Part IV: The Failures of Intelligence

Praise for the CIA operatives protecting our country while facing great dangers is something of the past and the agency gets even less recognition since 9/11 as someone or some agency had to take the blame for the surprise coordinated attacks which pushed the U.S. and most of the world into war. Even after Homeland Security absorbed most federal law enforcement agencies following the September 11 attacks the process of sharing information as well as organizational rivalries still pose a problem within the intelligence community. Though tempting to shift blame to the services, intelligence sharing in this case may not be as troublesome as acting on such intelligence once it is delivered by the IC. That responsibility falls on the shoulders of the lawmaker, the end user, not the ones who collect, analyze and deliver the product. Much of the controversy around the CIA’s role in the war on terror is the reminder that mistakes have been made but never seem to want to focus on its successes.

The CIA has a daunting task in Afghanistan and sometimes a sign of success, as is the case with a COIN approach is that retaliation is a powerful weapon the enemy is not afraid to use. A lot of the CIA’s problems could be attributed to bad publicity, as this causes a decline in public support of an agency designed to keep things from the public. This is not to say that the entire system is compromised to an extent because of all the constant reforms between administrations that do not allow the IC to make progress or even get around to implementing changes.

Where a minority of Americans may be fully aware of this conundrum – and I say this considering the average person has little or no knowledge of the nature of intelligence work – the ruling majority puts sufficient pressure on officials to force the disclosure of declassification materials aimed at making research easier. The administration is spearheading what appear to be strangely illogical projects put on hold long ago because of lack of importance back on the table. The inappropriateness of announcing added rights to foreign police forces, disclosing strategy on a national stage before deploying troops and other slip-of-the-tongue moments can be either incredibly incompetent or deliberate. There is little room for a gray area here. What is happening today is the result of bad policy and lack of understanding that information is more important when it is not made public. This should be a time for restraint but we are fast approaching the limits of reasonableness with the disclosure of information.

Why exactly is the botched bombing of the Delta flight the CIA’s failure? If the information is collected, analyzed and delivered to the appropriate parties then it is up to the end user to take action. The nation’s indications and warning system may not be perfect, as it is composed of people sifting through information and making it all make sense for decision-makers – but it is alive and well. There are scores of intelligence personnel working these cases but in spite of all their efforts producing timely intelligence is a daunting task. It is reported that the president had prior knowledge of the potential threat of an attack during the holiday season yet the attack went on as planned. The fortunate fact that the bomber failed to complete his mission due to a technical problem does not downgrade the situation. The Customs and Border Patrol have finally admitted there was a second arrest of a passenger after bomb sniffing dogs were brought on the scene. Obviously the existence of a second suspect elevates the magnitude of the attack.

And yes, it would have been just the kind of impact the bad guys achieved on 9/11 had it been successful on Christmas. Recently a story broke out that Britain’s MI5 had intelligence on Abdulmutallab’s extreme views since 2006 however held on to the information to protect his human rights and privacy. There are always two sides to any coin.

Umar-Farouk-Abdulmutallab

When laypeople point fingers at intelligence for failing to perform its job there is a great deal of ignorance involved, and that includes many lawmakers. The U.S. indications and warning system may not be completely efficient but if given proper attention at the cabinet level these warnings can actually be factored in to fit theoretical scenarios that will be stored for use in an emergency. Maybe the players are different than those in real life but at least there would be some sort of strategy available. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to work a problem without some background information. In the absence of concrete idea of how to proceed, the knee-jerk reaction is to blame intelligence.

The CIA chief is fighting back; something that could be good or bad, depending on how much trust one can put on him. The ball was dropped by the administration, not the agencies and if so, why? The successful attack on a CIA Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Afghanistan has dealt a huge blow to COIN operations in theatre. Now the CIA loses much needed personnel plus they have to fight for its reputation at home. In addition to this tragedy one must stop to examine the very possibility that prisoners released from GITMO who may have had access to photographs of CIA operatives provided by their attorneys could be apt to use that information to further identify more officers in the field. How information is shared between agencies will always be something that needs to be integrated so that the specific organizational mission of each agency is not compromised but intelligence useful to others can and will be made available. This is an old problem. As police do not like to reveal their information sources on the street to say, federal agencies because that could compromise the sources’ security, so do intelligence (civilian and military) people.

