Remember all the good times we had with George W. Bush's color-coded terror chart? Now there was some leadership you could believe in, huh?
For perspective today, it's necessary to read what happened December 21, 2003 as reported in the NY Times…..
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21— The Bush administration raised the nation's antiterrorism alert status a notch on Sunday, indicating a newly heightened concern about the possibility of an attack in coming days.
Announcing the change at a news conference in Washington, Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, said the danger of an attack in the "near term," possibly in the United States, was "perhaps greater now than at any point since Sept. 11, 2001."
..[..]..
Security officials said the decision to increase the level of alert to "high" from "elevated" — to orange from yellow on the department's five-color scale — came after intense consultations over the weekend among intelligence agencies, which had picked up recent talk among extremists about some unspecified but spectacular attack.
..[..]..
Mr. Ridge said on Sunday that he acted after consulting other agencies about new intelligence that suggested a higher level of risk "around the holiday season and beyond." In particular, he cited concerns that attackers might again try to use commercial aircraft as a weapon.
..[..]..
Mr. Ridge said, the action was taken based on "the quantity, the quality, and the credibility and the scope" of intelligence from various sources. In addition, he said, intelligence analysts were concerned to hear that there was a widespread expectation among people they were monitoring that an attack might come in the near term.
"Extremists abroad are anticipating attacks that they believe will either rival or exceed" the attacks of 9/11, he said.
Scary stuff by very, very Serious and Professional People Protectors working under George and The Dick……OR…..maybe just a pile of political fearmongering bullsh*t from naive dumb-asses. There's now new information. The Reverend reports, you decide.
The man who prompted the December 2003 Orange alert was Dennis Montgomery, who has since been embroiled in various lawsuits, including one for allegedly bouncing $1 million in checks during a Caesars Palace spree. His former lawyer calls him a "habitual liar engaged in fraud."
Working out of a Reno, Nevada, software firm called eTreppid Technologies, Montgomery took in officials in the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology and convinced them that technology he invented — but could not explain — was pulling terrorist-produced "bar codes" from Al Jazeera television broadcasts. Using his proprietary technology, those bar codes could be translated into longitudes and latitudes and flight numbers. Terrorist leaders were using that data to direct their compatriots about the next target.
Just in case you missed the plot line here…..Dennis Montgomery fooled CIA representatives into believing that Al Jazeera teevee was broadcasting "bar code" embedded secret terrorist info alongide their normal content. Yes, the same dangerous outfit which had planned the hijacking of 4 planes using cardboard-box cutters….were resorting to James Bond-caliber, code-decode sophistication…..and Al Jazeera was assisting them by embedding hidden bar codes of longitude and latitude and flight numbers for the next attack on the U.S.
This reminds me of the day Bush's officials walked Jose Padilla outside adorned with goggles…so ole' Jose couldn't communicate any Super-Secret Eye Signals across the teevee screens to his Terrorist Treehouse Buddies.
Apparently, the Bush administration DID watch too many episodes of "24".
The federal government was acting on the Al Jazeera claims without even understanding how Montgomery found his coordinates. "I said, 'Give us the algorithms that allowed you to come up with this stuff.' They wouldn't even do that," says the first officer. "And I was screaming, 'You gave these people f*cking money?'" …
A former CIA official went through the scenario with me and explained why sanity finally won out. First, Montgomery never explained how he was finding and interpreting the bar codes. How could one scientist find the codes when no one else could? More implausibly, the scheme required Al Jazeera's complicity. At the very least, a technician at the network would have to inject the codes into video broadcasts, and every terrorist operative would need some sort of decoding device. What would be the advantage of this method of transmission?
A branch of the French intelligence services helped convince the Americans that the bar codes were fake. The CIA and the French commissioned a technology company to locate or re-create codes in the Al Jazeera transmission. They found definitively that what Montgomery claimed was there was not. Quietly, as far as the CIA was concerned, the case was closed. The agency turned the matter over to the counterintelligence side to see where it had gone wrong.
Go read the entire article…hey, it's at Playboy.com.
Yes, I have my own list of disappointments with our new Democratic President…but after being reminded again of the total incompetent, and often criminal, assholery of the Terror Twins ……I'm thankful Obama is now in charge.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Not enough to bash the Republicans in congress for defending the Constitution?
Bush won the election in 2000. again in 2004 get over it.
Now answer me this:
Are the corporate fat cats, union thugs and the like more or less corrupt for as you say, buying political favors than those in politics for selling their votes?
Answer honestly, you will be graded.
Jeff,they will NEVER get over it. All this hope and change-openness and transparency is underwhelming,or didn't YOU know it!!! Crying about their handling of the world is their pasttime-wrecking the budget is their primetime job.Remeber the U.S.S.Cole!!!
