(2007-07-12) — As details of a new top-secret threat assessment begin leaking to the media through the usual intelligence community channels, President George Bush stands poised to ask Congress for more funding to boost the CIA’s ability to watch al-Qaeda grow.
The unreleased National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) will show a resurgent al Qaeda — with training facilities, money and communication abilities not seen since 2001 — enjoying safe haven in the western tribal regions of Pakistan, a U.S. ally.
While the president reportedly continues to respect the territorial integrity of Pakistan’s terrorist havens, and has no plans to violate Pakistan’s sovereignty with massive air strikes on al Qaeda training camps there, he will urge Congress to “help me reduce the surprise factor of the inevitable attacks on our soil by increasing our ability to observe the growth of our sworn enemies.”
Meanwhile, an internal White House memorandum, leaked to The Washington Post, suggests that the Bush administration abandon aggressive statements about the so-called “war on terror” and instead borrow jargon from the National Weather Service, referring to “terror watches” and “terror warnings”.
A “terror watch” would indicate a high probability of attack on U.S. soil, while a “terror warning” means an attack has already happened and more might come.
“Of course,” the White House memo says, “as with the violent weather watches and warnings, citizens will simply have to hunker down and hope they don’t get hurt. After all, like the weather, you can talk about terrorism and you can see it coming from a distance, but ultimately, you can’t really do anything about it.”
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74 responses so far ↓
1 camojack // Jul 12, 2007 at 7:43 am
“As details of a new top-secret threat assessment begin leaking to the media through the usual intelligence community channels…
Hmmm…yes. What is up with that, anyway?!
2 camojack // Jul 12, 2007 at 7:44 am
Oh, and here’s a pre-emptive God Bless America for J. Jonah Jameson, while I’m here…
3 Roguet55 // Jul 12, 2007 at 8:02 am
Finally, the Congress is tooling up with new physical activities like yelling at each other that “calling out the sky is falling” is irresponsible! Well… at least they are doing something to earn their lifetime stipens!
Please remind me why we leave these tribal allies alone to do as they please to further the islamization of the world?!
Missed you Scott!
4 gafisher // Jul 12, 2007 at 8:03 am
The weather service analogy holds up well. Everybody talks about al Quada but nobody does anything about it.
Today’s forecast: partly terror, becoming mostly terror tomorrow.
5 JamesonLewis3rd // Jul 12, 2007 at 8:15 am
It occurred to me today that, at best, al Qaeda and their Islamofascist ilk are actually, really and truly, barbarians still living in the dark ages.
It’s like somebody “beamed” them here from afar.
While the “SG-1 Approach” should have been adopted at a much earlier point in time, it could still be implemented: If an alien acts friendly, then, become pals; else, if they are hostile, vaporize them; else, isolate them from the entire Universe. This is a tried and true method, considered by consensus to be far superior to the “Star Trek Approach” of yesteryear.
6 Rock Slatestone // Jul 12, 2007 at 8:30 am
unfortunately, nobody was just “beamed in”. They have always been here. With the lack of building security and not having a swift successful war, we get to watch this dragon rear its ugly head.
7 conserve-a-tips // Jul 12, 2007 at 8:37 am
Ouch, Scott. Really good, but man, did you have to make your knife so sharp? It cut right through to the truth!!!
Coming from the land of twisters and ‘fraidy holes’ I am thinking that Gary England ain’t gonna be much use on this forecast. “Aunty Em! Aunty Em! I’m not in Kansas anymore!”
8 Fred Sinclair // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:07 am
These days, when I’m out and about in my wheelchair, I meet friends who ask, “Fred, what’s up? What are you doing, lately?”
I ALWAYS answer, “I’m real busy playing Government.”
“Playing Government? How do you do that?”
“Just sit around, running my mouth and doing absolutely nothing.”
