A New Antiterror Agency Is Considered -NYT

[Rose Siding]

The Bush administration is considering a major restructuring of the Justice Department that would create a powerful new national security division in an effort to consolidate and coordinate terrorism and espionage investigations better, officials say.

The concept, still at a preliminary stage, reflects concerns among some administration officials that national security cases handled by Justice Department lawyers and investigators remain fragmented at times because of bureaucratic divisions, despite structural changes made since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Proponents say a major reorganization, after the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 and the post of director of national intelligence last year, would represent another important step in streamlining cases involving terrorism, foreign spying, economic espionage and other national security matters and could give the department more flexibility to predict and prevent terror attacks.

The concept has been compared by some to the MI-5 domestic intelligence service in Britain, with training, investigation, surveillance and prosecution in national security cases consolidated in one division. It would also be a natural extension of the Justice Department's dismantling of the so-called wall that separated law enforcement and intelligence operations and hindered the sharing of information before the Sept. 11 attacks, proponents say.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/25/politics/25terror.html?ex=1269406800&en=0bf291f1ec4c8aaa&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

[thebigidea]

1. ... as long as they get spiffy new uniforms. Here's a suggestion:

[BulletproofLandshark]

2. An appropriate uniform

given the state of America these days: devo(lution)

[Rose Siding]

3. There should be a "Small Government" insignia on those

[PATRICK]

4. Always think the worst

Maybe those four words should be spam mailed to all Democratic Reps every time a great idea with reasonable argument comes out of the Coup headquarters. More separate and secret organizations? it sounds like more proliferation and separation despite the positive argument. And the worst crimes of MI-5 in dealing with the Irish Problem you can bet will be the model not the abuse of its power.

With worse Bush cronies in charge of domestic agencies, Rumsfeld can be liberated from making the Pentagon the power it once was in the seventies to "do it all" including kangaroo courts which have not gotten off the ground. besides, with new wars and a troublesome home dissenter front, Justice must rule the local turf.

More departments, less bureaucracy just means more Oberfuhrers. The bureaucrats left will mainly be stooge implementers.

[Heidi]

6. More seperate and secret gov't agencies, anybody?

You nailed it, PATRICK.

[demon67]

5. Maybe they could call it CTU

and hire Jack Bauer to run it.

[htuttle]

7. Isn't this exactly what the DHS was supposed to do?

"to consolidate and coordinate terrorism and espionage investigations better, officials say. "

Could have sworn that was the excuse they used the LAST time they created another huge, bloated federal bureaucracy...:shrug:

I guess they'll just keep creating new federal agencies to handle this until they get it right (or we run out of money...).

[Robbien]

9. Yes, but there are still more GOP cronies who need to get rewarded

and put on the taxpayor's dime.

[Javaman]

8. Hmmm, I thought smaller gov't was one of the main platforms

of the repuke party.

Since I didn't get the memo, I have to get this straight, more gov't equals less gov't.

[bobthedrummer]

10. It will be supporting the BFEE's political police, like the Gestapo.

:mad:

[lovuian]

11. This is setting up for the Justice Dept to have its own

agency within its own agency ... protected by higher ups...

That the Federalees will be told oh don't worry about this these guys are taking care of it... well lets put out the Spys for Hire sign!!!

[teryang]

12. Another totalitarian reform from the Rheinhard Heydrich faction

...of the party formerly known as "Republican."