Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The U.S. Is Still Wide Open To Another Al Qaeda Attack

U.S. Visa System Gives Al Qaeda An Open Door Invitation To Attack Us Again

Six years after 9/11, the U.S. remains unprepared either to prevent an Al Qaeda attack or to deal with the aftermath of such an attack. The Bush Administration and the Congress have been slow to respond to the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which called for tighter immigration policies, and interoperable communications for first responders, among other recommendations. Some recommendations have been completely ignored by Bush & Co. In addition, the U.S. health system is incapable of handling a mass casualty event, especially with the shortage of nurses, hospital beds, trauma centers, and first responders, and poorly prepared emergency rooms.

Now a new intelligence assessment is warning that Al Qaeda has regrouped and is intent on launching more attacks on U.S. soil. Listen Here. Meanwhile, the incompetent U.S. government is asleep at the wheel once again. The Bush & Co. policy of pushing for military action while ignoring domestic security has proven to be a disaster....and has left the country wide open to further attacks. The biggest hole in domestic security that the neocons have ignored is the U.S. Visa System. I have been screaming for years that this hole had to be plugged, and that the U.S. was leaving itself wide open for more attacks. The same vulnerability that the 9/11 hijackers exploited was never fixed. In fact, Bush & Co. relaxed some Visa restrictions, making it easier to enter the country. For example, travellers from Europe are not required to even apply for a Visa. As many of you know, Al Qaeda has a strong presence in Europe and operates relatively freely throughout the EU. It would be quite easy for a group of Al Qaeda operatives from Europe to fly to the U.S. and enter a U.S. port with no problem at all. And the Bush Administration knows about these vulnerabilities and has refused to address them. It is almost as if the Bush folks are leaving the country vulnerable on purpose as a way to take advantage of any future attacks and to keep the country in fear, instead of taking sensible precautions....precautions that any responsible government would take to protect its people. You can't be this incompetent by accident. In fact, the U.S. gets rid of anyone who tries to blow the whistle about lapses in security.

There was also a failure to limit the number of American colleges taking part in the Student Visa program....to a more manageable number. As things stand now, any private trade school that crops up can become a Visa sponsoring organization.... creating a conveyor belt for terrorists to get into the country. This is on top of all of the legitimate Colleges and Universities in the system. A alternative that I suggested some time ago would involve restricting the number of schools in the Visa system and would limit the number of Visa issued, and at the same time, encouraging the establishment of more American colleges and Universities overseas.... reducing the need for foreign students from sensitive parts of the world to actually enter the U.S. to obtain a degree from an American school. Several U.S. Universities already have several campuses overseas. Another option would be to expand online degree options to foreign students.

This is what happens when political appointees are put in key positions, rather than professionals with the proper qualifications. The people in charge of U.S. Homeland Security, such as Michael Chertoff, Julie Myers and Frances Townsend for example, have no experience or expertise whatsoever in Security.... no experience actually working in the field. These people have worn suits and have sat behind desks their whole careers. We basically have several Michael Browns running our security apparatus. It's a complete joke. This is why our security priorities are out of order. It is also why I believe that we are doomed.... and have been left to the mercy of Al Qaeda and anyone else who wants to do us harm. We are going around the world making new enemies, but leaving our borders wide open. It's like being in a neighborhood full of enemies, and picking a fight with the neighbor down the street....and leaving your front and back door open while you are away from home. Or not checking your doors before you go to bed at night. I think most Americans check their doors to make sure they are locked and might even set an alarm before they go to bed at night. But as a country.... we have done the opposite.

What about the War On Terror? That whole thing is a hoax. There is no War On Terror. I know from firsthand experience that the U.S. government is not hiring for key areas... Hiring is being done by the ones, twos, threes, and by the tens, for several security related positions. This is why I have not been able to get a foot in the door, despite being qualified for entry level work. I have been dying to serve the country in a DHS position. If there was a real War On Terror, hiring would be taking place by the hundreds and in some cases by the thousands.

The "War On Terror" is more of an empty political slogan....something that sounds good and something that is easy to brand. But there is no substance behind the words. Unless the "War On Terror" simply refers to foreign military intervention and ignores domestic security (which most Americans should know by now has not worked).

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Related Links

U.S. Still Vulnerable To Attack- Clark Kent Ervin Interview

Homeland Insecurity Continues

Ft. Dix Terror Plot

Egyptian Students Fail To Report

Millions of Foreign Visitors Overstay Visas

Taliban Official Attending Yale University

Homeland Security Still Not Prepared

Homeland Security Official Reports Lapses in Immigration System

3 comments:

Constructive Feedback said...

Why do you choose to start your clock at 6 years? Didn't Al Qaeda attack in Kenya, Tanzania and the US Cole also? Do you know what exactly was done between these points and 9/11?

I also assume that you don't by the leftist extremists angle that "BUSH DID IT"? For you see this would be a rather perverse scenario. Bush orchestrated 9/11 in order to go into Iraq and give Halliburton billions and then BUSH failed to keep us secure from an ISLAMIC ENEMY WHO DIDN'T STRIKE US IN THE FIRST PLACE.

You kinda need a blunt to figure that one out, don't you? (Or to even create the scenario in the first place.)

Angry - get this. Bush has failed to do all that is necessary to keep us safe both up to 9/11 and then afterward. At the same time the ACLU and others have been defensive backers AGAINST the evil Bush Administration to insure that they don't cast to wide of a net.

But alas, my brother - "Help is on the way" (remember that slogan?). The Democrats are poised to take control of the ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT in 2 years. (hooray!!)
The are going to implement all of the 9/11 Commission Recommendations. (You know that commission recommendations are sacrosanct - that is except the Bush Social Security Commission - it was bogus and thus we should NOT have followed those recommendations word for word).

But get this - once the Commission's recommendations are followed to the letter by the new Democratic Federal government - both you and I get to INSPECT the actual state of vulnerability of the USA come 2009 or 2010. This is going to be great!!

That ole terror warning is going to be GREEN man! The lowest there is. You see the terrorists have been REACTING TO BUSH'S ACTIONS, not initiating their own thing. So with EVIL BUSH GONE.......the threat from the terrorists is gone as well.

This might just work out better than I thought.
And as you know - what is good for the Democrats is good for Black people - so our communities will be safer than ever as well.

Brian said...

Once again... you are making up all sorts of nonsense...saying that I have written things that I HAVE NOT.

Where did I say that Bush orchestrated 9/11?

You are reaching the end of your participation on this blog.

Your participation here has been far from Constructive. Your comments are becoming more and more nonsensical... and I have tried to be patient with you.

Constructive Feedback said...

I believe my exact words were:

[quote]I also assume that you don't by the leftist extremists angle that "BUSH DID IT"?[/quote]

Thus I said LEFTIST EXTREMISTS believe. I did not say YOU.

My posts are SARCASTIC at times.

Please read YOUR POSTS. Surely no one would mistake them as being objective, absent any particular agenda.

If there is any frustration on your part it is because you have found someone who DISAGREES with your rants and challenges you on the picture that you paint (and then stare at) for your view of the world.

But again - the line up of your "Heros of the day" and "Bad guys of the day" tells it all.

(I learned not to be critical with you about Michael Moore's health care lest my posts are deleted. Should I now fear having all of my posts deleted because my sarcasm directed at YOUR world view?)