National Intelligence Estimate Says Iran Stopped Pursuing Nuclear Weapons in 2003
The President’s critics and the Left are spinning this report as evidence the Bush administration is a neo-con war machine. Yes, the President will likely have to soften his position on Iran or at least use this as an opportunity to gain some “breathing room.” But IMHO, the NIE report reflects positively on the President.
Here’s why:
Instead of keeping the NIE under wraps the President released the report.
In 2003, the President commenced with the invasion of Iraq. It is no coincidence that Iran stopped pursuing WMD at that time. This bolsters the idea that striking in the heart of the middle east was the strategically correct move to make after liberating Afghanistan.
The NIE’s revelations kind of make Hillary Clinton look stupid after telling the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in February 2007:
“U.S. policy must be clear and unequivocal: We cannot, we should not, we must not permit Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons,” the Democrat told a crowd of Israel supporters. “In dealing with this threat … no option can be taken off the table.”
And calling Iran…
“a danger to the United States and one of Israel's greatest threats, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said "no option can be taken off the table" when dealing with that nation.”
The NIE shows just how incompetent our intelligence community can be. And therefore puts a damper on the Left’s accusation that the President lied in order to garner support for OIF. Instead he was forced to rely on faulty intelligence supplied by the very same agencies that author the NIE’s.
At the very least it shows the extent to which the intelligence community is willing to go to cover-their-own-butts (“CYA”).
Posted on:
December 4, 2007 , by
newyank • Trackback
Filed in:
Homeland Security, Intelligence, International, Iran Watch . •
1 Comment • .
From the SF Chronicle:
The Board of Supervisors voted today to make San Francisco the largest U.S. city to issue municipal identification cards to its residents, regardless of whether or not they are in the country legally.
Supervisor Tom Ammiano, the legislation's author, said the availability of identification cards is a smart public safety measure because it would make residents living on the social margins of San Francisco more likely to seek the help of police and could give them more access to banking services.
"People are afraid to report crimes," Ammiano said, referring to illegal immigrants who avoid local law enforcement authorities over fear of being arrested or deported by federal immigration officials.
Link: New SF ID cards for residents - whether in the country legally or not.
People are afraid to report crimes? That may be so, but what does that really have to do with having an ID card?
This just shows how out of touch liberals really are. The country as a whole doesn't want this. But the do-gooders that "represent" us are going to find a way to get the legislation they want anyway.
It'll start with something small like issuing ID cards or drivers' licenses to illegal residents, then it'll lead to full-blown amnesty.
Besides, this issue isn't about the fear of reporting crimes, it's really about giving illegal immigrants a change to register and vote… Because liberals are assuming they'll vote Democrat.
UPDATE: On a related note, the NY Times will report:
Gov. Eliot Spitzer is abandoning his plan to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, saying that opposition is just too overwhelming to move forward with such a policy.
The governor, who is to announce the move formally on Wednesday, said in an interview Tuesday night that he did not reach the decision easily. "You have perhaps seen me struggle with it because I thought we had a principled decision, and it's not necessarily easy to back away from trying to move a debate forward," he said.
Opposition is just too overwhelming? Gee, ya think! I guess Democrats are going to have to think of others ways to rig elections.
Posted on:
November 13, 2007 , by
newyank • Trackback
Filed in:
Homeland Security, Immigration . •
No Comments • .
Aircraft Crashes into NY Building
(Image borrowed from Little Green Footballs.)
AP via Brietbart.Com:
A small plane crashed into an Upper East Side high-rise Wednesday, shooting flames out the windows, raining debris on the sidewalks below and rattling New Yorkers' nerves exactly one month after the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. Police confirmed 2 people are dead.
Christine Monaco, a New York spokeswoman for FBI, said there was no indication of terrorism, but that officials "have been sent to the scene as a routine." FAA spokesman Jim Peters said all three New York City-area airports were operating normally.
"The initial indication is that there is a terrible accident," said Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke.
The aircraft struck the 20th floor of a building on East 72nd Street, said Fire Department spokeswoman Emily Rahimi. Witnesses said the crash caused a loud noise, and flames were seen shooting out of the windows.
