I was more interested in the lead sentence of the second graf re "no al queda connection." Other articles about the alleged bomber's seemed to suggest otherwise. I did google for the FBI/DHS statement cited by the NYT, but couldn't find a transcript.
[NY Senator Charles] Schumer said the arrest in Lebanon was the result of intercepted Internet conversations. "They were caught by people talking," he said. "In this case, intelligence did its job."
Both Mr. Schumer and Mr. King said that the investigation showed the need for New York City to receive more federal aid, and undermined the argument by Michael Chertoff, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, that federal financing should be directed toward infrastructure improvements and not paying for personnel involved in anti-terrorism efforts.
"This is very draining on New York City's treasury," [NY Congressman Peter] King said in a televised interview, referring to the investigation. "Without going into detail, an extraordinary amount of money has been spent by the New York City Police Department on this particular plot."
King's last comment indicates that the NYCPD did significant work on this intelligence operation. Is the NYCPD now intercepting email? In Lebanon? What?
"Mr. Schumer said the arrest in Lebanon was the result of intercepted Internet conversations. "They were caught by people talking," he said. 'In this case, intelligence did its job.'"
Apparently it's impossible for our government leaders and the media to keep their mouths shut about how our intelligence services foil terrorist plots. I blame their incredibly large egos.
PatCA: You are totally right. Any arrest, based on any kind of information, that might possibly maybe be connected to terrorism is justified. And anyone who does not understand that is a fool!
By the way, I had a dream last night that someone with the initials "patca" was plotting something. It was an idiotic dream, and it's probably nothing, but just to be on the safe side, I'm calling the tip line right now.
You won't mind, I'm sure, if you end up in Gitmo, cuz hey, even if my dream sounds nutty, you can never be too safe!!
From the original New York Daily news article Experts also said that even if the tunnel cracked, the Financial District would not be flooded because it is above the level of the river.
Thank goodness the typical jihadi knows as much about hydrodynamics as the typical teacher of Islamic studies knows about structural engineering.
[NY Senator Charles] Schumer said the arrest in Lebanon was the result of intercepted Internet conversations. "They were caught by people talking," he said. "In this case, intelligence did its job."
And the definition of "in this case" is "because it was us that were targeted, I couldn't care less if the proper warrants were issued."
Icepick: The NYPD is renowned for its foreign intelligence assets, especially in the Middle East.
For the most part this arose out of irritation with the refusal/inability of the federal government to share its intelligence information with the NYPD.
Most New Yorkers who know anything about the NYPDs intelligence capabilities consider them to be a resounding success.
Ah the good old days when only NYC had an intelligence agency and its own foreign policy. Since the Vietnam war, every village and town has felt the need to develop not only a foreign policy but a global environmental one as well.
Drj:
Senator Schumer is in love with the sound of his own voice. And yes, his view of civil liberties varies depending on the threat.
Yes, the terrorists are idiots. That's part of the problem
When I lived on an island in the Gulf of Mexico I killed about three or four snakes per year - mostly vipers of one kind or another. When I first realized how populated the place was with poisonous snakes I started thinking logically about where and when would the snakes be most active, etc. But I quickly realized it was foolish of me to assume that I only had logical snakes on my land. I feel the same way about trying to analyze terrorists. No doubt there are smart ones and we need to outthink them, but we also need to be aware that there are many dumb ones too, and they can be just as dangerous.
Yep, if you want water to go uphill, you have to pump it. Which means, why blow the tunnel, just build a billion horsepower pumping system some dark night when the authorities are loafing.
cmon now... that's not anti-American to click on the link and have a chuckle at that photo of those four... is it? ann set the mindframe and I know they're just being serious and all, but damn, those four faces are just plain funny
As a final act, flooding the underground of NY might not be a big deal, but remember, they have an entire commuter service that is at about sea level, and capillary action would force a lot of water into those systems, also, there are a lot of utilities that are maintained underground.
In 1992 chicago had only a small breach, that was easily maintained in an easily accessible area, energy was lost for 2 days. A lack of electricity throughout much of one of the most densely populated, and highly proffitable area's of the US, is a good precurser for a real attack.