General Jones’s contention that the intelligence failure report will shock the public is rather fascinating. Considering the fact that the information on the bomber’s potential threat was known by White House staffers but was not disseminated promptly due to holiday absences. Furthermore, and this is the reason many people miss so many things all the time – because they do not read carefully and thouroughly – General Jones cited research conducted on the intelligence errors everyone is talking about and something hit me. In one article there was a brief mention of an assessment from the Center for a New American Security. This private national security think tank is something of a contradiction, so it merited further investigation. The CNAS was founded by former Hillary Clinton advisor Michele Flournoy, who switched battle tents when Clinton’s campaign began to die down and has been on Obama’s payroll since, scoring the post of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. She and Kurt Campbell, the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, co-founded this think tank. The list of illustrious people such as John Podesta (gag), Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Flournoy is someone to watch. She has been a strong advocate and campaigned heavily in 2009 for the closure of GITMO and for transferring some of the prisoners to the United States.

Her argument, after facing staunch opposition from many in the Congress, was that since the U.S. exptects other allied countries to take prisoners then it should take on some in order to do its fair share. She said this to the Chicago Tribune in 2009. Flournoy calls herself a ‘progressive centrist’ who believes that the U.S. (okay, Bush) made a mistake in calling Iran part of the Axis of Evil because Iran had extended support followin the 9/11 attacks. I must have been distracted that day, dodging airborne attacks, panic in the streets and burning buildings because I do not recall that. She thinks the U.S. should engage Iran and Syria in dialogue and would  be happy to re-regulate and reform the Intelligence Community because we do not have a infrastructure capable of handling national emergencies.

SIDE NOTE: That’s strange. Mr. Obama needed three months of silence and reflection before he announced to General Stanley McChristal of his Afghanistan troop surge plan yet it took him a day or so before he ordered the deployment of Navy ships and US Marines to help in the relief effort in the embattled Haiti.  If that is not a national and international emergency response capability, then what is? We have the sound infrastructure in place for that and for intelligence work; the problem is lack of accountability.

Ms. Flournoy also advocates the expansion of duties of the National Security Council, which General Jones leads. I do not know what that means because this is the body of minds closest to the president, so if they need more involvement in the decision process what does that mean? When General Jones said that Americans would be ‘shocked’ at the intelligence errors involved in the panty bomber case that is cause for great worry. These guys do not know any different. The current NSC is not George Washington’s War council, not by a long shot.

Which brings us to the next problem. As Ms. Flournoy said, it is our fair share to bring the terrorist animals to U.S. soil as a gesture of good faith. But what about the impact of having to host criminal trials The U.S. Attorney General brings to the table a two-pronged dilemma affecting national security and it appears that he is either unaware of the negative consequences. One is the prisoner transfer and the other is trials of these terrorists in America.

The 9/11 trials

This is by far the biggest story affecting both law enforcement and national security and has extensive consequences. The debate over whether the 9/11 terrorists should be afforded civil rights under the U.S. Constitution and tried in civilian criminal court or treated as enemy combatants and tried by a military tribunal. Recently Virginia Representative Jim Moran (no one knows why he thinks he must issue an opinion) wrote for the Washington Post this weekend in favor of conducting one trial of a high-profile terrorist and perhaps more to follow. This is equally and dangerously disturbing.  When the enemy has a better grasp of how to use its oponent’s laws against them we’re in for a long battle.

Loose lips sink ships

The declassification of documents transparency: telegraphing our national security strategies

What happens when transparency means revealing how we do business on the war on terror versus the transparency of the work done by the Congress right now? There is little or no use for declassifying what are called historic documents. I’d call this whole thing a historic mistake that will have greater repercussions in the present and will continue in the future. Not just disclosure of documents but of processes and tactics as we can see in GITMO detainee releases. While AG Holder worries about giving these terrorists due process, they are planning their future return to combat operations. This is a proven fact that these individuals, once released, return to combat to kill more troops. We have every power to hold them but instead we give them privileged treatment. There is a terrible price to transparency when it goes all wrong. Let’s look at the war on terror. 

