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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Will We See More Threats in November? |
Current rating: 0 |
by Dan Chambers
Email: dschambers77 (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified!)
Address: 218 W. Main St. Urbana, IL |
21 May 2002
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Recent threats to our security come on the heels of stinging criticism to Bush. Coincidence? I think not. |
After taking heat over the allegations that the Bush Administration had some kind of warnings about the threat posed by Al-Qaeda, Bush’s squad of spin makers are hard at work reinforcing the notion that terrorist attacks are inevitable. Bush is in hot water over an August briefing about terrorist threats at his ranch, but additionally, Ari Fleischer his press secretary was quoted as saying on the September 11th that the administration had “no warning” about the attacks, a statement obviously proven a lie. The effect of these allegations? Suddenly threats abound, from Central Florida’s water supply to the prospect of suicide bombers in our midst.
Says Robert Mueller on the prospect of suicide bombings at home, “I think we will see that in the future — I think it's inevitable." He continued, "There will be another terrorist attack," Mueller said, according to an Associated Press account. "We will not be able to stop it. It's something we all live with."Mueller has every right to see bogeymen at every turn. His agency—the FBI—has come under harsh criticism for dropping the ball on key intelligence reports from Arizona that planes might be hijacked. At a press conference of the nation’s district attorneys, Mueller was at a loss to name any organizations or persons the FBI knew to be considering actions against the US.
At an important hearing on the Pentagon budget (the timing could not have been more effective), Secretary of Defense Donald Rumseld was quoted as saying “Let there be no doubt, it is only a matter of time before terrorist states armed with weapons of mass destruction develop the capability to deliver those weapons to U.S. cities, giving them the ability to try to hold America hostage to nuclear blackmail.” The underlying message seems to be that any criticism of the President will result in an eruption of masses of suicide bombers in our malls, of future attacks on prominent buildings, and of inevitable disaster. Last week’s assault of words on Cuba worked to serve the same purpose. The message will no doubt be heard by the professional journalist class.
Conscientious citizens should hold accountable these workers of policy who have everything to gain from keeping us fearful and nothing to gain from letting us in on the real threats to national security. Their warnings are horrific, yet too vague to either prove or disprove. The White House claims that they are not planning a public campaign to raise concerns over the issue, but even if they were, would that be something they would advertise? The Bushies have already used the 9/11 attacks to bolster corporate subsidies, their Missle Defense plan, and the chipping away of basic civil liberties. I don’t deny the threat of terrorist attacks on our shores, but neither can I deny that the Bush administration would absolutely use this threat to their advantage. Will we see more warnings during the upcoming election cycle?
http://partners.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/nyregion/21WIRE-ALERT.html?Partner=AOL&RefId=l3eEFnnFnJFu
http://partners.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/politics/21CND-TERROR.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45241-2002May20.html
http://commondreams.org/views02/0521-02.htm |
