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Most Wanted Terrorists
19 of America's 22 Most Wanted Terrorists Still A Threat
On October 10, 2001, Mr. Bush, together with the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and State named his 22 most wanted terrorists. At that time Mr. Bush said "they are among the most dangerous -- the leaders and key supporters, the planners and strategists. They must be found. They will be stopped, and they will be punished. ... we expect results ..."
Three years, two wars, 1,000+ American lives, and $120,000,000,000 later, the FBI still lists 21 of the 22 as most wanted terrorists. To be fair, the conservative Economist magazine reports that 2 more of the 22 are neutralised. That leaves as many as 19 of the 22 most wanted terrorists still on the loose, plotting, organizing, armed and dangerous.
Fumbling America's Security
Why has Mr. Bush broken his promise to find the 22 terrorists? One reason may be simply his attitude, which flip-flopped by March 13, 2002, when he said about Osama Bin Laden: "I just don't spend that much time on him ... I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him."
More concretely, three years into the war on terror:
- Mr. Bush failed to reorganize the clearly dysfunctional intelligence community. The 9/11 Commission that he opposed finally forced the issue.
- Mr. Bush is spending more money per person protecting pork in Wyoming and North Dakota than people and national institutions in New York and Washington.
- The Bush administration leaked to the media, and hence to America's enemies, the names of a very important Pakistani mole and an undercover CIA agent, Valerie Plame. Those who leaked the names have seriously aided and abetted the enemy in time of war.
- The CIA's bin Laden unit remains dangerously understaffed.
- The FBI has not translated 120,000 hours of intercepted "chatter". Somewhere in there are clues to the next attack.
- As of April, 2004, the Office of Foreign Assets Control had just four agents tracking Osama bin Laden's and Saddam Hussein's money.
- Mr. Bush let 300+ Saudis, including over 20 members of the Bin Laden family, slip out of the USA just two days after 9/11. Since the FBI could not thoroughly question them, who knows what vital information flew out with them?
- Mr. Bush let 300+ Saudis, including over 20 members of the Bin Laden family, slip out of the USA just two days after 9/11. Since the FBI could not thoroughly question them, who knows what vital information flew out with them?
Brute Force Is Not Enough
You need to focus first on those that actually attacked you, and to be savvy about how your allies and enemies think.
General Tommy Franks said that Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia were more important for fighting terrorists than Iraq. But Mr. Bush punted Arabic-speaking special forces, CIA agents, spy satellites, Predators, leadership, and more, off to Iraq, where the most wanted 22 terrorists weren't. This was a huge blunder.
The biggest reason Mr. Bush has not found the terrorists is that in a global war against international terrorism, America must have help from everyday Muslims. These are the police officers, border guards, bank clerks, ticket agents, waiters, taxi drivers, mailmen and neighbors who may see or hear about these 19 terrorists. Sending 50,000+ innocent Iraqi civilians to their death has enraged these vital eyes and ears and makes too many of them unwilling to go the extra mile to help an America that they now view as an imperial bully.
The Terrorists Are Stronger
Just ask the International Institute for Strategic Studies, or the people of Madrid, Istanbul, Djakarta, Beslan and Iraq. The terrorists are training more recruits in Iraq every day. They will strike the USA, probably after the election. Al Qaeda took 8 years (1995 - 2001) between attacks in the US. It's only a matter of time.
War Is The One Thing A President Must Get Right
"We absolutely did not know what we were doing in Iraq." - Bill O'Reilly, July 15, 2004.
"By any reasonable standard, the White House has a mind-boggling record of incompetence in Iraq." - the conservative, pro-war Economist , Sept. 23, 2004
The same can be said for Mr. Bush's record in the real war on terror.
Within three years, real war presidents were turning Civil War around at Gettysburg, outright winning WWI, and, in WWII, retaking the Phillipines and closing in on the Nazis.
In three years, Mr. Bush has collected a grand total of 3 of his 22 most wanted terrorists and sunk America into a huge quagmire. At this rate, capturing the remaining 19 will take another 19 years. With thousands of new terrorists now being recruited and trained in Iraq, the real war on terrorism will take much longer.
It's time for a new direction. It's time to hire a smart, strong and internationally savvy president: John F. Kerry.
FBI: Most Wanted Terrorists
Economist: Chasing al-Qaeda
America's Security Three Years After 9/11
Bush says the US has captured or killed 3/4 of al-Qaeda
Tracking The Threat
Terrorists Scorecard
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