Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (674)	6/25/2002 11:11:29 AM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 89467

Losing the Intelligence War Overseas aei.org <<...If Washington is going to win the war on terrorism, it will have to focus on thwarting al Qaeda overseas rather than on boosting security measures at home. In particular, the Bush administration must force the Central Intelligence Agency to become more innovative and aggressive in its undercover operations abroad...>> <<...The CIA needs to abandon its cold war structure. The enemy now operates out of religious schools, Muslim fraternal associations, and import-export businesses. To deal with this threat, the agency has to have a majority, not just a small fraction, of its operatives abroad, operating under nonofficial cover. We need Arabic-speaking officers and foreign agents able to penetrate Muslim communities in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia where terrorists are finding shelter and recruits. For example, the CIA should have tried to place more sophisticated and varied versions of John Walker Lindh everywhere years ago...>> <<...Unfortunately, it is doubtful that any real change will happen in the CIA without outside pressure. After all, the agency should have foreseen that its mission needed to change well before September 11. An independent investigation of intelligence lapses before the attacks might provide the necessary heat for reform. But much now depends on President Bush's willingness to take on the intelligence establishment and force the CIA to become more clever, more aggressive, and much less comfortable. That is likely to give us greater security than spending vast sums on homeland defense and having the government track thousands of Muslims in America...>> _______________________ jw: I fear that we really need much more leadership from the top. So far we have seen a few bandaids put on our intelligence system. We need a commitment to a radical redesign AND we need it soon...The U.S. is very vulnerable and most folks around the world now know this. How about 'another Manhatten Project' -- lets bring together our best and brightest minds and quickly and efficiently roll out a WORLD-CLASS counterterrorism effort...This will take leadership that we have not seen yet...The stakes continue to be very high...lets hope Bush rises to the occasion.