Brennan Terrorism Op-Ed: 'Politically Motivated Criticism And Unfounded Fear-Mongering' Help Al-Qaeda

Deputy National Security Advisor, John Brennan, took to USA Today's Op-Ed page on Tuesday, to give critics of the Obama Administration's terror policies a piece of his mind.

"Politics should never get in the way of national security," Brennan cautioned. "But too many in Washington are now misrepresenting the facts to score political points, instead of coming together to keep us safe."

Brennan's words come after weeks of loud GOP criticism over how the Obama Administration chose to handle the Christmas Day bombing attempt by Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Though many in the GOP have maintained that Abdulmutallab should have been put in military custody and been denied his Miranda rights in order to ensure that he was interrogated with maximum efficiency, recent reports have emerged, showing that he has been cooperating and providing helpful information, despite being given normal protection under American law.

"The most important breakthrough occurred after Abdulmutallab was read his rights, which the FBI made standard policy under Michael Mukasey, President Bush's attorney general," Brennan wrote in his op-ed. "The critics who want the FBI to ignore this long-established practice also ignore the lessons we have learned in waging this war."

Brennan also maintained that prisoners in military custody are no more likely to provide any sort of actionable intelligence. "There is little difference between military and civilian custody, other than an interrogator with a uniform," Brennan said. "The suspect gets access to a lawyer, and interrogation rules are nearly identical."

In his conclusion, Brennan took an increasingly critical tone:

"Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda. Terrorists are not 100-feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill. They will, however, be dismantled and destroyed, by our military, our intelligence services and our law enforcement community. And the notion that America's counterterrorism professionals and America's system of justice are unable to handle these murderous miscreants is absurd."

Brennan's op-ed accompanies mounting evidence that the GOP is seeking to drive a wedge between their national security policies and those of the Obama Administration. As the Republicans prepare for upcoming elections, GOP leadership hopes to be able to capitalize on some clear us-versus-them clashes between the two parties.

Comments

[Angrygrrl]

02:57 PM on 02/10/2010

Good for Brennan! This is what W did to Richard Clarke when he didn't like what he said...It's a Republican mind game...Fine...I know. Let's get rid of Bond, Hoekstra and the other two...
typical of R's...tailoring the actual events to fit their lame-a** talking points.

[HoneyLouise]

02:56 PM on 02/10/2010

Where and How are the Republican critics getting their information on how the Bomber has reacted? I hope the law enforcement and intelligence community are not getting involved politically. As far as I can tell, all of the criticism is conjecture at this point. I support Brennan's viewpoint thus far, as I have not seen any indication that what he says is false.

[crat4ever]

02:55 PM on 02/10/2010

For all their angry ranting and raving, the wingnuts clain to have a patent on all things patriotic. If they truly believe that America is the greatest nation on earth then they should stand up and shout with pride about the greatest legal system in the world. The legal system that is at the core what makes us Americans. This is our chance to show the terrorists that America is the greatest country in the world!

[Zia]

02:43 PM on 02/10/2010

That's exactly my feeling too. I have 2 kids. If New Yorkers are having a hissy-fit on getting the terrorists tried in New York City - please do it in my BACK YARD. I will eat these terrorists for breakfast and will teach my kids to do the same. And I am a MUSLIM. Also please put the Federal Penitentiary in my back yard too if Illinois is too scared to do the same. I AM NOT AFRAID OF THE MORONS FROM AL QUEDA nor are my Kids. WE WILL BRING AL QUEDA DOWN and will do whatever it takes. Also we will make sure they don't use US Secret courts and GOP politics as a recruiting tool.

[the964kid]

02:28 PM on 02/10/2010

Why can't Dems hit back GOP fear-mongers harder?? Call these chumps out, they make it easy, with their lack of things like facts or intellectual integrity. They will lose on the merits of anything concerning law and bringing terrorists to justice. I said 'justice' and thats not leaving people who have never been charged in some jail forever. One day an American will be on the other side of this kind of GOP 'justice.'

[DCDave]

02:20 PM on 02/10/2010

Brennan's claim is ridiculous. Democrats defended Kerry for his position when he critisized the White House on the conduct of the war on terror, now they don't want the GOP to criticize their handling of things.

[the964kid]

02:34 PM on 02/10/2010

Nobody is saying the GOP cannot criticize the White House, which by the way is what Bush & Cheney said during their disgraceful tenure (to their deranged logic attacking their war monger policies meant you didn't support the troops). What Dems are saying is simple: the attacks needs to be based in facts and not fear mongering. There were dozens of terror suspects under Bush who were tried and convicted in our Federal Court system, the most famous is the shoe bomber. All these convicted suspects are sitting in prison paying for their crimes. So please, DCDave, tell me why it is that these republicans were fine with Bush's use of the Federal Court system (including defendants being read their miranda rights) BUT now that Obama is following the exact same procedures all of the sudden there's a problem??? Please explain that to me using things like FACTS, if you even know what that is.

[bigOther]

02:43 PM on 02/10/2010

This claim is silly.

Brennan told the truth about how informed Congress was on the 'mirandizing' and for this he's supposed to be FIRED? The Republicans are not attacking him for criticizing their criticisms, they want to cover up their own misrepresentations of the 'difference' between Bush and Obama.

Revenge is sweet, though. Today's WaPo/ABC poll shows Obama's approval on terror rose 3% since November and that now the Dems are more trusted than Republicans to protect the country. And this after EVERY major Republican has beaten the drum since day one of Obama's presidency about how he's 'weak' on terror and how we have to avoid legal solutions ...

That's why they are yelling so loud and so long. Let 'em rant!