"It's a mob scene with police and helicopters circling," said Sandy Teller, watching from his apartment a block away. "There's a dozen ambulances and lots of firefighters waiting on 72nd, on the corner. There's lots of stretchers ready, gurneys. And lots of emergency people waiting."
The crash struck fear in a city devastated by the attacks of Sept. 11 five years ago. Witnesses said sirens echoed across the east side of Manhattan as emergency workers rushed to the scene. The crash triggered a loud bang. Broken glass and debris was strewn around the neighborhood.
"There's a sense of helplessness," Teller said. "Cots and gurneys, waiting. It's a mess."
The Federal Aviation Administration said it was too early to determine what type of aircraft was involved, or what might have caused the crash in the middle of a hazy October afternoon.
Developing: Read more…
This is my "home town" so I'll be watching this story for new developments.
Also following:
*** Update:
Various sources indicate the the plane was registered to Cory Lidle, a pitcher with the New York Yankees baseball team. Two bodies have been recovered at the scene. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Lidle may have been piloting the plane. His passport was found among the plane's wreckage.
Video: NBC Live Feed.
Posted on:
October 11, 2006 , by
newyank • Trackback
Filed in:
Homeland Security . •
No Comments • .
Mary from the Freedom Eden blog comments on the democrats' reaction to the recent North Korean nuclear bomb test. I agree wholeheartedly with her commentary. I would also add the following:
It is because of liberal appeasement that North Korea has nukes in the first place. I'm not the only blogger who holds that opinion; see my previous post.
The only unifying strategy the democrats have is to defeat George Bush and turn the remainder of his term into a lame duck Presidency. Not defeating international terrorism, not resolving the diplomatic and nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, and certainly not stabilizing Iraq. Stymieing the President will only serve to magnify each problem with potentially deadly consequences for the American people.
Posted on:
October 10, 2006 , by
newyank • Trackback
Filed in:
Domestic Politics, Elections 2006, Homeland Security, North Korea . •
No Comments • .
Drudge exclusive:
The DRUDGE REPORT has obtained an exclusive copy of a "scary" campaign advertisement created by Hollywood producer and director David Zucker that was intended to be used by GOP organizations in the closing weeks of the 2006 campaign.
Finally, a mainstream filmmaker with some sense:
As much as the democrat party assails George Bush about staying on the offense against islamo-fascism, let's not forget the colossal mistakes made by Clinton and his democrat operatives during his eight years in office. The Ad featured above might be a satirical portrait of the previous administration, but it certainly makes a valid point.
Posted on:
October 10, 2006 , by
newyank • Trackback
Filed in:
Domestic Politics, Elections 2006, Homeland Security, North Korea, Videos . •
No Comments • .
Personal disclaimer: I'm not posting this information to cause panic. But rather to highlight various press and blogger accounts of al-Qaeda's desire to use WMD as a weapon of terror inside the United States. In my opinion, if such a plot were to be carried out, the retaliatory strikes by the U.S. would be devastating to any hostile nation states harboring Islamic terrorist organizations. The plan would ultimately backfire on those who carried it out.
The Jawa Report has two posts pertaining to al-Qaeda's possible execution of a plot to attack using a nuclear weapon inside the United States. The attack is supposedly going to occur during Ramadan, the muslim holiday which begins this year on September 24th.
A Pakistani journalist says that his sources in al Qaeda and the Taliban are claiming that nuclear material has already been smuggled across the Mexican border into the U.S. and that an operation bigger than 9/11 will be carried out during Ramadan–which begins later this month.
Hamid Mir, who is the only journalist ever to interview both Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri, claims that he learned this information on a recent trip to Afghanistan last month.
Read more: Al Qaeda Will Nuke US in Late September.
Terrorist, Adnan G. El Shukrijumah, May be al-Qaeda's Trigger Man:
Many reports indicate that Adnan G. El Shukrijumah, the cell leader responsible for carrying out the plot, is already in the United States and has been for some time. Furthermore, there is speculation that Adnan smuggled a nuclear device into the U.S. across the Mexican border. He is wanted for questioning by the FBI: details here.
