Wednesday August 10, 2005
Could 9/11 have been foiled?
- Posted by Rob (#1) on August 10, 2005 09:03 CEST
Two years ago, Slate critics of the Patriot Act disagreed with John Ascroft's assertion that the Act could have prevented 9/11 and has been preventing similar events:
Ashcroft contends that had the Patriot Act been in place earlier, 9/11 wouldn't have happened and that absent a Patriot Act, the country may have seen more 9/11s over the past two years—a double-double negative that's unprovable, but enough to scare you witless.
Evidently the American electorate agreed or had bigger things to worry about: George W. Bush was re-elected as President after three terror-free years and Congress renewed PATRIOT. And today, Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Penn.) gives Ashcroft's views extra credibility by making a case that 9/11 could have been foiled after all:
Weldon said a secret military unit known as "Able Danger" discovered a year before the attacks that ringleader Mohammed Atta and three other future hijackers were in the United States.
Weldon said the unit - created at SOCom under a classified directive in 1999 to take out al-Qaida targets - identified Atta and the others as likely members of the organization.
The information could not be passed on to the FBI: the men resided in the US legally and had the same legal protection as US citizens and without PATRIOT terrorism could only be defined as such if there was a proven reliance on foreign funding. And that's why PATRIOT was enacted.
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September trip booked
- Posted by Rob (#1) on August 10, 2005 10:22 CEST
I still haven't posted notes of my previous trip yet (someone finally slap me!) but the next one has been booked:
- I'm flying VLM airlines from Rotterdam to London City Airport on Saturday September 17, 8am.
- I'll be staying at the Blakemore once again. Shouldn't be long until they recognise me.
- I'm picking up my tickets for The Offspring at Isy's.
- But not until I get Isy a birthday present. Possibly tickets for The Offspring?
- I'm considering a shopping trip to Brighton on Sunday. If the weather is nearly as fine as Jess, that could be fun.
- Queuing for HIM with on Monday. Let's hope it will be fun and not awkward, but I'm confident it'll be just fine.
- More shopping on Tuesday. Possibly going to Bucks to hook up with Ashley, Sophie and the gang.
- Flying back on Tuesday at 8pm. Someone please remind me to bring my big bag instead of using hand luggage only.. the supply of crisps I brought back last time lasted less than 24hrs and I'm craving Kettle crisps so badly that I consider ordering some from BritSuperStore.
I realise my trips sound the same all the time and that they are all about birds, crisps and gigs. But it's simply true: the British variety of either suits my taste far better than local offerings.
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Problems with new drinking laws
- Posted by Rob (#1) on August 10, 2005 10:56 CEST
Plans to open pubs 24-hours in Britain (or at least allow them to stay open longer) is facing some awkward criticism:
Plans to relax drinking laws in England and Wales will lead to a sharp increase in violent crime, judges have warned.
Rapes and serious assaults will soar if pubs are allowed to open longer, said the Council of Her Majesty's Circuit Judges, which represents 600 judges.
Now, I wouldn't know if relaxed opening times would lead to more binge drinking and yobbing behaviour, but so far one problem is clear: it has resulted in the judicial branch of government getting involved with legislative matters.
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