In a civilized society, should anyone or any government ever force anyone to do anything against his or her will as long as that person does not infringe upon the life, liberty, or property of another?

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Do we need the CIA?

Tim Weiner's book, Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, is a real eye-opener. He explains how the CIA's failures have profoundly jeopardized our national security and why nearly every CIA director has left the agency in worse shape than when they took the job.

One example is letting Omar Abdel Rahman into the country. This man was tried for the assassination of Egypt's president, Anwar Sadat, and had recruited Arab fighters for their war against the Soviets in Afghanistan. The author writes how the sheik was "the spiritual leader of a conspiracy to kill Americans by the thousands."

Given a visa by a member of the CIA in Khartoum, Sudan (and CIA officers had reviewed seven applications by Rahman and said yes six times), Rahman made his way to New York and masterminded the first attack on the World Trade Towers that killed six and injured more than a thousand.

More government failure to protect us despite secrecy and billions to spend.

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