oh, he's an expert on making a waitress sandwich.
Needs the honorable (??) Teddy Kennedy to assist, though.
Joined FR May 18, 2002.
Remember all the resistance even when "evidence" was presented?
People wanted proof....we didn't start finding it until AFTER the attack.
The US had NO way of knowing the time, place, type and means of the attack.
Interesting read:
http://www.bard.edu/hrp/HRresponses/terrorism/perlez&weiner9.24.01.htm
September 24, 2001 The New York Times U.S. to Publish Terror Evidence on bin Laden By JANE PERLEZ and TIM WEINER The evidence, American officials say, reaches from the southern tip of Manhattan to the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan. It traces a group that started out running material aid to the rebels fighting the Soviet invaders of Afghanistan in the 1980's and wound up declaring war on the United States.
The strongest is Mr. bin Laden's declaration of war on Feb. 23, 1998. He proclaimed from his Afghan redoubt: "To kill Americans and their allies, both civil and military, is an individual duty of every Muslim who is able."
The national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, said today that the government had "very good evidence of links" between bin Laden operatives "and what happened on Sept. 11." She added: "We are drawing in investigative services, law enforcement, intelligence from a lot of countries. And so we need to be careful with how we use this information."
The public report will omit intercepts by the National Security Agency, including conversations among people on the fringes of Mr. bin Laden's network right after the attacks, officials said.
The secret report will include that type of intelligence information, which will be shared only with some trusted governments.
Counterterrorism and intelligence officers are sifting through a flood of warnings and threats against the United States made this spring and summer, looking for leads back to Mr. bin Laden. Some of those reports were not quickly reviewed before Sept. 11, in part because of a lack of trained analysts and trusted translators throughout the government, officials said.
"There are not enough people to examine all the information," said Representative Porter Goss of Florida, the ranking Republican on the House intelligence committee and a former C.I.A. officer. Too few analysts and translators must pore over "reams and reams and reams and reams of take, and say, `Does any of this stuff mean anything?' And especially if it's in a foreign language or in code, that's very hard to deal with. That's hard work."
Senior officials said they could not include sensitive intelligence information because it could compromise their sources and methods of investigation. But they were also aware, they said, of the concerns of Arab and other leaders. The Saudi foreign minister, Saud al-Faisal, has said the American response should be based on justice, not vengeance.
The Egyptian leader, Hosni Mubarak, has repeatedly said the United States must be sure that it had the evidence against the suspects. An American attack could otherwise backfire and nurture more Islamic extremists, he has warned. Mr. Mubarak did not appear to suggest that the evidence be sufficient to prove a court case but rather that it persuade the man in the street that Mr. bin Laden is to blame.
Ah, we have a Democrat on the Forum. Welcome, "Developing Investigation".
Would you care to comment on the points I made on Post #30?
First the Democrats squeal if the White House puts out "vague" warnings. Then the Democrats squeal of the White House does not put out "vague" warnings. The bottom line is that the Democrats would squeal no matter what was done. The Democrats certainly know how to squeal but did nothing about Al Qaeda during the 8 years of the Clinton Administration even though Americans were attacked again and again.
An investigation would be a very good thing. The American public will then see what the Clinton Administration did after:
1.The Al Qaeda bombing of the U.S. Embassies in Africa. Nothing.
2. The Al Qaeda bombing of the USS Cole. Nothing.
3. When Sudan offered to help capture Osama bin Laden. Nothing.
4. When warnings about highjacking were put out back in 1999. Nothing.
5. When Al Qaeda bombed U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia. Nothing.
6. When Americans were trapped in the the "Blackhawk Down" incident in Somalia with no way out until four Pakistani tanks and 28 Malaysian armored personnel carriers were found to rescue those American troops because the Clinton Administration had refused to send the heavy tanks the American military commander had long ago asked for. Why the refusal? Because Clinton was afraid it "would not look good" to send some heavy tanks to Somalia.
Clinton did nothing about Al Qaeda. As a result of Clinton's cowardice and inaction, Al Qaeda was emboldend to strike the U.S. again and again and again until it culminated in 9/11.
Bring on the "developing investigation". It's time to let the light shine on how the Clinton Administration dealt with Al Qaeda during the Democrat's 8 years in the White House.
Get carried away with what? Simply posting information that exposes the true hypocrosy of the left, in an effort to gain traction for their lack of platform in an election year. This information, when compared to recent rhetoric by the left is simply a factual example, easily obtained from the net, of spin. Nothing contrived or concocted here, simply documented fact.
Don't let my facts stand in the way of your convictions............
Digging out past facts and quotes with lightning speed for us to arm ourselves with is a specialty with many talented freepers. I salute you all!
Leni
Excellent point .. aren't these the same countries the Dems are telling us that gave us all kinds of warnings
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