From Other Sites on the Line: 24 May 08

By whose laws?

Cross posted from Shawmut
http://shawmut.blogspot.com/2008/05/on-occasions-when-id-be-guest-on-tv.html
Friday, May 23, 2008

On occasions when I'd be a guest on a TV show regarding intelligence matters or even as a guest speaker as something like celebity spy, I would frequently be asked why we, America, didn't have better information about a certain country and its regime, or a movement and its participants. It's as though the inquirer believed we just routinely dressed someone in a trench-coat, sent a camera up in the sky or put on head-phones and listened in on the most strategic planning of state leaders or conspirators, and all knowledge necessary would find itself into the hands of our country's decision makers. It was not without appreciation that I would hear this; after all I watch the same TV, read novels and hear gossip, albeit with the experience, on some occasions, with knowing some of the back-story.

With appreciation for public frustration and anticipation, this would lead to a bit of divergence while I explained that most regimes hostile to the United States, perhaps at the time of the Cold War and even during the years since, maintained the counter-intelligence state. In addition I would add that even some allies maintained exceptional controls beyond the diplomatic exchange level. (Let me not slide by the duty of each government’s duty to maintain its security.) My exceptional controls within what I refer to in counter-intelligence states, I would like you to understand, are those beyond what the most minimal of democracies manifest. Take if you would, the Saudi Arabia's, Pakistan's, Peru's, to cite but a few (a very few out of many).

My divergence, I hoped, would lead an audience to think about what common ideals we enjoy from day-to-day only because we are who we are, with a long history, sometimes arduous, of debates to guarantee the ideals and freedom that we enjoy and find little need to question. We find them in our "Bill of Rights", amendments to the Constitution and seriously deliberated openly in our courts. Mirroring backward can be a great means of understanding. I never felt satisfied that the complete mood of the counter-intelligence state really effected an identifieable image or atmosphere that I wanted to impose on the listeners.

Actually, recalling such engagements seems to have been what I've been looking for to engage the topic of this writing.

Following the attacks of September 11th, 2001, and the national trauma it engendered, the country was awakened to it vulnerability (ies). Voices of congressman and TV hosts went hoarse screeching, trying to overcome the natural sobs and cries of the citizenry, Joe and Sally You'nme. Scribes dipped their quills in venom and proclaimed just outrage. Once the mourning quelled the anxiety the blame games began. Publishers were frantically delivering pulp by theorist, apologists, seers, blamers and grand scheme architects. Tomes were being presented in the names of intelligence wizards, cultural experts and retired military, naval and diplomatic personalities. The opinions were as varied as their various experiences. After all, why shouldn't they?

In a recent article by (1) James Califano, "Security Gone Wild" and articles by (2) Walid Phares, “The Cells Are Already Here and..”, (3) Steve Emerson, whose books were prescient to the current crisis (es), (4) Douglas Farah “The Long Decline of Counter-Intelligence Capability”, (5) Jeffrey Imm, “Report: Muslim Brotherhood US Front Groups”, and (6) Bill West’s article, “Hizballah Moles Reflects the Depth of Threat” and (7) “Terrorists, Traitors and Citizenship,” to name a few, we come closer to visualizing the developing threat within the United States. As I suggested, to name but a few.

1. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/message/112729
2. http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/07/the_cells_are_already_here_whi.php
3. http://www.investigativeproject.com/
4. http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/11/the_long_decline_of_counterint.php
5. http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/09/muslim_brotherhood_front_groups.php
6. http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/11/hizballah_mole_case_reflects_d.php
7. http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/10/terrorists_traitors_and_citize.php

Citing the above is fine as Americans will do their wont and only consider the matter in the abstract and too much of a reach to grasp. It easier that way, won’t interfere with plans for the Super Bowl, Soccer practice, and Home Depot.

By this time of 2008, even the most provincial of Americans have read that those lands of flowered parks, wooden shoes, great cheeses, and courteous ‘bobbies’ have been in the choking throes of strangulation by age old traditions of good will. (Allow me here to introduce a site by Lionheart, http://lionheartuk.blogspot.com/2008/02/video-islam-what-west-needs-to-know.html. Though I’ve chosen one entry, it is worth expanding upon. Consider Paul an Alfred in 2006. Look at the various takeovers in his country by cultural guests, squatters and refugees and their progeny. Work out the permutations throughout each country in Europe and (let me risk it here) the Western World.

