Mobo123

CIA Agent: Nuke Attack Surely Coming

Dave Eberhart

Former CIA agent Michael Scheuer told CBS “60 Minutes”’ Steve Kroft Sunday that the U.S. fumbled 10 chances to kill or capture terror chief Osama bin Laden before 9/11. Now he is convinced that the international outlaw will attack the U.S. homeland with some sort of nuclear weapon of mass destruction.

"Their intention is to end the war as soon as they can and to ratchet up the pain for the Americans until we get out of their region. ... If they acquire the weapon, they will use it, whether it's chemical, biological or some sort of nuclear weapon," said Scheuer.

In his first television interview without disguise, Scheuer appeared most aggravated by a missed opportunity to level a hunting camp where bin Laden was holding court with several Arab princes.

“If they were eating goat with bin Laden, you know they were up to nefarious purposes. What were a few less Arab princes when considering 3,000 dead Americans?”

At one point, the gung-ho agent was dismissed from the bin Laden project at the CIA that went by the code name “Alec.” He told Kroft that he was considered “too persistent” and constantly lobbied his superiors about their “unwillingness to take risks.”

But after 9/11 he was brought back aboard.

His attitude about U.S. policy has not gotten much better. He holds former CIA Director George Tenet responsible for 9/11 and lambastes former White House security aide Richard Clark for “constantly denigrating our intelligence.”

"One of the questions that should have been asked of Mr. Tenet was why were there always enough people for the public relations office, for the academic outreach office, for the diversity and multicultural office? All those things are admirable and necessary, but none of them are protecting the American people from a foreign threat," said Scheuer.

Scheuer thinks it is a grave mistake for the administration to advertise bin Laden as a “thug or gangster.”

“He is not irrational but a worthy opponent,” Scheuer insisted, going as far as to say that bin Laden was, in his opinion, “a great man.”

“His greatness comes from his ability to influence the course of history.”

"Until we respect him, sir, we are going to die in numbers that are probably unnecessary, yes. He's a very, very talented man and a very worthy opponent," he added to Kroft.

Scheuer coyly admitted to CBS that he was the "anonymous" author of two books critical of the West's response to bin Laden and al-Qaida, the most recent of which is titled "Imperial Hubris: Why the West Is Losing the War on Terror."

The CIA allowed him to write the books provided he remain anonymous, but allowed him to reveal himself for the first time on Sunday's broadcast; he formally leaves the agency on Nov. 12.

Other points from the interview:

Osama bin Laden now has religious approval to use a nuclear device against Americans. "[Bin Laden] secured [authority] from a Saudi sheik ... a rather long treatise on the possibility of using nuclear weapons against the Americans," says Scheuer. "[The treatise] found that he was perfectly within his rights to use them. Muslims argue that the United States is responsible for millions of dead Muslims around the world, so reciprocity would mean you could kill millions of Americans."

He stated his opinion that bin Laden’s “genius” was to define American policies to be hated. Growing violence has been the result. “We are not making strong headway,” he opined. He used Saudi Arabia as a country touched by the new reality of fear. “It was at one point the safest country in the world.”

The only choice we have at this point is a choice between “war and endless war,” he said.

As to the U.S. relationship with Isreal, “The tail is leading the dog.”

The retired CIA man admitted that he was not invited to Cabinet meetings during the Richard Clarke period at the Clinton White House.

George Tenet and Richard Clarke were invited to appear on the CBS program but declined to do so.

Willravel

I couldn't agree more! $500b of American money last year went to Israels army. Israels army, one of the largest and most powerful militaries in the world, needs $500 BILLION from America. What do we get in return? They send over their spies and they oppress the Palestinian people. They are by far the worst allies we have.

The war on terror will never really end. Osama Bin Laden beat us pretty badly, and we have essentially done nothing to him. Sure we took out a few of his easily replaced advisors, but nothing that really stopped him. I sure feel safe.

sendnot

If not for the ongoing threat of fear, this administration would never have been voted in for another term. They have played that card well, to the detriment of the public.

__________________
Don't believe everything you think.

MSD

If I was the guy with the unarmed drone that was watching him, I would've rammed the nose of the thing right up his ass, but maybe that 's just me.

Overall, we fucked up, and we're going to keep fucking up. It's just the way things go.

OzOz

willravel, come on now - $500 BILLION? That's just plain nonsense. The US doesn't spend quite that much on its OWN military! It's not going to just give that much away to any foreign nation. $500 MILLION I could believe.

