| Topic: |
Science > Prophecies-Of-Nostradamus |
| User: |
"dreamwalker" |
| Date: |
06 Aug 2004 11:33:10 PM |
| Object: |
Kerry missed 38 of the 49 meetings of the Senate Intelligence Committee |
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by David Freddoso
Posted Aug 6, 2004
Republican Senators Saxby Chambliss (Ga.) and John Cornyn (Tex.) accused =
Sen. John Kerry (D.-Mass.) of shirking his responsibilities by missing =
38 of the 49 public meetings the Senate Intelligence Committee held =
between 1993 and 2000, when he served on the committee.
Because they are not public information, Cornyn called on Kerry July 29 =
to release his attendance records for the closed-door, classified =
meetings as well.=20
But Kerry's absence from so many open hearings, combined with the common =
criticism--reinforced by the 9/11 commission report--that the quality of =
congressional oversight over intelligence has been poor, points to the =
broader question of just which committee members did routinely attend =
the highly classified closed-door meetings of the committee.
Members of nearly all other Senate committees routinely skip open =
meetings, or make only token appearances so that their presence is =
recorded.=20
A Senate Intelligence Committee spokesman told HUMAN EVENTS that =
attendance records for the closed-door meetings and hearings are "not =
public information. . . It would probably take a decision by the =
committee to actually release the attendance records."=20
The spokesman added that this could happen if both Intelligence Chairman =
Pat Roberts (R.-Kan.) and Vice Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.) agree =
to release them, since this would avoid turning the issue into a =
political fight. Neither senator's office responded to inquiries from =
HUMAN EVENTS.=20
So, as it currently stands, it is unknown which members did, or did not, =
routinely attend the panel's important closed hearings in the years =
leading up to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the 2003 war in =
Iraq.=20
Although numerous commentators have criticized the CIA and the last two =
presidential administrations for intelligence failures, little has been =
made of the failure of congressional oversight.=20
For example, a 500-plus-page report released July 7 by the Senate =
Intelligence Committee shockingly notes something that members should =
have known before voting to invade Iraq. "The intelligence community did =
not have a single [human intelligence] source collecting against Iraq's =
weapons of mass destruction programs in Iraq after 1998," it states.=20
If members did attend intelligence hearings and meetings faithfully, and =
asked appropriate questions they would have known this fact. If they =
frequently skipped classified meetings, hearings and briefings, that =
raises another issue altogether.=20
The 9/11 Commission's report hints that members of the congressional =
intelligence committees could take their jobs more seriously. The report =
suggests that the committees--or, alternatively, a newly formed joint =
intelligence committee--"should be smaller--perhaps seven or nine =
members in each house--so that each member feels a greater sense of =
responsibility, and accountability, for the quality of the committee's =
work."
"Congressional oversight for intelligence--and counterterrorism--is now =
dysfunctional," says the report. It also warns that the success of its =
other recommendations depend upon improved congressional oversight. "The =
other reforms we have suggested--for a National Counterterrorism Center =
and a national intelligence director--will not work if congressional =
oversight does not change too." President Bush has already endorsed =
these other two recommendations.=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>by David Freddoso<BR>Posted Aug 6, 2004</P>Republican Senators Saxby=20
Chambliss (Ga.) and John Cornyn (Tex.) accused Sen. John Kerry =
(D.-Mass.) of=20
shirking his responsibilities by missing 38 of the 49 public meetings =
the Senate=20
Intelligence Committee held between 1993 and 2000, when he served on the =
committee.<BR><BR>Because they are not public information, Cornyn called =
on=20
Kerry July 29 to release his attendance records for the closed-door, =
classified=20
meetings as well. <BR><BR>But Kerry's absence from so many open =
hearings,=20
combined with the common criticism--reinforced by the 9/11 commission=20
report--that the quality of congressional oversight over intelligence =
has been=20
poor, points to the broader question of just which committee members did =
routinely attend the highly classified closed-door meetings of the=20
committee.<BR><BR>Members of nearly all other Senate committees =
routinely skip=20
open meetings, or make only token appearances so that their presence is=20
recorded. <BR><BR>A Senate Intelligence Committee spokesman told HUMAN =
EVENTS=20
that attendance records for the closed-door meetings and hearings are =
"not=20
public information. . . It would probably take a decision by the =
committee to=20
actually release the attendance records." <BR><BR>The spokesman added =
that this=20
could happen if both Intelligence Chairman Pat Roberts (R.-Kan.) and =
Vice=20
Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.) agree to release them, since this =
would=20
avoid turning the issue into a political fight. Neither senator's office =
responded to inquiries from HUMAN EVENTS. <BR><BR>So, as it currently =
stands, it=20
is unknown which members did, or did not, routinely attend the panel's =
important=20
closed hearings in the years leading up to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist =
attacks=20
and the 2003 war in Iraq. <BR><BR>Although numerous commentators have =
criticized=20
the CIA and the last two presidential administrations for intelligence =
failures,=20
little has been made of the failure of congressional oversight. =
<BR><BR>For=20
example, a 500-plus-page report released July 7 by the Senate =
Intelligence=20
Committee shockingly notes something that members should have known =
before=20
voting to invade Iraq. "The intelligence community did not have a single =
[human=20
intelligence] source collecting against Iraq's weapons of mass =
destruction=20
programs in Iraq after 1998," it states. <BR><BR>If members did attend=20
intelligence hearings and meetings faithfully, and asked appropriate =
questions=20
they would have known this fact. If they frequently skipped classified =
meetings,=20
hearings and briefings, that raises another issue altogether. =
<BR><BR>The 9/11=20
Commission's report hints that members of the congressional intelligence =
committees could take their jobs more seriously. The report suggests =
that the=20
committees--or, alternatively, a newly formed joint intelligence=20
committee--"should be smaller--perhaps seven or nine members in each =
house--so=20
that each member feels a greater sense of responsibility, and =
accountability,=20
for the quality of the committee's work."<BR><BR>"Congressional =
oversight for=20
intelligence--and counterterrorism--is now dysfunctional," says the =
report. It=20
also warns that the success of its other recommendations depend upon =
improved=20
congressional oversight. "The other reforms we have suggested--for a =
National=20
Counterterrorism Center and a national intelligence director--will not =
work if=20
congressional oversight does not change too." President Bush has already =
endorsed these other two recommendations. <BR=20
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