Heirborn Ranger
9 Darthmeister // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:17 am
I’ll never understand partisan leftist crowing over this “fact” of al Qaeda trying to reconstitute itself by rallying their fellow nutbags. The fact remains, there have been, there are and there will be al Qaeda death merchants to deal with and one can don’t deal with evil like that by negotiating “peace” terms or letting them metastasize in the swamps of Islamofascism unmolested. Since 9/11, the existence of emboldened jihadists is ALL Americans’ continuing problem whether we had attacked the Taliban/al Qaeda/Saddam axis of evil or not. These loonie tunes are not going to simply disappear by half of us putting their heads
up their… in the sand.And jihadists like Abu al-Zawahiri and Yussuf al-Ayyeri have made it abundantly clear to those with ears to hear, al Qaeda sees Iraq and Afghanistan and the whole planet as their battlefields! All of America and the rest of the free world would too if America blamers weren’t so steeped in their counter-productive and despicable Bush hatred.
I mean, how many more Germans rallied to the Nazi cause when we began bombing them in 1942? And how many Japanese rallied to Tojo’s cause when Dolittle bombed Tokyo? Did this “rallying effect” mean if we had not “stirred up the hornet’s nest” and simply left them alone in 1941 we would have had “peace in our time”? Sheesh! The anti-war left is stuck on stupid and the Islamofascist have a ready reserve of useful idiots to exploit in the years to come.
10 boberinyetagain // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:21 am
What do you know? Perhaps it would have been best if we had concentrated on finding the bad guy in Afghanistan rather than looking in Iraq. You remember, they guy that caused/rejoiced in the attack on us. Yeah that’s right, the guy we were actually mad at, the one that had done us harm. I know he got lost in the shuffle but if you think real hard you’ll remeber him.
Granted, perhaps the effort in Iraq made some terrorists relocate from A to I but if we had stayed in A to begin with we could have saved them the effort and killed them where they were.
Them and the Osama guy. Might have slowed (not stopped) the rise of Al but, even if it didn’t we would have gotten the guy that actually harmed us, not just a random mean man.
11 boberinyetagain // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:25 am
Hank, you and I agree again! It was by far and away the damned dumbest idea ever to abandon the effort to find the leader of the opposition which is exactly what we did.
Why was that again? To take down a mean man? Stupid, stupid, stupid. History will judge that decision to be one of a fool. (or bunch of fools, take your pick)
Talk about a head up where the moon don’t shine!
12 Laughing@You // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:38 am
What’s up with all the Repug perverts?
http://www.wftv.com/news/13665369/detail.html?taf=orlc
Do you think maybe it’s something in the Neo-Con Kool-Aid?
13 Ms RightWing, Ink // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:39 am
Good morning from Davenport, er Davenport Military Victory Outpost. I too, feel I need to do something to fight terrorism. Where can I send my dimes and nickels. Shoot, I will even throw in my laundry money for next week. Where do I send it.
No place for a victory garden here at the Bunker
14 Harry Daschle // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:51 am
Remember that song, “Watching Scotty Grow” by Mac Davis? Santini ought to be able to do something with that!
WOW, Bush just messed up big time, he called on Helen Thomas for the first question. 10:46 am
15 Maggie // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:59 am
Scott …….Great post as usual.
After watching the news this morning, I feel confident that we can breath easier now that Chertof’s “gut feeling” statement has been brought to public debate.
It was comforting and reassuring to watch the two leaders of the House Intelligence (?)Committee battling it out on television…..esp. while our soldiers are risking life and limb in Iraq and Afganistan to serve in situations
approved and appropiated by these same (uh) men.
I am with Camo and James……God bless and help America!
16 JamesonLewis3rd // Jul 12, 2007 at 10:03 am
In my opinion, the three (3) videos released by al Qaeda this month indicate a real need for recruits; I think it shows depleting resources; I think it gives a certain desperate tone to their mindless blathering; I think this is a dangerous condition.
I think these observations are giving Chertoff the queasiness, the anxiety and the embarrassing gastric distress.
17 University Update - George W Bush - Bush: CIA Needs More Money to Watch Qaeda Grow // Jul 12, 2007 at 10:08 am
[...] Wesley Clark Link to Article george w bush Bush: CIA Needs More Money to Watch Qaeda Grow » Posted at ScrappleFace on Thursday, July 12, 2007 (2007-07-12) — As details of a new top-secret threat assessment begin leaking to the media through the usual intelligence community channels, President George Bush stands poised to ask Congress for more funding to boost the CIA’s ability … memorandum, leaked to The Washington Post, suggests that the Bush administration abandon aggressive View Entire Article » [...]
