Joe Farah (an Arab-American, for what it's worth) has some harsh words for the FBI. He claims, based on its own internal reports, that it missed 911 because it had been politicized by the Clinton Administration, because it was focused not on Islam as a source of terrorism, but on white Christians.

As I've noted before, that was a political position that resurrected Bill Clinton's presidency after the 1994 election loss, and the Oklahoma City bombing, in which any evidence leading to McVeigh's getting help from the Middle East was ignored, so as not to distract from the demonization of "militias" and "right-wing hate radio."

Farah thinks heads should roll at the FBI. I agree.

We don't need another new agency (as will be introduced to us tonight). While new procedures may help, I still think the old bureaucracy at the FBI still needs to be overhauled.

People need to make up their minds. Do we want aggressive law enforcement, with the inevitable mistakes and consequent backlashes that would entail? Or do we want restrained enforcement, like we got after Wace/Ruby Ridge/a decade of political correctness, with the paralysis and demoralization that causes among the agents? Look at the Cincinnati police force before an after the riots for a view of this problem in miniature.

The Sanity Inspector -

I don't think it helps your cause to refer to Waco/Ruby Ridge as agressive law enforcement. Neither Weaver nor Koresh had any plans to overthrow the government or commit terrorist attacks. Hell, Weaver was acquitted of the charges that the DOJ thought were so all-fired important they killed his wife and son trying to apprehend him (shot his pre-teen son in the back, shot his wife while she was holding an infant in her arms). The case against Koresh is just as flimsy. Neither offense rose to the level where it would justify a seige, and the murder of women and children.

If those are incidents of what you call 'agressive law enforcement', I'll take restrained and demoralized agents over it any day. Perhaps if the FBI and the BATF quit covering their asses and trying to make excuses for some of the truly bad apples in their bunches, public confidence and tolerance of the FBI and the BATF would rise.

Ah, so is this why Nicholas Kristof wants us to spend more time focusing on the militia and home-grown terrorists? After all, this is what Bubba did?

Yes, as long as they're those evil right-wing militia types that take their marching and bombing orders from Rush Limbaugh.

Earth First! and PETA don't count...

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