Bush Adviser Defends Anti-Terror Strategy
Frances Townsend Says U.S. Has "Constrained" Al Qaeda; Pakistan Calls Report Unsubstantiated
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Report: Al Qaeda Resurgent
A new intelligence estimate says al Qaeda has regrouped since 9/11. Fran Townsend, White House assistant for homeland security and counter-terrorism, discusses the report with Hannah Storm.
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Al Qaeda Still Enemy No. 1
Six years after 9/11, al Qaeda is still determined to strike the U.S. A National Intelligence Estimate report says it will try harder to put operatives inside the country. Bob Orr reports.
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Eye To Eye: Michael Chertoff
Only On The Web: Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff talks with Katie Couric about the new intelligence report on al Qaeda and the threat of a terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
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White House Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend talks with Hannah Storm on The Early Show July 18, 2007. (CBS/The Early Show)
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Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, right, sits with his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in this file image taken from an undated video shown on a pan-Arab satellite channel. (CBS)
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"Make no mistake, they're determined to figure out a way," said Frances Fragos Townsend. "So we work every day to make sure that doesn't happen."
Townsend, who went on the morning news shows to discuss the threat of terrorism a day after the administration released a new National Intelligence Estimate, said, "The question is: Do they have all the capabilities they need to do it? And we don't think they have it yet."
The report concluded among other things that al Qaeda is using its growing strength in Pakistan and Iraq to plot attacks on U.S. soil, heightening the terror threat facing the United States over the next few years.
Prepared for President Bush and other top policymakers, the document lays out a range of dangers — from al Qaeda to Lebanese Hezbollah to non-Muslim radical groups — that pose a "persistent and evolving threat" to the country over the next three years.
The findings focused most heavily on Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, which was judged to remain the most serious threat to the United States. The group's affiliate in Iraq, which has not yet posed a direct threat to U.S. soil, could do just that, the report concluded. Al Qaeda in Iraq threatened to attack the United States in a Web statement last September.
In an interview Wednesday on The Early Show, Townsend told anchor Hannah Storm, "There's no question that there's a very determined enemy that wants to come back and do us harm. What this report tells us, the American people have to understand, is that al Qaeda is a determined enemy and we have to be equally determined to go after them."
But Townsend vehemently denied Storm's suggestion that the report indicates that nearly six years after the 9/11 attacks — after billions spent and thousands of American lives lost — Americans are not any safer than before the attacks.
"That's not what the report says. What the report tells us is that we have constrained al Qaeda's ability to act against us. That al Qaeda believes, based on billions of dollars that we've spent, that we are a more difficult and less vulnerable target for them."
Townsend also touted U.S. cooperation with Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and said the two countries continue to work closely together on the problem.
‘What were doing is working with our partner in Pakistan to either give them the capability or have them exert their own influence in the tribal areas,” Townsend said.
The Bush administration has promised $750 million in aid, but says fighting al Qaeda requires in Pakistan military action too, reports CBS News correspondent Richard Roth. But Pakistan insists it will never allow in foreign troops, as Musharraf made clear in a CBS News interview just three months ago.
“So let us handle our country ourselves. That is all. Nobody comes from outside. We are capable of doing it. We will handle it our way,” he said.
The White House now claims Musharraf is changing tactics — in response to a policy that hasn't worked.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the report is unsubstantiated and asked Washington to provide it with "actionable intelligence."
"We would firmly act to eliminate any al Qaeda hideout on the basis of specific intelligence or information," the Foreign Ministry's statement read.
"It does not help simply to make assertions about the presence or regeneration of al Qaeda in bordering areas of Pakistan. What is needed is concrete and actionable information and intelligence sharing," it said.
In the report, analysts argued that crumbling state control of Pakistan's border region allowed al Qaeda an increasingly comfortable hideout from which to plot attacks.
A briefing on the National Intelligence Estimate, prepared for President Bush and other top policymakers, said a peace deal in Pakistan's North Waziristan region lets al Qaeda set up terror training camps, improve international communications and bolster operations.