When I saw the headline I thought this story was going to be about how the Dems have high-jacked America with this empty, minimal benefit overwhelmingly expensive to the taxpayer healthcare fraud. Not about some Bush blaming non-story trumped up event most likely enhanced or twisted by liberal bloggers.
This is a bill the people now overwhelmingly have decided they do not want. A socialist bill that will be too expensive for most wage stagnant middle class Americans, who will never see the finacial glory days of our fathers generation. All of this done not because it was the right thing but because of pride and political soul selling for the sake of cash and special intersts ie big insurance, big pharma, industries formerly accused of being GOP supporters. I guess it proves that anyone has the ability of becoming a whore if the money is right. Nice diversion today Rev, couldn't you have found anything like Christian gay hating or Palin family holiday memoir bashing stories?
Here is a statement by a great and experienced leader. " anything signed is better than nothing signed" That's beautiful and his minions followed his example. Let's add a little more. "anything signed, even though we didn't read the whole thing is a victory for the big corporate entities that are paying for our campaigns, is better than nothing signed". Who will they blame when this blows up in their faces like they did when they voted to go to war with Iraq? This bill looks nothing like what they promised in the beginning. Pathetic, yet the dem puppets will defend them.
Here is the 2012 battle cry. "No more jokebama, Palin all the way". All she has to do is convince 40% of the people how this four years is no different in fact will be worse and more expensicve to the average american than the previous 16 and she will win. I think with projected 18% actual unemployment the lowering of the average wage and 10 more trillion in debt to be paid by our kids and the next hundred genreations it will pretty easy.
My wife MADE me read this blog – so this is my first visit here. What a waste of time. You are just another blogger trying to make a living… by living in the past. Bush is gone now.. get over it. Try to stay current… like why Obama stated 7 times during the campaign that the health care debate would be televised on CSPAN… so that Americans can see the process and see who the obstructionists are… Hoax 'n' Change?? Transparency?? Deals in the Senate?? Mass-Man try to keep up with the times… while the economy continues to tank… your prez is pushing to take control of more areas of your life – he will continue to spend money we don't have – and he will keep racking up reasons why he will go down as the worst prez in U.S.history… so… how's that hope 'n' change working out for ya????
@ Jeffrey
I'm thinking…..by the looks of the comments….that conservatives are really pissed off about the health care deal.
I am a liberal. Unapologetically. Obama did not campaign as a liberal, and he has proven to not be one. He's purely pragmatic….an incrementalist willing to compromise with conservatives and corporatists to get something he thinks is positive for the country done.
About today's post. No diversion. Latest information made news.
Conservatives, as I recall, raised hell over Nancy Pelosi daring to openly say that the CIA lied to Congress all the time…..something that other congressional figures have also stated.
Now we have evidence of moronic, sci-fi influenced, digital teevee embedded conspiracy capers swallowed by the CIA……causing a code orange…..high alert political theater. All because Bush's White House needed to keep scaring us so we wouldn't be so apt to challenge his internationally criminal action in Iraq.
That's what the post was about.
Hey Rev….. you need to go to church and get on your knees. Can't post a comment without using profanity??? …. Obviously, you're just another hoax'n'changer. But you are correct about one thing….Nobama is not a liberal – and you must be very disappointed that he turned out to be an arrogant Facist…
Jeffery, Facist is a term that is reserved by the left for those that disagree with them.. Having said that let us not insult him but call him what he is a national socialist.
No Barry the liar is a progressive (which means socialist communist sympathizer )
He even said it himself, if you want to know who Barry the liar is, just look who raised him, who preached to him, who his friends are, and who his advisers are.
It reads like a whose who in the american communist party, radicals, criminals bombers and fools each and every one.
The BLOMD, is blaming Barry, when he should be blaming the cowardly fools in congress. But then he has never understood how our government works, let alone the constitution.
Seven years, no fatalities on U.S. soil from terrorist attacks. Obama's been in nine months and there's been about 15. Who is the moron?
How come the morons are not complimenting Obama on keeping us safe for the last year?
Rev I am glad you realized Obama never was a Liberal nor did he ever promise to govern as one – I think I always knew that about him. If you really listened to his speeches it was all about that- we are not a blue state not a red state . The stupid heads don't even realize that they should be rejoicing right now – after all It was Hillary who wanted to push for single payer health care run by the government.
What I dont get is how the right is accusing him of lying and the left thinks he's not producing the type of change they wanted. I think he is following the path he clearly said he'd go in . I think every one had their own idea of change that they projected on to him.
You hit the nail on the head by calling him a pragmatic leader. He clearly sets objectives and tries to obtain them the best he can and as soon as he can. I really think his leadership style is what the country needs right now – but too bad the rights playing politics and trying to make him into some evil socialist liberal . And Jeff Obamas background helped him to grow up to be opened minded from a diverse background. I wonder what type of family some of these tea baggers came from – where they learned to not have any compassion for those less fortunate than themselves. And wearing a tea bag from your head is a bit odd wont you say?