What happens when transparency means revealing how we do business on the war on terror versus the transparency of the work done by the Congress right now? There is little or no use for declassifying what are called historic documents. I’d call this whole thing a historic mistake that will have greater repercussions in the present and will continue in the future. Not just disclosure of documents but of processes and tactics as we can see in GITMO detainee releases. While AG Holder worries about giving these terrorists due process, they are planning their future return to combat operations. This is a proven fact that these individuals, once released, return to combat to kill more of our troops and even infiltrate our forces as informants and interpreters. They are called recidivists now as one would refer to career criminals and not classified as enemy combatants. We have every power to hold them but instead we give them privileged treatment. There is a terrible price to transparency when it goes all wrong. Let’s look at the war on terror.

In Mexico, as federal troops are being deployed to fight drug cartels in the countryside the decisive strategy has spurred on an even greater wave of violence. This is a gruesome example of what transparency can do if used incorrectly. According to Mexican law, the names of people who are part of Special Forces working drug cases but in this case the president made the choice to disclose the name of a young sailor who died during the raid which killed high-profile drug scumbag Arturo Beltran Leyva. After all, even Mexicans could use a good dose of hero worship given their dire situation. Soon after the young hero’s name was announced, cartel members tracked his family down and killed them; this is the wrong transparency. CIA officers killed in Afghanistan and disclosure of field agents during the 9/11 trials could deal a terrible blow to clandestine operations in support of the war on terror. This is not just new people but also many retired military and CIA have returned to duty to fight in the war; their identities could be revealed as a consequence of the 9/11 trials in NY. It would behoove us to remember that all this does is open the door to a whole new set of vulnerabilities that the U.S. will not be prepared to mitigate. 

 

Part V: Relinquishing our sovereignty

Sources:

Cockup, Conspiracy or Just Plain Confusion? Sorting Out Olberman’s Segment on Flight 253

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/richard-wolffe-says-white-house-sees-flight-253-fallout-as-intelligence-lapse.php?ref=mp

Ex-CIA agent: Threat from Al Qaeda greater now than on 9/11 (VIDEO)

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/03/ex-cia-agent-threat-from-al-qaeda-greater-now-than-on-911/  

Don’t worry; it’s only $400-$600 million to try terrorists in NYC

http://biggovernment.com/tag/ksm-trial/

US knew of airline terror plot before Christmas

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/29/obama-systemic-failure-allowed-terror-suspect-board-flight/

Chicago O’Hare to install full body scanners

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/ohare-airport-security-full-body-scanner-80286952.html

CIA rejects charge it failed to share bomb suspect intelligence

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.0b9d18298e2dbb867621b1953baa5023.01&show_article=1

Officials: Somali Tried to Board Flight With Explosives Last Month

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581459,00.html

Spy chiefs turn on president Obama after seven CIA officers are slaughtered in Afghanistan

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1239941/Spy-chiefs-turn-President-Obama-seven-CIA-agents-slaughtered-Afghanistan.html

Report of 2^nd man cuffed from Flight 253 confirmed

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=120803

Are planned airport scanners just a scam?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/are-planned-airport-scanners-just-a-scam-1856175.html

Anti-terror official stayed on ski trip after learning of failed bomb plot

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/07/anti-terror-official-stayed-ski-trip-learning-failed-bomb-plot/

National Security Adviser Says Airline Bomber Report Will ‘Shock’ Americans

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/07/national-security-adviser-airline-bomber-report-shock/

Eric Holder and releasing GITMO enemy combatants

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/01/23/pay-attention-to-eric-holders-law-firm-and-gitmo-detainees/

Detainees Shown CIA Officers’ Photos at GITMO will probably return to combat at some time in the future, once released, and identify these operatives in the field.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/20/report-detainees-shown-cia-officers-photos/

Mystery surrounds new Obama order on classification

http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/1209/Mystery_surrounds_new_Obama_order_on_classification.html

Hit men kill Mexican hero’s family

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126149866534701603.html

CIA Officers Are Killed in Afghan Attack

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126219691445210575.html?mod=WSJEUROPE_newsreel_world