The Foreign Ministry said Pakistan was "determined not to allow al Qaeda or any other terrorist entity to establish a safe haven on its territory." It also reiterated that no foreign security forces would be allowed to pursue militants in Pakistan.
"We have deployed troops, established checkposts and done selective fencing. Any further action that needs to be taken against terrorist elements will be taken," the ministry said.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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See all 82 Commentsi wouldn't believe anything from anyone in the whitehouse. no one..
DEFENDING THE UNDEFENDABLE POLICIES OF A MAD MAN WHO SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH STOOGES AND YES MEN BOBBLE HEADS THAT SAY JUST WHAT HE WANTS TO HEAR!
Townsend, who went on the morning news shows to discuss the threat of terrorism a day after the administration released a new National Intelligence Estimate, said, "The question is: Do they have all the capabilities they need to do it? And we don't think they have it yet."
The report concluded among other things that al Qaeda is using its growing strength in Pakistan and Iraq to plot attacks on U.S. soil, heightening the terror threat facing the United States over the next few years
like anyone believe anything the whithouse has to say..remember ALL THE WMD THAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAID WERE THERE..I WOULD BE LOOKING AT ALL OUR BORDER WERE THEY ARE COMMING IN AT RIGHT NOW.
THEY ARE HERE AND THEY WILL MAKE A BIG SLASH SOON. THEN BUSH WILL COME OUT AND SAY I AM KING AND UNTIL WE HAVE THIS WAR OVER I WILL BE IN CHARGE..
WATCH IT WILL BE
It is Bob, just with plastic surgey.
We have done exactly what Al Qaeda wanted us to do. It cost them less than a million dollars to pull off 9/11 and we have spent nearly a trillion to counter that, mostly on invading a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. The net effect is Al Qaeda is stronger and we are weaker. Heck of a job Bush!
Rent a truck, pack it with 55 gallon drums of gasoline, drive it down 5th Avenue in NYC at high noon (or any other comparable street in any American city) and detonate it.
That would be very spectacular. I suppose "al qaida" can't think of something that complicated.
The Bush administration tells more lies than they do anything else.
The "war on terror" is not preventing terrorist attacks, and, the Bush administration is keeping no one "safe."
Yep, that takes lots of planning and coordination.
If anyone is still buying into Bush administration's bullsh*t, he should be confined due to his demonstrated lack of intelligence.
You know, our people have performed very well in preventing attacks on US soil and deserve every credit. But as Mike Cheroff said one, "we can prevent 100 attacks, but let one happen and we would have failed". He is right. We will be attacked, the only thing is that we do not know where, when and the method of attack. I very much hope somebody has done a lot of planning to handle the situation after it happens.
But our decider said he doesn't think about bin laden he's not concerned.
that pose a "persistent and evolving threat" to the country over the next three years.
How did they come up with three years why not two or four years?
Make no mistake, they're determined to figure out a way," said Frances Fragos Townsend. "So we work every day to make sure that doesn't happen."
Sure they got our borders fixed.
ha,ha,ha.
the south defends bush.
murderous, white trash, redneck, phony christian, war making slave states of america still love bush.
that's the south for you, folks!
Pelosi pajama party fails to deliver milk and cookies.
Bill's surge all over Monica's face.
Shock and awe. Shock and awe. Shock and awe.
"The United States currently is in a heightened threat environment," especially from al Qaeda.
CONCLCUSION: BUSH FAILED AMERICA - AGAIN
Muslim immigration is at an all time high, on student visas, tourist visas, etc., but Bushit does nothing.
Only 1% of the cargo entering the US is inspected, and Bushit tries to turn over control of our ports to Muslims.
It's almost like Bushit WANTS another attack--could it be? One fascist uses other fascists to advance fascist goals?
Lie, lie again, when caught lie some more - then spin the lies and repeat them often enough so that the morons who voted for you chant it like a mantra.
It worked didn't?
Bush Family doesn't care about America - they care about the Bush Family Trust.
