Bremer Feb26-01: * Admin No Attention Terrorism-will say OMG

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chicagoreader.com/hottype/index.html

<snip>

On February 26, 2001, the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation opened a three-day conference on the theme "Terrorism: Informing the Public" at Cantigny, the colonel's estate in Wheaton. Bremer, who gave the keynote speech, recalled his work on the National Commission on Terrorism.

"We concluded that the general terrorist threat is increasing," Bremer said, "particularly because of a change in the motives of terrorist groups. . . . We have seen a move from narrow political motivation to a broader ideological, religious, or apocalyptic motive for many terrorist groups -- groups that are not attacking because they are trying to find a broader audience, but are acting out of revenge or hatred, or simply out of an apocalyptic belief that the end of the world is near." The new terrorists, he said, weren't interested in killing just enough innocent people to get noticed. For them it was the more dead the better.

The Bush administration had been in power just about a month at this point, but Bremer had already seen enough to draw some conclusions about it. He told the many journalists invited to the Cantigny conference to hold the White House's feet to the fire: "It is the media's responsibility, and an important one, though very uncomfortable for people in government, to put a very strong spotlight on the government's policies and practices on terrorism, especially given the current disorganization of the federal government's fight against terrorism. In this area, the federal government is in complete disarray. There's been remarkably little attention to the major recommendation the Gilmore Commission made for a substantial reorganization of the government's approach to terrorism. Journalists shouldn't let politicians get away with that.

"The new administration seems to be paying no attention to the problem of terrorism. What they will do is stagger along until there's a major incident and then suddenly say, 'Oh, my God, shouldn't we be organized to deal with this?' That's too bad. They've been given a window of opportunity with very little terrorism now, and they're not taking advantage of it. Maybe the folks in the press ought to be pushing a little bit."

[wryter2000]

1. Wow

Pretty damning. Thanks for the link!

:yourock:

[arcane1]

2. "Maybe the folks in the press ought to be pushing..."

dream on, Bremer... dream on...

[Hav]

3. enough said:

"The new administration seems to be paying no attention to the problem of terrorism. What they will do is stagger along until there's a major incident and then suddenly say, 'Oh, my God, shouldn't we be organized to deal with this?' "

Yeah but Clinton didn't do anything against terrorism, right?

[KC21304]

5. Oh but he did. Did you read Richard Clarke's book ?

Have you heard of the Hart- Rudman report ?

[Hav]

6. .

Well, I think that terrorism was a top priority issue for Clinton, it just wasn't politicised like it's done by the Repubs after 911.
That's why the Right says Clinton didn't do anything.
The truth is that the Bush Admin seemed to do close to nothing against terrorism and 911 is the result.

[Lindacooks]

4. Wow - what a catch!!

Send this to Senator Kerry.

[myrna minx]

7. I found a link for the publication...

http://www.rrmtf.org/mtf/pubsandprods.htm

[phillybri]

8. Kick

:kick:

[aquart]

9. So Bremer didn't become an idiot until later?

What happened? He have a stroke?

[MO_Dem]

14. Maybe the promise

of becoming temporary king of Iraq was enough to silence him?

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. He was assimulated

by the Borg.

[ElementaryPenguin]

10. Major kick - for an unbelievable find!!

Let's hear BushCo try to spin this sucker!

:puke:

:argh:

Wake the FUCK up, wouldja America??!!

[MissB]

11. Has anyone sent this too AAR? (nt)

[Hav]

12. .

That would make a nice snippet in a Kerry Ad as well.

[w13rd0]

13. Wow...

...I suspect that one of those assassination attempts on Bremer in the near future will succeed if this gets any press at all.

[Bandit]

16. This is the first I have heard of the Gilmore Commission

http://www.rand.org/nsrd/terrpanel/terror2.pdf

It is very interesting. On Dec 15th 2000 the second report was issued and it was very explicet on what needed doing and what dangers could be expected. Bush* did none of those things and in fact fought against forming a Homeland Security for quite some time even after 9-11. It said Terrorism was an extremely urgent matter and Bush* ignored it.

[robbedvoter]

17. Kick!

[K8-EEE]

18. Whoa There Mr. Viceroy!

Wow....that's something!!