Top cops nab dingalings. And they brag about it!
Seven Dipshits In A Warehouse — This whole malarky over these Florida morons is a ridiculous waste of the taxpayers money.
The Daily Show’s John Stewart classified the Miami terror cell that were about to “wage a ground war against America,” according to Gonzales as “seven dipshits in a warehouse,” following a farcical press conference in which Gonzales was cornered into admitting that they had no links to any Al-Qaeda members and had no weapons or explosives to carry out any acts of terrorism.
Today, lawyers for the defendants outlined an argument that the government had used entrapment to essentially imagine into existence a deadly Al-Qaeda terror cell that had never existed in the first place.
We first blogged it here when the story was made to sound authentic by a crummy media that bought the government assertions hook, line and sinker.
Update found by Mad Dog Mike
But they want us to believe that they were searching bank records solely for the purpose of identifying and freezing terrorists’ assets.
I get the sense that the fuss over bank records is deeper than we are led to believe. Seems the report ruffled feathers to an odd extreme. SOmething else was going on.
I agree about the bank records John. It also seemed to me to be an odd story to run in the first place. Bush and Co. at one time went out of their way to talk about financial investigations to find terrorists. Colin Powell saying that “Money is the oxygen of terrorism.”. Now it’s a big secret that they’re doing it? And it’s a big story for the NYT?
So I’d go perhaps one step further than you and say that the NYT ran it for some reason they can’t talk about.
And as to these SDIAW. I’m Bush talking to Speedy. Ah hem:
“I don’t care damnit! There must be someone we can show off… Can’t you plant something then?… Fine just bust em’. But make sure you say Al Qaida a lot… It doesn’t matter, just say it!
I hadn’t heard the word “dipshiat” since probably Bush Sr. days. Now I’ve heard it twice in 2006 – yep both times on dvorak.org/blog.
I love this blog.
If they had succeede, you;d be screaming that the administration didn’t do anything.
Whatever. The system worked this time. Glad of it.
Over approximately 5 years what are we looking at:
“Terror related”
Convictions – 261
Charged —– 180
Of the 261 convictions in terror-related cases over the past 5 years, the average sentence has been “around one year.”
Loss of certain rights related to privacy – 250 million
I don’t see the balance.
“They that can give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin – 1759
I would just as soon see these sort of “conspiracies,” lame though they may be, broken up arly on. although I agree that it is nothing to trumpet from the rooftops about, since Barney Fife probably could have busted these morons.
The FBI has always crowed about high profile arrests since the John Dillinger days. I still can’t understand why the public had to pay to dig up half a farm in Michigan, including tearing down a barn and building a new one to replace it. No one is even alive today that you could prosecute if you found Hoffa’s remains and could build a case. My old high school girlfriend became a FBI agent. Unless you’ve experienced it, you can’t believe the institutional arrogance of this organization. They are almost universally hated by every other law enforcement agency in the US.
Sure, smug lefty geeks, and that includes John Stewart, can laugh about and minimize the efforts that conservatives have made to protect our country against terrorism. But the unavoidable, unmentionable, fact is that there have been NO TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE USA SINCE 9/11. That will be FIVE years in September. Now, of course, when the next inevitable attack occurs somewhere in the USA, the MoveOn vultures will smile and light up because people who really care about this country won’t be able to use that argument any more. But, until then, don’t kid yourselves — A majority of Americans know they’re safer with conservatives in charge.
While I certainly don’t think it’s necessary for the government to publicly announce everything it is doing, it should never be considered a bad thing for the people (who the government is accountable to) to find out about its activities.
This attitude that it’s none of our business is something I find completely insulting.
Since when does what Jon Stewart says constitute and “update”. And as for the lawyers, if they didn’t put on that defense, I’d question their competency. There’s nothing to see here – move on.
\\USlacker
What has this administration actually done to prevent terrorism from happening inside the USA?
1) Misled the American people in what the Constitution really states..
2) Increased the spying on all American citizens.
3) Disregard the judicial system.
4) Created a super bureaucracy of the Law enforcement agencies.
5) Placed American soldiers in foreign lands as targets for terrorism.
The first three actually work for the terrorist not against them. The forth one will increase taxes in the long run. The last one is just sad.
The were eight years between the first attempt on the World Trade Towers and the last. So there is three more years to go.
If you haven’t read the book ‘Beyond Fear’ by Bruce Schneier, I encourage you to do so.
