The Gestapo and The Central Intelligence Agency might have common grounds very soon

Representative Porter Goss, Bush’s favorite for the head of the CIA, has introduced legislation that would allow the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct law-enforcement operations inside the United States—including arbitrary arrests of American citizens.
The legislation, H.R. 4584, was put on the floor on 16 June 2004, under the guise of “intelligence reform”.  The changes would reverse a 57 year old ruling that disallowed the CIA from conducting internal law enforcement activities. The bill would give the CIA broader authority to include arresting Americans suspected of what ever might be arbitrarily deemed as suspicious.  Apparently there is not going to be any hard and fast rules – only a perspective judgment call “I think this person may be a crimer”.  

The bill’s language is not fully known yet, but it would add the clause “except as otherwise permitted by law or as directed by the president”. This would give Bush the ultimate retaliatory weapon against his critics which he deems as ‘unpatriotic’ and ‘anti-American’.

The Pentagon has also demanded new enforcement powers to conduct intelligence operations (Search and destroy?) inside the United States. A proposal, adopted last spring by the Senate Intelligence Committee at the request of the Pentagon, eliminates the privacy act.  

Democrats are concerned that the Florida Republican, Porter Goss, a former CIA officer himself who has chaired the House Intelligence Committee, has been too partisan and too close to the Bush White House.  

In the upcoming confirmation hearings, Goss may come under heavy fire for his attitudes toward civil liberties.  His bill clearly indicates congress needs to look more deeply into Goss. But on the other hand, if the confirmation hearing committee members give Goss too bad of a time, they will feel the sting of the lash after Goss is confirmed. A frightening prospect. 

Goss will be confirmed, we know that already — and the Democrats will have to table their fears or they will be branded as obstructionist to national security. Ergo: enemies of the state, very worrisome words that are circulating from within the White House now. 

The troika, Ashcroft, Rumsfeld and Goss, will even give Dracula the night sweats. 

Journalist will have to change their tone.  Repeat after me – Bush ist der Sieg.