Napolitano stands by “vets as terrorists” warning
The Washington Times’ Audrey Hudson reports this morning that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stands by her department’s report on potential terror by the “right wing”;
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that she was briefed before the release of a controversial intelligence assessment and that she stands by the report, which lists returning veterans among terrorist risks to the U.S.
In her statement Wednesday, Ms. Napolitano defended the report, which says “rightwing extremism” may include groups opposed to abortion and immigration, as merely one among several threat assessments. But she agreed to meet with the head of the American Legion, who had expressed anger over the report, when she returns to Washington next week from a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border.
In response to some reports of who the author of the report might be, the Times narrows down the field;
Homeland Security officials have declined to say who wrote report, except that it was a career official and not a political appointee.
Only three employees are listed in the Federal Yellow Book as working for the I&A office – acting Undersecretary Roger Mackin and two executive assistants.
Rep. Steven Buyer of Indiana replicates my thoughts on the danger of the report – irrespective of the shrugs from Bloggers on the right who have never served in the military, and never suffered the slings and arrows of the American culture after the Vietnam war;
“This kind of mischaracterization can lead to discrimination against veterans in our society, especially in the job market,” Mr. Buyer said. “Vietnam veterans were subjected to this unfair treatment, and I call upon President Obama and members of Congress to refute any similar stereotyping of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.”
Press Secretary Gibbs conveniently hasn’t talked to the President about the report yet;
Asked about the report at Wednesday’s White House briefing, press secretary Robert Gibbs said he has not spoken with President Obama specifically about it.
It was irresponsible of Napolitano to allow this report to see the light of day and it’s even more irresponsible of her to continue to pretend she’s the least bit concerned about national security when she allows her staff to mischaracterize the very people who put their lives on the line for that security.
I don’t understand how they can pretend like this is no big deal – except that they know they don’t depend on veterans’ and troops’ votes to win elections.
Equally important, where is the statement from nonpartisan IAVA condemning this?
Thanks to 1STCavRVN11B for the link.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Terror War
[…] we know why the government allows photos of the coffins… By datechguy …so Janet Napolitano can be assured that those potential terrorists are […]
Just how is Napolitano qualified to head a quasi-law enforcement type organization like Homeland Security?? I think the only thing she’s ever loaded and fired has been a stapler gun.
Apparently she was involved in the Timothy McVeigh trail, so that gives her all the experience she needs…sort of like how I played Rainbow Six for 3 days straight, so now I’m qualified to lead an elite squad of badasses that can take out terrorists attacking Las Vegas…so I got that going for me.
This woman(?) has to go. She should resign, and apologize, in that order. I wonder if we can get the courts interested in political profiling?
What?!?! IAVA isn’t making a stink about this?!? But they’re, like, totally non-partisan and stuff!
You guys are being unfair to IAVA, they are very busy right now what with linking to Perez Hilton, world reknowned supporter of veterans issues if ever there was one, and setting up their gala next week wherein affluent veterans flush from OIF OEF can plop down $500 to take their special someone to an event honoring heroes. There they can rub elbows with famed veterans activists like the chick with jit in her hair from Something About Mary.
Is there a decent lawyer in the milblog community? Why don’t we sue Napolitano for slander?
Absolutely ridiculous and dangerous. This will lead directly to charachterisations of veterans by the media and hollywood elitists and gradually brain-wash the general public into the same attitudes they had toward veterans during and after the Vietnam War. We as a nation have never fully recovered from the slander heaped upon Vietnam Vets and is a dark stain on our country’s history. This, in my opinion, is another brick in the left’s wall of subversion of American values and traditions. They, the current Democratic Party regime and leftist organizations are institutionalising anti-military and anti-veteran attitudes into the everyday fabric of the “new” American culture in their efforts to totally reverse this country’s history and values in as short a time as possible. The media’s and Hollywoods willing propogandizing of this attitude will further reinforce this attitude in Americans. This is not only sad, but very, very dangerous. We are currently in a war with the current regime and their leftist supporters. I notice she also advises that people of a mind to enforce immigration laws and oppose abortions are also terrorist threats. This a a multi-front assault on not only veterans and the military, but anyone who is concerned about enforcement at the borders and anyone who might have social value or Christian attitudes toward abortion. This will also begin, or continue, the assault on Judeo-Christian values and ethics this nations laws and standards were built upon. It won’t be long before American Christian pastors are no longer allowed to preach certain and specific parts of the Bible without fear of prosecution or litigation over “hate crimes.” Mark my words. This is a war that is being waged on psychological, legal and disinformational fronts and we must be not only wary but courageous in taking on these assaults. I am a patriot who is warning others because I am now afraid, myself. Not afraid enough to back off, but afraid of what is happening. I am a veteran. I am a Christian. I am an American. I am pleased to be all three and will not back down. As a… Read more »
She was on Fox and Friends this morning, and while they are saying she issued an apology I must have missed it. Maybe I am too jaded but listen to the part of the interview where Eric Bolling, from the Fox Business News asks her about the characterization of veterans. Maybe it is just me but that didn’t exactly sound like a ringing denial of what was in the report.
I think you forgot to add sarc tags when you described IAVA as nonpartisan….
Just A Grunt,
I didn’t hear any apology either. She mainly bragged about nailing Tim McVay and going to Mexico today. What an incompetent twit!
This is an administration of amateurs, and she has no more business in her position than Obama has in his. The U.S. public conducted an American Idol election for the presidency, and is now getting exactly what it deserves,idiocy at the top.
I’m still pissed off.
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the – Web Reconnaissance for 03/12/2009 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
UpNorth,
I don’t think she should be allowed to resign; fire her in disgrace. Also, since she only oversaw and approved the report we need to know the names of the DHS staffers who did personally prepare it for her – and they need to be fired. They cannot be left to continue burrowing in the bureaucracy in secret. Is it true that Morris Dees and the SPLC had a hand in this report? If so, that would require decisive action. Back in September 2006 I posted an essay “Veterans as Ethnic Minority” at http://www.oldwardogs.us/2006/09/the_veteran_as_.html. I did not then realize how prophetic I was.