Our Intelligence Dilemma

Opinion by George McClellan:

Following the 9/11 terrorist attack, the federal government immediately reformed its existing security programs by creating new bureaucracies. The previously unknown Patriot Act immediately hove into view and while the smoking ruins of the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the hole in the Pennsylvania farm were still burning in peoples minds, the unconstitutional tenants of that act became the authority fixed as law. Warrantless searches, harassing citizens, communications interceptions and intrusive police procedures becoming accepted due to the common fear of terrorism.

While citizens were reeling in fear and desperation by the Islamic attacks on American soil, the government seized the opportunity to use that fear to target its own fears, America’s Tea Parties, Constitutionalists and Christians, and list them as the real domestic terrorists and the real enemies of America. I will never forgive President Bush for saying: “Islam is a religion of peace.”

The near worthless “Dept. of Homeland Security” arose under the duress of crisis, and has subsequently demonstrated the unintended consequences of good intentions. As politicians rarely get it right, they should be replaced on a frequent basis just to keep ‘em honest. Their decisions should be reviewed frequently and reforms made when policies are demonstrably unworkable, offensive to general norms or unconstitutional. Domestic counterterrorism activities is a job for professionals, not policymakers.

I remember it being said after the Israeli – Arab Six Day War, that Israel can win a thousand wars, it only have to lose one. The Intelligence agencies charged with protecting us from terrorists must succeed all of the time; the terrorists only need to succeed. After Ft. Hood, Chattanooga, Boston, San Bernardino, etc, it seems they are.

Because of political meddling, especially since Obama’s administration of incompetent amateurs came on the scene, the work of our real Federal protectors has been hampered, conclusions changed, officers sacked or moved, or worse, threat assessments simply ignored, all in the name of political expediency, i.e.: not showing how stupid and incompetent or actually wicked, Obama really is.

State and local law enforcement agencies are now working together outside of the old order to collect and analyze intelligence from foreign sources. The Joint Terrorism Task Forces of the DoJ and fusion centers of the DH Security are really there to protect the incompetent administration, focus their attention on Obama’s ideas of domestic terrorists as America’s greatest danger and tamp down the work of local and state agencies. As the Federal Govt. rarely shares intel data with others renders, their product becomes actually dangerous to true constitutional, law abiding Americans.

When Obama’s policies require Federal agencies to deny Islamic terrorism as a threat to America, those agencies are stuck between a rock and a hard spot. The FBI seems to be doing its job but it’s often questionable. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (14 March 2016)