NOBODY has said AQ is not a threat to America - problem is that in 6 years Bush has done NOTHING protect us - we are as report shows NOT safer now than we were then.
Bush keeps failing America and you idiots keep talking in the language known as BUSHIT.
Sheesh -- when you keep talking in Faux Talking Points you show yourself to be a total idiot.
In your stupidity you have failed to note that AQ and Taliban are BACK in Afghanistan and in control of many of the areas there -- and they've had another record breaking year of poppy growth.
Any idea how much terrorism that kind of money can buy?? Are you really THIS Stupid?
Okra Winprey says send your check payable to Barak The Magic Negro.
What are her credentials? I know that Richard Clark had great credentials, experience and ability and resigned in disgust after 9/11, because Rice and the rest refused to take any action against Al Qaeda BEFORE 9/11.
If this person has all the credentials of Brown at FEMA we are in deep trouble. This group has appointed their friends of friends based on their fund raising ability more than their ability to do the job.
Isn't it interesting how the Bush administration has ramped up the use of the term "al Qaeda" lately - virtually everything associated with Iraq gets labeled the doings of al Qaeda. The "al Qaeda" to whom they refer, al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, DID NOT EXIST prior to the invasion; they serve as a unique phenomena directly connected to the failed occupation of Iraq. They possess no direct link to the Osama bin Laden network that perpetrated 9-11 nor do they have any prior connection to Saddam's regime. The above quote, from the article, merely reflects the reality that the longer we stay immersed in a disastrous occupation of Iraq, the longer our real enemy has to regroup and plan another attack.
Where does the money and suicide recruits come from to perpetuate al Qaeda in Mesopotamia? Predominately Saudi Arabia...the same brand of Saudi extremism which supplied 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9-11. Between the Saudi connection and the money laundering for al Qaeda that flowed from Saudi Arabia through the United Arab Emirates (the same UAE to which Halliburton recently decided to relocate company headquarters) the media ramains complicitly silent.
Re: "President Bush's White House counterterrorism adviser said Wednesday that U.S. officials believe al Qaeda wants to launch "a mass casualty, spectacular event"
Many people think that the foudering and pittiful Bush cabal will orchestrate another major "terrorist" attack on U.S. soil, in a desperate attempt to cling to power.
They appear to be softening us up for just such an event.
Naw, I still don't buy that. As much as I hate Bush and the neocons, I doubt even these guys would do that. The look of complete bewilderment on Bush's face when told of the 9-11 attack on camera in that school proved that to me. Bush isn't that good of an actor. Plus, the dumba$$ just stayed there reading that book. If it was pre-planned, I think they would have put on a better show, showing a strong, decisive Bush by leaving immediately to take command. Instead, we saw the real Bush in a crisis - confused and lacking in any leadership.
I am with you on that Raft, shrub is smart but not that smart. He is still trying to sneak the NWO in here even though he's been told that we know what he is doing. He 'is' a good salesman though, he won't quit.
There are several good films on this topic. Here is one that is only 21 minutes long:
http://video.google.ca/videosearch?q=%22third+stage%22
Why not watch it, so that you at least have some material to ridicule me with?
I would be happy to supply you with URLs for other more comprehenisve films if you like.
I am not so hard headed that I will not consider your perspective.
If there is a reasonable explanation for the discrepancies, won't you share it with me?
There are no republicans left..... only conservatives who have no place to go.
Oh - I got it! They're using the Faux News idea. On Faux and Friends in the morning, they show several bimbos showing lots of leg. That's all the republicans care about - getting laid.
Proof Bin Laden Tape Is 5-Year-Old, Re-Released Footage
Why did IntelCenter, the middleman between "Al-Qaeda" and the media, a group that has government and Pentagon ties, re-release old footage and why did the media report it as new when it had already aired twice before?
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
A videotape that was heralded as "new" footage of Osama bin Laden by many quarters of the press has been conclusively proven to be more than 5 year old re-released footage, leading to questions about why the government and the media continue to act as willing propagandists for the terrorists while striking fear into Americans by claiming an attack is inevitable.
