The EU Hunting Grounds
In a report from the WaPo, EU leaders are displeased that the CIA has been doing it's job on their turf.
Europe has become "a happy hunting ground" for foreign intelligence agents looking to kidnap terrorist suspects, the leader of the continent's top human rights group said Wednesday, urging European governments to crack down on operatives working for the CIA and other spy services.
Terry Davis, chairman of the Council of Europe, also criticized several European countries for not being more forthcoming about whether they have helped the CIA carry out extralegal counterterrorism operations on their soil. These include the secret detention and abduction of suspected members of al-Qaeda.
The CIA is not the FBI. They are an intelligence agency of the United States government. They operate abroad (as is their mandate--foreign intelligence) above and below the law. This is done so they maintain their covert status. And the primary reason why they are operating in Europe so much right now is that Europe has turned a blind eye to Muslims entering their various nations. While not all Muslims are terrorists, a minority of them are, and they are hiding in Europe, poised for their next strike. Radical Islam was behind the train bombings in Madrid, the bus bombings in London, and the riots that raged out of control for weeks in France. If the EU thinks that it does not have a problem, they may want to reconsider that.
"I strongly support cooperation between Europe and the United States of America on all issues and especially the fight against terrorism," Davis said at a news conference at the council's headquarters in Strasbourg, France.
"But I also insist that European governments should have sufficient confidence to participate in such cooperation as equal partners."
Equal partners? Over half the European nations dislike the interrogation methods used by the CIA and the military on the detainees we get. They have claimed that such techniques violate their "fundamental human rights." Yet, these people--the radicals--have no compunction about abusing, torturing, or lopping the heads off of the people they catch. I am not stating that we should take extreme steps like the terrorists. That is foolish and stupid. No, I am saying that we use these methods to break these people down. As we have pointed out before, many of these radicals we have caught are zealots. Those are not the easiest people to break. Furthermore, it was the EU complaining about the possible death sentence for Zacarias Moussaoui, the infamous 20th hijacker. Both France and Germany have demanded that the death penalty not be given to Moussaoui.
The council, a group of 46 governments, issued its report after a three-month investigation in which it had only limited powers to force countries to provide information.
The report contends that the CIA has unfettered ability to mount covert counterterrorism operations in Europe with little regard to European legal and human rights standards. But the council said it was unable to collect any fresh evidence or obtain independent confirmation of several alleged CIA plots to apprehend or detain suspects on the continent.
So, the EU is throwing a hissy fit, yet that have no new evidence of the CIA operations involving the capture and detainment of suspected al Qaeda members. So, where is the problem. Are they outraged over past incidents? Rather than being upset at us, they should be thanking us for ridding them of the possible menaces. These are people that have no qualms about targeting innocent people, and killing them. I suppose the EU would consider such attacks a form of draconian population control. Civilized society calls it Seventh Century barbarism. In addition, when you have a shadowy opponent that is coming after you, you need people who are the shadows those animals operate in. The president specifically stated that some aspects of this war would be fought in such an environment, and many would never know the efforts and sacrifices of the Americans involved. This is such an instance.
The probe was prompted in part by a Washington Post report in November that the CIA has operated secret prisons housing high-level al-Qaeda leaders in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Yes, the second of two leaks that the WaPo committed (the first being the CIA rendition flights). And as this does come from the WaPo, I can only assess that them mentioning this particular story is an effort for them to toot their own horn. In December, the Italian government issued arrest warrants for 22 CIA operatives that were suspected of kidnapping and Egyptian cleric. That, plus this report, tells me that Europe really does not wish our help in rounding up these people.
And I believe this is part and parcel of why Mark Steyn has written two outstanding columns by the man reflecting on the fall of Europe in the early Twenty-First Century. Europes' fall is of it's own volition, as they refuse to address the underlying problem within their borders. That would be the influx of radical Islamicists, and their failure to control them.
The Post has not published the names of the East European countries involved in the covert program, at the request of senior U.S. officials. They argued that the disclosure might disrupt counterterrorism efforts in those countries and elsewhere and could make them targets of retaliation.
I am guessing the reason why the WaPo has not published the names of those countries is that they do not know them all. If they did, they would have more than likely released them. Remember, the WaPo is not an ally in the war on terror. Like the New York Times, they, too, have leaked classified programs that the government is using to prosecute this war.
The council said Wednesday that its investigation was also launched in response to other reports detailing how the CIA operated a fleet of civilian aircraft to secretly transport terrorism suspects across Europe and around the world.
There is the rendition story, and yet another toot of their own horn.
