I half expected this to happen. Not only to divert attention away from Gannon, and the lack of any changes to the rules giving reporters access to the White House press room (see E&P, yesterday), but also because we've seen this coming. Iran is a threat, Iran is in the axis of evil, Iran is a black market nuclear threat and so on and so on and so on.
Well... this hit my local news today. Haven't seen any in the national about it. Apparently, we're being targeted again. (duh?)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Groups associated with al-Qaida are at the top of the list of threats to the United States, leading government intelligence officials said Wednesday, saying Iran has emerged as a top threat to American interests in the Middle East.
uh, huh. What'd I tell you. Iran. Now 'a top threat'
Despite gains made against al-Qaida, CIA Director Porter Goss, in an unusually blunt statement before the mostly secretive Senate Intelligence Committee, said the terror group is intent on finding ways to circumvent U.S. security enhancements to attack the homeland.
"It may be only a matter of time before al-Qaida or other groups attempt to use chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons. We must focus on that," Goss said.
Is this new? Based on what, Mr. Goss? Can I see the evidence you are using to base THIS particular warning on.... Because y'all have been SOOO reliable so far.
FBI Director Robert Mueller said he worries about a true sleeper operative whom he contended has been in place for years to launch an attack inside the United States. "I remain very concerned about what we are not seeing," he said in his prepared remarks.
Mueller, Goss and other intelligence leaders provided these and other assessments at the annual briefing of threats from around the globe.
Ah ha... 'threats from around the globe, eh? And Iran is all you came up with?
Also at the hearing, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Vice Adm. Lowell Jacoby, painted Iran as a leading threat to U.S. interests in the Middle East. In his prepared testimony, Jacoby said he believes that Iran will continue its support for terrorism and aid for insurgents in Iraq.
He said the country's long-term goal is to expel the United States from the region, and noted that political reform movements there have lost momentum.
Goss said that Islamic extremists are exploiting the conflict in Iraq and fighters there represent a "potential pool of contacts" to build transnational terror groups. He said the most-wanted terrorist in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, hopes to establish Iraq as a safe-haven to bring about a final victory over the West.
I see... that was a short leap to Iraq. We were talking about IRAN, were we not?
In related developments:
--Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld also sent out a warning, telling the House Armed Services Committee he believes terrorists are regrouping for another strike. But he also said the United States is preparing to deal with any threat
Again I say, is this new? Sounds pretty familiar to me. Anyone else heard this before? So is this 'new' information really worthy of these new 'unusually blunt' warnings?
--Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plugged the administration's request for $5.8 billion to fight terrorism and also made a pitch on Capitol Hill for an additional $750 million this year for other countries that assisted in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This is what stood out to me. I don't understand $750 million for 'other countries that assisted in Afg. and Iraq.' Is this a tip for being in the 'coilition of the willing'? What is this $750 million FOR, EXACTLY? Just wondering, as it doesn't seem like that was part of the budget (already under attack for being, well, you know, obviously a complete disaster), and I've grown weary of not getting a complete explaination for things so, could you please tell me what we intend to do with $750 MILLION?
