First we crippled the CIA. Then we blamed it.

Next, our job is to take a step back, take a deep breath and get to work finding out who it was, where they are, and what to do about it.

Terrorism is a crime under the civil law when committed by domestic terrorists; it can be an act of war when committed by foreigners. For domestic criminals we have the FBI and police. For acts of war we have our intelligence community and the military. In either case we have well-trained people to do the work. If we let them do their job, and give them the support they need, the job will get done as reliably as gravity.

First thing that needs to be done is to STOP issuing tourist visas and business visas to these people - who CAN be easily identified by their national origin and appearance. This makes it very easy! If you don't agree with 'profiling', then GET OVER IT!

We have a state department that is issuing visas to these people, yet my wife's father and brother (both medical doctors) can't get a visa to come here and visit and see their grandson! OUTRAGEOUS! HEADS SHOULD ROLL STARTING WITH MADELINE ALBRIGHT!

Clancy is correct in many ways. However what he fails to mention is why the Church committee and Turner gutted the agencies and why in the twenty years since then nobody has done anything at least according to Clancy. This is even more unusual considering a former head of the CIA was elected President.

First, the Church committee and the Pike committee were formed because of the CIA's rampant abuses during the Vietnam War. The CIA even violated its own charter by spying on anti-war protesters in this country. Even the most pro-CIA advocates do not advocate a return to the pre-Church era.

Secondly, Turner's big mistake was to over-emphasize electronic and technical intelligence. This caused some problems within the agency. In fact it was the deemphasis on human intelligence that caused a lot of problems within the agency.

Third, while it is easy to blame past Presidents, past congresses and past CIA directors that is not the full problem. If you notice is only after the events of last week that we are starting to notice these problems that we claim have been caused by years of neglect. In short it is the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" ethic that has pervaded for too long.

Finally, there is always a conflict between and overactive intelligence agency and a free society. Nobody really wants an American version of the KGB.

That sucks with regard to your family, but maybe you can go visit over there. Air travel is dicey now, but it's not too bad to take a small child on a flight, we did it transatlantic (twice)... the airlines are VERY accomodating, and unless the child is teething, it's a long flight, but possible.

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