FBI's Rowley pulls no punches in critique of Ashcroft

[huckleberry]

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Coleen Rowley, the Minneapolis FBI agent who accused bureau headquarters of bungling chances to foil the Sept. 11 attacks, is criticizing the Bush administration for "whittling away our civil liberties."

In an opinion piece published in today's Star Tribune, Rowley takes issue with U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's assertion in a Twin Cities speech last month that America "is freer today than at any time in the history of human freedom."

"Well, this American disagrees!" Rowley wrote.

She contends that the administration's "us versus them" mentality in fighting terrorism is intimidating Americans and fueling anti-Arab feelings.

snip

But Rowley wrote: "The intimidation in this country that's been whipped up by this official fear and warmongering has been far more effective than any Patriot Act in whittling away our civil liberties."


more at
http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4149222.html

(Note: Registration is required to read Ms. Rowley's editorial, but not required to read this article.)

[LittleApple81]

1. Is she going to get in trouble? She has already demonstrated so much

courage and integrity.

[bemildred]

2. I would guess that she is untouchable,

although if I were her I would be careful about
booking flights ...

[roguevalley]

3. Good woman, this.

*

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Coleen Rowley: The wrong side of 'us vs. them'

It didn't matter whether you were a career FBI agent, a decorated war veteran, a duly elected congressman or senator, a military general or even a former president, you were labeled a traitor for voicing any criticism of administration policies. You were accused of giving aid and comfort to the enemy, called a friend of Osama bin Laden and thrown to the wolves (or more accurately, the FOXes).

The intimidation in this country that's been whipped up by this official fear and warmongering has been far more effective than any Patriot Act in whittling away our civil liberties.

Interestingly enough, Ashcroft himself is not above using this technique to lump those who disagree with him in with the terrorists to thereby discourage debate. Recall his statement, three months after Sept. 11: "To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists -- for they erode our national unity and diminish our resolve. They give ammunition to America's enemies."
http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/4147904.html

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. Did you read this paragraph in the article?....

"In a brief phone conversation, Rowley said she received pre-publication clearance from FBI headquarters before submitting the op-ed piece to the Star Tribune's editorial page staff."

That is REALLY BIG, and indicates a real split between Ashcroft's office and the leadership of the FBI.

This is following a pattern of what has to be considered part of a revolt against the Bushies by strong factions within the CIA (Wilson Affair), the military (soldiers giving negative interviews, and letters home being published by the media), the DOJ (with recent rulings by judges about civil liberties in trials against so-called terrorists), the State Department (supporting the CIA in the Wilson Affair), and the media (reporting nearly everything negative about the Bushies that has been bottled up for the last three years).

This is getting real interesting, folks! Fasten your seatbelts!

[ReadTomPaine]

6. Thanks for pointing that out, it's an excellent point. <eom>

[benfranklin1776]

7. An outstanding profile in courage.

I applaud her heartily and thank her profoundly for her efforts.