Tom Ridge admits Bush admin pushed to raise security alert for political reasons

[think]

And people wonder why no one trusts the government:

Tom Ridge, the first head of the 9/11-inspired Department of Homeland Security, wasn't keen on writing a tell-all. But in The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege...and How We Can Be Safe Again, out September 1, Ridge says he wants to shake "public complacency" over security. And to do that, well, he needs to tell all. Especially about the infighting he saw that frustrated his attempts to build a smooth-running department. Among the headlines promoted by publisher Thomas Dunne Books: Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was "blindsided" by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washingt...after-911.html

[Acro]

Are you referring to the "homeland security advisory system" ?

[Raider]

Is this the best you can do?

LMAO.

[think]

Are you referring to the "homeland security advisory system" ?

Yup. These ones right here:

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/Co...ease_0046.shtm

Is this the best you can do?

LMAO.

Good ole George Bush yanking my chain again about threats of terrorists attacking. He is such a card! Ya that's real funny......

[Raider]

Come on now THINK,

THINK about it;

These "Tell all" books have one objective, To make money... And the only way to do that is to SELL books, How do you sell books?

Put something controversial in it, anything that will make the news, and he did just that.

[think]

Come on now THINK,

THINK about it;

These "Tell all" books have one objective, To make money... And the only way to do that is to SELL books, How do you sell books?

Put something controversial in it, anything that will make the news, and he did just that.

I believe Tom Ridge held one of the most important jobs in the world and our president and his administration pushed him to do some very sleazy and unethical things. You can deny this if you like. Your choice.

Did you take the terror alerts seriously? Many Americans trusted their government to be telling the truth and I'm sure they had every right to believe America might be attacked. This is reprehensible behavior for anyone to engage in let alone our government.

[stock_post]

To sell his book, he need something to stir and swirl

[Raider]

I believe Tom Ridge held one of the most important jobs in the world and our president and his administration pushed him to do some very sleazy and unethical things. You can deny this if you like. Your choice.

I don't know of one President in history who hasn't pushed members of their own cabinet to do things they didn't want to do, Whether it was sleazy or unethical is open to interpretation.

You need to realize these books exaggerate the facts greatly for the reasons I already described.

I'll bet I could create at least 50 threads about Bill Clinton from Dick Morris's tell-all books, but what's the point?, it's one mans version of events against another.

[think]

I don't know of one President in history who hasn't pushed members of their own cabinet to do things they didn't want to do, Whether it was sleazy or unethical is open to interpretation.

You need to realize these books exaggerate the facts greatly for the reasons I already described.

I'll bet I could create at least 50 threads about Bill Clinton from Dick Morris's tell-all books, but what's the point?, it's one mans version of events against another.

Ya I guess your right. Lying about terrorist threats to manipulate the public fits in well with Republican values. No harm in scaring the people a little to keep them in line........

[Raider]

You've been drinking way too much kool-aid.

[think]

You've been drinking way too much kool-aid.

So you believed the terror threats were real and Tom Ridge, the ex head of Homeland Security, is lying about being pressured to put out false terror alerts to sell books.

That's pretty dang interesting since the Bush administration already was caught using old intelligence and recycling it for terror alerts:

By Dan Eggen and John Mintz
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, August 4, 2004; Page A11

Bush administration officials acknowledged yesterday that the latest terrorism alert was based primarily on information that is three to four years old, but they aggressively defended the decision to warn financial sectors in Washington, New York and Newark because of the continuing threat posed by al Qaeda.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said at a news conference in New York that while much of the intelligence that led to the alert was dated, authorities were alarmed by evidence that al Qaeda computer files obtained last week had been updated as recently as January.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Aug3.html

[Gerry]

This is not the first I have heard of deliberate manipulation, not to mention all the supposed threats at the time of crisis or discontent here on the homefront. This started trickling out when the pentagon, CIA, FBI, and other agencies were working together and yet none of them had any intel to raise the level.

The periodic broad general alerts were bullshit. Just like the same department that Ridge headed up cautioned all citizens to have plastic wrap and duct tape on hand in case of a nuclear dirty bomb or mass contaminant.

I guess that was the GOP's version of a national Health Care Plan.


And, needless to say, not the first time I have heard things like "he wanted to make money" on the book. Seems the exact same person had the exact same thing to say regarding Scott McClellan's book. Yes, I have that next to my Reagan Diaries. On the other side, Alan Greenspan's book.

That is why I read what I choose to read.

Coming up next - The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power by Jeff Sharlet.

[jberryhill]

You know... I need some help here.

There's a word for a tactic, and I seem to have forgotten it.

What is that called... when you do something to scare a population in order to obtain a political objective?

Ooohh... it's right on the tip of my tongue, I just can't seem to recall it....

Oh well, I'm sure someone will remember. But speaking of the tip of my tongue, comparing the motivations of well known prostitute toe-sucker and political strap-hanger Dick Morris with former PA governor Tom Ridge is kind of interesting.

[Gerry]

Oil?

um WMD?

um Votes?

[jberryhill]

No, Doc... it is a tactic that I believe starts with the letter "T".

[Gerry]

The GOP's version of a
National Healthcare Plan

now fits the bill for the GOP's answer to
Global Warming
Energy Conservation
Solar Power
all rolled up into one cost effective program

Roll of Duct Tape: $4.98
Window Cling Wrap: $2.98
Savings passed on to the US in the form of Homeland Security,
Decreased Dependence on Foreign Oil, Alternative Power Initiative,
National Healtcare Plan: Priceless

[Raider]

So you believed the terror threats were real and Tom Ridge, the ex head of Homeland Security, is lying about being pressured to put out false terror alerts to sell books.

I know they uncovered a terror cell in Lodi, CA. Was that not a threat?

Look, I'm not going to read the book and comment on it... Like I said before, I have little to no trust in tell-all books. If you want to believe them, go ahead, it's your right.

Bush haters like you and Doc will believe anything you want to believe...

If you told me you believe the conspiracy theory that Bush planned 911, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[Poker]

Terrorism, our own gov't ...nah, the repubs have so many great ideas, they wouldn't need to resort to fear at alomost every turn in order to get their way on issues

[Raider]

I like this paragraph the best;

according to a publicity release from Ridge's publisher. He said the episode convinced him to follow through with his plans to leave the administration; he resigned on Nov. 30, 2004.

How nice of his publisher to release this, what a guy... I may just thank him by buying the book.

[jasdon11]

Protection racket, that's all it is.

Make the populace believe their government is protecting them from a threat (remember Donald Rumsfeld claiming the USSR had all sorts of fancy weaponry [WMD] and then using the same script about Iraq?) and the sheep will vote for them.

Create that threat and you control the whole show. There are enough 'Raiders' out there that are willing suckers who will fight their (the Gov) stance for them.