NBC: U.S. Rushed Brits to Bust Terror Plot, Says Source

posted on TPM Muckraker

NBC News has learned that U.S. and British authorities had a significant disagreement over when to move in on the suspects in the alleged plot to bring down trans-Atlantic airliners bound for the United States.

A senior British official knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.

In contrast to previous reports, the official suggested an attack was not imminent, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets. In fact, some did not even have passports.

In your dreams

Got up this morning, and fiddle-farted around some - read a bunch of political blogs about Dick DeVos, the likely new governor of Michigan, about financial malfeasance, and about the Republicans (in the voice of CNN, Cal Thomas, Tom DeLay, Tony Snow and others) calling the Democrats who voted for Lamont in Connecticut "Al Quaeda democrats" or "in favor of terrorism."

Oh, okay. Thanks for warning us. Had a haircut at noon, then tried to work out just how it was that the Brain Trust that closes freeways intended for anyone to get from the downtown to the west side today. Seems that it was a mystery.

Got home, talked to a few people, and then was off to test drive THE CAR. We tried to find the Sugar Land CompUSA on the way, so I could buy replacement stylii for my Treo - they were the only store in the Greater Houston Metropolitan area that had the stylii for a Treo 650 - after several mis-steps, we found the store, the stylii, the cashier and .. on the way out of the parking lot, I discover that the silly thing has a built in PEN. Who knew?

Next, we were off to Stafford to look at THE CAR. It's the same car (essentially) as the one in Minneapolis, but ten thousand dollars less and 1300 miles closer. I'd been to this dealer before, in February (or something) to see a car that was similar, but black with beige leather, and many fewer miles on it.

That car (black/beige) I drove and was completely uncomfortable in. I hardly turned on the stereo. Drove it around the block. Okay, so up the street, on the freeway a minute, and back.

This one - it was dirty. Hadn't been cleaned up since the owner turned it in. Smelled of cigarette smoke. Silver with black leather. We got into it - the salesman suddenly remembered me, that I had wanted a four seat, so on - we nattered a minute. I asked if I could take it for a drive - he said sure, let me have your driver license and I'll pull it out for you.

Off we went - immediately the low fuel chime started bonging telling me that the trip was going to be SHORT. I put ten bucks of premium into it. Guy fiddled with the myriad computer settings, including the stereo which was AWESOME. I had made up a CD of different MP3 files; most of them were files Guy had sent me, starting with the "Divo car shopping music." He got a huge kick from that. The stereo was AWESOME - did I mention that? Holy cow.

Back in the car, which I had left running while I was filling it with petrol. The car was quieter than the outside ambient noise while RUNNING. No noise. No vibration. Nothing. I adjusted the seat around a bit and tried to set the seat memory to keep my settings. We pull out into traffic and stop immediately at a traffic light. I page through the user ID files (up to five drivers can have memory pre-sets for how they like their climate control, radio settings, mirror, seat, steering wheel, etc.) and the primary user ID was a naughty word. A common word for fellatio. We busted up laughing.

Light turns green. The accelerator doesn't feel like a normal car, as it's drive by wire. There is resistance, but the pushing doesn't immediately produce acceleration, as the computer is contemplating the wind speed, the last primary election vote, and the neighborhood you're in before delivering the results. In the 'hood, you get away from the light faster than you do in Sugar Land, where they expect more dignified motoring.

The car goes around the corner as if it were tethered to a post. 80 miles per hour is upon us and the car hasn't kicked above 3000 rpm. I decide to slow down a bit in a car without license plates. We get to the freeway. Screw zoom, zoom, zoom - this thing is more powerful than a 757.

Quiet? Did I mention that it's quiet? Guy was playing with the suspension settings (six) as we dashed up the on-ramp to US 59 and glass smooth pavement. Oh, did you need to get into that traffic hole over THERE? Why, sure!!

It's a 6,000 pound car that's larger than a big Mercedes and it goes like stink. Point and click and you're THERE. Think and it moves.

Off the freeway to head back to it's [temporary] home. Around the underpass u-turn. FAST. WHOOSH. I'm driving this car like I did my 1990 Grand Am HO coupe. A quick look out the right rear quarter and we beat ALL the traffic coming through the light. Hm. How's that fuel economy? 16 - not BAD.

Eucalyptus wood with near black leather and a light gray headliner. Built like a Tiger Tank, goes like a Stuka. Holy schmoly. We get back and I ask Guy to take my picture with my crappy cam phone. I tried not to look overly happy.

I walk in with the keys - the sales man is heaped onto the sofa in the office. I don't really want to give it back - but I left my checkbook at home, and I'm pretty sure (today) that the check would bounce. He says "call me with a $500 credit card deposit and we'll pull it from sale while you get your financing together."

Seems reasonable.

