Today in Washington, D.C. - Feb 3, 2010 - Even Dems Saying To Admin: Put Security First On Terrorism
The Senate is in recess today due to the annual Democrat retreat. Will reconvene at noon on Thursday. At 12:30 PM, senators will vote on confirmation of the nomination of Patricia Smith to be solicitor for the Labor Department. Majority Leader Harry Reid has also filed cloture on the nomination of Martha Johnson to head the General Services Administration. The Senate is expected to turn to her nomination next.
This morning, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell gave a speech at the Heritage Foundation on terrorism and national security issues as the Obama administration continues to face criticism for its handling of the perpetrator of the attempted Christmas Day bombing and its approach to trying terrorist detainees. The speech was broadcast live via UStream on the Internet.
McConnell was very tough on the Obama Administration especially on Eric Holder. "Again and again, the administration's approach has been to announce a new policy or to change an existing one based not on a careful study of the facts, but as a way of conspicuously distancing itself from the policies of the past - even ones that worked," McConnell said. "It short, it has too often put symbolism over security." McConnell said the administration was more concerned about getting the alleged "underwear:"bomber an attorney rather than critical intelligence from him. And criticized the Obama administration for seeking to try accused terrorists in U.S. criminal court rather than at Guantanamo Bay, promising to do "everything we can to deny them the funds they'll need" if they avoid his suggested route. He also addressed that Attorney general Eric Holder should not be heading the "war on terrorism."
In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal Monday, former Reagan and Bush administration officials David Rivken and Marc Theissen noted, “The Obama administration's decision to read the Christmas Day bomber his Miranda rights has rightly come under withering criticism. Instead of a lengthy interrogation by officials with al Qaeda expertise, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was questioned for 50 minutes by local FBI agents and then later advised of his ‘right to remain silent.’”
But it appears that the Obama administration is attempting to rebut this criticism by leaking information about the interrogation of Abdulmutallab. According to The Washington Post today, “Abdulmutallab, the man accused of trying to blow up a jet airplane on Christmas Day, has been providing FBI interrogators with useful intelligence about his training and contacts since last week, Obama administration sources said Tuesday.”
Is this wise, though? If his contacts can see in the press what Abdulmutallab is telling our interrogators, it stands to reason that those contacts are more likely to be able to evade our countermeasures. As Sen. McConnell said today, “The fact remains that all the intelligence he possessed… about al Qaeda in Yemen in perishable,” noting that American authorities needed that information the day he was captured, not weeks later.
More and more, this administration’s approach to the War on Terror, especially its focus on law enforcement over security and safety, is being questioned. Even Democrats are showing their uneasiness with these decisions, as Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Jim Webb (D-VA), and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) joined with Republicans yesterday to introduce a bill that would “withhold funding the President requested to try terror suspects in civilian courts,” according to CNN. And, CNN, points out, “some Democratic senators who voted no last time said they're now inclined to support a measure blocking the administration's plans for Guantanamo detainees to be tried in civilian courts.” Even Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Majority Whip, acknowledged, “There are some Democratic senators who oppose using regular courts for our detainees.”
Prioritizing PR battles, whether with critics at home over interrogations, or with critics in Europe over trials in civilian courts for terrorists, over the security of Americans is not the right approach to the War on Terror. The American people understand this and even Democrats in Congress are beginning to understand it. It’s time for the Obama administration to reconsider its national security policy.
Tags: Gitmo, terrorism, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
This morning, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell gave a speech at the Heritage Foundation on terrorism and national security issues as the Obama administration continues to face criticism for its handling of the perpetrator of the attempted Christmas Day bombing and its approach to trying terrorist detainees. The speech was broadcast live via UStream on the Internet.
McConnell was very tough on the Obama Administration especially on Eric Holder. "Again and again, the administration's approach has been to announce a new policy or to change an existing one based not on a careful study of the facts, but as a way of conspicuously distancing itself from the policies of the past - even ones that worked," McConnell said. "It short, it has too often put symbolism over security." McConnell said the administration was more concerned about getting the alleged "underwear:"bomber an attorney rather than critical intelligence from him. And criticized the Obama administration for seeking to try accused terrorists in U.S. criminal court rather than at Guantanamo Bay, promising to do "everything we can to deny them the funds they'll need" if they avoid his suggested route. He also addressed that Attorney general Eric Holder should not be heading the "war on terrorism."
In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal Monday, former Reagan and Bush administration officials David Rivken and Marc Theissen noted, “The Obama administration's decision to read the Christmas Day bomber his Miranda rights has rightly come under withering criticism. Instead of a lengthy interrogation by officials with al Qaeda expertise, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was questioned for 50 minutes by local FBI agents and then later advised of his ‘right to remain silent.’”
But it appears that the Obama administration is attempting to rebut this criticism by leaking information about the interrogation of Abdulmutallab. According to The Washington Post today, “Abdulmutallab, the man accused of trying to blow up a jet airplane on Christmas Day, has been providing FBI interrogators with useful intelligence about his training and contacts since last week, Obama administration sources said Tuesday.”
Is this wise, though? If his contacts can see in the press what Abdulmutallab is telling our interrogators, it stands to reason that those contacts are more likely to be able to evade our countermeasures. As Sen. McConnell said today, “The fact remains that all the intelligence he possessed… about al Qaeda in Yemen in perishable,” noting that American authorities needed that information the day he was captured, not weeks later.
More and more, this administration’s approach to the War on Terror, especially its focus on law enforcement over security and safety, is being questioned. Even Democrats are showing their uneasiness with these decisions, as Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Jim Webb (D-VA), and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) joined with Republicans yesterday to introduce a bill that would “withhold funding the President requested to try terror suspects in civilian courts,” according to CNN. And, CNN, points out, “some Democratic senators who voted no last time said they're now inclined to support a measure blocking the administration's plans for Guantanamo detainees to be tried in civilian courts.” Even Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Majority Whip, acknowledged, “There are some Democratic senators who oppose using regular courts for our detainees.”
Prioritizing PR battles, whether with critics at home over interrogations, or with critics in Europe over trials in civilian courts for terrorists, over the security of Americans is not the right approach to the War on Terror. The American people understand this and even Democrats in Congress are beginning to understand it. It’s time for the Obama administration to reconsider its national security policy.
Tags: Gitmo, terrorism, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 1:49 PM - Post Link
3 Comments:
The only time the Obama administration takes the right step on national security is when their blunders are exposed. Their first actions seem to always be wrong. They simply do not see the struggle against radical Islam as a war on terror. They see only a handful of radicals who are NOT motivated by religion, but rather by economic conditions and past grievences against the United States.
Great blog! Could you add me to your blogroll? I'll add you on mine!
http://realpolichick.blogspot.com
Thanks Jenn,
Have added a link to your blog and sent you an email. Loved your blog!
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