Posted by
Eric Jay on Friday, September 25, 2009 10:00:00 PM
Senator Patrick Leahy (D- Vermont) must be bored with all the debating of the healthcare reform. He is not satisfied that the Bush Administration (and Congress, I might add) put together a very effective and demonstrably efficient counter terrorism legislation. In light of the recent nabbing the Colorado al-Qaeda terrorist, bent on bombing the New York transit system ala Spain/London, he and his Democratic brethren are not satisfied with destroying the American way of life via government takeover of our healthcare system, but they are wanting to give our terrorist enemies the Keys to Kingdom as well.
Just how much of a role did the
USA PATRIOT Act have in the apprehension of
Najibullah Zazi? This seems to be a far greater terror plan than previous plots that have been uncovered and/or foiled (that we are aware of).
"The evidence suggests a chilling, disturbing sequence of events showing the defendant was intent on making a bomb and being in New York on 9/11, for purposes of perhaps using such items," federal prosecutor Tim Neff told a judge in arguing for Zazi's transfer to New York.
By The Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT)
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Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) have introduced legislation that would effectively gut the USA PATRIOT Act. This week, against the backdrop of multiple domestic terrorism-related investigations and arrests, Leahy and Feingold tried to use hearings on extending the PATRIOT Act to advance legislation that would substantially weaken it. The reauthorization hearings focused on three controversial provisions of the PATRIOT Act set to expire on December 31, 2009. If legislators fail to act, the laws will expire automatically.
Following the September 11th attacks, members of the Legislative and Executive branches came together to review the tools available to United States counter-terrorism officials. They found that existing statutes were inadequate in combating the asymmetrical threat posed by international terrorist organizations and that, consequently, new laws were necessary. Within forty-five days, Congress passed and President Bush signed into law the USA PATRIOT Act, a comprehensive counter-terrorism bill. Members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees convened this week to discuss the reauthorization of three controversial provisions of the national security legislation.
Holding a series of hearings over a two-day period, the Committees drew together diverse panels of experts in the field of national security law and policy. However, rather than engaging in a debate limited to the three sunsetting provisions, members of Congress pandered to a vocal minority of critics in calling for comprehensive overhaul of the PATRIOT Act. Although Congress paid lip-service to the need for a candid assessment of existing counter-terrorism measures, the introduction of the Justice Act by Senator Feingold, and the USA PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act of 2009 by Senator Leahy, reveal a different goal – gutting the PATRIOT Act and weakening U.S. national security.
The general tenor of the hearings suggested that the provisions would be reauthorized. What remains to be seen is what form these renewed portions of the PATRIOT Act will take in light of the pending legislation. For instance, while both the Leahy and Feingold bills would reauthorize the provisions, they would also make substantial changes to current law – arguably to the detriment of future national security investigations. Although these bills would result in sweeping overhaul of our nation's national security laws, of immediate concern must be the effect that the legislation would have on the three sunsetting provisions.
Read the complete story here.
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One must give props when they are due. These guys have a lot of chutzpah to want to weaken any tools that law enforcement needs in order to keep America safe. When an attack occurs, it is only a matter of when not if, there will be no way for the Obama Administration and the Democrats to carp that it is all Bush/Cheney's fault. The president standing in front of the do nothing United Nations telling the world that the policies of the United States government, especially that of the previous administration, were the impetus for the attacks on the United States (9/11) and the World (Spain/London et al).
It still amazes me that this argument is still proffered today. I remind those who are wont to be ignorant of history. The first attack on the World Trade Center occurred under President Bill Clinton, the attack on the USS Cole, again under Clinton. 9/11 occurred barely 8 months after Bush/Cheney took office, its planning was done, you guessed, under President Clinton's watch. As the 9/11 Commission so poignantly pointed out: 'Our enemies were at war while we napped...' Well, something to that effect.
Iran has long touted that it would decimate Israel; wipe her off the face of the earth, long before Bush/Cheney. Senators, I know that reading seems to something of difficulty for men in your positions (gee, can't read the 1000+ pages of the HealthCare Reform Bills doesn't seem to be enough you must deny person(s) the right to their Constitutionally protected Freedom of Speech- the threats and bullying of Humana is despicable, gentlemen) but I highly recommend that you read the Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright and Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner. History gentlemen, live it or ignore it and we, the American people, will suffer for it.