Folks never forget the most important thing—POWER. Alinsky makes it very clear everything you do is to accumulate more power. Never stand on principle or fight a battle that may cost you a loss of power. The end justifies the means and one must sacrifice along the way in order to grow stronger. Obama doesnt give a damn what is in the bill he just needs any reasonable starting point in which to slowly but steadily expand the scope of health care to his advantage.
Hey Andrea… what planet are you from??? You are so far out there that I can't even respond.. All I can say is that you have had enough Kool-Aid and you need to back off and get some therapy…..
Jeffery – You seem rather Angry and like to RANT in temper tantrum attacking people rather than have debate. You have yet to say one constructive thing . I have no clue what you are for – Or if you have a single productive thought on anything. You are like the angry anti Obama mob who rant but never really say much of any substance.
"Seven years, no fatalities on U.S. soil from terrorist attacks. Obama's been in nine months and there's been about 15. Who is the moron?"
Breaking news folks. larry is now telling us that there have been 15 Islamic extremist attacks on U.S. soil since January 20, 2009. Wow.
It's interesting to note….you know, during this special emergency broadcast announcement….that after only 9 short months in office, George and The Dick failed to protect the nation from the worst attack on U.S. soil….ever.
So, to answer larry's question…"who's the moron?"……was that a rhetorical question, larry?
What no answer to my question, typical coward cant engage in real debate about the facts, all you, and your buddy barry the liar can do is channel George Soros, and the progressive party line.
PS: read, larry said 15 deaths (ok 13 at Ft Hood) not attacks.
We can argue who was responsible for 9/11, but Clinton and his idiot policies regarding intelligence gathering are as much to blame as anyone, and if you deny that you truly are a demented fool.
As for transparency Jeffery – Yes Obama maybe could have played the entire hearings on health care CSPAM . But it won't have been the opposition who would have listened. Obama had townhall meetings all over the country on health care which the right organized effort to disrupt those meetings so we couldnt even hear what the speakers had to say! Complete transparency can't be done because the other side will use it politically as they are trying to do now. With all the obstructionists yelling about his every word why would someone think a politician is going to come in and change everything in a year.. too many big corporate interests trying to blast down every effort.
Simply Obama woke up to the real world – nothing gets done without back room deals – so yep that was one campaign pledge he had to break in order to get anything done.
Jeff…you prod me to debate stuff….but then, after Obama promises to sign a corporate-giveaway to capitalistic enterprises like insurance and pharma….a giveaway so for-profit friendly, health insurance and pharma stocks soared when it's passage was all but sure….and no government non-profit option is included, making it anything but a progressive plan……you say this…
"No Barry the liar is a progressive (which means socialist communist sympathizer )"
Cognitive dissonance, by definition, isn't something that can be debated. Analyzed by professionals, maybe,….but not debated.
There was also the U.S. soldier killed at a recruiting station, Jeff. And the Reverend has always classified the abortion doctor killing as terrorism, so that brings it to 15. All on Obama's watch. He is as big a moron on national security as he is a nefarious authoritarian tyrant on healthcare reform. Plus, he throws like a girl and never attended let alone graduated from college, as far as I can tell.
Andrea…. Please…. I beg you… stop writing. You are embarassing yourself and whatever school you attended… If ignorance is bliss …. then you must be the most blissful person on earth. Merry Christmas !!!
the Hasan case does have a lot of parrellels to 9-11. Hasan had been in the Army for 11 years. Hasan had told his superiors that some of his patients should be charged with war crimes ( I would have thought that with the CYA mentality of the Army that would have gotten an immediate section 8). Both Hasan's co-doctors and his superiors knew he was falling off the rails. Hasan was being watched and snooped on by the Army….the 9-11 hi-jackers were being watched and snooped on by the NSA.
Bush was warned that OBL was determined to strike inside the USA. Obama should have known that Hasan was going to go on a rampage and should have flown to Ft. Hood to stop the attack himself.
Even tho the Army sat there with their thumbs up their asses Obama should have known
I suggest you read the thread more closely so you can follow the argument, walt.
larry….isn't Obama also responsible for all the Americans who have been victims of a crime since January 20, 2009? Sure he is. It's as if he committed the crimes himself.
And what about all the dead Americans since January? Huh? I mean, Americans die every day….Obama must be responsible for each one of those deaths….hey, he's the President.
Your insistence on Bush-Cheney kept us safe…..and Obama hasn't…….is so obviously a bunch of nonsense…it's a wonder you continue to press it.
Rev,
Don't you like the Senate provision to make the insurance companies pay out 80% of their revenues to patients ? I'd think you'd be in favor of that, and doesn't that eliminate the need for a public option ?