Bauh4us

500 billion does seem to be an unusally high number. As for the UAV that saw him and did nothing... that seems like a no brainer. Crash the fucking thing into him. I dunno, this all sounds like more of the same fear tatics we have been fed for years now.

__________________
"I aint got time for pain! The only pain I got time for is the pain I put on fools who don't know what time it is!" - Terrible Terry Tate

ObieX

I think they should start adding guns to these UAVs... i mean.. why not?

__________________
We Must Dissent.

balderdash111

I think some UAVs already have weapons (small missiles, if memory serves). The issue is chain of command and authority to fire.

Also, IMO, the article is grossly mis-titled.

"CIA Agent: Nuke Attack Surely Coming" suggests a CIA agent is telling us that there will almost certainly be a nuclear attack.

In fact, the article is about:

(a) a (now) former CIA agent, who probably does not have access to the latest and greatest intelligence when he gave the interview (why bother, when he won't be around to act on it?)

(b) an agent expressing the belief that OBL would use whatever weapon he had available against the US, including nuclear. That's very different from saying a nuclear attack is "surely coming."

__________________
A little silliness now and then is cherished by the wisest men. -- Willy Wonka

MSD

Each one now has a single hellfire missile. If it were up to me, I'd fly them in pairs, just in case the guidance system failed or one wasn't enough to take out everyone in the crosshairs.

bookiebye

Of course you can expect another attack. Whether it comes in the same manner as the recent past or in a different way (nuclear) is anybody's guess. As long as the American government pursues what it considers it's interests in the area there will be the chance of retaliation from those who disagree with the America "occupation". As long as the arrogance of the American government, especially the President, continues to dictate their actions in Iraq, they are inviting trouble from those who have the resources and ambitions to defend against the American invaders.

Also, anybody who will accept the statements from a CIA agent, whether he be active or retired, should sit down and shake their heads. The CIA is an organization that collects information that the majority of the world's population is not privy to. It's organization and presentation of this information is at the discretion of the agents themselves. The majority of this information will never reach the general public. We see and hear only what the agency, working under the direction of the Federal Government, wants us to see and hear.

Believe half of what you see and nothing of what you hear.

__________________
Get it done!

abscondo

They do now, but I don't think UAVs were armed at the time.

(a) Scheuer had quit the agency the same day he gave the interview. He had been following bin Laden for years. That's about as up-to-date information as you're going to hear in public, I think.

(b) The exact quote about a nuclear attack is "it's pretty close to being inevitable." Close enough to "surely coming" for me.

He also noted that bin Laden had received a fatwa from a sheik to go nuclear, making it okay. (That's some religion, where you can find someone to bless your desire to kill people.)

So there's more to this story than you seem to think.

__________________
Ceci n'est pas une pipe.

thingstodo

I just wish we would pull back half of what we spend outside the US and use it here. I'm sure you could fix the healthcare industry and solve the social security problem and still have money left over to reduce the deficit.

We don't have representation. trying to staWe have a bunch of power hungery politicians trying to stay in office.

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

Mojo_PeiPei

The aid to Israel our biggest recipent(sp) is under 7 billion dollars, I want to say it's around four billion. Also all "aid" is in loan form, Israel uses said money to buy American merchandise, so it gets funneled back. Also Israel is the only nation to never default on a loan.

__________________
To win a war you must serve no master but your ambition.

The_Dunedan

Israel never defaults because Congress always forgives the loans before they come due. We've never attempted to collect. In other words, they sign a loan contract...which the US then promptly tears up ( after we pay them,of course ). We basically give them 500M every year.
And in return they spy on us, sell our weapons and technology to the Chinese, attack our warships in International Waters ( USS Liberty ) and are now permitted to assasinate US Citizens if the Mossad feels like it....although the Mossad never really cared much for those pesky "law" things anyway.

Willravel

It's billion. I'mv very serious. I'm looking for the article. I'll get back to you as soon as I find it.

Radio Monk33

So the Crusades were not a blessing to kill people?

__________________
"Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know"
-Kurt Cobain

Dawson70

This just goes to proove, that our world is a true shit hole. Not to jump the subject here, but the wife and I where watching the news (which I hate) and they did the story on the assination of the Iraqi Govenor. In the footage, they showed the Militant people responsible for the attack dancing around the car. Ummmmmm.......correct me if I am wrong here, but don't we have like 5 divisions of soliders over there? Where the hell were they when this happened.
I STILL don't think our Gov't takes any threats very serious. I dont think they really much care unless that "nuke" you discussed, ends up on the Whitehouse lawn. Oh...then it will be "game on". Argggg...this whole subject pisses me off. Sorry....carry on.

