There's an old axiom in military circles that states that the first reports that stream in from the field regarding a significant event do not always present the facts as accurately as will a more in—depth evaluation conducted later on.  This is true in life as well.  However, the facts that are coming to light involving the activities and information garnered by a super secret unit, Able Danger, organized to gather deep intelligence information on prospective terrorists should alarm every American. 

Even if it is only partially true, it suggests an arrogance and lethargy in handling critical national security data by a few people who have grandly over stepped their authority as it relates to our national security and the defense of our innocent citizens.

Frankly, I can live with the politics in this country.  In most cases, it affirms my decision to align myself with one party and totally shun the other.  I subscribe to the notion that when you see someone striving mightily to make an a** of themselves, get out of their way.  But this is different...very different.

I, like many Americans, watched several sessions of the 9—11 Commission at work.  Although their work was good for the most part, there were flare—ups of partisan politics that I felt undermined the credibility of this Commission and trivialized their important role.  I began to see that for many in government, politics and political power trump national security.  I listened as one of the stone masons who helped build the wall that prohibited or mitigated the exchange of information between intelligence and law enforcement agencies refused to excuse herself from the proceedings when the propriety of that decision was discussed.  Some of her committee members said she was a hard worker and could continue in an unbiased way despite her involvement with this policy.  In my world, that's akin to discovering the fox is in the henhouse but hoping that he has nothing mischievous in mind.  Beam me up, Real World.

We are told that the Commission was advised of the findings of Able Danger and for some reason decided not to pursue them, but instead moved to wrap up their work and begin the talk show circuit.  Is there a grain of truth in all this?   It's hard to say what really happened in the sanctum sanctorum of the inner beltway, but I am one tax paying , play—by—the—rules, served my country American who is losing confidence in our politicians to do anything that smacks of common sense and serving the common good whenever it doesn't suit their political ambitions.

We all need to think about something very clearly, because other Americans are involved here beyond those of us who only learned about it now.  What about those who comprised the unit called Able Danger?  Make no mistake that they were among the very best at their trade.  I don't want to know what they had to do to gather the intel, but for certain it involved risk, danger and discovery.  The people they were facing had no problem killing them and anyone else who stood in their way.  Their very existence would be denied, if discovered.   According to reports, they got the goods and no one would listen.  Not even those committee members who publicly proclaimed that getting to the bottom of 9—11 was their single and most crucial purpose.

Have we as a nation, lost our minds here?  Do those we send to Washington have a clue about the extent to which we trust them to keep this nation safe?   Can they even comprehend how we view this crazed rush to conform to every thread of by—the—book regulations and political correctness in the face of an avowed and well defined enemy who, months later, became an instrument in the slaughter of 3,000 Americans?  Is my judgment of them and my disdain for their performance misplaced?  Is it time for some one to be elected who will provide the tough, persistent and unified resolve we need to win this war against a fanatical enemy who claims to only want us to vacate their lands but really is moving toward our emasculation and submission as a world power?

Am I the only one who scratches his head and rolls his eyes after a brief and cursory encounter with any televised congressional hearing...you pick the subject.  Where do these folks come from?  What are they thinking and does their continued tenure in Washington only serve  to widen the gap between their world and those of us who pay their salaries, foot the bill for their spending and 'get it'?

As I said, I can live with some of the political shenanigans that go on down there.  But when brave Americans and operatives gather information that proves prophetic and nothing is done with it, it is time for an over haul... a big one!!  Our leaders have failed us...again.

If Able Danger was disabled, then we have a chance to make it right in the upcoming mid—term elections.  The question is, do enough of us care?  We'll see who gets sent back for another term in Congress.

Semper Fidelis,