ForumGarden

I do not know what to think about the officialization of a master agency. We already have the NSA and it does far more than most people realize. It knows more than most people realize. It can do more than most people realize.

Keeping the duplication of efforts to a minimum is good. Having it all under one agency is not good. There are no checks and balances. You cannot create checks and balances with secret organizations.

In addition, you cannot have an oversight branch either. You can't oversee an agency that is in the business of secrecy, deniability, covert operations, and black operations. They can and will cover-up items of self-interest.

You have to depend on good Americans and Patriots within these agencies to keep the few bad apples on a fairly straight path. They can and do clean house when needed.

plazul wrote: There's something to be said for compartmentalization in the intelligence business. If the office of National Intelligence Director becomes a reality the Director will have unprecedented access to all data in America's domestic, foreign, and military intelligence establishment. That is mind boggling power. Will such power be resisted?

My feeling is that there's already tension between agencies like DIA and the politically charged Department of Homeland Security which has exploited our military intelligence apparatus for domestic concerns. I predict that if the NID does become a reality an underground, for lack of a better term, intelligence community will evolve which might be a good thing if you care about liberty.

The creation of the NID, the ultimate Big Brother, has been fodder for many conspiracy theories and there might be a few real patriots in the intel world who are spinning a few of there own.

plazul wrote:

But I don't think they are ready to allow unfettered access to a political appointee and intelligence czar. It will be interesting to see how they respond and it wouldn't surprise me if they have the architects of the proposed superstructure under surveillance.


Oh man. You are as cynical as me!

New York Times

Monday 16 August 2004

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 - The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been questioning political demonstrators across the country, and in rare cases even subpoenaing them, in an aggressive effort to forestall what officials say could be violent and disruptive protests at the Republican National Convention in New York.

F.B.I. officials are urging agents to canvass their communities for information about planned disruptions aimed at the convention and other coming political events, and they say they have developed a list of people who they think may have information about possible violence. They say the inquiries, which began last month before the Democratic convention in Boston, are focused solely on possible crimes, not on dissent, at major political events.

But some people contacted by the F.B.I. say they are mystified by the bureau's interest and felt harassed by questions about their political plans.

More:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/081704V.shtml

Warsai wrote: That's stupid. How are they gonna just forbid someone from entering a Bush rally just because they don't like him? And do they think this will stop the terrorists? Can't the terrorists just lie?


If there is ever an awe-inspiring sight, is seeing the security detail and preparations ahead of time when Bush is scheduled to appear. To top it off, it's even more amazing to see the huge motorcade, driving at 100 mph zipping in.

You never know which car he's in. You never know if he's in any car. But it all happens so fast and with such ferocity and grace, it's just amazing.