White House doesn't know when they knew

Video click here

OMG. I haven't seen a White House press secretary have this much trouble since Scott McClellan. White House Press Secretary, Dana Perino was in hot water from the moment she began until the moment her press conference ended. This is much like the West Wing episode where CJ gets in hot water. Perino knew that today would be a bad day. There was so much contradictory information out there. Seymour Hersh has reported extensively on this subject. He has been proven right time and time again. He reported in November of last year that the intelligence community didn't have the goods on Iran. Nothing that Ms. Perino said today illuminated Bush's comments from the past 2 days.

BTW, I found this while searching the internet -

The Administration's most persistent spin of the new Iran NIE is that it vindicates their position because it shows that Iran did in fact have an active nuclear weapons program in 2003. That's quite some vindication.

What it really means is that faced with two neighbors in the spring of 2003 who both harbored nuclear ambitions, we invaded the country without an active WMD program while ignoring the one that did. I'm not suggesting we should have invaded Iran instead, but by the Administration's own reckoning, we should have.

It puts an exclamation point on the colossal folly of our Iraq adventure.

Here's Keith Olbermann's Special Comment.

Iran and the new NIE

First, I applaud NBC Nightly News for trying to place the newest National Intelligence Estimate into context. I have spliced yesterday's Nightly News together with tonight's. I think that the picture of what's going begins to come into focus.

Secondly, so, what happened? How did this happen? Didn't we hear World War III rhetoric just recently? I find it very interesting that the intelligence community put this report out. You know that the Bush administration had to have fought to keep it under wraps.

I would like to add since Hillary Clinton was getting beaten up in an NPR debate that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is a terrorist organization. We have known this for more than 10 years (Read Richard Clarke's book Against All Enemies.) So, that isn't the question. The question is why do we label this organization now. It is fact that the IRG has supported several terrorist groups in the region. Why does the Senate in concert with the White House vote on this now? If it isn't to support Bush's case for "strong, aggressive" action then what was the purpose?

Finally, it is time to pull in the reigns on the Bush administration. Yes, there are problems in Iran. Yes, they have a leader who is crazy and playing to his base (the Iranian leader...who did you think that I was talking about). We, the American people, has an opportunity to get our foreign policy right. I think that the Intelligence Community has no desire to be the scapegoat again. This is why they forced the issue and wouldn't cave under pressure.

Update: There are those on the other side of the political spectrum who claim that Progressives are dancing in the streets. Stating that Progressives believe that Iran poses no threat to the region or to anyone. Wrong. There are those that hear whatever they want to hear. The key is we need diplomacy. Real diplomacy to get Iran to open its borders so that we can see what's inside. With the crazy man at the helm we have to assume that he means some of what he is saying. Hopefully, through engagement we can convince Iran that being a rouge nation is only fun on TV.

---------

From WaPo:

President Bush asserted today that Iran's nuclear program remains a danger to international security despite an assessment in a new U.S. intelligence report that the Tehran government stopped work four years ago on a suspected effort to build nuclear weapons.

In a White House news conference, Bush argued that Iran continues to develop the capability to enrich uranium and that this know-how ultimately could be transferred to a new clandestine weapons program.

"Look, Iran was dangerous," Bush said. "Iran is dangerous. And Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon." (more...)

Video

New National Intelligence Estimate Contradicts Bush & Co.

A New National Intelligence Estimate Contradicts the Bush Administration's view of Iran.

According to BBC

The unclassified version of a new National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, released on Monday, said that Iran was "less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005".

In May 2005, the intelligence community had said "with high confidence" that Iran was "determined" to build nuclear weapons.

The new NIE confirms that Iran did, indeed, have an illicit nuclear weapons programme.

But it says that programme ceased operating in 2003 and, as of mid-2007, had probably not started up again. The NIE asserts that the weapons programme was dropped because of international pressure.

I fully expect Bush & Co. to attempt to twist the facts and intimidate the intelligence community to provide manipulated information on Iran so that they can continue their tough stance. But this new information will complicate the pro-war advisors in the Bush administration.

I have always believed that if we reached 2008 that it would be less likely that the neo-conservatives would launch an attack on Iran, despite Cheney's promise that they would decide to attack before the next President enters office. This report makes an attack even less likely.

However, Hillary Clinton has indicated that she would carry on with the Bush Administrations threat of war with Iran if she became President. So with Clinton, there probably won't be much of a change in U.S. foreign policy towards Iran.

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).

_______________________

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