Bomber Who Killed CIA Members Reportedly Invited onto Afghan Base

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581676,00.html

Detroit suspect watched since 2006

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=121976

Part III: Keystone cops and Harvard Robbers

The breakdown of domestic law enforcement agencies  

Law enforcement acting ‘stupidly’

Things don’t look as romantically rosy for law enforcement as it did back in 2001. There seems to be a decline in public opinion or even the portrayal of police in general in the media. So far the smaller federal law enforcement agencies have escaped great scrutiny. The U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, America’s top cop, is hardly a popular guy. In fact, he is probably the most damaging spokesman for law enforcement. His statements regarding his office’s expert ability to try Khalid Sheik Mohammad on U.S. soil rather than allowing him to be tried by a military tribunal has sent shockwaves throughout the country in disapproval. It’s not that Americans do not want the man tried but to bring him back to the scene of the crime will have greater consequences than bringing bad memories of the attacks. That and the fact that considering the quality of the defendant’s usual company the possibility that an increased flow of people into the city will increase those conditions found in terrorist activity.

There is a concept in both police and security work that is actually common to both ends of the professional spectrum. Threats are ever evolving and searching for ways to counteract security measures. If we have a situation that requires more security at one place then resources are moved to cover but that also causes a gap elsewhere unless a city has unlimited resources and personnel and that is not something ever seen. Most invariably there will be a gap in security, a sector of the city or town that cannot be protected but that is usually has a lower threat level (low crime area for example) and will lose that coverage. The change could be for one day or one hour of one month. The timeline actually poses another problem; if police cannot cover some areas because they have been diverted to a more important event then who is watching?

The KSM trial will draw resources in New York, probably command police volunteers from other jurisdictions, National Guard units and other federal law enforcement. The fear and concern of the citizens of NYC is legitimate. The Alexandria Virginia trial of Zaccarias Moussaoui caused such logistical issues but this is not about traffic jams or the inability to secure a parking space at the strip mall down the road. A sudden change in the security management must be something planned ahead of time and must function in such a way as to prevent situations from getting out of control. These are not predictions but a basic contingency plan. Scenarios such as hurricane Katrina spurred on such a massive deployment to establish or restore law and order. This has to happen quickly and personnel must be prepared to handle civil disobedience and violence to name only two. The recent quake in Haiti is a prime example of how quickly law and order can end and expose and entire city to threats imagined.

Law enforcement acting ‘stupidly’

We are undermining the authority of the states to administer the rule of law. Cops can’t do their jobs without fearing the president’s judgment or create bad publicity. A case in point is the story of Harvard professor and close friend of the president, Henry Louis Gates. The much-publicized incident of mistaken identity, clearly an honest error, stirred up race relations all over again. The president’s remarks that the police had acted stupidly in spite of the fact he did not possess all of the details of the case shows a willingness to tear down the reputation of a police department, its personnel and their mission. The police did their jobs according to the law and remained professional. Nothing more could have been asked of them but stern commentary from the president escalates the situation from reasonable and launches it into a theatrical production. The responding officers were both black and white and possibly one of another ethnic background, all professionals. Still, the police are portrayed and bumbling fools who cannot discern a burglar from a scholar. The constant criticism of law enforcement agencies may be detrimental to their functioning and the performance of police officers and the public’s perception of authority.

The Secret Service and party crashers

The Secret Service has been targeted with image-damaging publicity since the nighttime incursion of the Salahis as they managed to dodge some of the tightest security in the world and crashed the Obama’s first big social event. This is not normal as most people see that but as I said in a previous post I wasn’t convinced the USSS had dropped the ball on their own as I believed it was a White House staffer who broke protocol. This incident was then followed by a seemingly innocent event attended by a couple who were detoured from the White House tour and into a private breakfast for veterans. No big deal, no one got hurt. That is not the point and that is not a joke. Regardless of how many Americans feel about Mr. Obama, he holds the office of the president and all necessary measures must be taken to protect him. Just as we pay attention to dry runs conducted by terrorists on commercial flights, we should be wary of impromptu appearances by people who just want to gain notoriety into the president’s inner circle. To protect the president is to protect America’s stability. Even though in security there is no such thing as one hundred percent mitigation of threats at this level of security picking out those who belong versus those who do not should not be difficult. The Secret Services’ code is to maintain professionalism and protect information and even if they’re face with their own extinction; the service will continue with its mission. If people working at the White House cannot follow protocol and protect the president then who can be trusted?