In its report, the council singled out Poland, Italy, Macedonia and Bosnia as providing inadequate responses to queries about whether they were aware of human rights abuses committed by the CIA or domestic intelligence agencies on their soil since 2002.
Two paragraphs earlier, the WaPo stated that it had not released the names of any countries involved. Yet, here they are revealing four of them. The audacity of the WaPo is outrageous. The government specifically asked them to reveal no countries involved, yet they cite that the investigators are upset with four specific nations because they have not been forthcoming.
"Regrettably," Davis said, "they have missed the opportunity to provide complete and adequate replies and dispel all doubts about their alleged misconduct."
Italian prosecutors have accused the CIA of kidnapping an Islamic cleric in northern Italy in 2003. Separately, German officials have said they do not doubt a German man's account that he was abducted in Macedonia the following year. It remains unclear what role -- if any -- local intelligence agencies played in those alleged operations.
Regardless of their participation, this is a necessary step in this war. Our enemy likes to hide from us, and strike at innocents from the shadows. This is an enemy that will make an attack, then simply blend into the throng running away. It is not impossible to catch them, but because of their tactics, it forces us to evolve in ours. The CIA, despite it's problems, is suited to handle this task. When they snatch someone abroad, they have enough evidence to warrant it. It may be something minor, such as a money connection. And then again, it could be something overt, such as communication with known leaders in the Middle East and elsewhere. Either way one perceives this, it is an indispensible strategy to stay one step ahead of those wishing to hurt the free world.
The EU, again, should be thanking the US. We seem to be one of the few nations willing to go after these people all over Europe; indeed, their mandate demands such moves. Instead, the EU is upset that nations are participating in this program, and helping the CIA. I can understand their concerns regarding human rights, but as yet, no detainee has been found to be "suffering" in the sense most would recognize as "wrong." We must take appropriate steps to get as many of these radicals as possible.
It is only natural that some would raise a level of suspicion regarding this program, however I find their suspicion to be, for the most part, completely unfounded. Personally, I would prefer that nations take greater steps to round up radicals within their borders, leaving us to attand to our own. However, as they will not take those steps, the US will, and in doing so, we will take the lead in prosecuting this war to the point of victory.
Bunny ;)
In a report from the WaPo, EU leaders are displeased that the CIA has been doing it's job on their turf.
Europe has become "a happy hunting ground" for foreign intelligence agents looking to kidnap terrorist suspects, the leader of the continent's top human rights group said Wednesday, urging European governments to crack down on operatives working for the CIA and other spy services.
Terry Davis, chairman of the Council of Europe, also criticized several European countries for not being more forthcoming about whether they have helped the CIA carry out extralegal counterterrorism operations on their soil. These include the secret detention and abduction of suspected members of al-Qaeda.
The CIA is not the FBI. They are an intelligence agency of the United States government. They operate abroad (as is their mandate--foreign intelligence) above and below the law. This is done so they maintain their covert status. And the primary reason why they are operating in Europe so much right now is that Europe has turned a blind eye to Muslims entering their various nations. While not all Muslims are terrorists, a minority of them are, and they are hiding in Europe, poised for their next strike. Radical Islam was behind the train bombings in Madrid, the bus bombings in London, and the riots that raged out of control for weeks in France. If the EU thinks that it does not have a problem, they may want to reconsider that.
"I strongly support cooperation between Europe and the United States of America on all issues and especially the fight against terrorism," Davis said at a news conference at the council's headquarters in Strasbourg, France.
"But I also insist that European governments should have sufficient confidence to participate in such cooperation as equal partners."
Equal partners? Over half the European nations dislike the interrogation methods used by the CIA and the military on the detainees we get. They have claimed that such techniques violate their "fundamental human rights." Yet, these people--the radicals--have no compunction about abusing, torturing, or lopping the heads off of the people they catch. I am not stating that we should take extreme steps like the terrorists. That is foolish and stupid. No, I am saying that we use these methods to break these people down. As we have pointed out before, many of these radicals we have caught are zealots. Those are not the easiest people to break. Furthermore, it was the EU complaining about the possible death sentence for Zacarias Moussaoui, the infamous 20th hijacker. Both France and Germany have demanded that the death penalty not be given to Moussaoui.
The council, a group of 46 governments, issued its report after a three-month investigation in which it had only limited powers to force countries to provide information.
The report contends that the CIA has unfettered ability to mount covert counterterrorism operations in Europe with little regard to European legal and human rights standards. But the council said it was unable to collect any fresh evidence or obtain independent confirmation of several alleged CIA plots to apprehend or detain suspects on the continent.