Numerous small, but affective attacks on residential districts, and buildings can create huge casualties with decent planning.
To scoff this off as "just that stupid" is actually incorrect. They were stupid, but the physics does weight out as a significant attack, if the attack were able to breach tunnels under large volumes of water leading into important area's of NY.
Keith Olberman, and the first responders of derision are actually wrong. How much damage could a thoughtful burglar do to your house, if you went 2 days without power? Now apply that to NY, and the billion followers of islam, and the large number of self righteous islamists eager to hurt America.
Just a comment built on a hypothetical based on a rather recent historical truth.
Ah, screw-it, I hate making links like this, but the "Great Chicago Flood" wasn't really that big of a deal, other than financially, and really nothing more than a hiccup in individual convenience. The leak was quickly tracked, and quickly repaired, in fact you can still see the individual wood pilings used to channel the chicago river breach into a single area, in many area's along the river, but especially at the kinzie bridge.
27 comments:
I see the NYT still puts "terrorist cell" in scare quotes...
I question the timing. I question the abuse of this innocent's civil rights. I question the "War on Terror." I blame Bush.
I was more interested in the lead sentence of the second graf re "no al queda connection." Other articles about the alleged bomber's seemed to suggest otherwise. I did google for the FBI/DHS statement cited by the NYT, but couldn't find a transcript.
For those of us who are boycotting the NY Times, here's a link to the same story in the Washington Post.
From the article:
[NY Senator Charles] Schumer said the arrest in Lebanon was the result of intercepted Internet conversations. "They were caught by people talking," he said. "In this case, intelligence did its job."
Both Mr. Schumer and Mr. King said that the investigation showed the need for New York City to receive more federal aid, and undermined the argument by Michael Chertoff, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, that federal financing should be directed toward infrastructure improvements and not paying for personnel involved in anti-terrorism efforts.
"This is very draining on New York City's treasury," [NY Congressman Peter] King said in a televised interview, referring to the investigation. "Without going into detail, an extraordinary amount of money has been spent by the New York City Police Department on this particular plot."
King's last comment indicates that the NYCPD did significant work on this intelligence operation. Is the NYCPD now intercepting email? In Lebanon? What?
From the article:
"Mr. Schumer said the arrest in Lebanon was the result of intercepted Internet conversations. "They were caught by people talking," he said. 'In this case, intelligence did its job.'"
Apparently it's impossible for our government leaders and the media to keep their mouths shut about how our intelligence services foil terrorist plots. I blame their incredibly large egos.
PatCA: You are totally right. Any arrest, based on any kind of information, that might possibly maybe be connected to terrorism is justified. And anyone who does not understand that is a fool!
By the way, I had a dream last night that someone with the initials "patca" was plotting something. It was an idiotic dream, and it's probably nothing, but just to be on the safe side, I'm calling the tip line right now.
You won't mind, I'm sure, if you end up in Gitmo, cuz hey, even if my dream sounds nutty, you can never be too safe!!
From the original New York Daily news article
Experts also said that even if the tunnel cracked, the Financial District would not be flooded because it is above the level of the river.
Thank goodness the typical jihadi knows as much about hydrodynamics as the typical teacher of Islamic studies knows about structural engineering.
Will not managing to blow up the Holland tunnel get you in dutch with al Qaeda bosses?
yep, catherine--and you get banished to the nether lands.
[NY Senator Charles] Schumer said the arrest in Lebanon was the result of intercepted Internet conversations. "They were caught by people talking," he said. "In this case, intelligence did its job."
And the definition of "in this case" is "because it was us that were targeted, I couldn't care less if the proper warrants were issued."
Situational politics at its finest.
Icepick: The NYPD is renowned for its foreign intelligence assets, especially in the Middle East.
For the most part this arose out of irritation with the refusal/inability of the federal government to share its intelligence information with the NYPD.
Most New Yorkers who know anything about the NYPDs intelligence capabilities consider them to be a resounding success.
Experts also said that even if the tunnel cracked, the Financial District would not be flooded because it is above the level of the river.