[digoweli]

02:12 PM on 02/10/2010

It becomes ever more clear that what the GOP and teabaggers really want is revenge. Revenge against anybody they deem against their dreams. It can be a real enemy or just someone who made them put off their immediate gratification. They could care less about real job creation or solving the problems they created. It's all a big game. Just like pundits who more resemble ESPN than the real news. One speculative outright lie after another. I suspect it has always been this bad but now it's all out there in our face. What was local robbery is now given nationwide expression. It should make us better but it really only shows how banal and feral the nation has become. Vendetta politics, like the mob and Mateo Falcone.

[ibsteve2u]

01:44 PM on 02/10/2010

"GOP leadership hopes to be able to capitalize on some clear us-versus-them clashes between the two parties"

Oh, so they're going to go all bipartisan on the American people, eh?

Go figure.

[KeyInfo]

01:30 PM on 02/10/2010

I thought to become a Senator one had to have a degree of intelligence. When someone is arrested and top intelligence folks on the Republican side are notified it should be understood that said person arrested is going to be read his/her rights. Don't most of these Senators have some type of legal background. I wouldn't want any of them to represent me in any type of case.

[ibsteve2u]

01:51 PM on 02/10/2010

Re: "I wouldn't want any of them to represent me in any type of case."

You don't have to allow that. Just remember to incorporate BEFORE you commit a crime.

Then you can skip the small change judges, go straight to the Supreme Court, and claim whatever you're being prosecuted for inhibits your corporation's exercise of one or more of the rights granted to an American citizen under the Constitution and Bill of Rights. (You can claim just about any activity was just your corporation exercising its right to freedom of expression.)

Done.

[lm945]

02:23 PM on 02/10/2010

President Truman was a haberdasher, and knew more about the law than these idiots.

He also wasn't a Republican, so he lived in the real world.

[Kim Lyle]

01:29 PM on 02/10/2010

You are statistically more apt to be killed by being struck by lightning than a terrorist attack. You won't hear that fact from Neocons or the MSM. Follow the money to understand why not.

[LebronJeremy]

01:20 PM on 02/10/2010

Well it's about time. The whole point of terrorism, believe it or not GOPers, is to terrorize the people. And by painting them as super criminals whose very prosecution will lead to the destruction of a nation, well, doesn't that serve their purpose?

[Jaxy]

02:08 PM on 02/10/2010

Absolutely. By portraying the United States as INCAPABLE of handling and bringing terrorists to justice, only helps reinforce the terrorists' belief in, and commitment to, killing Americans.

The GOP is the Party of the Infernal Fearmongers. Congrats, now you're fully in bed with the Enemies of America. Treasonous maggots ...

[dogface]

12:40 PM on 02/10/2010

Brennan for president! At least he'll take on the bastards.

[scottpot]

11:28 AM on 02/10/2010

Al- Qaeda hasn*t been able to kill an American on U.S. soil for Eight Years . Why are Americans so paranoid?Al -Qaeda is largely a fiction created by the corporate media and Republican fear mongering . Easy to fool Americans have been led into an endless "war on terror'' . I can remember how we were told we had to stop the Vietnamese "over there'' or we would be fighting them in California.
Why didn*t Al-Qaeda attack nuclear reactors on 9/11 if they are so hell-bent on
getting a nuclear weapon?Why didn*t they attack the Super Bowl if they hate and want to kill as many Americans as possible?

[tigerakabj]

11:37 AM on 02/10/2010

Good questions. These are the questions these GOP fear mongers don't Americans to hear the answers to. Why do we all think they want KSM in some closed-door military tribunal as opposed to a civilian court were illegal acts like "torture" is discussed?

Follow the money.

[magnoliabird]

01:11 PM on 02/10/2010

You are absolutely right. The GOP is using anything to put fear into those who are weak and believe anything the GOP says. They are fake, two-faced and not worth a damn.

[profitforless]

11:18 AM on 02/10/2010

According to The GOP facts are irrelevant .

[Jaxy]

02:14 PM on 02/10/2010

Confronting the GOP with such exotic, high-fallutin', elitist notions as "facts" and "reality" is the equivalent of pouring water on a witch. They can't bear it.

[sisyphus93]

06:22 PM on 02/11/2010

Actually, it was Al Sharpton who famously said, "I don't care 'bout no facks!"

[dfranz]

11:11 AM on 02/10/2010

Bush and the Republicans wanted al Qaeda to be around as a boogyman to be used to frighten the public when ever they wanted to take away more individual freedoms from average Americans. What else explains their complete lack of concern that bin Ladin was still out there sending taped messages?

Now they want Brennan fired because he is bringing deserved criticizm of their unAmerican ways and the unfair statements about the Presidents committment to fighting terrorists. These Republicans are beyond contempt and deserve everything said about them. The more credulous people who come out and call it like it is, the more the American people will see exactly what this Republican Party has become.

[tigerakabj]

11:34 AM on 02/10/2010

Read the article on the Bushie Thiessen. He's complaining that Obama is killing too many terrorists. On top of this, it was just announced that a top Taliban head has just been killed in Pakistan. Obama is taking these guys out around the world left and right. Lastly, it was discovered that Cheney and Tom Ridge (who's probably paying penance for telling the truth about the Bush administration's 2004 red-orange-yellow alert scare before the election) started the meme about this kid.

Despite all of this, what the GOP fears most of all is Obama getting to the bottom of this "War on Terror" BUSINESS. These people make billions in this game, and to do that you have to keep America scared. Obama is taking away that fear. Furthermore, this phony "War on Terror" has alot of accomplices up in Washington (i.e. Cheney), which is why they are desperate to keep this story going.

[AtheistMaximus]

12:40 PM on 02/10/2010

Fanned...