Congress Not Told of Covert Action as Required by Law

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Congress Not Told of Covert Action

U.S. intelligence recently undertook a "significant" covert action without notifying Congress, as required by law, the House Intelligence Committee disclosed in a new report on the 2008 intelligence authorization bill.

"The Committee was dismayed at a recent incident wherein the Intelligence Community failed to inform the Congress of a significant covert action activity. This failure to notify Congress constitutes a violation of the National Security Act of 1947."

"Despite agency explanations that the failure was inadvertent, the Committee is deeply troubled over the fact that such an oversight could occur, whether intentionally or inadvertently."

More...

Let's face it.

Our great nation is no longer a nation built on a system of laws and accountability. The "great experiment" is dying, and too many of us are oblivious to it's final death throws.

How sad for us and our children's future...


[edit on 10-5-2007 by loam]

Do we have any idea what this covert action was? Can we assume that we're talking about the 'softening-up' forays into Iran?

Lets keep something in mind..."covert" is usually down and dirty work. I am on the side of NOT telling congress about certain operations. These people elected to those seats have NO IDEA what it takes for certain things to be done. They all make 6 figure salaries, they go to $500 plate dinners, they don't really "work" for a living, etc... If we didn't bend the rules a little and do what we needed to and allowed congress and the rest of our (...) politicians to run things nothing would get accomplished.

This is OUR government...yet these same people do NOTHING for the american people, they do it for their OWN agenda. So if they wanna cry about unconstitutional, they need to realize they work for us and we're the boss...NOT THEM!!! I think we as a nation have lost sight of that and thats why this government has been failing us for some time now.

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[edit on 10/5/07 by masqua]

The question is . . . now that the fault has been found and this is considered a . . .violation of national security . . . what is the congress going to do to with the violators.

No a darn thing.

Then you read this...

Bush Changes Continuity Plan:
Administration, Not DHS, Would Run Shadow Government

President Bush issued a formal national security directive yesterday ordering agencies to prepare contingency plans for a surprise, "decapitating" attack on the federal government, and assigned responsibility for coordinating such plans to the White House.

More...

...and you gotta wonder.



[edit on 10-5-2007 by loam]

Perhaps there are individuals in the intelligence community or the administration that are sick and tired of details regarding effective and successful intelligence operations being leaked to the NY Times by congressional members more concerned with attacking the Bush administration for their own personal/political gain, than with the best interests and security of their constituents?

Originally posted by darkbluesky
Perhaps there are individuals in the intelligence community or the administration that are sick and tired of details regarding effective and successful intelligence operations being leaked to the NY Times by congressional members more concerned with attacking the Bush administration for their own personal/political gain, than with the best interests and security of their constituents?

That justifies moving from a system you "suspect" is consistently broken to one that offers NO accountability? And that is supposed to be an improvement?

Nice problem-solving skills you have there.

EDIT: Oh, and let's avoid that other pesky little problem....... IT'S THE LAW...and it have been freely violated! :shk:


[edit on 10-5-2007 by loam]

Originally posted by shadow_soldier1975
Lets keep something in mind..."covert" is usually down and dirty work. I am on the side of NOT telling congress about certain operations. These people elected to those seats have NO IDEA what it takes for certain things to be done. They all make 6 figure salaries, they go to $500 plate dinners, they don't really "work" for a living, etc... If we didn't bend the rules a little and do what we needed to and allowed congress and the rest of our (...) politicians to run things nothing would get accomplished.

This is OUR government...yet these same people do NOTHING for the american people, they do it for their OWN agenda. So if they wanna cry about unconstitutional, they need to realize they work for us and we're the boss...NOT THEM!!! I think we as a nation have lost sight of that and thats why this government has been failing us for some time now.

It is this mentality that will lead to the decay of Democracy..

To say that because Congress is worthless (and I agree, it is) that the Executive Branch and the various services that serve it, are allowed to go behind Congress's back and do what ever they damn well please because the politicians ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE AND STATES just won't understand.

If these covert operations are against another nation, which could lead to war, which congress can only approve, then I would say its damn well important.

I agree with the OP -- it is these actions that are happening so often anymore that are truly the final throws against Democracy..

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[edit on 10/5/07 by masqua]

From OP's source:

Since then, other agencies including the Pentagon, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA have taken steps to relocate facilities or key functions outside of Washington for their own reasons, citing factors such as economics or the importance of avoiding Beltway "group-think."