We might say, (Well, some people we know, might say), that’s Europe. Remember, family spats, the odd relative here and there, fortunes up and fortunes down, we’ve never divorced ourselves historically or culturally from Europe. (Oh? You differ? Well, go ahead. Just spare me the moral equivocation. I’ll go on.) And if you think that the Counter-Enlighted, “Unmodern Men” (thanks Michael Mazar, I just borrowed your term), element that has purged only European countries and the UK of their dignity, don’t get comfy.

In a few examples let me introduce you to Gary Fouse http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/ . Gary’s experience is only one where American education has been slaughtered by our own misinterpreted principles (by the very custodian of those principles). Let me, as well, introduce you to Daniel Pipes who has chased down infiltration in the United States at http://www.danielpipes.org/. A guy who has stepped out front leading the cultural defense is Roger at http://radarsite.blogspot.com/. I could run us all crazy trying to cite so many who have focused on a primary element of an enemy committed to dominate and attack for the purpose of domination. Let me recommend you visit the sites of people I find reasonably grounded in the current crisis. I'd like to mention Jerry Gordon who consolidates some good points at

http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/19463/sec_id/19463

Infiltration, penetration, subversion, pacification, provocation, and outright attack are the elements of warfare already thriving as the weapons of the Ikwan or Islamic vanguard whose goal is the subjugation of United States and those of our associates.

What does it take to subjugate a whole community? A few Islamicists and the Laws of the United States practiced by attorneys of the Council of American-Islamic Relations. First they’re being discriminated against. Then by status of having settled in, they’ll discriminate against you. (As many of you as they can cite in writs.)

What does it take to subjugate a whole school system? State and city governments of Minnesota, California, Ohio, New York, Michigan (with its financial center of Dearbornistan) and Massachusetts. Think of a better venue to reduce a culture. (Consider pre-game prayers being directed to the East, full-skin-covered basketball and soccer uniforms, night-gown length 'Speedoes', team names like 'Ikwan' replacing 'Volunteers'.) (If you're about to start into a moral equivalency argument citing history of the Native Americans, go back to your casino, try to win your wampum. That's not today's topic.)

What does it take to flaunt the law, violate basic rights of religious freedom, the press, dress and, Oh yes murder? Just a tanker’s load of Saudi crude money, a verbally limited diplomatic corps, a few PC (philosophically constipated) judges, and a leader who can say with emotional piety that a blood ritual of over three-thousand people is a mere rubric of a “religion of peace”.

Let’s see if I can explain why I used terms, “exceptional controls within what I refer to in counter-intelligence states”. Actually, let me make it easy for you we don’t have any. Who is ready to take on the local, state and national government for allowing people with either mercenary or anti-American intentions to hold power in the United States? Does any contemporary American see a problem when a public school system subsidizes a school run by religio-cultural-political zealots? (These are not faith-based initiatives for the public good.)

How many contemporary Americans are savvy enough to note and report possible sedition and subversion? In countries with “exceptional controls within what I refer to in counter-intelligence states”, a citizen is required to. You and I aren’t required to. Actually, unless you want to be sued by elements dripping in Saudi money and have an organization such as CAIR married to the American Legal Establishment; attorneys, clerks, judges and all, and be seen as absolute nuisance by municipal officers, don’t bother.

We are not a counter-intelligence state. We abhor exceptional controls. But, in finessing our legal system and the easements thus far superimposed upon it, those who would make us a counter-intelligence state are already implementing those tactics here and use exceptional controls provided by our own legal system. Our freedoms have become thier weapons.

We must remember that the other side is not a rational actor, and theoretical paradigms of behavior are thus non-binding. Proportionality bias of seeming importance is variable, and we must also avoid the presumption that behavior and description of individuals of the other side is uniform. Assumptions of priorities as well as the process of decision- making vary as well. The most important thing to remember is all rules have been suspended.

The image is that of Col. Benjamin Tallmadge, Washington's intelligence officer. He was the best friend of Nathan Hale. They wanted to be teachers.

Below a few headlines of note.
http://www.patriotledger.com/news/x1192323650/Sentencing-delayed-for-imam-in-immigration-fraud-case http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/01/cleveland_imam_linked_to_pij_i.php

A note from Radarsite: What a tremendous article Shawmut. And what a valuable gift you bring us with your deep expertise and understanding of this subject. We are in your debt. It's an honor to call you a friend. And thank you for the mention. -- rg