Democrats Seek Scapegoats In Terror War
By Bradley Blakeman
FOXNews.com
Despite what the president wants Democrats in Congress try to target
intelligence agents as the fight over how to wage the War on Terror continues.
President Obama has repeatedly promised not to second guess the
interrogation methods, or seek to punish interrogators, who were acting in good
faith when following orders while questioning terrorists and enemy combatants
captured and detained during the Bush administration.
Recently, Democratic lawmakers -- in direct contradiction to
what the president has said about the issue (not wanting to “look back,” etc.)
-- have begun searching for scapegoats.
There is no doubt that the Obama administration and Democrats
in Congress have fundamental differences with the prior administration about how
to treat terrorists. They see the larger “War on Terror” as a law enforcement
action as opposed to a true act of war.
Now it appears that Democrats want and need scalps to hold high
as they seek to deflect attention away from their disastrous decision to try
those responsible for 9/11 in civilian federal court as just blocks from Ground
Zero. So whose scalps do they want? Well, they know that they cannot go after
former President Bush, Vice President Cheney or any ex-presidential appointees
so they are trying to target intelligence agents who were just doing their jobs.
The men and women Democrats now seek to demonize are heroes.
They are professionals and serve our country out of a clear sense of duty and
patriotism. The work they do is sensitive and exposes them to great personal
danger. The task they perform is vital to the protection of the United States
and our allies. It is no accident that America has not experienced another
successful domestic terrorist attack since 9/11. The reason we have been kept
safe is a direct result of the actions taken by the brave personnel who serve
our government covertly and overtly.
This past week, while the nation’s attention was riveted on the
president’s now infamous “health care summit,” the Democrats of the House
Intelligence Committee were scheming to sneak the following amendment into the
House Intelligence Authorization Bill. It’s being called the “Cruel, Inhuman,
and Degrading Interrogations Prohibition Act of 2010.” The amendment is poorly
drafted and seeks to outlaw certain ill-defined interrogation methods and impose
prison sentences of up to 15 years on government personnel who practice such
methods.
Thanks to the efforts of Republican House members like Pete Hoekstra and Peter
King, who turned up the heat on the White House and the Democrats -- their
efforts were thwarted and the amendment was abandoned.
Democrats should be lining up to support the men and women who work to keep us
safe. They should not be spending their time trying to figure out ways to
demoralize and criminalize them.
The president is not a leader who commands even the respect of many members of
his own party. For Democrats to boldly embark on these rogue actions is
troubling at best and dangerous at worst. Their actions undermine the president
and our nation and they hurt the efforts of those who work night and day to
prevent further harm to our country.
Bradley A. Blakeman served as deputy assistant to President George W. Bush
from 2001-04. He is currently a professor of Politics and Public Policy at
Georgetown University. A frequent Fox Forum contributor he is president of Kent
Strategies LLC.
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