Jim Kouri
Lawmakers release plan to strengthen U.S. security
FacebookTwitter
By Jim Kouri
January 12, 2010

As President Barack Obama struggles with the national security and political failures of his administration — especially the failures of a security team that includes Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, and Obama's homeland security advisor John Brennan — members of the U.S. Congress are voicing their skepticism of the president's future plans.

The top Republicans on the House Intelligence, Armed Services and Homeland Security committees outlined four steps that the Obama administration should take immediately to help improve American security in the wake of a terrorist attack on a Detroit-bound aircraft, the multiple killings at a US military installation in Texas, and the continued push to adjudicate terrorism cases in civilian courts.‪

"I am concerned that we did not act quickly enough after the Fort Hood incident to fix problems in our national security systems," said Representative Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee. "We need to take immediate and aggressive steps to help prevent another attack. Foreigners should not be given the presumption of the right to freely enter the United States. We also need to stop giving protections to Americans who treasonously associate with al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups that attack our nation and its citizens."‪

"As our nation witnessed on Christmas Day, we continue to face a dedicated enemy committed to killing our citizens and destroying our country. This threat does not exist in any one nation or have a single face — it is global, multi-faceted and constantly evolving. It seeks out ungoverned spots around the globe from which to operate; places like those found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen," said Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA), the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.

According to U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, "As Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was forced to acknowledge several days after the Christmas Day attack, our system did not work in this instance. We got lucky. We need to take a hard look to understand exactly what went wrong and how to actively prevent future attacks. The safety and security of Americans should not depend on 'luck.'"

Among the steps outlined by Hoekstra, King and McKeon, they believe the administration should:‪‪

1. Revise current rules and criteria that excessively limit who can be placed on the no-fly list and selector lists and make certain that the government acts aggressively to ensure that all travelers that are the subject of intelligence reports receive full scrutiny. Overly restrictive and legalistic rules and bureaucracy appear to have kept the Christmas bomber off the no-fly and selectee lists. We cannot risk allowing this to happen again. Tentative steps by the administration to add more suspects to the list help, but have not fundamentally changed the problematic rules;

2. Remove legal and bureaucratic barriers that have raised significant obstacles for the US military and intelligence community in aggressively pursuing Americans abroad such as Anwar al-Awlaki and Adam Gadahn who have treasonously joined or assisted terrorist groups;

3. Charge all jihadist attackers as enemy combatants to be taken into military custody, interrogated for vital intelligence and tried in military courts under the laws of armed conflict; and

4. Immediately stop all transfers of terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Former Guantanamo detainees are leading the threat to America from al-Qaeda in Yemen; it is foolhardy to send them reinforcements.

"Jihadists have shown time and again that they are willing to exploit our laws to carry out their attacks," Hoekstra said. "These steps must be pursued immediately to help reduce the ongoing terrorist risk that we face in our homeland. It's time to stop lawyering-up the fight against terrorism and start pursuing necessary steps to help secure America."

"The Administration should cease all detainee transfers from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Yemen and conduct a comprehensive review of its policies and procedures for releasing or transferring a terrorist detainee from Guantanamo to another country. The remaining detainee population in Guantanamo consists of the most hardened, irreconcilable combatants. Recidivism rates of terrorists previously detained at Guantanamo is on the rise; and placing our trust and security in the hands of countries such as Yemen that are already under siege by al-Qaeda only invites more risk to our safety," stated McKeon.

"There is an emerging pattern here by the Obama Administration of not recognizing we are in a war against Islamic terrorism. I urge the president to take strong and immediate action to ensure that our planes are safe from terrorists," King said.

"In addition, Abdulmutallab should be tried in a military court and should not be given the constitutional rights afforded to all Americans. The Administration's law enforcement approach to fighting terrorism is dangerous, and I hope that the Christmas Day attack is a wake-up call," King added.

© Jim Kouri

 

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)


Jim Kouri

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police... (more)

Subscribe

Receive future articles by Jim Kouri: Click here

More by this author

September 10, 2017
Trump Justice: 'Dreamer' wanted for murder nabbed by feds in NJ and extradited


July 26, 2017
NJ 12-year-old's suicide a plea for cyber-bullying law: GOP candidate Heather Darling


June 12, 2017
Obama hampered law enforcement investigation of Iranian terrorism funding


June 2, 2017
Prez of Young Democrats and Mayor de Blasio staffer busted for kiddie porn; one victim 6-mos. old


May 29, 2017
The conservative approach to taxation and a healthy business climate


May 24, 2017
U.S. intelligence reports warn of cyber "Cold War"


March 3, 2017
Media attack Trump's terrorism expert Dr. Sebastian Gorka


December 23, 2016
Trump's border wall: The bill was passed and signed into law


December 22, 2016
Dem lawmakers demand commission to probe Trump-Russia conspiracy


December 14, 2016
Outraged Vets: VA hospital death touted as proof of Obama and Democrats indifference


More articles

 

Stephen Stone
HAPPY EASTER: A message to all who love our country and want to help save it

Stephen Stone
The most egregious lies Evan McMullin and the media have told about Sen. Mike Lee

Siena Hoefling
Protect the Children: Update with VIDEO

Stephen Stone
FLASHBACK to 2020: Dems' fake claim that Trump and Utah congressional hopeful Burgess Owens want 'renewed nuclear testing' blows up when examined

Pete Riehm
It’s not identities; it’s ideas!

Rev. Mark H. Creech
From ministry to need: Seeking help in my darkest hour

Jerry Newcombe
Bible sales increasing

Tom DeWeese
Change the debate and take back liberty locally

Steve A. Stone
Truth will out...maybe...someday

Curtis Dahlgren
On the need for noble mothers (and fathers)

Tom DeWeese
If you are illegal, come. We’ll give you $thousands and let you kill and rape. If you are legal, go to hell

Stanley Zir
The sky is not falling, Chicken Little, under Donald Trump

Jerry Newcombe
How Thanksgiving became a national holiday

Frank Louis
Thanksgiving Thoughts: If you think prayer doesn’t work, think again

Kari Lee Fournier
Almighty God vs. Satan: Thanksgiving during demolition of the Deep State!

Victor Sharpe
Glory or weakness: Israel’s eternal choice
  More columns

Cartoons


Click for full cartoon
More cartoons

Columnists

Matt C. Abbott
Chris Adamo
Russ J. Alan
Bonnie Alba
Chuck Baldwin
Kevin J. Banet
J. Matt Barber
Fr. Tom Bartolomeo
. . .
[See more]

Sister sites