__________________
"I Finally Finished My Goal....You Can Too!

Yippie Ki Ya...

whocarz

Willravel, I think you need to check your facts. 500 billion is too much. Here are the actual numbers:

http://www.wrmea.com/html/us_aid_to_israel.htm

U.S. Financial Aid To Israel: Figures, Facts, and Impact
Summary

Benefits to Israel of U.S. Aid
Since 1949 (As of November 1, 1997)

Foreign Aid Grants and Loans
$74,157,600,000

Other U.S. Aid (12.2% of Foreign Aid)
$9,047,227,200

Interest to Israel from Advanced Payments
$1,650,000,000

Grand Total
$84,854,827,200

Total Benefits per Israeli
$14,630
Cost to U.S. Taxpayers of U.S.
Aid to Israel

Grand Total
$84,854,827,200

Interest Costs Borne by U.S.
$49,936,680,000

Total Cost to U.S. Taxpayers
$134,791,507,200

Total Taxpayer Cost per Israeli
$23,240

Now, it's 8 years old, but I doubt we've ramped up our aid 497 billion dollars per year since the 90s. Hell, the requested US military budget is 420.7 billion dollars. I really, really have a hard time believing that we'd give them more money than our own military. And the year that you claim we gave 500 billion to the Israelis (2003) was the year we spent 396.1 billion dollars on the US military.

http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolit...e/Spending.asp

__________________
If there exists anything mightier than destiny, then it is the courage to face destiny unflinchingly. -Geibel

Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else. -Marcus Aurelius

Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? -GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly

pan6467

Total Taxpayer Cost per Israeli
$23,240

x4.3825 (Isreali Shekels)
---------------------
104,478.80 ( Isreali Shekels)

So we are paying Isrealis more than some hard working US citizens live on. That's just fucking wrong.

8.5/hr............ 104,478.8(shekels)
x.................. /
40/wk............ 52 weeks
========================
$340/wk........ 2009.21 (shekels/week)
x.................. /
52................ 40 hrs
=======================
$17,680/year.. 50.23 (shekels an hour)
x.................. /
4.3825.......... 4.3825
=======================
77,482.60..... $11.46
(shekels/yr)... (US DOLLARS an hour)

Jesus, must be fucking nice to have the US GOVERNMENT PAY for your citizens while the same US GOVERNMENT cuts services to take care of their own US citizens and allows companies to pay as little as possible. Even if that money doesn't go directly to the citizens, that's less tax money than the Isreali Gov't has to spend from their own citizenry. Which means their government can afford to put their tax dollars into programs such as healthcare, human services and education. Which since it's on our dollar they probably spend more per citizen than we can.

Why should I sit here, (when my country is running massive deficits and can no longer educate and help our own citizens,) and keep allowing my government to subsidize ANY country, let alone one that has little respect for human rights (outside of their own citizens), one that causes much chaos with other countries and us, and one that if we stopped paying would probably decide to be the country to start a nuclear war? (Isreal to me is the biggest Nuclear war threat out there. I have a feeling they wouldn't hesitate to use them offensively if we didn't stop them.)

And the GOP Neocons want to keep cutting aid to our own but don't say shit about Bush sending all this fucking money out of our country.

A country wants aid from us here's what we do:

1) we assess their need

2) we refuse to send any money to their government

3) we send food, medical supplies and so on to humanitarian organizations in those countries

4) we send US companies in to BUILD up that countries infrastrucure, and agriculture industry. As we build up their industries and agriculture we slowly pull our aid so that they can become self sufficient.

5) we send money only for the building of public schools and educational purposes, the money is distributed by US companies that specialize in building schools.

6) If the foreign government refuses this form of aid and demands money, we refuse any aid.

No discussion here, no compromise here, that's it.

And if we learn that the country allows active terrorsits to train and recruit, we pull all aid and embargoi the country. HEAR THAT SAUDI.

If we embargo and fuel goes up, we use the tax money we saved from the aid not sent and subsidize fuel and alternative fuel studies so that we no longer will worry about those countries holding us hostage for fuel.

This may sound like "fuck the world" but I am no longer going to sit here and watch my country go down the shitter while we send aid to help other countries become great.

My patriotism is such that, I believe warts and all the US is the greatest country in the world, and we will help others learn to help themselves but I firmly will never support sending money overseas that goes to corrupt governments building war materials and not helping their people or giving welfare to their people while my country still has families starving because they can't get decent paying jobs.

$23,240/citizen..... that would truly help our healthcare problems.

__________________
I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"