18 Fred Sinclair // Jul 12, 2007 at 10:35 am
A lot of American military died in No. Korea back in ‘50 - ‘53 because the libs of the day were still in shock from Heroshima and Nagasaki and Truman lost his nerve.
In his book “Boring a Hole in the Sky” General Robert Lee Scott, Jr. detailed how Generals White, Twining and LeMay went to the President and said they were willing to guarentee a 3 day war, with zero American casualities, if Truman wouuld authorize the use of “The Atom Bomb”
They gave him their most accurate figures on projected loss of life (both military and civilian) and maximum property damage. Truman refused, resulting in our fighting the length of Korea twice. Later figures showed loss of life in excess of a factor of three - and property damage by a factor of five. Plus multiple thousands of American lives, needlessly wasted.
Probably a good thing from the lib’s point of view that I wasn’t President on 9/11/01 because I would have done what Truman wouldn’t and obviously Bush (either one) wouldn’t either.
The “world” was outraged by an Israli “pre-emptiive strike” a few years ago but in time the “world” mostly got over it. Just as they’re going to eventually get over Israeli’s next “pre-emptive” strike - this time (and very soon, I believe) in Iran.
Heirborn Ranger
19 RedPepper // Jul 12, 2007 at 11:08 am
gafisher #4: “Today’s forecast: partly terror, becoming mostly terror tomorrow.”
Our problem is more like the Hippy-Dippy Weatherman’s forecast:
Tomorrow’s high … whenever I get up!
20 Hawkeye // Jul 12, 2007 at 11:26 am
War on Terror? What War on Terror? That’s just a bumper sticker… a slogan. I got it from a reputable source.
21 Darthmeister // Jul 12, 2007 at 11:30 am
CONGRESS HASN’T MET BENCHMARKS
AP - Baghdad
While the U.S. Congress sits in judgment of the Iraqi Parliament for “having not done enough” during wartime, it was discovered that the U.S. Congress is stuck in a quagmire of its own and has only met one of seven benchmarks it set for itself six months ago.
When asked for comment, House Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Moon) and Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-Moon) both blame President Bush for their own inaction on the important business it needed to address. “We’re just here to throw money at problems, that is if we can ever get a majority to pass legislation. Everything else is the executive branch’s problem. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.”
Democrats
and the mediaacross the country applauded the boldness of the Congressional leadership in blaming the Bush Administration for its gridlock.22 Hawkeye // Jul 12, 2007 at 11:31 am
Today’s forecast… Partly sunny, gradually fading into mostly darkness this evening. The darkness may be heavier in some localized areas.
23 Hawkeye // Jul 12, 2007 at 11:35 am
Darth #21,
“Democrats
and the media…”Yes, that would be redundant now, wouldn’t it?
24 Darthmeister // Jul 12, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Bober, stop with the canards already. You really don’t care if we get Osama or not and here’s why. First, he could already be dead for all we know. There are leftists on your side of the aisle that claim precisely that and accuse the Bush Administration and elements within the CIA of propping up Osama as a boogey man to justify a continued bumpersticker war on terror. So whether Osama is alive or happens to be dead … IT’S BUSH’S FAULT!
And you also know in your heart of hearts that taking out Osama (don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see UBL hang just like Saddam) won’t change the terror war one whit. In fact, it looks like Ayman al-Zawahiri is the one running what’s left of the al Qaeda A-team. So, once again we see your side of the aisle on both sides of the issue. If we kill Osama it will only make him a martyr, if we don’t kill Osama, Bush has failed … blah, blah, blah.
And what positive thing has your side of the aisle actually done to support the troops in their missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and in advancing the overall GWOT … zilch, nada, goose egg. Your side has done nothing, nothing but complain, second-guess, generate hare-brained conspiracy theories and fingerpoint. Your side has proven to be clueless whiners and your post provides more evidence of which I speak.