Euro News, the propaganda arm of the European Union broadcast in dozens of countries around Europe, described the footage as "apparently new".
"Possible New Message From Osama Bin Laden," reported ABC News, noting that "a brief clip of an older-looking Osama bin Laden is contained in a new al Qaeda videotape," when in reality the graying in Bin Laden's beard was exactly the same as when he appeared in a 2001 videotape, while also wearing the exact same jacket.
The footage was not new and any small amount of cursory research would have verified that fact, and yet the media went full board with the story, creating the illusion that it was new, while rabid Neo-Cons lauded the tape as another reason for keeping U.S. troops in Iraq while fearmongering about upcoming terror attacks at home.
The footage first appeared in May 2002, having been released by a Pakistani security official to the Al-Ansaar Islamic news agency, based in Birmingham, England. This CBS video clip clearly shows the same footage as the apparent "new" tape.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/july2007/180707oldfootage.htm
Posted by hungry1968 at 11:01 PM : Jul 18, 2007
They are using a new approach as shown in the past they only like young boys.
The rest of us don't believe in the Boogey man.
In March of 1998, Ms. Townsend was appointed Counsel for Intelligence Policy, managing matters related to national security policy and operations for the Department of Justice. In this capacity she headed the office of Intelligence Policy and Review, an office that provides legal advice and recommendations to the Attorney General and the Department of Justice regarding national security matters, reviews executive orders, directives and procedures relating to the intelligence community, and approves certain intelligence-gathering activities, especially those matters related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Before that she was a paper pusher at Justice. Another highly loyal Bushie but with very dubious credentials for the job. She sure can spew the party line of GOP BS with a vengeance. Seems like she should be on FOX NOISE.
Frances Townsend, White House counterterrorism adviser
She is nuts. Insane. Wacko. Crazy. No wonder Bush likes her. Our government gutted the Bill of Rights, wasted 3600+ plus troops lives on the wrong war, wounded 25,000 more troops, spent half a trillion dollars (so far) and the best it can come up with is that we've spent so much money that we've fooled al-Qaeda into thinking we're safer? That is complete madness!!!
Posted by Rafterman1 at 10:16 PM : Jul 18, 2007
I gotta agree 100%. I hate Bush's guts more then just about any human alive (and rightfully so...the mouthy little pri*ck!), but I think it gives him too much credit for him to be part of some grand conspiracy. The sawed off little Napoleon want to be just isn't up to it.
www.zeitgeistmovie.com
Posted by david1737 at 01:32 AM : Jul 19, 2007
Yeah but that's standard operating procedure for republicans. Reagan did the same thing by providing weapons (including chemical and biological ones) to Iraq at the same time he was selling arms to Iran. That's not a conspiracy. It's just their sick and demented way of conducting business. It's all about the money for them and scr*ew the troops and the tax payers. They don't care now any more or less then they ever did about America or it's people, just what they can scr*ew out of us. They aren't loyal to this country, it's people or it's principles. All they worship is money and power and they'll gladly sell us, our soldiers and our nation to turn a profit. They have no patriotism, no heart and no soul. They're not Americans. They are international business people, oil thieves and arms dealers first, foremost and last. Bush, Cheney and their ilk don't give enough of a sh*it about America to launch a conspiracy against us when they can just steal from us like they ar already. They care only about themselves and their immediate circle of mega rich friends and laugh at us behind our backs, since they're already back there anyway.
%u201CAll they worship is money and power and they'll gladly sell us, our soldiers and our nation to turn a profit.%u201D
%u201CThey are international business people, oil thieves and arms dealers first, foremost and last. Bush, Cheney and their ilk don't give enough of a sh*it about America to launch a conspiracy against us when they can just steal from us like they (are) already.%u201D
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%u201CConspiracy (crime), agreement between two or more natural persons to break the law at some time in the future%u201D
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www.zeitgeistmovie.com
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