On CNN’s "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer" Sunday, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., characteristically wouldn’t divulge what, if anything, he knew specifically about the cyanide gas attacks that al-Qaida reportedly had planned for the New York City subway system in 2003. But he sure seemed to invite the conclusion that the National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program saved the day: “It points up, once again, the value of the terrorist surveillance program, the NSA program that’s been in the news so much. We are able to detect and deter and stop such attacks. And we were very fortunate that that did not happen.”
And though Roberts also referred to “the people in the sleeper cells in the United States,” he declined to explain what he meant by that, concluding: “Our intelligence is better. We have made progress. It’s not perfect, but we’re in better shape than we were, certainly, since 9/11.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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44 Comments
So how important does all this tit-for-tat violence make having peace with the Arabs come to center stage?
As long as Israel can fire an artillery shell from an off-shore Gunboat and destroy an entire Palestinian family of 60 having a “beach party,” the cycle of violence will never stop, and the raw fuel generating a violent retaliation should be expected.
Our only defence is to destroy our constitutional government by going on a war-footing.
Does Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., think that Israel should be given a free hand to generate enemies for the United States?
There is no end to the so-called “war on terror” unless the United States stops generating it by proxy.
Israel’s daily war-crimes do not make good Arab neighbors.
The power of the United States is being misused under the guise of a two-bit advertising slogan: the “war on terror.”
It time Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan. devote his time and energy to stopping the violence rather than helping to fund it.
Or let me try it another way: Do you see peace at the end of the “war tunnel?”
Or is that light coming at us actually the headlight on a speeding freight-train?
I’m glad Roberts thinks our intelligence is better now, but every time I get hopeful that maybe it is, I notice that Osama still manages to get to the studio to produce another video!
After being told by a smug staffer in Roberts’ office that the warrantless spying program must be working because “we haven’t been hit by another terrorist attack,” I’ll wait to see the evidence regarding this latest case, thanks.
CF,I’ve been carrying a rabbit’s foot to protect me from terrorists, and it’s obviously worked perfectly so far, since I haven’t been killed by terrorists, and it hasn’t violated anybody’s privacy either.
Would an attack keep and help elect more of the “war mongers” to congress?
The Arabs understand that and so do the “war mongers.”
Those who advocate peace and restrains on Israeli agression can expect the worst from the “otherside.”
An attack on American soil is exactlly what they need.
The Israeli Mossad got caught in Lebanon carring-out political assinations { targeted killings }.
There you go again Rhonda…
“warrantless wiretapping”
The only way for you to make this program look bad is to keep calling it something it is not.
I am curious though. Where did you get that phrase from Rhonda?
Did you come up with it yourself doing whatever kind of research it is that you might do as a journalist? I am giving you the benifit of the doubt that you do indeed do some sort of research.
So, if you did do some research to coin that phrase, where did you do it? Why did you come up with that term?
I don’t want to come right out and accuse you of being little more than another partisan hack for the DNC talking points, but I am beginning to wonder…
From the horse’s mouth.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1136361028363&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
More
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=83380
“Mossad Network caught in Lebanon”
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=83380
Is Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan aware of our world image?
“US seen as a bigger threat to peace than Iran, worldwide poll suggests”
¬? “Findings also show fall in support for war on terror¬? Decline in America’s image ‘all to do with Iraq’ ”
Ewen MacAskill, diplomatic editorThursday June 15, 2006The Guardian
“George Bush’s six years in office have so damaged the image of the US that people worldwide see Washington as a bigger threat to world peace than Tehran, according to a global poll.The Washington-based Pew Research Centre, in a poll of 17,000 people in 15 countries between March and May, found more people concerned about the US presence in Iraq than about Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons ambitions.
The Pew Centre said: “Despite growing concern over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the US presence in Iraq is cited at least as often as Iran – and in many countries much more often – as a danger to world peace.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1797771,00.html
“I don’t want to come right out and accuse you of being little more than another partisan hack for the DNC talking points…”
And look who’s talking about partisan hacks for DNC talking points. The epitome of hypocricy.
Kind of unfair and underhanded, wouldn’t you say? After all Rhonda isn’t going to come back to answer your questions.
This attack didn’t address the issue, just attacked the messenger. Typical Republican tactics. My response here is the same–using Republican tactics.
Have a good day.