Money woes

While DHS spends money on technology other areas needing security with less fancy equipment remain unattended. Many states are experiencing a shortage of security personnel and police due to funding problems and that includes courthouses and security for judges. It is inconceivable that courts have little or no force protection measures in place or personnel to enforce them because of budget cuts. With all the massive spending on domestic programs  why are many city and local law enforcement forces getting smaller? There are courthouses with security equipment but no personnel to do screenings and judges who must provide their own security by carrying concealed weapons. Where did everybody go? Specialized training and weapons cost money and also need public support as police undergo the transition from old fashioned law enforcement into a national police force designed to combat domestic terrorism which is pretty much another type of war. Clearly there should be other options available to help make up for smaller budgets.

Budget cuts across the nation are baffling since so much money went to upgrade police and other first responder capability. Here’s a disturbing window into the future for police recruitment in the face of budget cuts and perhaps a. For those who always wanted to be a cop move to Chicago. There is an initiative to eliminate the police entrance exam altogether to give minorities are better chance of passing and being hired. Things are looking up for law and order after all; the arrival of fairness in the absence of aptitude will help maintain the peace. Everyone gets to be a cop now. Maybe the Salahis will join the police force too. No wonder law enforcement is starting to look like the Keystone Cops. This is a bad state of affairs.

Airport security

One note about TSA; there is a difference between smart security and security. While one assesses, plans and implements protective measures and stays fresh by reviewing every approach used, the other becomes stale and routine and basically ineffective because it fails to grow with and around the threats. This is not to pick on TSA and its employees but to point out the logistical issues encountered by the agency. Airport security can be, like most security environments, adjusted to meet or exceed potential threats or it can be designed to remain static (which would make little or no sense). The emplacement of security technology, from biometrics to x-ray machines to the low tech ID check personnel must be constantly trained to maintain their knowledge base. In fact, it takes much more skill to read body language, conduct field interviews of travelers (cops do this all the time) and using empirical observation if working a static post. Why the TSA allows people to go through checkpoints and remain there for any period of time is beyond comprehension.

Many of the security practices we see at airports do not seem to keep passenger safety in mind. The last thing anyone in this business should want is to let people who have been screened to remain in the same area where the screening was conducted. This goes on all the time; passengers linger in line, putting on shoes or belts and security officers do not guide them through to leave the area. When a real emergency hits and officers at these checkpoints go into lockdown the first ones to be in danger will be those stuck in between. TSA seems to miss a lot of small details that are crucial to preserving order and protecting the passengers because ultimately their purpose is to protect people and prevent threats from entering the country.

Instead what often see is limited vision and training and controlled execution of security measures. In English, where we run out of the human element – common sense – we make up the difference by introducing technology to balance things out. Whole body scanners get 50-50 approval/rejection in the country especially after the Christmas Day attempted bombing. Again, this is sliding the security scale much higher than before believing the security we had before was dysfunctional but we do not examine how it was managed. It is almost as though no one thinks of matching the technology with the impending or potential need; that or purchase technology because other cities have it and the money is there. High tech is desirable as long as it is a complement to well-trained individuals but does not build a good public image of police and when something does not work well it shifts blame to the gadget.

Crisis management

Filling the gaps in security is most important now more than ever. Personnel must be trained to cultivate a keen search and surveillance skills and be trained and certified in these areas. The introduction of events such as natural disasters – hurricane Katrina and the recent quake in Haiti – can pose great challenges to domestic security with the deployment of special police, medical and military personnel to those area and drawing attention and coverage from others. This is a calculated risk. Many Guard and Reserve personnel are first responders (cops, firefighters and medics) which will help deplete an already taxed force at home. Lastly, when we see in the news that DHS will increase travel security that only means restrictions instead of careful monitoring of well-established criminal or terrorist behaviors which is a very narrow scope of search. There are many declarations from the agency that more Air Marshals will be deployed on flights.