The other Jawa Report post details the account of a reader who may have come into contact with Adnan, in Austin, Texas, earlier this year.
A Jawa Report reader e-mailed us about a possible sighting of Adnan G. El Shukrijumah, a man wanted by the FBI in connection with a plot to detonate a dirty bomb in the United States. A few days ago we ran a story about reports of an imminent attack by Adnan G. El Shukrijumah (aka, Adnan Al-Shukri Jumaa).
The reader, who some of you have met in the comments section before, also commented about it over at Ace of Spades HQ. Ace has those comments reprinted here. She has spoken with the FBI.
Read more: Al Qaeda Dirty Bomber Spotted in Austin, Texas?
Adnan Shukrijumah Past and Present:
Muslims Called to Leave the United States:
During a press interview in Pakistan on September 17th, a top al-Qaeda commander, Abu Dawood, based in Pakistan issued a call to all muslims, living in the United States, to leave. Specifically in the New York and Washington, D.C. area.
The new al-Qaida field commander in Afghanistan is calling for Muslims to leave the U.S. – particularly Washington and New York – in anticipation of a major terror attack to rival Sept. 11, according to an interview by a Pakistani journalist.
Abu Dawood told Hamid Mir, a reporter who has covered al-Qaida and met with Osama bin Laden, the attack is being coordinated by Adnan el-Shukrijumah and suggests it may involve some form of weapon of mass destruction smuggled across the Mexican border.
"Our brothers are ready to attack inside America. We will breach their security again," he is quoted as saying. "There is no timeframe for our attack inside America; we can do it any time."
More at WorldNetDaily.
al-Qaeda Authorized to Use Nuclear Weapons Against the United States:
In August CNN's, Christiane Amanpour, wrote about the grave threat Osama bin Laden still posed to the United States:
LONDON, England (CNN) — Nearly five years have passed since the September 11 terrorist attacks, yet Osama bin Laden — the world's most-wanted terrorist — remains a dangerous fugitive, his words and actions inspiring jihadists across the globe.
It's hard to fathom that bin Laden would remain so relevant today, when in the days after the attacks, the Bush administration and much of the world was determined to get him.
In the report, Amanpour quotes Michael Scheuer, the former head of the CIA's bin Laden unit. He had this to say:
Michael Scheuer, who once headed the CIA's bin Laden unit, says bin Laden has been given permission by a young cleric in Saudi Arabia authorizing al Qaeda to "use nuclear weapons against the United States … capping the casualties at 10 million."
"He's had an approval, a religious approval for 10 million deaths?" I asked him.
"Yes," Scheuer responded.
Full text: Amanpour: Bin Laden still deadly relevant.
From Drudge Report via Jihad Watch (November 12th, 2004):
Osama bin Laden now has religious approval to use a nuclear device against Americans, says the former head of the CIA unit charged with tracking down the Saudi terrorist. The former agent, Michael Scheuer, speaks to Steve Kroft in his first television interview without disguise to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday, Nov. 14 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network….
Even if bin Laden had a nuclear weapon, he probably wouldn't have used it for a lack of proper religious authority - authority he has now. "[Bin Laden] secured from a Saudi sheik…a rather long treatise on the possibility of using nuclear weapons against the Americans," says Scheuer. "[The treatise] found that he was perfectly within his rights to use them. Muslims argue that the United States is responsible for millions of dead Muslims around the world, so reciprocity would mean you could kill millions of Americans," Scheuer tells Kroft.
Scheuer says bin Laden was criticized by some Muslims for the 9/11 attack because he killed so many people without enough warning and before offering to help convert them to Islam. But now bin Laden has addressed the American people and given fair warning. "They're intention is to end the war as soon as they can and to ratchet up the pain for the Americans until we get out of their region….If they acquire the weapon, they will use it, whether it's chemical, biological or some sort of nuclear weapon," says Scheuer.
More: Saudi cleric blesses Bin Laden's use of nuke against U.S.A.
Posted on:
September 18, 2006 , by
newyank • Trackback
Filed in:
Counter Terrorism, Global Jihad, Homeland Security, Intelligence, International, al-Qaeda . •
1 Comment • .