I'm more comfortable driving this car than I've ever been driving my Buick. The woman who hired my work for the online mortgage CE course said "Drive it like you stole it."

THAT'S what that meant.

Are ya proud NOW?

From America Blog

White House official gleeful that terrorists wanted to kill thousands of Americans on ten US airlines over the Atlantic
by John in DC - 8/10/2006 06:19:00 PM

"Weeks before September 11th, this is going to play big," said another White House official, who also spoke on condition of not being named, adding that some Democratic candidates won't "look as appealing" under the circumstances. - AFP, August 11, 2006

Well that didn't take long. The Republicans never did meet a threat of mortal injury to thousands of American lives that they didn't welcome as a political windfall.

This is a scathing piece from Agence France-Presse, and a brilliant example of what real journalists do. They don't just parrot what the White House tells them, they actually investigate and report the facts. Our American brethren could learn a thing or two:

US President George W. Bush seized on a foiled London airline bomb plot to hammer unnamed critics he accused of having all but forgotten the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Weighed down by the unpopular war in Iraq, Bush and his aides have tried to shift the national political debate from that conflict to the broader and more popular global war on terrorism ahead of November 7 congressional elections....

His remarks came a day after the White House orchestrated an exceptionally aggressive campaign to tar opposition Democrats as weak on terrorism, knowing what Democrats didn't: News of the plot could soon break....

Bush aides on Thursday fought the notion that they had exploited their knowledge of the coming British raid to hit Democrats, saying the trigger had been the defeat of Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut by an anti-war political novice....

Snow said Bush first learned in detail about the plot on Friday, and received two detailed briefings on it on Saturday and Sunday, as well as had two conversations about it with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

But a senior White House official said that the British government had not launched its raid until well after Cheney held a highly unusual conference call with reporters to attack the Democrats as weak against terrorism....

On Wednesday, Cheney had suggested that Democrats believe "that somehow we can retreat behind our oceans and not be actively engaged in this conflict and be safe here at home, which clearly we know we won't, we can't, be," he said.

While some Democrats have opposed some steps in the war on terrorism, and more and more are calling for a withdrawal from Iraq, no major figures in the party have called for a wholesale retreat in the broader conflict.

But Bush's Republicans hoped the raid would yield political gains....

"Weeks before September 11th, this is going to play big," said another White House official, who also spoke on condition of not being named, adding that some Democratic candidates won't "look as appealing" under the circumstances.

Happy Hump Day

Hump day - an interesting morning already.

My cable modem is doing its level best to interfere with my ability to do anything today. In the last 20 minutes, it's

recycled on and off at least eight times - meaning that my internet connection goes on, goes off, goes on, goes off -

Spent a long long time last night thinking about my big ol' trigger issue (the one that I said I was taking a vacation from in

August) and last night, after some meditation and reflection came to understand the link between the apparent trigger issue

and my sister - everything suddenly made sense. I felt a ton better, after being fully resolved last night to not go to my

dad's birthday party at her house in New York next week.

I got up this morning (still feeling a ton better,) had an email from my aunt telling me I had probably just mis-understood

my sister - still feeling all better - and thought I'd write my sister a simple email explaining to her that we needed to

establish a new paradigm - still feeling better!

And then, I realized, anything I said to her would be completely invalidated by her saying it was my own fault and

interpretation, and that she's done or said nothing and I needed to get over it. While medicated, preferably.

And that was the end of that.

So, I've written to her telling her that I'm expecting to not attend (the reasoning being that if I'm going to be punished by

the family for being an unreasonable bastard, better to not have to attend and take the beating in person,) and that talking

to her about any of it was pointless and that she should not call me anymore.

Yup. (visualizes cruise across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 with Chuck en tuxedo) I can focus on the things I want

and how I want to feel, and I can chose to not engage in old patterns with people who aren't going to change their

behavior and expectations just because I've been working on mine.

Spent all that time last night going through financial claims and writing up a report. Sent that out last night around 10:30 -

and had a call this morning around 8:00. Seems I knocked that one out of the park. Looks like I've continued to polish

my halo there.

Cable modem's been offline now for a half hour. And, I'm on the phone waiting to talk to the cable company - seems

that they're busy today. "All agents are busy assisting other customers."

Ah! An agent! And a snippy one, at that.

After this phone call, I need to start getting ready to have a day. It's looking like I'm going to have to cancel with Rosita so I can be available for this client all afternoon.

Monday, Monday ver. 828.01 published on Tuesday

I've just not been feeling bloggy these last few days, I guess. I've been all wrapped up in the Liebermann/Lamont race, in getting tax returns finished up and out, and in other work. Spent this evening working on a bunch of spreadsheets - going through about six different source documents and creating a report. Fun stuff. Also worked a lot on church stuff today.

I'm fixing to go to bed, I think. I have a big big day tomorrow. Away from the house nearly all day. Actually, all day after the morning is over.