[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 112 (Tuesday, September 12, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 12, 2006 (Extensions)]
[Page E1686]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr12se06-25]                         



 
                   TERROR ALERT: LOSS OF CREDIBILITY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2006

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Richard Cohen 
for his recent article published in the Washington Post entitled 
``Terror Alert: Severe Risk of Hype'' in which he calls into question 
the Bush administration's credibility when it comes to terrorism.
  President Bush, Vice President Cheney and other top administration 
officials asserted before the U.S. invasion that Iraq was 
reconstituting its nuclear weapons program, had chemical and biological 
weapons and maintained links to al Qaeda affiliates to whom it might 
give such weapons to use against the United States. Unfortunately, 
research and intelligence reports have proven otherwise. Instead of 
being adept at making sound policy, the current administration appears 
to be skilled in the art form of deception and dishonesty.
  Currently, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is once again putting 
the American people on ``Terror Alert'' without having substantial 
information. Just last week Mr. Gonzales announced the arrest of seven 
terrorists. Have we not learned from our past mistakes? The 
announcement of the arrests of these alleged terrorists are part of a 
sad trend within the Bush administration to exaggerate the facts, 
labeling anyone thought to be acting suspiciously or fitting a racial 
stereotype an al-Qaeda type terrorist. What we see is the Bush 
Administration's need to once again hype certain issues to gain not 
only America's trust, but to use that to bolster its declining 
credibility.
  This is a serious matter for a variety of reasons. First, if 
Americans are being asked to surrender a measure of privacy and civil 
liberties, they deserve to have an administration that will use data 
not to deceive but to protect. Also, the arrest of the seven alleged 
terrorists should not be used as evidence of the administration's 
success in protecting the Nation if the facts are not clear that a real 
threat is involved. The facts as revealed in press reports to date, as 
Richard Cohen asserts are suspiciously short of providing a reasonable 
case that these misguided youth were in any position to pose a real 
threat to accomplish their alleged goals. There is some likelihood in 
fact, that it was the FBI's sting operation that gave these would be 
perpetrators any credibility at all, and that their planning was led by 
the FBI operative who posed as a terrorist to entrap the inept 
plotters.
  I enter into the Record the Washington Post column by Mr. Richard 
Cohen and commend him for presenting this issue regarding the Bush 
administration's penchant to hype Terror Alerts. In order to regain the 
American people's confidence the Bush administration should not use or 
target events to achieve some political gain. I believe the War on 
Terror can and will be won when leaders start leading responsibly, 
placing the interest of the people first and their political objectives 
second.

                [From washingtonpost.com, June 27, 2006]

                   Terror Alert: Severe Risk of Hype

                           (By Richard Cohen)

       It is the sheerest luck, I know, that Attorney General 
     Alberto Gonzales looks (to me) a bit like Jerry Mahoney, 
     because he fulfills the same function for the Bush 
     administration that the dummy did for the ventriloquist Paul 
     Winchell. At risk to his reputation and the mocking he must 
     get when he comes home at night, Gonzales will call virtually 
     anyone an al-Qaeda-type terrorist. He did that last week in 
     announcing the arrest of seven inferred (it's the strongest 
     word I can use) terrorists. I thought I saw Dick Cheney 
     moving his lips.
       The seven were indicted on charges that they wanted to blow 
     up the Sears Tower in Chicago and the FBI bureau in Miami. 
     The arrests came in the nick of time, since all that 
     prevented mass murder, mayhem and an incessant crawl at the 
     bottom of our TV screens was the lack of explosives, weapons 
     or vehicles. The alleged conspirators did have boots, which 
     were supplied by an FBI informant. Maybe the devil does wear 
     Prada.
       Naturally, cable news was all over the story since it 
     provided pictures. These included shots of the Sears Tower, 
     the FBI bureau, the seven alleged terrorists and, of course, 
     Gonzales dutifully playing his assigned role of the dummy. 
     He noted that the suspects wanted to wage a ``full ground 
     war'' against the United States and ``kill all the 
     devils'' they could--this despite a clear lack of materiel 
     and sidewalk-level IQs. Still, as Gonzales pointed out, if 
     ``left unchecked, these homegrown terrorists may prove to 
     be as dangerous as groups like al-Qaeda.'' A presidential 
     medal for the man, please.
       It is not now and never has been my intention to belittle 
     terrorism. Clearly, if what the government alleges turns out 
     to be the truth--look, that sometimes happens--then these 
     guys deserve punishment. But theirs was such a preposterous, 
     crackpot plot that the only reason it rose to the level of a 
     televised news conference by the nation's chief law 
     enforcement officer was the Bush administration's compulsive 
     need to hype everything. For this, Gonzales, like a good Boy 
     Scout, is always prepared.
       Does it matter? Yes, it does. It matters because the Bush 
     administration has already lost almost all credibility when 
     it comes to terrorism. It said there were weapons of mass 
     destruction in Iraq and there were none. It said al-Qaeda and 
     Iraq were in cahoots and that was not the case. It has so 
     exaggerated its domestic success in arresting or convicting 
     terrorists that it simply cannot be believed on that score. 
     About a year ago, for instance, President Bush (with Gonzales 
     at his side) asserted that ``federal terrorism investigations 
     have resulted in charges against more than 400 suspects, and 
     more than half of those charged have been convicted.'' The 
     Post looked into that and found that the total number of 
     (broadly defined) ``terrorism'' convictions was 39.
       This compulsion to exaggerate and lie is so much a part of 
     the Bush administration's DNA that it persists even though it 
     has become counterproductive. For instance, the arrest of the 
     seven suspects in Miami essentially coincided with the 
     revelation by the New York Times that the government has 
     ``gained access to financial records from a vast 
     international database and examined banking transactions 
     involving thousands of Americans.'' Almost instantly, the 
     administration did two things: It confirmed the story 
     and complained about it. The Times account only helped 
     terrorists, Cheney said.
       Is he right? I wonder. This is a serious matter. After all, 
     Americans are being asked to surrender a measure of privacy 
     and civil liberties in the fight against terrorism--
     essentially the argument Cheney has been making. I for one am 
     willing to make some compromises, but I feel downright 
     foolish doing so if the fruit of the enterprise turns out to 
     be seven hapless idiots who would blow up the Sears Tower, if 
     only they could get to Chicago.
       Cheney in particular has zero credibility, but his 
     administration colleagues are not far behind. Prominent among 
     them, of course, is the attorney general, a man so adept at 
     crying wolf and mouthing the administration's line that he 
     simply cannot be believed any more.
       The Sears Tower. The Miami bureau of the FBI. Please. 
     Someone, put the dummy back in his box.




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