WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2007
Bush Signs Anti-Terror Bill
Legislation Carries Out Major Recommendations Of Sept. 11 Commission
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President Bush (CBS)
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Interactive America On Guard The Homeland Security Department, the terror alert system, preparedness quiz and more.
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"This legislation builds upon the considerable progress we have made in strengthening our defenses and protecting Americans since the attacks of Sept. 11," Bush said in a statement.
The bill requires screening of all cargo on passenger planes within three years and sets a five-year goal of scanning all container ships for nuclear devices before they leave foreign ports.
It also elevates the importance of risk factors in determining which states and cities get federal security funds. That would mean more money for such cities as New York and Washington. It also puts money into a new program to ensure that security officials at every level can communicate with each other.
While lauding Congress for passing the bill, Bush said he will continue to work with lawmakers to ensure the cargo screening provisions are workable and don't impede commerce. And he said Congress should strive to better target grant dollars to cities and states based on their vulnerability to a terrorist attack.
"This legislation makes some progress, but it also authorizes billions of dollars for grants and other programs that are unnecessary or should not be funded at such excessive levels," Bush said in a statement. "I will not request this excessive funding in my 2009 budget request."
Bush signed the bill into law before heading to the FBI to have lunch with counterterrorism advisers and then talk with members of his homeland security team. "We've done a lot of work since September the 11th to make this country safe, and it is safer but it's not completely safe," he said at the FBI.
Bush meets this weekend at Camp David with Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, where South Korean hostages are being held by the Taliban and where the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is considered a haven for the al Qaeda terrorist network.
Among its provisions, the bill requires the president to confirm that Pakistan is making progress combating al Qaeda and Taliban elements within its boarders before the United States provides aid to the country.
The measure carries out unfulfilled recommendations that the Sept. 11 Commission made three years ago in the wake of the terror attacks on the U.S. homeland in 2001. It was passed in the House on a 371-40 vote and 85-8 in the Senate. Republicans generally backed the bill while stressing their own administration's success in preventing another major terrorist attack.
"There is still other work to be done. I continue to believe that Congress should act on the outstanding Sept. 11 Commission recommendations to reform the legislative branch's oversight of intelligence and counterterrorism activities, which the commission described as dysfunctional," Bush said. "While this legislation does not heed the commission's advice, I hope Congress revisits the issue soon."
The independent Sept. 11 Commission in 2004 issued 41 recommendations covering domestic security, intelligence gathering and foreign policy. Congress and the White House followed through on some, including creating a director of national intelligence, tightening land border screening and cracking down on terrorist financing. Democrats, after taking over control of Congress, promised to make completing the list a top priority.
Former Rep. Lee Hamilton, vice chairman of the Commission, said with enactment of the bill some 80 percent of the panel's recommendations will have been met. According to Hamilton, one shortcoming of the bill is that it fails to carry out the commission's recommendation that Congress streamline its own overlapping setup for monitoring intelligence and homeland security matters.
The legislation also:
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The secrets of tennis legend 
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See all 72 CommentsThen stop trying and don't read my posts if they bother you fu.ckface, not you or anyone is about to stop me. Either debate me or ****-I'm not interested in your pettiness.
[You say you read-up on Islam, then you HAVE to realize that an Ideology cannot be defeated. A man can...but an idea? Posted by drummer94 ]
You're an idiot, we defeated Nazism and don't talk about the handful of nazis that keep the flame burning we know they're irrelevant.
If you want me to spell it out for you-war is the only way to end evil in the world. If you kill all the Nazis and ban their ideology, how can it survive (apart from what we allow)?
You realize the arguments you're making, muslims have made them before-odd coincidence isn't it?
Posted by drummer94]
Who's we, you and your multiple personalities? My posts must offend you if you mean offense to me-now that's just encouragement I'm sure you know, oh and leave the whining to the women.
[And we are WAYYYY too strong to be defeated in anything. Posted by drummer94]
Well let's not congratulate ourselves prematurely-we have to win the war first. Complacency and arrogance has brought empires down before (some by muslims).
In the meantime, for anyone who wants to learn more about Islam-there are great documentaries, videos, websites and articles you can access from this page:
http://infolinx.blogspot.com/
The reason the US should stay is mostly to save face-it'll be seen as a victory for Islam if we cut 'n run.
Posted by BIN_islam at 04:31 PM : Aug 04, 2007
If you're waiting until we "democratize" Iraq, you better be prepared to die of old age and still not see it. Those people hate us - our way of life, our liberal society, our treatment of women, etc, etc. What makes you think they want a Democracy? They don't want a politician running the country - they want a religious leader. And the politicians they do have, learned their trade from the absolute worst example of what politicians should be - our politicians.
