Let's Get James Clapper A Dunce Cap

We talked about James Clapper before when he was interviewd by Diane Sawyer and was unaware of current events in London. National Intelligence Director not aware of current events impacting national intelligence? He even botched a softball question that she gave him in an attempt for him to save face. His office later said something to the effect that he couldn't know everything that was going on in the world. Funny, Diane Sawyer knew about it.

This is the guy who's looking out for us and advising the President? Is he really this clueless?

Fast forward to today and the situation in Eqypt. In an appearance before a Congressional committee, he said that the term "Muslim Brotherhood" is an "umbrella term" and that they are a "heterogeneous group, largely secular" - like it's a civic or fraternal organization. He went on to say that they "escew violence" and that they have "decried Al-Qaeda as a perversion of Islam." He added that there is "no overarching agenda, particularly in terms of violence internationally."

Maybe he should bone up on his intelligence before making such statements.

 

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2011. All Rights Reserved.

16 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Sales Trainer/Coach, Sales Books Author, Photographer • February 10 2011 02:04PM

This Is Just Wrong - Horribly Wrong

President Obama campaigned with a lot of rhetoric. and most of it has turned out to be just that. One thing he promised though was to close Gitmo - probably more of of a disdain for President Bush than good policy for the country. In fact, it's horrible policy.

Today, a panel is voting on moving the prison population from Gitmo to Thomson, Illinois. If the vote is positive - which likely it will be - Congress still needs to appropriate the funds to rehab this mothballed facility and to approve of housing terrorists inside the mainland United States.

Obama has vowed Gitmo must close and signed an order to this effect upon taking office a year ago. It still may take another year to happen - to the dismay of those wanting this chapter of the Bush Presidency behind them.

Five things are wrong with this whole paradigm. First and foremost, we are at war - a war on terror perpetrated by militant Islamic jihadists - not declared but authorized by the Congress in 2001. Obama won't use those words, and his actions indicate that he is concerned about attacks but not about winning the war.

Second, these detainees in Gitmo are enemy combatants. They deserve to be there - forever, unless a military tribunal decides that they are to be executed and carries out those sentences.

Third, bringing them to New York or any other city for trial is absurd. They didn't specifically break one of our laws. They are terrorists - let the military deal with it. How can they be afforded rights which are only guaranteed by the Constitution to citizens. Otherwise, what's a citizenship worth?

Fourth, moving them to Illinois - if this is ever approved and carried out - gives them access to America - to American trial lawyers, the court system, people in the population who agree with them, and a potential escape route into mainstream America.

Fifth, the underwear attacker from Christmas day is from Yemen. Many detainees from Gitmo have already been returned to Yemen where a significant percentage of them (estimated at over one-fourth) have rejoined the cause. Finally, deportations to Yemen have been halted, but it's very much too late for this.

Gitmo exists for a reason. Even at that, the detainees receive far too many amenities and privileges. Nevertheless, keep them there. At least we know that we won't see them again on the battlefield - or in an airplane.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

10 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Sales Trainer/Coach, Sales Books Author, Photographer • January 06 2010 03:04PM

The Buck Stops Where?

Think back to Christmas Day to the infamous underwear bomber.

Today, the President convened a meeting of his top security advisors to discuss this issue and then addressed the nation afterward.

He has been saying since the incident happened that we had a "systematic failure" but went on to say that no one particularly was at fault - not that he looked very hard or far to affix responsibility. The system just failed us. Nasty old system. Wait a minute, aren't people in charge of the sytems? Do systems function in a vacuum?

He said today what we all knew - that the government had sufficient evidence to prevent the incident but didn't. People didn't share information or do their jobs - and no one at the top knew this or was monitoring it.

The systems didn't fail us. Janet Napolitano did - and if she didn't, someone higher up than her did - oh, that's the President. Janet didn't personally cause it to happen, but she's still responsible. Her name is on the door. Pack your bags, Janet.

Why does the President sidestep laying the responsibility in her lap? Why doesn't she see this herself? Why does it have to be a system failure instead of the fact that people didn't do their jobs? I could guess the reasons.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

26 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Sales Trainer/Coach, Sales Books Author, Photographer • January 05 2010 06:31PM