John,
I think you’re reading too much into this. It is simply a case of the FBI needing to be seen Doing Something. There were recent high-profile terrorists busts in Britain and Canada. The FBI needed to compete.
I thought John was a tech writer…not a political scientist.
@bac…Well for one a terrorist attack hasnt happened since 9/11. I would say that is a pretty good batting average. I fail to understand how the first three hurt the terrorist. I guess using your own logic that would be bad for citizens because they have less rights and I assume even worse for a terrorist because God knows would happen if caught or how they are caught if no rights exist.
I was also wondering where you got the official terrorist calendar and schedule for attacks. I guess it doesnt matter as long as we can go 8 years…then I guess its all over after that.
January 20, 1993, Bill Clinton inaugurated. February 26, 1993, World Trade Center bombed. Hillary’s coven runs the Justice Department and intelligence agencies for eight years. September 11, 2001, Twin Towers destroyed. What exactly did the Democrats do during those eight years to prevent another attack? I guess the answer disappeared into Sandy Berger’s pants.
And, why hasn’t the ACLU found a plaintiff who can sue the government because of damage they have suffered from a violation of their rights due to anti-terrorism policies?
Just because Mr. Dvorak and his crew are brilliant when it comes to technology issues, doesn’t mean you guys know anything about foreign policy or sociology. You’re just the Jane Fonda’s of geekworld. But, I own “Barbarella” on dvd, and I’ll keep coming back to “Dvorak Uncensored.”
In ref to #10
Are you kidding? Are you really going to push this absurd left vs. right polarizing BS? Across both sides of the isles, there are many dedicated conservatives and liberals who are equally concerned about, and equally competent to make security decisions. It’s just that none of them work in the White House. All BushCo has done is create a culture of fear.
You boast 5 years with no attacks on American soil. Is that some sort of record? I seem to recall decades with no attacks.
9/11 was tragic. It was also an aberation.
[SARCASM]
The current administration continues to impress me with their sheer law enforcement prowess.
[/SARCASM]
Anon: Re: Dipshit. (#5)
We’re trying to revive the classics. Someone has to do it!
Deja Vu! Check out this episode of This American Life from WBEZ/Public Radio International.
http://207.70.82.73/pages/descriptions/05/292.html
When this topic came up last week, I predicted that it would amount to the FBI “informer” being challenged for entrapment. It appears the defense attorneys are claiming just that. Why would I suggest it? Because the “informant” was the sect leader and apparently there are no recordings of the events!!!
#10 & 16, By your accounts, one month after Clinton was inaugurated, the first WTC happened. Where was Bush’s daddy for the previous four years. Clinton hadn’t even finished swearing in his cabinet by that time. In contrast, Shrub, was warned six weeks before the WTC attacks that something was happening AND DID NOTHING TO PREVENT IT. He was more interested in getting a tax reduction for the richest 1% then defending the country.
Clinton’s team kept an eye on bin Laden. The CIA went after him several times. Although the last time, the Republicans screamed that going after bin Laden was just a show to take the attention away from their impeachment hearings. Remember how much they screamed about Clinton going after terrorists? The very same Republicans that so strenuously defend Shrub? Doesn’t their hypocrisy sicken a real American?
The ACLU and other Bill of Rights defenders has several cases before the courts. The Shrub administration has fought tooth and nail to have them dismissed upon National Security grounds. Because of that most of the cases have been dismissed. Although the Jose Padilla case has reached the Supreme Court twice, as has Hamdi. Several Gitmo cases are winding their way through the system and will eventually get to the Supreme Court. Then there is the case in NYC where AT&T is being sued for illegally revealing customer records. But the Administration is intervening in that case too, on National Security grounds.
So I guess that makes you the Rush Limbaugh of right wing-nuts that would rather invent a lie then accept the truth. What a sorry case.
I’m going to spend a few more minutes on this subject because I know that there are intelligent, open-minded people who read this blog, who usually steer clear of the political sites that are full of this kind of crap. This is their chance to see the false logic and selective history that are the life blood of the leftist blogs.
1. The Islamist war on Western civilization started sometime during the 20th century. They started it, we are defending ourselves. What event would have justified using American military forces to kill Muslims during the time before the 1993 WTC bombing, which was the first Islamist attack on US soil? It is ridiculous to suggest that the world that Clinton inherited from Bush41 can be compared as similar to the world that Bush43 inherited from Clinton.