Roberts has no way of connecting things. Talking points are only blips on the screen, jumping around with no connectivity. He couldn’t follow a draw-by-number picture–or finish an investigation with coherent answers–if his job depended on it.
Oops, it just might.
Rock on RD, rock on!
“warrantless wiretapping”
Uh, I dont think that is just a trite phrase. I think it is the truth of what is happening.
What part is hard to understand? The “warrantless” as in “we dont need no stinkin’ FISA court” or the “wiretapping” part?
I guess since it is evesdropping, listening without a warrant, lawless domestic spying on electronic communications…
…nathan will say that it isnt technically wiretapping. Heheh. This is not a pipe…
I think warrantless wiretapping is indeed the correct descriptor. Could THAT be what’s causing nathan’s oh-so-civilized attack on Rhonda? She misses ONE right wing meme and nathan is torqued? :)
I guess she missed the talking point from the right wing. You know the one that noted “warrentless wiretapping” might be accurate, but saying so is not good politics.
Saying that it is “spying on foreign terrorists” might make the bitter truth go down better for nathan and his ilk, but since the NSA is indeed wiretapping and evesdropping,
and it is being done to domestic calls between american citizens, without a warrant or any court oversight,
and since most of those being violated have NO terrorist connections… giving it that perfumed name (thanks ken mehlman) doesnt make the turd smell any sweeter.
I think Rhonda hit the nail on the head. Warrantless wiretapping is the KINDEST way to explain the bush/cheney/at&t/verizon program to listen in on YOUR domestic phone calls.
The so-called “war” is their soft underbelly, and the wiretapping etc, etc, etc, is rationalized by that, so, anytime you’d like to jump in and help, you’re very welcome. Oh, gee, thanks Ed!
hee hee, I wonder if nathan calling out rhonda for missing a talking point could be christened a “hasty generalization”? heheheh
They hate it when you come up with better talking points than they do. They like to think they are the kings and queens of catchy sound bites.
Ed, maybe the lack of response is because many of us agree with you about the preznit and his merry band of neocons. Add in the dominionists, and you have the perfect storm of world domination. And they wonder why we compare them to nazis?
I certainly agree with you on the phoney war rhetoric, and with XXX about bush/cheney/rummy/condi’s war on terra.
They wont be happy until the entire terra of earth is engulfed with war. The ultimate bright and shiney object while the neocons set up shop for their little world domination project.
I agree that the root of almost all evil today is PNAC. Shrub is just a sucker shoot on THAT plant.
KFG..Now, finally, we’re getting somewhere.
The non binding vote was 256 to 153
1. They’re going to paint the “war” with their best paint.
2. They need some “terrorism” here, on our soil, so I’m trying to get out in front of that, to whip up some backlash.
3. Right now the Bushco is bombing Iraq to hell, to literally kill every male Iraq in that country.
Ed, bad language, but check out what the rude pundit has to say about torturing the enemy.
http://www.rudepundit.blogspot.com/
Boys and girls, right now Bush has his pants down to his ankles.
Feel free to jump right in and take a wack.
He’s holding back medical supplies from Gaza hospitals and mothers and babies are dying.
I can’t type fast enough to keep up with his mistakes.
Bingo!
Leaked US memo paints grim picture of life in Iraq
US embassy cable says Iraqi staffers live in constant fear for their lives.
By Tom Regan | csmonitor.com
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0620/dailyUpdate.html
Oops, sorry. The RP had a great post yesterday about torture, and now, his blogsite is screwed up and something different is up.
Sorry. If it comes back, you need to read it. One of the best posts ever.
KFG
I was shocked, such language, especally about our G-d president…
US Foreign Aid……..hard at work
“More Israelis per capita become millionaires than world average”
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/729259.html
Did anyone else wonder about the connection of NYC not getting the millions it thought it deserved because it is so “special” and then a couple of weeks later the report of a stymied cyanide attack?
RD,
Unfair and underhanded?
Last I checked Rhonda is one of the people in control of this blog.
My questions to her are no more unfair or underhanded than her ability to post the garbage she does without actually ansering for it.
My Comments to Rhonda were both snide and questioning. They did address the issue. The issue being how these are warantless Wiretaps.
The use of that language is used purposefully to decieve people from what is actually happening. It is also used by those of you like KFG to further their ability to be as dumb as they are.
