Homeland Eyes, Right and Left (NY Times)

[kliljedahl]

Finally what we've been saying at DU for a long time is put in print.


Besides worrying about Al Qaeda, the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for sorting through terrorist threats posed by the motley array of aggrieved and violent homegrown groups stewing out in the United States. The Oklahoma City tragedy, the Unabomber and the bombing at the Atlanta Olympics all were ample demonstration that threats can come from within as well as from abroad. That makes it all the more disturbing to hear reports that the department seems to be wearing political blinkers in this vital task.


A draft planning document from Homeland Security obtained by Congressional Quarterly includes a survey of domestic threats notable for an overfocus on extremist groups on the political left - miscreants committing crimes in the name of the environment or animal rights. It specifies the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front as potentially violent activists, along with the familiar array of Islamist militant groups. Glaringly omitted are the militia fanatics, white supremacists and other violent groups at the other end of the spectrum - antigovernment groups like Aryan Nation and anti-abortion extremists with a proven appetite for murderous violence.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/27/opinion/27fri2.html


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Warren Stupidity]

1. why would the right wing taliban fascists

include the groups they are going to use as their proxies for dirty work in their lists?

[Gyre]

2. Another worthless govt agency

but more problematic than most since it puts lots of "cops" on the payroll with nothing to do. So they find "things" to do.

[Wright Patman]

3. This is why people of both parties

should have opposed this.

Whichever party is in power (which may be the Repukes from now until revolution ensues considering BBV) will always abuse its police state authority to crack down on its perceived political enemies.

What we see beginning to occur now is just the mirror image of what was happening after the Branch Davidian debacle.

It appears that we are doomed to live in a country in which those in power never have enough (this goes for both parties) and will continue to aggregate it unto themselves and their favored corporations literally until there is blood in the streets.