Woolsey: Foiling the Next Attack

Opinion Journal ^ | 05/21/2002 | R. JAMES WOOLSEY

[Pokey78]

It might be useful to call a truce, step back from the finger-pointing about who in the government made what mistakes before Sept. 11, and look for a moment at who was doing things right.

Much of the information upon which these men reached their conclusions was available to the rest of us. Why weren't we as perceptive as Rick Rescorla et al.?

[texasbluebell]

Is that the cyanide from the truck in Mexico? I was wondering what's become of that.

[LouD]

Intercepted communications could be a more promising source of intelligence if it weren't for our national tendency to logorrhea about the subject. U.S. intelligence figured out in the late 1990s how to intercept bin Laden's satellite telephone conversations, and then someone talked to the press about it; the source of course dried up. Recently there have been periodic press reports about how we have been able to intercept al Qaeda e-mail and other communications. (Hint to the blabbermouths in the government who have access to intercepts of terrorist communications: Members of al Qaeda read newspapers.)

This is one of my pet peeves. If some Army PFC somewhere were to sell to the Russians what the pinheads in routinely tell the Washington Compost on background, he would go to jail for a long time. Yet we do nothing about Congressmen, staffers, and others who leak vital secrets related to sources and methods of intelligence collection.

[John Jamieson]

18 wheeler found almost empty. Probably in 9 pickup trucks headed throughout the country by now. Sports drinks, watersoftners, swimming pools, salt shakers, coffee makers, and local water companies all great targets. Looks just like table salt. Tastes salty, smells like almonds.

Wrap some around a bomb and get hydrogen cyanide gas with your explosion.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

...While the CLINTON Administration used the capturing of the Blind Muslim Cleric as the Mastermind of the Bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 as its primary example that it was not soft on Terrorism during the 1990's...

...it was ..RICK RESCORLA.. and his old Army Buddy and Terrorism Expert / Convert to Islam ..DAN HILL.. that actually brought this Terrorist to Justice...

...while the CLINTONS just sat on their hands.

NEVER FORGE

[Timesink]

It is probably in part because in order to make decisions about what we need to do to thwart terrorist attacks in this country we've been relying too much upon the prospect of obtaining foreign intelligence. For a number of reasons this source of information--stealing secrets abroad by, principally, recruiting spies and intercepting communications--will only rarely be able to give us advance warning about terrorist attacks.

The reason it will only rarely give us advance warning is because - as Mr. Woolsey made clear - in 1995 Bill Clinton ordered the CIA to stop collecting any "human intelligence" from anyone that might be considered a "human rights violator." In other words, because the Taliban treated women like dirt, we had to sever all undercover ties to them, as well as completely abandon out HUMINT networks in untold dozens of countries around the world. Thus, by 2001, when Bush took office, there WAS NO FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE LEFT TO GET. An outfit like Al-Qaida that only occasionally uses computers to communicate can only be infiltrated by other humans. Bill Clinton - and Woolsey - ruled that unacceptable for reasons of political correctness. Thousands died as a result.

[happygrl]

The question is how to replicate such insights across the spectrum of government.

The answer is that you can't replicate a gifted ability.

But it was well known that Kenneth Williams in Phoenix had an uncanny ability to see through the fog of information "noise." So did Rick Rescorla. After two major attacks on this nation, WTC 1993 and OKC in 1995, as well as the repeated successes on U.S. overseas targets, some thinking outside the box should have taken place.

I believe that it is institutional jealousy, as much as anything, which prohibits organizations from identifying the above-noted "stars" and assembling a team to brainstorm what the terrorists' next operation might look like.

This article points out very clearly the follies and calcification of institutional thinking.

[MarMema]

The papers aren't even talking about it.

It's like it's no big deal now, isn't it? If you do a search for cyanide here on FR it becomes clear that islamic terrorists value cyanide.

