U.S. flying blind as intel chief says terror attack likely within six months

By Joseph L. Giacalone / joe@theklaxon.com / 02.02.2010

Updated on: 02.02.10 at 11:45 pm

Wolverton, Cagle Cartoons/caglecartoons.com

CIA chief Leon Panetta said Tuesday that a terrorist attack in the United States by al-Qaeda is likely within the next few months. It is quite obvious that something is in the works. Let’s connect the dots.

We had the Christmas Day bomber, the arrests of a suspected cell in New York City, the terror alert was raised in the U.K., alerts in India, a call to arms by Osama bin Laden, suicide attacks in Pakistan and Baghdad and new African groups pledging allegiance to al-Qaeda all within the last six weeks.

From an outsider’s perspective, it looks as if all of these events are part of something bigger than itself. It has the makings of a modern-day version of the Tet Offensive by terrorists. There are multiple attacks occurring simultaneously on different fronts—the hallmark strategy of al-Qaeda. It may not have been a coincidence that bin Laden reared his ugly head to rally the troops.

If there’s anything al-Qaeda has taught the world, it’s that they are great planners, are persistent and are extremely patient. And, to make matters worse, reports indicate that the president’s “A-Team” of top-notch interrogators still are looking for office space in Virginia when they should have been in Detroit.

President Barack Obama abolished former President George W. Bush’s interrogation practices, so the U.S. once again is flying blind. Gathering intelligence is the most crucial part, but what’s done with it, how it is disseminated and what is actually actionable, is the key to identifying those involved in plotting attacks.

At this moment, every lead has to be hunted down and vetted—an onerous detail for law enforcement. The feds cannot do it alone and must enlist the local police to gather information, interview people and work the cases.

It’s going to be a long six months.