Interesting indeed...

Our government is fully ready for a surprise nuclear attack on Washington...

All federal agencies have "shadow" leadership in place, and key institutions now outside of the "effected" area. And now to cap it off Bush will have full control.


Notice.


There is little to no "contingency" plan for the Legislative nor Judicial branches of government, as all decisions will be made from the Administration during a "decapitating" attack.

Conspiracy Theorist eat your heart out.

Originally posted by shadow_soldier1975
Lets keep something in mind..."covert" is usually down and dirty work. I am on the side of NOT telling congress about certain operations.

so you're on the side of circumventing united states law and the system of checks and balances.

These people elected to those seats have NO IDEA what it takes for certain things to be done. They all make 6 figure salaries, they go to $500 plate dinners, they don't really "work" for a living, etc...

and presidents have an idea? just because someone makes a 6 figure salary doesn't mean their out of touch (i may be wrong, but don't generals make 6 figures?). just because people live a certain way doesn't mean they don't understand certain things.

If we didn't bend the rules a little and do what we needed to and allowed congress and the rest of our goatf*ck politicians to run things nothing would get accomplished.

really? because mob rule gets so much more done..

This is OUR government...yet these same people do NOTHING for the american people, they do it for their OWN agenda.

and are the american people really qualified to rule this country on their own? it's a democratic constitutional REPUBLIC not a pure democracy.

So if they wanna cry about unconstitutional, they need to realize they work for us and we're the boss...NOT THEM!!!

you're wrong
they are the bosses, but they're accountable to us
so, if we throw out that little part of the constitution, why not throw out the bill of rights with it?

I think we as a nation have lost sight of that and thats why this government has been failing us for some time now.

as if the people would do a better job. 29% of us still think bush is doing a hell of a job with this country, imagine how we'd do on our own.

This law needs to be changed! You expect Congress to keep stuff like this a secret? Especially when over 1/2 of Congress would love to give information like this to our enemies to insure our defeat.

Remember, Alcee Hasting (D) Fla. was impeached when he was a judge, for taking bribes, yet he is the Vice-Chairman of the Intelligence Commitee? No wonder secrets are kept from them.

It may not be right, but I can see why it happened.

Originally posted by RRconservative
Especially when over 1/2 of Congress would love to give information like this to our enemies to insure our defeat.

What a specious, destructive, and utterly unfounded statement.

Peddle your fear mongering and intellectual dishonesty elsewhere...

I'm not buying.

Originally posted by RRconservative
It may not be right, but I can see why it happened.

I wonder if you are so consistent when other laws are broken that you happen to support.

[edit on 10-5-2007 by loam]

Originally posted by loam

Originally posted by RRconservative
Especially when over 1/2 of Congress would love to give information like this to our enemies to insure our defeat.

What a specious, destructive, and utterly unfounded statement.

Peddle your fear mongering and intellectual dishonesty elsewhere...

I'm not buying.

Originally posted by RRconservative
It may not be right, but I can see why it happened.

I wonder if you are so consistent when other laws are broken that you happen to support.

[edit on 10-5-2007 by loam]

I supported Iran-Contra also. During that time we had another hate America 1st Congress. The Contras were fighting against a Communist regeime, but Congress refused to help them out because they had a love-affair with Communist Daniel Ortega. Something had to be done, and Oliver North was the man to do it! Oliver North, now that is a great American!

When someone posts opinions on this site, I didn't realize they were for sale?

Have you ever received money for your posts? If not, does that mean no one was buying what you were saying???

Originally posted by loam

Bush Changes Continuity Plan:
Administration, Not DHS, Would Run Shadow Government

President Bush issued a formal national security directive yesterday ordering agencies to prepare contingency plans for a surprise, "decapitating" attack on the federal government, and assigned responsibility for coordinating such plans to the White House.

Sounds like BushCo doesn't want to go.

But then I never expected them to leave office. They've been setting up contingency plans and enacting laws and signing exec orders re: martial law for years that will literally scare the Bejebus out of you.

Today, the Constitution is indeed "just a piece of paper," and they're rolling it up to take to the outhouse. We're living in an aquarium right now. few people have any idea what they've been preparing for.

9/11 redux, here we come.

P.S. Oh, needless to say, you can be sure that the "decapitation" will be Congress, when it all comes down (before Jan. '08).

