BuzzFlash
presents Southern Style
by Rebecca Knight
Intelligence Failure
By Rebecca Knight
June
4, 2002
"No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up."
- Lilly Tomlin
We have an intelligence failure in our government from the top down. DUH! Are we surprised? No! After all, we can read and we can think. Anyone who followed the 2000 campaign with an eye on intelligence and accuracy already knew that Shrub was somewhat short on the smarts meter. This is a man who doesn't know very much. This is also a man who doesn't work very hard. And he readily admits it. Astounding!
Well, W, you better watch out because on June 2nd Reuters reported that an Al Qaeda spokesman had warned America to get ready for another attack. What color will the alert be this time?
Yesterday Shrub said, "And, so, the FBI is changing. And they're doing a better job of communicating with the CIA. They're now sharing intelligence." I wish they would share some intelligence with you! Smarts, that is.
Shrub's trip to Europe was somewhat less than impressive. We already knew that Europe's opinion of him was not very good. They protest him by the thousands when he travels there. Shrub doesn't understand this because he is kept away from the protesters. All he sees are the few who stand smiling and waving at him. He lectured the Europeans on what a threat terrorism has become, trying to build support for his endless war. He is apparently unaware that they have far more experience dealing with terrorism at home than America has. He paints Saddam Hussein as the worst threat since Hitler, but cannot come up with a single shred of evidence that Hussein was involved in the 9/11 attacks. Instead he still does nothing about Saudi Arabia where the vast majority of the terrorists were from. It's all about oil and finishing up Poppy's business with Saddam.
Shrub attended a high level meeting with chewing gum in his mouth! He then proceeded to spit it out into his hand. This is all on video. I wonder where he put it next. Maybe he stuck it underneath the table like a third grader. That makes sense. After all, his favorite book is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," which is his level of comprehension.
His visit in Russia was also a disaster. Pootie-Poot made a fool of him. Putin is playing W masterfully. I guess Shrub's glance into Putin's soul was not as enlightening as he thought. Shrub thinks of Putin as one of his pals. I think Putin has Shrub right where he wants him. Putin is pursuing his own agenda.
Here in America we remain on constant terrorist alert, somewhat like the boy who cried wolf too often. How will we know the real thing, when the Shrub misadministration uses terrorist alerts to divert attention from political criticism? Can we count on Ashcroft, Fleischer, Cheney, and whatzit's name – the Homeland Security Advisor – to tell us when we are really at risk? I don't think so. Ashcroft is still busy covering up brass boobs and taking away our civil liberties by expanding the powers of the FBI. Fleischer would do or say anything to protect W and he wouldn't know the truth if it bit him on the butt. Cheney won't release documents about his dealings on the energy policy so we know he can't be trusted. The Homeland Security Advisor, Tom Ridge, seems to have no real power. By the way, who sent the anthrax?
Why do the laws need to be changed and the FBI powers expanded? Why did we need a Patriot Act? What occurred on 9/11 was a failure of following procedures and laws that were already in place. These changes simply make the 9/11 tragedy a tool to expand control over the American people and take away some of our civil liberties. American citizens are not the terrorists, yet our freedoms are being encroached upon. Keep in mind that all the changes relate to domestic guidelines.
What about the war? What war? Did Congress declare a war? Where is bin Laden? Is Al Qaeda destroyed? How many civilians have been killed in Afghanistan? How many troops are still in Afghanistan? What are they doing? Are we nation building now? Shrub's campaign position was that our troops would not be involved in nation building. Yes, Ari, he said that. I can provide the transcript.
Shrub has now said that we will strike first. Strike which of the sixty countries first? Where is the Congressional approval for these preemptive strikes? Where is the proof that these sixty countries are complicit in harboring terrorists or involved in any way in terrorist activities against the United States?
Monday night the mental midget, Dan Quayle, jumped on the blame Clinton bandwagon. Perhaps Quayle should take a strong reality pill when wondering what the Clinton/Gore administration did in fighting terrorism. The information is readily available for all to read via the Internet. The more relevant inquiry would be what the Republicans in Congress did to hinder any suggestions or legislation Clinton attempted to avoid terrorist problems while they were so fixated on Clinton's impeachment.
Don't count on the mainstream media to put all these pieces together. They are too busy with sixty-second sound bites telling us what a great job W is doing and how well the war is going. The media is complicit in allowing Shrub into the presidency. Don't forget that. They lied about Al Gore and covered up for Bush, rarely calling for clarification on his lame answers and fabrications of a successful record as Texas Governor.
Where is the balance with this Shrub administration? The rhetoric, the actions, and the blind ambitions don't match reality. Uncurious George better get a grip and soon. His penchant for secrecy does not bode well for calming the turbulence of inquisitive Americans or Congressional investigations.
But in reality, I don't think W cares. I think he is so arrogant that he would just as soon tell us all to stuff it! Why would he expect to be held accountable? He has gotten away with everything he has ever done. No one has ever held him accountable –- not as a young adult, not as the Texas Governor, and, now, not as president.
Yes, we have a severe intelligence failure and it starts at the top!
"The illegal we can do right now; the unconstitutional will take a little longer."
- Henry Kissinger
* * *
Rebecca Knight is a native Tennessean, who grew up in Nashville. She currently resides in a small town about sixty miles outside of Nashville. She attended the University of Tennessee at Martin. She has also lived in North Carolina and Kentucky. She may be reached at tennessee_gal655@yahoo.com.
© 2002 by Rebecca Knight
* * *