2. The Starr report on Clinton was delivered in September, 1998, more than 5-1/2 years after the WTC Bombing. Critics of Clinton’s attempt to “appear presidential,” by using military force were right on two counts: 1) It was incompentently executed, and 2) politically motivated. Clinton failed to kill or capture Bin Laden when it would have been relatively easy to do so.It doesn’t take a conspiracy flake to assume that Sandy Berger risked federal prison to coverup something important regarding the Clinton administration’s national security failures.
3. Law suits are dismissed on the merits. The US Constitution is nearly a war time document, arrived at only 4 years after the Treaty of Paris. National security is what the federal government was created to protect. The word “privacy” does not appear in the Constitution. Feel free to post when a real person wins a fully appealed case based upon anti-terrorist intelligence information being used to hurt or intimidate an American citizen. Until then, continue enjoying life in the home of the free, and the land of the brave, which, incidentally, are concepts which are profoundly interdependent.
I have addressed each point made in post #21. You can judge who is trying to be honest and accurate. The irrational raging that non-political readers of this thread have seen from Bush-hating leftists is typical of the inbred thinking that is constantly simmering on their blogs. I feel no need to get in the last word, so I will read with interest any response this evokes. I, however, am done writing on this thread.
#22, Howard, read a little more history then what Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly give you. Then come back and discuss history.
Point 1. A VERY brief history of the US in the Mid-East.
1)Post WWII, the US promotes the establishment of Israel, thus displacing many Palestinians.
2)1952, the CIA topple the democratic government in Iran in favor of installing the Shah.
3)The US continues to support Israel against its Arab neighbors, including selling and giving weapons, money, and moral support.
4)The Cold War divides most of the globe into pro Western and Pro USSR camps. Because of Israel, most Arab nations gravitate towards the USSR.
5)The oil embargo hits, turning many Americans against all Arabs.
6)The US courts Saudi Arabia and the Saud Royal family. This alienates even more Arabs who look upon the Saudis as Arabian Uncle Toms, only worse. The US also courts and supports other Arab dictators to gain their oil.
7)The US supports the Kuwaitis and invades Iraq. The presence of US troops in Arab countries only infuriates even more Arabs. Ordinary conscripted Iraqi soldiers are mowed down by Coalition forces before they have a chance to surrender. Retreating Iraqis are annihilated on the road.
8)American arrogance insults many Arab Muslims.
9)After years of American intervention and support for Israel, radical Muslims finally brought the fight to America from the middle east.
Point 2 is too ridiculous to even think about. Blame Clinton for both Bush’s failures. Under Reagan and Bush Sr., the CIA was gutted of manpower in favor of electronic surveillance. When Clinton came to office, the CIA had only a few people monitoring the Taliban and none in Al Qaeda. One month after being sworn in the first WTC bombing occurred. Bush Jr was in office nine months and had at least one warning the Al Qaeda was planning something. Al Qaeda was being hunted and had a bounty on him then. On credible evidence, Clinton allowed two cruise missile attacks on his camp and a munitions supply factory in Sudan. The evidence turned out to be less then correct, but not nearly to the extent when Bush claimed that Iraq had WMDs.
Point 3
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/arar/
The CIA kidnaps a Canadian citizen and spirits him away to Syria. After being tortured, he is finally released to the Candaian Government. He sues the US for kidnapping. The Judge dismissed the case.
Feb. 16, 2006
A U.S. federal judge dismisses Maher Arar’s lawsuit against American officials. Judge David Trager says he can’t interfere in a case involving crucial national security issues. “The need for much secrecy can hardly be doubted,” he writes.
There are several more just like this one.
http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is suing AT&T for releasing confidential records to the government. The US Government has intervened to have the case dismissed on National Security grounds.
On May 15, the United States government filed a motion to dismiss EFF’s suit. While EFF was not permitted to see the government’s entire brief, in a redacted version made publicly available the government said that the case against AT&T should be immediately terminated because any judicial inquiry into the whether AT&T broke the law could reveal state secrets and harm national security.
No, I don’t hate Bush. Like 2/3 of America, I just don’t approve of his job performance.
>Sandy Berger risked federal prison to coverup something important >regarding the Clinton administration’s national security failures.
Perhaps this?
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50828
Could there have been another terrorist attack in 1996?