GAO Slams Bush on Terrorism - Says Al Qaeda Attack Likely and We Have No Plan

Here is the title of a report from the Government Accountability Office on combating terrorism released today:

The United States Lacks a Comprehensive Plan to Destroy the Terrorist Threat and Close the Safe Haven in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

That is not some line buried in the report. That is the title. Wow.

This GAO report may be the most damning condemnation of the Bush administration's counter-terrorism efforts. The report goes on to say that the Bush administration has failed to develop any plan to address the Al Qaeda threat. Worse, the report finds that Al Qaeda is now able to attack the United States and represents the "most serious" threat to this country.

The report's opinion of the Bush administration efforts speaks for itself:

The United States has not met its national security goals to destroy the terrorist threat and close the safe haven in Pakistan...

Not only have we not met our goals but we have no plan to meet our goals:

No comprehensive plan for meeting U.S. national security goals in the FATA has been developed, as stipulated by the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism (2003), called for by an independent commission (2004), and mandated by congressional legislation (2007). Furthermore, Congress created the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) in 2004 specifically to develop comprehensive plans to combat terrorism. However, neither the National Security Council (NSC), NCTC, nor other executive branch departments have developed a comprehensive plan that includes all elements of national power--diplomatic, military, intelligence, development assistance, economic, and law enforcement support--called for by the various national security strategies and Congress.

Al Qaeda can now attack the United States:

"we found broad agreement, as documented in the unclassified 2007 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), State and embassy documents, as well as among Defense, State, and other officials, including those operating in Pakistan, that al Qaeda had regenerated its ability to attack the United States and had succeeded in establishing a safe haven in Pakistan"

Al Qaeda in Pakistan is the most serious threat:

al Qaeda's central leadership, based in the border area of Pakistan, is and will remain the most serious terrorist threat to the United States... al Qaeda is now using the Pakistani safe haven to put the last element necessary to launch another attack against America into place...

Al Qaeda is using the Pakistan tribal areas to put the finishing touches on its plans to attack the United States. A DNI assessment from earlier in 2008 reports troubling findings:

al Qaeda is now using the Pakistani safe haven to put the last element necessary to launch another attack against America into place, including the identification, training, and positioning of Western operatives for an attack. It stated that al Qaeda is most likely using the FATA to plot terrorist attacks against political, economic, and infrastructure targets in America "designed to produce mass casualties, visually dramatic destruction, significant economic aftershocks, and/or fear among the population."

It is really not a good thing to have incompetent people running this country. 

Comments

[Bluedog12]

Please contact the Government Accountability Office ASAP. It can be found in the Federal Oxymoron building.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Feh. Condi says it's just a historical briefing.

[magen]

That's funny.

"The United States Lacks a Comprehensive Plan to Destroy the Terrorist Threat and Close the Safe Haven in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas."

We don't need a GAO report to tell us this.

I think everybody kinda, like, already knows.

As if the Bush administration is interested in fighting terrorism.

[noneIn2008]

No need for comprehensive plans, we can solve this whole threat if we would talk to the terrorist and try to understand them. Charlie Manson is just a misunderstood person, his problems caused by Bush, and whose problems would be solved if we just sit down and talk.

[JRandomPoster]

Why should we have a plan to deal with the terrorists?

If BushCo were to actually neutralize the actual, bona fide terrorist threats, then they could not keep pushing fear. And if people weren't afraid, then maybe they'd think. And then what would happen to all the no-bid contracts, and the monies that come from the Iraq adventure? Can't have that.

[jcorrington]

David Walker has served as the Head of the GAO with honor and integrity for a long number of years now. He will be sadly missed as he heads to another job.




del8300
ie7

[zendem1]

If I wear an American flag lapel pin, will that protect me from the terrorists?

[rrafiringa]

And they slammed Obama for saying that he wouldn't mind conducting a strike operation in Pakistan if necessary.

[harriscrl3]

Now he wants to align America with terrorist goverment in Sudan. Thats America's war on terrorism for ya. If you do as we say we wont think of you as a terrorist state even though you can continue your support of terroist actions

Carol

[foxilocks2007]

Did anyone read the article on Obama's roots? http://www.newsweek.com/id/131750

Maybe he can help us understand how to get the country and the world back on course.

[knowhelpnow]

I'm so happy that the GOA just got around to informing us that our country has done nothing to avert another disaster. How nice of them to put it in writing not that GWB will be gone in less then a year. Well unless he has another policy that puts the elections off or McBush another inside man get into office it seems they seem to be very close to wanting the same things.

[elderly]

Hey America.

Next time you are asked which party will protect you best against terrorism, please, please do not respond "republicans" as (we are told) 60% or more do in every poll.

This report was written by the GAO not the Democratic Party.

For the sake of our country please wake up and smell the roses (or the garbage that we have put into the white house in the past 2 elections).

[lisakaz]

Bu$h's plan: scare Americans into voting Republican. Rinse, repeat.

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

Another terrorist attack inside the US might play right into the Republican's chronic use of fear and panic, to influence the 08 election outcome.

[ChangeNow]

How much do you want to bet there will be an attack just before the election?

[PeaceThroughObedience]

How much do you want to bet that it will also be an inside job. Look for intact fragile evidence to be found iplicating Iran and American Progressives to be found unscathed on top of the smoking rubble. The real masterminds of the 911 attacks understand that Americans possess a psychological inertia that renders them unable to suspect their own government of evil, and they will use this to their advantage once again. Somehow I just can't see there being any more Presidential Elections in America. A small well-placed Nuke and a little fake evidence is all that it will take to wrest control of America from the People, and to give it to the Neocons.

[naty72]

Ok,ok, i'll bet ten cents that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid planned the 9/11 attacks!!
And what have they accomplished to protect us from terrorism since heading the Senate and House.....or anything else for that matter....