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Europe
Europe rejects agency like CIA
2004-03-20
via Miami Hearld
Sat, Mar. 20, 2004
European security officials agreed Friday to appoint an "antiterrorism czar," but balked at calls for a new European intelligence agency modeled after the CIA. Interior and justice ministers from European Union countries met in response to the March 11 train bombings in Madrid, which killed 202 people and raised fears Europe would become a new battleground in the war on terror. The ministers said they would ask EU heads of government to name an "antiterrorism czar" during their summit next week and declare that the Europeans will "do everything within their power to combat all forms of terrorism."
"Within our own borders, of course. Other places can attend to themselves. What happens there doesn't apply to us."
The ministers also identified steps that could be taken to enhance cooperation. Those steps include a European terrorism database, mandatory national identity cards and increased security for train stations, airports and other vulnerable targets. Those proposals will be reviewed by the EU foreign ministers who meet in Brussels on Monday and by heads of government at their two-day summit beginning Thursday. However, the ministers rejected calls by Belgium and Austria to establish a centralized European intelligence agency -- loosely modeled after the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency -- to serve as a clearinghouse for information from spy services of the member countries. Despite the carnage in Madrid, some national secret services were still reluctant to share information across an expanded European Union, which will grow from 15 members to 25 in May.
Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.
Posted by:.com

#10  Bomb, I know about Bob Baer, but I don't agree with him, at least not totally.
And he has a right to be bitter; he was left high and dry in Iraq by the Clintoon Admin.
Posted by: Jen   2004-3-20 7:29:42 PM  

#9  Scott, they're not perfect, but I haven't seen conclusive evidence that the CIA is as inept as you maintain.

Someone who can give you that answer would be Bob Baer.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-3-20 6:49:17 PM  

#8  I have suspected for years that the CIA is actually a CIA front... no, really! They cultivate this elaborate facade of being bumbling, inept fools, when there is actually at the center of it a core of supremely clever, manipulative geniuses, whom no one suspects because of the cover story! Fiendish, isn't it?
Posted by: Sgt. Mom   2004-3-20 4:38:26 PM  

#7  We don't need more bureaucracy. We need better cooperation.

Secret services will always be seen as inept. Simply because you hardly ever know when they do the right thing, only when they blunder.

What many people don't understand is that several major terrorist attacks in Europe have been foiled quietly.

But the one that goes through will have the attention.

American intelligence services have quite good relations with German services. Again... you will only hear about those relations when something didn't work out the way it should have.
Posted by: True German Ally   2004-3-20 3:43:26 PM  

#6  It wont happen cos the Brits wont sign up for it because it would kill their (close) intelligence relationship with the USA.
Posted by: phil_b   2004-3-20 3:35:05 PM  

#5  Scott, they're not perfect, but I haven't seen conclusive evidence that the CIA is as inept as you maintain.
I think that trashing the CIA is one of the Left's current favorite talking points and is part of the current bureaucratic "war" going on in the Beltway between the CIA and the State Dept. (which is infiltrated with Lefty Liberals like former Amb. Joe Wilson).
State is the one that is inept and is the one keeping the US from going at the Saudis, the Iranians, etc. full throttle.
Posted by: Jen   2004-3-20 2:16:48 PM  

#4  Maybe if Madeleine Albright regains her Czech citizenship, she can be a contestant.

IC, please! I just ate lunch, man...
Posted by: Raj   2004-3-20 12:53:57 PM  

#3  Hey, don't knock the Euros. They're going to name a "Mr. Terrorism." After that, there will be a contest for "Miss Terrorism." Maybe if Madeleine Albright regains her Czech citizenship, she can be a contestant.
Posted by: Infidel Crusader   2004-3-20 9:02:01 AM  

#2  Europe needs a unified spy agency, that is certain. But given the CIAs very public level of ineptitude, I can see why they wouldn't want to create an EU version in its' image.
Posted by: Scott   2004-3-20 9:02:00 AM  

#1  "...balked at calls for a new European intelligence agency modeled after the CIA."

Wouldn't want to do anything that might actually be effective now, would we?
Posted by: Dave D.   2004-3-20 8:32:31 AM  

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