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| Terror Networks |
| 9/11-Style Attacks Foiled by Patriot Act |
| 2005-12-17 |
| Lost in yesterday's Senate debate and eventual rejection of most of the Patriot Act was one salient fact. Since its inception, the measure has foiled at least three terrorist attacks of 9/11 proportions against the U.S. - and seven other attacks in nations of close allies around the globe. Earlier this year, the White House detailed the chilling al Qaida plots foiled during the four years the Patriot Act was in full force - plots that would have likely proceeded undetected until their final execution, under the kind of rollback the Senate passed on Friday. According to a CNN report in October, the list of plots foiled thanks to the Patriot Act includes: The West Coast Hijack Plot: In mid-2002 the United States disrupted a plot to use hijacked airplanes to attack targets on the West Coast of the United States. The plotters included at least one major operational planner behind the 9/11 attacks. The East Coast Hijack Plot: In mid-2003 the United States and a partner disrupted a plot to use hijacked commercial airplanes to attack targets on the East Coast of the United States. The Jose Padilla Plot: In May 2002 the United States disrupted a plot that involved blowing up apartment buildings in the United States. One of the alleged plotters, Jose Padilla, allegedly discussed the possibility of using a "dirty bomb" inside the United States. Bush has designated him an "enemy combatant." The British Urban Bombing Plot: In mid-2004 the United States and partners disrupted a plot to bomb urban targets in Britain. The Heathrow Airport Hijack Plot: In 2003 the United States and several partners disrupted a plot to attack London's Heathrow Airport using hijacked commercial airliners. The planning for this alleged attack was undertaken by a major operational figure in the 9/11 attacks. Another British Bombing Terror Plot: In the spring of 2004 the United States used intelligence gathered under the Patriot Act to disrupt a plot to conduct large-scale bombings in Britain. Four additional attack plots detailed by the White House targeted U.S. interests in the Middle East. Now that the Patriot Act has been gutted by the Senate, however, plots like those cited above will presumably proceed to their successful completion. |
| Posted by:Captain America |
| #5 If there is another attack of 9/11 magnitude or greater, it will indeed be a 'tipping point.' However, I predict that it will be tipping us further from the Left's preferred policy. There will be significant pressure to take the gloves off up to and including nukes. The left does not understand the American psyche. |
| Posted by: JAB 2005-12-18 00:00 |
| #4 Which again shows that Democrats can never be trusted with our national defense. They're a single issue party and that's abortion. I could be wrong, it is possible that Sandy Berger smugled out the Dems. National Defense strategy out in his socks. |
| Posted by: macofromoc 2005-12-17 23:36 |
| #3 Hit Seditious San Francisco and Peoples republik of Bezerkeley will fall in line. |
| Posted by: Red Dog 2005-12-17 23:09 |
| #2 Ima rooting for target Berkely |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-12-17 22:49 |
| #1 Many of us have speculated that the next tipping point for US policy / public opinion will be another serious hit on US soil. I guess the Dhimmidonks got tired of waiting and wish to precipitate that event. That a rational observer would likely conclude that such an event would not favor the seditious cheesedicks of the Left doesn't seem to be to have occurred to them. Perhaps they're precisely as smart as Zarqi and don't realize that killing their own won't help their cause. That would, indeed, fit with their other actions of late. This will get people killed. Period. Too bad it won't be limited to the assholes, and their followers, who're responsible for it. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-12-17 22:16 |