Neither of you seem to have the slightes clue as to what words actually mean. Things like “Hasty Generalization” or “Hypocrite”
warrentless wiretapping or domestic spying or big brother taking a peek into your mail or your bedroom… is good or bad, all a matter of language?
heheh
But call it government data collection on social networks, using the presidential doctrine of being above the law in a time of war, and regulating the demise of straight marriage by continuing the ban on gay marriage… those are then good things through the power of language?
heheh nathanspeak.
This commercial message brought to you by the ministry of truth.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programing of all bushbots all the time
heheheh
KFG,
Did you get a chance to look up “Hasty Generaliztion” yet?
Yeah, you never read terms like pro-life or pro-abortion in the Eagle.
I don’t know about “warrantless wiretaps,” but certainly both pro-life and pro-abortion are clear examples of “language … used purposefully to decieve people from what is actually happening.”
hmmmm, let’s see, fun with nathan today. I was going to site webster, but of course we dont know if the ministry of truth approved webster or if we have some nathanspeak dictionary we should consult.
But still… webster’s it is.
Hasty: swift, rapid. Made or done too qickly or impulsively
Generalization: To make general, rather than specific; to form a general conclusion; to think or speak in generalities
I guess when nathan plays what he thinks is a trump card by calling us out for a “hasty generalization” what he means is that we drew a conclusion from the facts quicker than he could spin it.
But here is my favorite.. hypocrisy.
“the feigning of qualities and beliefs that one does not actually posses or hold, especially a pretense of piety or moral superiority.”
Nathan feigns a lot of “values” (like freedom of speech and equal protection under the law) that he does not hold in his posts regarding the speech of dissenters and his anti-gay biblical tirades.
And did you notice his hypocrisy is always around some position that is “especially a pretense of piety or moral superiority.”
hee hee nathan. yep, we know the meanings of those words.
do you?
Here is the rude link I tried to post earlier. The post from yesterday is about torture, but unfortunately, the first paragraph was prophetic.
Very rude language.
http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2006/06/two-captured-american-soldiers-and.html
Pat SUCKS.We need somone in there with real balls, not memory pills and smoke screens.
If you have to look up “Hasty” and then “Generalization” to figure it out you should just go ahead and give up because you are so lost.
“You are so lost”
In the world according to Nathan everybody but him, his dad, george bush and his few remaining followers is lost.So Nathan actually just paid kfg a compliment.I’d rather be lost with kfg then found with Nathan!
JR, he would be perfect for the Colbert Report, except for one thing–HE’s ACTUALLY SERIOUS!
heheheheheheheh funny Tracy!
Good try, Nathan. But “almost” only counts in horseshoes and, um, hand grenades.
KFG, leave it to Nathan to change the subject when given a legitimate and fully truthful answer.
Do you ever get dizzy when spinning, Nathan?
Hee hee RD. Loved the young republicans question :)
I notice the new tactic is from the rovester. Whatever the r is weak on, try to pin the same thing on the opponent.
In other words, up is down and black is white and who you gonna believe anyway. Bush? or those lyin’ eyes of yers?
You must believe six impossible things before breakfast to prevent a hasty generalization.
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KFG,
I meant to tell you and anyone you shared the piece with that the person who picked up the pamphlet referred to is someone I’m familiar with in that chat room mentioned. We all eagerly waited while he scanned the document and gave us a few bits and pieces of it along the way when he could. He spent a lot of time on it. As I feel I know him (he’s a regular and has been for some time), I trust him and am 99.9% if not 100% certain that he didn’t make up the story.
Oh I do think it is true RD. We see the evidence of it here every day. Predicatable as a kansas election. I think it is funny though that he/they think we dont know the drill and cant see the pattern. All but the most willfully obtuse and the participants should be able to see it by now.
heheheheh
KFG,
In political chat, we often post the number of the “point” when it’s posted. We’ve gotten rid of many of them by doing it.
All,
If you’re ever bored and in the mood for some sometimes raunchy and always no-punches-pulled dialogue, drop in at Politics Lobby 10 in Yahoo Chat. I’ll warn you that getting in is sometimes almost impossible because the room is packed most of the time. And that’s with Dems and Reps alike, but it weighs much more heavily on the liberal side.
I’ve also sent invitations to the regulars there to post here. There are some from Kansas or have lived in Kansas. I’ll keep nudging them. :)
Lobby 10? That room isn’t much fun.