I've seen this sort of thing before. One of the oddities of our press corps is their belief that they need "experts" to explain the freakin' obvious.
and you get banished to the nether lands
Ha! Never to leave Amsterdamn--
yuk yuk--the tenth circle--the legions of the amster damned--
Whatever you feel is right, ajd. Go ahead and tell the FBI that a dream revealed a terror plot. You might at least get some good meds.
When you 'wake up', please tell us why this arrest is unconstitutional.
Dave,
Ah the good old days when only NYC had an intelligence agency and its own foreign policy. Since the Vietnam war, every village and town has felt the need to develop not only a foreign policy but a global environmental one as well.
Drj:
Senator Schumer is in love with the sound of his own voice. And yes, his view of civil liberties varies depending on the threat.
Yes, the terrorists are idiots. That's part of the problem
When I lived on an island in the Gulf of Mexico I killed about three or four snakes per year - mostly vipers of one kind or another. When I first realized how populated the place was with poisonous snakes I started thinking logically about where and when would the snakes be most active, etc. But I quickly realized it was foolish of me to assume that I only had logical snakes on my land. I feel the same way about trying to analyze terrorists. No doubt there are smart ones and we need to outthink them, but we also need to be aware that there are many dumb ones too, and they can be just as dangerous.
We stopped a terorist plot?
OMG, we're in a fascist police state!
Oh, for the good old days when we'd wait until a bombing, blame ourselves, and ask why they hate us so.
Well at least Bush looked defensive on Larry King last night; we've got that going for us. Plus Kerry's hat. He's still got the hat.
...and the hat proves that 911 only happened in ajd's dream.
Everything's simple, when you're "simple".
It's really depressing to see how much press is devoted to explanations that an explosion in a tunnel under a river won't flood the city.
As an educator in Science, all I can say is (sigh). There's a lot more work to be done.
Yep, if you want water to go uphill, you have to pump it. Which means, why blow the tunnel, just build a billion horsepower pumping system some dark night when the authorities are loafing.
"yuk yuk--the tenth circle--the legions of the amster damned--"
Buddy Larsen, off topic: I initially read that as "Hamster Danced". So I blame you for the sudden retching I experienced... :)
Just proof that speed kills, even in reading. (*drops over, dead*).
Word Verification: uwizhf.
University of Wisconsin, I Zee How you Feel. Okay, I'm reaching... gimme a break, I'm dead...
Tibore, LOL--really, re speed and dancing hamsters...ah well...I better just shut up.
:(
Good thing we're slashing anti-terrorist funding for New York.
No landmarks there.
cmon now... that's not anti-American to click on the link and have a chuckle at that photo of those four... is it? ann set the mindframe and I know they're just being serious and all, but damn, those four faces are just plain funny
As a final act, flooding the underground of NY might not be a big deal, but remember, they have an entire commuter service that is at about sea level, and capillary action would force a lot of water into those systems, also, there are a lot of utilities that are maintained underground.
In 1992 chicago had only a small breach, that was easily maintained in an easily accessible area, energy was lost for 2 days. A lack of electricity throughout much of one of the most densely populated, and highly proffitable area's of the US, is a good precurser for a real attack.
Numerous small, but affective attacks on residential districts, and buildings can create huge casualties with decent planning.
To scoff this off as "just that stupid" is actually incorrect. They were stupid, but the physics does weight out as a significant attack, if the attack were able to breach tunnels under large volumes of water leading into important area's of NY.
Keith Olberman, and the first responders of derision are actually wrong. How much damage could a thoughtful burglar do to your house, if you went 2 days without power? Now apply that to NY, and the billion followers of islam, and the large number of self righteous islamists eager to hurt America.
Just a comment built on a hypothetical based on a rather recent historical truth.
chicago flood brief
Ah, screw-it, I hate making links like this, but the "Great Chicago Flood" wasn't really that big of a deal, other than financially, and really nothing more than a hiccup in individual convenience. The leak was quickly tracked, and quickly repaired, in fact you can still see the individual wood pilings used to channel the chicago river breach into a single area, in many area's along the river, but especially at the kinzie bridge.
Anyways, just google it.
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