Homeland Security

In today’s edition of The Hill newspaper I wrote an op-ed with the hope of initiating a serious discussion about how much freedom we should give in, in return for how much safety.

In recent days Congress passed and the president signed a new law that significantly increases the scope of domestic eavesdropping without any serious debate considering the magnitude of the issue.

It was done, yet again, in an atmosphere of fear, which in my view is unworthy of the people and Congress of our nation. I am reposting the op-ed here and if others are interested, hope we can begin a serious discussion, and I would be glad to respond to comments, questions and thoughts. Read more...

The lede sentence in the Washington Times article today entitled “Terrorists teaming with drug cartels” reads: “Islamic extremists embedded in the United States — posing as Hispanic nationals — are partnering with violent Mexican drug gangs to finance terror networks in the Middle East, according a Drug Enforcement Administration report.”

If it’s not enough to make your blood boil that the Bush administration, aware of this report, refuses to make border enforcement a number one priority, there’s more. The article goes on to report: “… an El Paso, Texas, law-enforcement report documents the influx of ‘approximately 20 Arab persons a week utilizing the Travis County Court in Austin to change their names and driver’s licenses from Arabic to Hispanic surnames.’” Read more...

It's always interesting to observe the worlds of politics and government. Like fantasy and reality, they are intertwined. The boundless promises of a campaign for change in government get tangled in the politics of it.

"It's time for a change," said the Democrats. And the voters bought it. Congress changed hands as poll after poll showed a majority looking for a way out of Iraq and the Republican way of doing national security.  Read more...

In this video, Brent Budowsky warns that with $1.5 to $2 trillion dollars spent on the Iraq war, there will be major disasters from decaying bridges, tunnels, and in New Orleans with levees still dangerously inadequate.

J. Edgar Hoover is grinning in his grave.

The FBI’s adopted a plan to recruit 15,000 covert informants in the United States to help keep America safe. Their job? Reporting to the FBI anybody “suspicious” — in other words, anybody with a different accent, skin color, lifestyle, hairstyle, religion or sexual orientation. Read more...

I was watching the news the other day, and I saw an advertisement put up by the Democrats thanking the Democrats for all their success in the first seven months of their majority.

Talk about chutzpah.

Talk about smart.

My mom always told me that if you don’t believe good things about yourself, nobody else will. Well, it is time for the Republicans to start believing that their philosophy has led to some real progress for the American people. If we don’t start believing it, nobody else will.  Read more...

10. Do Democratic primary voters really want candidates like John Edwards and Barack Obama who speak fondly of the Great Society? In a word: yes.

9. Why do we demand from government absolute security against terrorism but are so tolerant about other government negligence that can also result in random harm, such as the broken steam pipe that resulted in injury and death in New York City? Mayor Bloomberg pays no price for failing to maintain an aging and dangerous infrastructure, but would be heavily criticized if the damage were done by terrorists.

8. Isn’t it a risky strategy for a candidate’s wife, Elizabeth Edwards, to attack another candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton? Can’t John Edwards do his own attacking?   Read more...

In the spring of 2003, President Bush dismissed any questions about Osama bin Laden. “I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and don’t care. It is not important, and it is not our priority.” He added: “I am not truly concerned about him.”

He should have been. In a stunning admission of failure, the Bush administration admitted this week that the war on terror is a total bust. “FUBAR,” as we used to say in college. Read more...

Remember the old expression "Don’t put the emphasis on the wrong syllable"?

The Bush administration has been doing just that in the war on terror ever since Sept. 11, 2001. Now their own National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) proves it. Al Qaeda is stronger, not weaker, because we have neglected them in Pakistan and provided them the opportunity to get a foothold in Iraq, where they were non-existent before Sept. 11.

We have actually harmed worldwide efforts to undermine terrorism by focusing the bulk of our attention, money, troops and Pentagon and intelligence resources on Iraq and not on al Qaeda. We have put the emphasis on the wrong syllable.  Read more...

It is repeated today by Republicans on the floor of the Senate and restated on this site, only yesterday, and it goes like this:

The Democrats have an al Qaeda problem, and this war, which was started with the Big Lie that claimed it was necessary to defeat bin Laden, must be continued to promote the Big Lie that to change the policy would help the terrorists, when the exact opposite is true.  Read more...