[VOA]

thanks for the ping...and bump.
Kinda' scary to see the map on post #4; seems like most places I've lived, the terrorists
want to be.

[VOA]

thanks for the ping...and bump.
Kinda' scary to see the map on post #4; seems like most places I've lived, the terrorists
want to be.

[Quix]

I believe that it is institutional jealousy, as much as anything, which prohibits organizations from identifying the above-noted "stars" and assembling a team to brainstorm what the terrorists' next operation might look like. This article points out very clearly the follies and calcification of institutional thinking.

QUITE SO!!! Strongly agree. The only way I've thought of to set things up to routinely get around that is to have small groups of average citizens tasked and paid handsomely to oversee various components of government. They would be selected on a logical basis after thorough research and nominations from anyone.

But any system of man is going to have flaws at the best we can do. We all await The King who demonstrated His Sacrificial Love so finally and selflessly. He alone is the lasting Hope. We have an infinite capacity to screw things up without His help and intervention.

[aristeides]

The '93 WTC bomb contained cyanide, which, however, incinerated in the explosion, so that it did not harm anyone. The Palestinians' bombs in Israel are said to contain rat poison.

Hitler considered Jews vermin, the Zyklon-B cyanide poison used to kill them had previously been used as an insecticide, and the Jews were told they were being deloused.

The Islamofascists, who seem to admire Hitler, may well feel they are ridding the world of vermin by killing infidels with cyanide.

[Nogbad]

Perhaps off-topic, but here are two amusing facts
I learned on the Batchelor-Alexander (WABC) show last night:

1. Louis Freeh did not like computers
and his FBI offices did NOT have computers
OR E-mail
under his administration.
(Mueller presently is having computers installed)

2. The snail-mail service on Capitol hill still is shut down.
Offices are using Federal Express.

[Mitchell]

Perhaps off-topic, but here are two amusing facts I learned on the Batchelor-Alexander (WABC) show last night:
1. Louis Freeh did not like computers and his FBI offices did NOT have computers OR E-mail under his administration. (Mueller presently is having computers installed)

This is incredible. Can it really be true? This may explain a lot.

2. The snail-mail service on Capitol hill still is shut down. Offices are using Federal Express.

I've been told that grant applications to Federal agencies (like NSF and NIH) now have to be made either through their on-line system or via Federal Express. Apparently you can't even hand-deliver applications to NIH any more, because of security considerations. (People used to use hand delivery sometimes to get an application in just under the deadline.)

[Nogbad]

This is incredible. Can it really be true?

Batchelor and Alexander also found it hard to believe.

But the story now has been told
by two different guests
two nights in a row.

What we are learning about Freeh's administration
is incredible in every aspect.
He didn't like bad news
and anyone who gave him any got the axe.

Freeh took personal charge
of all major investigations
including such wonderful successes
such as the Jewell arrest
the Los Alamos problems,
etc. etc.

[Nogbad]

The sources for the story
(the FBI doesn’t have computers
or e-mail)
were Ronald Kessler
(“The Secret Life of the FBI”)
two nights ago,
and Henry Miller of the Hoover Institute
(last night).

According to Miller,
Mueller is now installing 1000’s
of Dell Computers
but until recently
communications with the CDC in Atlanta
regarding the Anthrax investigation
were done using Federal Express.

Perhaps this explains
why the Anthrax investigation has moved so slowly

[Nogbad]

Correction: the title of Kessler's book is:

"The Secret History of the FBI"

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

...It's now...

...11,400... RICK RESCORLA ..Medal of Freedom Award Petition Signatures for President BUSH to consider and...

...that's just ...OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!

NEVER FORGET

[Alamo-Girl]

Jeepers! Thanks for the heads up!

[Mitchell]

According to Miller, Mueller is now installing 1000’s of Dell Computers but until recently communications with the CDC in Atlanta regarding the Anthrax investigation were done using Federal Express.

A very rapid installation of networked computers by people with little experience suggests that security vulnerabilities may result.