As for our staying to "save face" - I don't see how sacrificing more American lives, will "save face". That's a twisted and scary logic / rationale you're using. At what point do we consider our face being saved, at 5,000 dead Americans? 10,000?
I'll check out iris.org when I have time.
I was mentioning the non-me muslim countries to refute your contention that ALL muslims are jihadists; you've made that argument repeatedly and it's a huge pile of steaming ***.
Have a nice day, I'm out.
Muslim Rape Epidemice in Europe article:
http://www.iris.org.il/blog/index.php?url=archives/757-Pan-European-Arab-Muslim-Gang-Rape-Epidemic.html&serendipity%5Bcsuccess%5D=moderate#feedback
[you don't realize that there are more Muslims in southeast asia, India, and Africa than in the Arab middle east.]
You're refuting an argument I never made-strawman fallacy. So what if there's more muslims in non-mideast countries?
[Why don't you try listing the Muslim countries that have Sharia law]
So an islamic country has to have 'sharia law' to be considered a muslim state? This form of jurisprudence is but one element in Islamic theocracy. What point are you trying to make exactly, that muslims didn't slaughter the non-muslims they stole land from, since this or that islamic state doesnt have sharia and is hence moderate? lol
[I don't cast myself as an oppressed victim because I'm a middle class caucasian Christian American. Posted by realpatriot1]
Why do muslims like you constantly need to blatantly state that you're white, christian americans, while you attack anyone that criticizes Islam, muslims or their countries? (rhetorical question, no response necessary)
Blame Saddam for sticking up his middle-finger to the int'l community (IC) for that. He brought it on himself and his people. (We gave him WMDs btw, that's why we know he had them.)
If you don't believe me, just look at Iran playing the same stupid game and this time its blatantly obvious they're building nuclear weapons again in defiance of the IC and as a signatory of the NPT, because they're arrogant and think the West is weak.
What do you think is going to happen to Iran now for their belligerence, open threats to destroy the US and Israel? So stop blaming us when the US has bent over backwards to accomodate muslims and they spit in our face and continue their threats to destroy us.
As for the genocide in Iraq-if the US pulls out, then ya you'll have one, which is why I'd prefer we stay and democratize this country. But frankly we're at war with muslims so the less of them in the world, the better. If they wipe each other out, it saves us the trouble. The reason the US should stay is mostly to save face-it'll be seen as a victory for Islam if we cut 'n run.
We have no problems with India-they're the world's biggest democracy, a strong ally and a peaceful people. Our problem, actually the world's problem is with muslims, who have a desire to destroy all democracies and replace them with Islam/sharia law.
[why would your government just give 25000.00 to every mosk in this country???your tax dollars for free to up grade their security. you are a lost sole, i feel sorry for you..he is no comander ans cheif any sane normal american would follow into war.. Posted by forthepeopl1]
Because our govt is operating under the asinine assumption that Islam is peaceful, but some crazies in the religion are causing terrorism. Too bad they didn't read the Quran, they'd realize very quickly Islam is a death cult of war and we're helping our enemy within our borders, destroy us.
There's no such thing as a soul-you bought into primitive fairytales which have convinced you and your theist friends that killing innocents will get you into paradise. Its all a big hoax.
I would describe what's happening in most of Pakastan today is a demand for democracy and what's happening in the Pushtin regions is an attempt by Al Quaeda and the Taliban to engage in war against the west.
You're such a jackass you don't realize that there are more Muslims in southeast asia, India, and Africa than in the Arab middle east. You wouldn't know a typical Muslim from a terrorist if they walked up and bit yoou in the ***.
Why don't you try listing the Muslim countries that have Sharia law: go ahead, it won't take long(unless you lie like you usually do). While you're at it why don't you document your evidence to support this european rape epidemic.
I don't cast myself as an oppressed victim because I'm a middle class caucasian Christian American.
There are over 8 Million innocent people facing starvation in Iraq now -- Another 4 Million displaced in neighboring countries facing the same delima.
This is about to cause the largest Genocide in history,, reguardless of if we leave or not.
so tell me why?????? oh great one
thats the truth......
They'll cry 'oppression', demand more concessions, like money, property, legal rights and then continue their onslaught until we capitulate and let them take over the state. Don't forget that they multiply like cockroaches so within 1 or 2 generations, they will form a majority and then the real war begins to Islamify your state. That's what happened in Lebanon and Sudan.
Make no mistake, we're in the fight of our lives against these savages and if they take over your country, you're really better off dead than being a muslim in their backwards, brutal state where rape, torture, executions happen on an industrial scale. Wake up now America/Europe, deport muslims and ban Islam while we're still the majority here.
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