Only they could be so arrogant as to plan for the aftermath of a "decapitation" to be run from the WH--which is, last time I checked, the "head" of the gov't.

One thing they are is not subtle.

[edit on 10-5-2007 by gottago]

Originally posted by shadow_soldier1975
Lets keep something in mind..."covert" is usually down and dirty work. I am on the side of NOT telling congress about certain operations. These people elected to those seats have NO IDEA what it takes for certain things to be done. They all make 6 figure salaries, they go to $500 plate dinners, they don't really "work" for a living, etc... If we didn't bend the rules a little and do what we needed to and allowed congress and the rest of our (...) politicians to run things nothing would get accomplished.

This is OUR government...yet these same people do NOTHING for the american people, they do it for their OWN agenda. So if they wanna cry about unconstitutional, they need to realize they work for us and we're the boss...NOT THEM!!! I think we as a nation have lost sight of that and thats why this government has been failing us for some time now.

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Deleted censor circumnvention

Please read ABOUT ATS: Vulgarity and The Automatic ATS Censors

www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 10/5/07 by masqua]

No.....They do not work for us. They work for political lobbist and who ever signs the biggest check. But. Do you vote for them? Cause last I checked the same 2 parties have been doing same thing over and over. There is no difference once people wake up and see this then we can move forward.

[edit on 10-5-2007 by tsloan]

Originally posted by RRconservative
It may not be right, but I can see why it happened.

yet immigration laws that are obviously racist and discriminatory should be enforced to a draconian standard... nice double standard there.

It depends on who's making the call in my book.

If a General out in the field thinks a split second covert action is in the best interest of his troops, I say go for it. For example: We have intelligence citing a cache of RPG's is about to be moved to another location, but it's 2 miles past the Iranian border, I say go ahead and try to take them out.

But...

If we've got good ole GW Bush saying, " ya know, I think we oughta go head an send a team inta Iran an try'n take out those nuclear places." I say hell no. I don't trust a single decision he makes. Especially when it comes to military campaigns, much less covert ops.

And that sounds just like something he'd do according to the second article from The Washington Post mentioned above. As well, I think the whole idea of a shadow government is a load of crap too. I don't think politicians should be floated around the U.S. waiting for their chance to spring into action after a catashrophe strikes D.C. There are plenty of life-threatening jobs here in the U.S. that employees get paid very little for doing. These people make hundreds of thousands a year to work a handfull of days throughout the year. They need to sit their asses in Washington and sweat it out. All they're doing is putting the public at risk by being in differnt cities. They should make D.C. there green zone.

Originally posted by RRconservative
Something had to be done, and Oliver North was the man to do it!

Mind explaining how this point of view is any different than the terrorists we fight? I can imagine this statement coming from one of them..."Something had to be done, and Osama Bin Laden was the man to do it!"

What a disgusting world view. :shk:

I can think of no greater ignorance, and threat to our American way of life, than a position that advocates disrespect for the law, a lack of accountability, and an effort to emulate the methodologies and logic of our very enemies.

America is losing its grace because of thinking like that. The danger we face as a nation is not only from beyond, but from within. In my book, that means we have a war on two fronts.

I will not so easily forsake our American principles and call that victory in an effort to defeat those who would seek our destruction.

We are a better people than that...and the legacy of our forefathers deserves better respect.


[edit on 10-5-2007 by loam]

If its something thats legit and above board, there is no reason for any congress member to leak anything. If its Illegal, and below the belt , which so far has been the case for each and every "leak" (Its really whistleblowing) then it has every reason to be leaked for our own good. You may try to blame all this negativity on congresspeople or administrative people for Bushes problems but its no one elses fault but his own.

Wow, think about it there have always been covert actions, I mean really was congress informed beforehand about Iran Contra, or Co Intel Pro, but in all seriousness though is many of the original checks and balances we all went through high school and college politiks classes learning about our democracy seem to be pretty nullified by the last 8 years or so, I mean I understand 911 and the threat but even the cold war and tips of thousands of nukes point at us and vis versa that could trump any terror attack Bin Laden could dream up millions fold did not bring the truncation of freedoms and all of these overly invasive laws and contingency plans we have now...think of that!!! what is the bigger deal in all of this? the more I see this sort of thing the more we must think of the whole Reichstag fire theory and preparations for something very sinister about to occur.