So, the EU is throwing a hissy fit, yet that have no new evidence of the CIA operations involving the capture and detainment of suspected al Qaeda members. So, where is the problem. Are they outraged over past incidents? Rather than being upset at us, they should be thanking us for ridding them of the possible menaces. These are people that have no qualms about targeting innocent people, and killing them. I suppose the EU would consider such attacks a form of draconian population control. Civilized society calls it Seventh Century barbarism. In addition, when you have a shadowy opponent that is coming after you, you need people who are the shadows those animals operate in. The president specifically stated that some aspects of this war would be fought in such an environment, and many would never know the efforts and sacrifices of the Americans involved. This is such an instance.
The probe was prompted in part by a Washington Post report in November that the CIA has operated secret prisons housing high-level al-Qaeda leaders in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Yes, the second of two leaks that the WaPo committed (the first being the CIA rendition flights). And as this does come from the WaPo, I can only assess that them mentioning this particular story is an effort for them to toot their own horn. In December, the Italian government issued arrest warrants for 22 CIA operatives that were suspected of kidnapping and Egyptian cleric. That, plus this report, tells me that Europe really does not wish our help in rounding up these people.
And I believe this is part and parcel of why Mark Steyn has written two outstanding columns by the man reflecting on the fall of Europe in the early Twenty-First Century. Europes' fall is of it's own volition, as they refuse to address the underlying problem within their borders. That would be the influx of radical Islamicists, and their failure to control them.
The Post has not published the names of the East European countries involved in the covert program, at the request of senior U.S. officials. They argued that the disclosure might disrupt counterterrorism efforts in those countries and elsewhere and could make them targets of retaliation.
I am guessing the reason why the WaPo has not published the names of those countries is that they do not know them all. If they did, they would have more than likely released them. Remember, the WaPo is not an ally in the war on terror. Like the New York Times, they, too, have leaked classified programs that the government is using to prosecute this war.
The council said Wednesday that its investigation was also launched in response to other reports detailing how the CIA operated a fleet of civilian aircraft to secretly transport terrorism suspects across Europe and around the world.
There is the rendition story, and yet another toot of their own horn.
In its report, the council singled out Poland, Italy, Macedonia and Bosnia as providing inadequate responses to queries about whether they were aware of human rights abuses committed by the CIA or domestic intelligence agencies on their soil since 2002.
Two paragraphs earlier, the WaPo stated that it had not released the names of any countries involved. Yet, here they are revealing four of them. The audacity of the WaPo is outrageous. The government specifically asked them to reveal no countries involved, yet they cite that the investigators are upset with four specific nations because they have not been forthcoming.
"Regrettably," Davis said, "they have missed the opportunity to provide complete and adequate replies and dispel all doubts about their alleged misconduct."
Italian prosecutors have accused the CIA of kidnapping an Islamic cleric in northern Italy in 2003. Separately, German officials have said they do not doubt a German man's account that he was abducted in Macedonia the following year. It remains unclear what role -- if any -- local intelligence agencies played in those alleged operations.
Regardless of their participation, this is a necessary step in this war. Our enemy likes to hide from us, and strike at innocents from the shadows. This is an enemy that will make an attack, then simply blend into the throng running away. It is not impossible to catch them, but because of their tactics, it forces us to evolve in ours. The CIA, despite it's problems, is suited to handle this task. When they snatch someone abroad, they have enough evidence to warrant it. It may be something minor, such as a money connection. And then again, it could be something overt, such as communication with known leaders in the Middle East and elsewhere. Either way one perceives this, it is an indispensible strategy to stay one step ahead of those wishing to hurt the free world.
The EU, again, should be thanking the US. We seem to be one of the few nations willing to go after these people all over Europe; indeed, their mandate demands such moves. Instead, the EU is upset that nations are participating in this program, and helping the CIA. I can understand their concerns regarding human rights, but as yet, no detainee has been found to be "suffering" in the sense most would recognize as "wrong." We must take appropriate steps to get as many of these radicals as possible.
It is only natural that some would raise a level of suspicion regarding this program, however I find their suspicion to be, for the most part, completely unfounded. Personally, I would prefer that nations take greater steps to round up radicals within their borders, leaving us to attand to our own. However, as they will not take those steps, the US will, and in doing so, we will take the lead in prosecuting this war to the point of victory.
Bunny ;)
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 1:26 PM
1 Comments:
Damn right bro.
There is nothing more patriotic than electrocuting the testicals of innocent brown people.
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