25 Ms RightWing, Ink // Jul 12, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Global warming affecting al Qaeda?
26 Shelly // Jul 12, 2007 at 12:42 pm
boberin, all I can say is that I’m SO glad someone with your way of seeing things did not occupy the White House on December 8, 1941 because Hilter really needed to go.
27 Laughing@You // Jul 12, 2007 at 12:55 pm
“First, he could already be dead for all we know.”
Sad to say, that may be true!
But, doesn’t it seem like we should at least try know, since this IS the leader of the 911 Attack. NOT Saddam!
“So I don’t know where he is (Osama). You know, I just don’t spend that much time on him, Kelly, to be honest with you.”
President George W. Bush, March 13, 2002 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
28 tomg // Jul 12, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Wonder if the CIA uses any of these for watching http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1274983,00.html
29 Laughing@You // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:01 pm
You’re going to need a long string, and lots of help to spin this one, knowitall!
30 Shelly // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:05 pm
tomg, who knew Iran was hiding their secrets in bird feeders?
31 EXT // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Let’s see….
Disney/ABC (Al Jazzera North)…..
Disney: Annimation carried to perfection….
Might we imagine that Bin Laden actually died but has been animated with long-life lithium batteries inserted so the beat can go on and on and on and on and on……
32 Ted // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:27 pm
More money means we may watch Qaeda “glow.”
Ted
33 Beerme // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:33 pm
OK, so Sadaam didn’t attack us on 9-11-2001 and perhaps it was a mistake going after toppling his regime. What if we all admit that is absolutely true (which it pretty much is). Will you Democrats stop harping on this issue and answer me one question?
What does it matter, now?
Are we not there? Is it not the epicenter of the GWOT (sorry, I know it’s a bumper sticker but I just don’t know what else to call it)?
Don’t we need to win it now, rather than whine about why we went in the first place and who is at fault for going?
WE’RE THERE! WE MUST WIN!
Anything else is disastrous and any attempt to do anything else is un-American.
Now, go whine somewhere else, grownups are talking.
34 da Bunny // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:42 pm
May as well give the CIA the money to watch al Qaeda grow…wouldn’t want to use the funds to seal off our borders or begin mass deportations of illegal aliens or “students” who never attend classes because they’re too busy planning evil deeds. I heard something chilling yesterday. A “student” can come here on a visa, register for classes in person, and get taxpayer funded financial aid, never attend a single class, and the college doesn’t have to report to the government that the “student” never showed up for classes until after the semester ends. Simply infuriating…
35 Darthmeister // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:47 pm
And to show how disingenuous and duplicitous those on your side of the aisle are, Lying@You, if President Bush had admitted he spent all his time thinking about UBL, you moonbats would whine that Bush is obsessed with UBL and is not spending enough time looking at the broader war and thus making America less secure, what about our children … blah, blah, blah.
How do I know this, because one of your local moonbat comrades made this point back in late 2001 in our local newspaper regarding Bush’s alleged “obsession” with UBL during the initial Afghan operations that was supposedly putting America more at risk because not enough time or thought was being spent in securing American from future 9/11s (which haven’t happened in six years despite Bush’s alleged “obsession”) or the actions of other terrorist organizations. You people are constantly on both sides of the issue as contrarian armchair generals. Pathetic demagogues all. Your self-righteous posturing hasn’t contributed one positive thing to the GWOT - not one.
Even if you and your anti-war pals are able to political force American troops out of Iraq, that perceived loss and the subsequent bloodbath in Iraq will be hung around your worthless necks for the rest of your lives. And you can bank on the fact conservatives will be reminding you anti-war demagogues of how your policy of cut-and-run literally made the world a far more dangerous place with lunatic jihadists around the world being further emboldened by their “victory” over Great Satan America. If you think things are bad now, wait until your policies of defeat are acted upon by a Democratically-controlled Congress. You can either wake up now or wake up later.
36 boberinyetagain // Jul 12, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Beerme, because we could stay and die there for the next 3000 years much like folks have been staying and dying there for the last 3000. Or, we could leave and leave them to do what they have always done, will always do, hate and kill each other. What is