That is the first problem; we like to telegraph our weaknesses in the media that we do not have sufficient numbers of personnel to fly these missions. Sending Marshals on every flight imaginable will never be feasible or reasonable. People who fly are like combat troops; they need rest and they must be rotated out of duty before returning to the mission. The service has many problems to deal with from within but also flushing it with more agents in a hurry will not wholly cover airline safety. There is no discussion anymore on pilots carrying weapons onboard to help supplement the shortage of Marshals. That happened only because many Marshals were making mistakes on and off duty that made the agency look bad therefore pilots had to be enlisted to fill in as well. Which is it? If the Marshals are not good enough and we have to depend on the pilots then a commercial pilot’s mission changes.

The airline should have its own armed security personnel and not depend on federal agents to perform the job. Airline personnel are well-trained to handle emergencies; this is crucial in the survival of their business. Fatigue in this business is deadly. What TSA has done for years is subject these agents to long hours and many equally restrictive rules from within that get in the way of conducting their missions with few rotations. Flying is not an easy environment for security. How the agency is going to send more agents on flights quickly seems more wishful thinking. If fully-trained Marshals are not available the government has the option of outsourcing these position and filling them with personnel from other federal or even local agencies. Again, one would have to rob Peter to pay Paul to fill in gaps that just keep opening every day mostly due to mismanagement and not directly due to personnel negligence.

Part IV: The Failures of Intelligence

Sources:

Does Obama regret saying the police acted stupidly? Nope.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2009/0724/does-obama-regret-saying-the-police-acted-stupidly-nope

Could this be the beginning of a national police force?

Secret Service drops the ball allow party crashers in without being cleared

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/26/white-house-party-crashers/

Police May Scrap Entrance Exam: Report

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/chicago-police-scrap-entrance-exam-80790827.html

Having lost her deputies, judge packs a gun

Courthouses across nation struggle to pay for justice — and security

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34793838/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts

The FBI’s annual report & justification for budget

http://www.justice.gov/archive/ag/annualreports/ar2003/p2sg1.htm

NJ boy, 8, on terrorism watch

http://wcbstv.com/local/8.year.old.2.1425568.html

U.S. takes charge in Haiti with troops – aid

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34867185/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake

U.S. to further raise airline security, official says

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34864969/ns/us_news-airliner_security

TSA: Security fails to spot gun at Montana airport

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100114/ap_on_re_us/us_airport_security_breach

Part V: Relinquishing our Sovereignty

This is a very important question and it has been raised recently with the announcement from the White House that INTERPOL will be granted more powers in the U.S. This story is making many Americans very angry. Sovereignty apparently has been set aside for other purposes such as Obama’s civilian national security force. During the campaign many people applauded the idea without stopping to consider that if there is a centralized enforcement entity that means it’s across the board, not designed for each jurisdiction. There is no talk of what kind of training or policies will guide this backup organization(s) once implemented. The idea came and went noticed by a select few and denied by the rest as some form of putdown of the presidential candidate. So can and will INTERPOL’s police powers extended?

Eh, maybe, maybe not. Perhaps we’re not looking at this story objectively. In fact, there is too  much emotion involved in how people are reacting to the possibility that this international law enforcement organization could become a centralized police power. Unless there is such a drastic plan in place, it just isn’t feasible but some things are always worthy of investigation. INTERPOL’s purpose is to serve as a hub for information sharing, intelligence, training of law enforcement agencies worldwide. It’s no different than cops back home; when a call takes them to another jurisdiction they call ahead and ask the guys at the other end to be on the alert. INTERPOL is pretty much like that; it helps agencies track statistical data as well, assists in the search for fugitives and their apprehension. INTERPOL in that context is not a bad thing. The fact is that amending EO-12425 is not as significant in itself because there are some other elements missing at this time.

If you look at INTERPOL from a different perspective, say, how could they actually accomplish having all of these powers that we are so afraid of then we must see how that is structured. One of the agency’s accomplishments in 2009 was the successful introduction of the INTERPOL passport. This passport is designed to function just like any other passport however it has been enhanced to afford expediency for teams or individuals who are invited to any of the member countries, all 188 of them, to pass through customs and passport control without interference. I suppose these individuals must be thoroughly vetted before being given such easy access into a country. The US sends plenty of FBI people overseas to assist in counterterrorism investigations all the time but I am sure that these teams can get expedited passage with their credentials. Still, law enforcement travel is tricky so countries track these individuals. Does such a passport mean fast entry but how about monitoring movement in country? Maybe there is something in the language of INTERPOL’s Secretary General that got me thinking:

 “When member countries ask INTERPOL for assistance to prevent, investigate, or respond to any terrorist act, serious crime or natural disaster, the safety and security of their citizens may depend on INTERPOL being in place as fast as possible,” said Secretary General Noble.

“That a person is travelling with an INTERPOL passport for official business should be all the information a country needs in order to grant them access. By agreeing to waive visas for INTERPOL passport holders, member countries will ultimately be assisting themselves,” added Mr Noble.

INTERPOL is entering the much needed aspect of police peacekeeping and peace-building operations. You’ve probably heard the term peacekeeping more in relation to police actions such as the intervention in the Balkans of the 1990s. I am saying ‘much-needed’ for a legitimate reason. The importance of an international police force that will help military elements establish and maintain the rule of law in occupied countries has been debated and suggested for many years. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 at first appeared to be beneficial and it was expected that the population would be cooperative. The intention is always to establish the rule of law as soon as combat operations are stable or stop in order to assist the local people re-enter a period of rehabilitation. War is stressful and disrupts the normal lives of people; that’s a given. Stability operations in Iraq went awry five weeks after Coalition troops invaded. Forget the search for Saddam Hussein; the changes going on in Iraqi society took place quickly and violently. Suddenly Iraqis were left with the euphoric feeling of freedom from a tyrant then moved on to the realization that without those social and political controls they could do what they wanted.

This is a good thing because there is a need for a dedicated constabulary to deploy not only in peace time but during the stability phase following the cessation of military operations. It is also the stuff the U.S. is attempting to do in Iraq and Afghanistan; to rebuild their countries from the bottom up. The International Criminal Court – which seeks jurisdiction in the U.S. as it has in other countries – would be more involved in American law and order at all but then it needs an enforcement branch in order to be effective. At any rate, something is missing in the equation. The ICC goes hand in hand with the UN (under war crimes tribunal, not for the persecution – prosecution of individual parties but of countries) and INTERPOL is wrapped nicely inside that circle. The question is how realistic is the possibility of these forces deploying to the U.S.

Theory:

Get acquainted with these terms; stability operations or nation building.  

To have a foreign police force deploy to the U.S. it must be due to an invitation by that country or international police authority for them to come. What is different here is the absence of a crisis big enough to warrant such an invitation. After all, that is what happens to other countries, such as it happened in the Balkans, Iraq or Afghanistan where political and military instability threaten the stability of neighboring states or faces total collapse. Given the number of small incidents occurring nationwide after the Delta flight attack, a power grid shutdown during winter, an outbreak of the flu in Florida, civil disobedience, etc. could be considered emergencies or crises that can be handled by a peaceful people and there is no need for an international intervention. What if the economy collapses?

For that matter, what about the KSM trials in New York and the possible trials of other terrorists on U.S. soil? The unknown elements of security threats have not been explored for these scenarios beyond the logistical issues that come with coordinating law enforcement, corrections and courthouse protection, not to exclude issues with traffic and a higher volume of human traffic into these venues. Maybe as events accumulate over time things will not look so good for us. Scattered terrorist attacks may give the perception that we are in such trouble that we must outsource our security from others as we have done before. If such a police force is vetted so have passports that allow them to enter any member country easily, does the U.S. have any input on their background?

Worst yet can someone’s background be falsified? Are we sure those cops are really who they say they are? Can terrorists infiltrate large police forces with legitimate passports?

Just wondering.

Sources:

Executive Order 12425

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-amending-executive-order-12425

Order on Interpol inside U.S. irks Conservatives

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/world/31interpol.html

The White House press release of executive order establishing the council of governors

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-signs-executive-order-establishing-council-governors

OBAMA WATCH CENTRAL
Obama gives foreign cops new police powers in U.S.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=120363

http://www.interpol.int/

http://www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/PressReleases/PR2009/flashPR2009118/PR2009118.asp