Today's Article
Dr. Stephen Flynn
flatly stated before a
House subcommittee
that Americans are
endangered by Bush's
love of undue secrecy.
flatly stated before a
House subcommittee
that Americans are
endangered by Bush's
love of undue secrecy.
The American Spark
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Freedom Of Information Is Security: Foreign Relations Expert
By Cliff Montgomery - June 10th, 2008
A much more coherent concept of homeland security, which empowers American citizens rather than denying
their Natural Rights, recently was introduced by a leading foreign relations expert. It deserves a much better
coverage than the Corporate Media has provided.
Dr. Stephen Flynn, Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow in National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign
Relations, flatly stated before a House Homeland Security subcommittee that American lives are put at risk by
the Bush Administration's love of undue secrecy. American citizens instead need representatives who actively
inform them about terrorist and security threats, he added.
Dr. Flynn gave his engaging written testimony--entitled, “Tapping America’s Greatest National Asset: An
Informed and Engaged Civil Society”--before a May 15th hearing of the House Subcommittee on
Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment.
Below we offer a random sampling of quotes from his expert testimony:
"[The Bush White House and Congress have] neglected the nation’s greatest asset: the legacy of American
grit, volunteerism, and ingenuity in the face of adversity. Instead, the Bush Administration has sent a mixed
message, declaring terrorism to be a clear and present danger while, at the same time, telling Americans to
just go about their lives.
"Unlike during World War II when everyday people, industry leaders, and local and state officials were
mobilized in a national effort, since 9/11, national security and homeland security officials have too often
[either] treated citizens as potential security risks to be held at arm’s length or like helpless children in need of
protection."
"Officials reflexively assert that candor would only 'provide ideas to the terrorist and spook the public.' Not only
is this instinct short-sighted and counter-productive, I would argue it ignores what should have been [some] of
the central lessons from the 9/11 attacks."
"First, the targets of choice for current and future terrorists will be civilians and infrastructure.
"Second, safeguarding those targets can only be accomplished with an informed, inspired and mobilized public.
"The first preventers and the first responders are far more likely to be civilians and local officials, not soldiers or
federal law enforcement officers."
"President Bush concluded from [the September, 11th, 2001] attacks that [hunting down the terrorist enemy]...
is a job that must be left to more fully empowered and resourced national security professionals."
"[Yet the only hijacked aircraft kept from achieving its bloody mission that day was stopped] by one thing alone--
an alert and heroic citizenry."
"United 93 passengers foiled al Qaeda without any help from the U.S. government. The North American
Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) could not intercept the flight. Officials did not even know that the
plane had been hijacked. There were no federal air marshals aboard."
"The terrorists...did not prevent passengers from making urgent calls to family and friends. These passengers
found out something that their counterparts on the three earlier flights discovered only after it was too late to
act--that the terrorists were on a suicide mission, intent on using the commandeered jet airline as a deadly
missile.
"Armed with that information, the everyday Americans aboard United 93 did something very important: They
charged the cockpit and prevented the plane from reaching its intended target."
"[Yet] overwhelmingly, the national defense and federal law enforcement community have chosen secrecy over
openness when it comes to providing the general public with details about the nature of the terrorist threat and
the actions required to mitigate and respond to that risk."
"There is another vital imperative for placing greatest emphasis on information sharing: it is the key ingredient
for...depriving al Qaeda and other terrorists of the fear dividend they hope to reap by attempting to carry out
catastrophic attacks.
"In military terms, the United States is too large--and al Qaeda’s capacity too limited--for an attack to cause
damage that could weaken U.S. power in any meaningful way.
"[But] what they can hope for is to spawn enough fear to spur Washington into over-reacting in costly and self-
destructive ways.
"Fear arises from the awareness of a threat, coupled with feeling powerless to deal with
it. Although it is impossible to eliminate every threat that causes fear, Americans do
have the power to manage fear, as well as their reactions to it.
"However, for nearly seven years, Washington has been sounding the alarm about weapons of mass
destruction and radical jihadists while providing the American people with no meaningful guidance on how to
deal with these threats or the consequences of a successful attack.
"This toxic mix of fear and helplessness jeopardizes U.S. security by increasing the risk that the U.S.
government will over-react in the event of another terrorist attack."
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - June 10th, 2008
A much more coherent concept of homeland security, which empowers American citizens rather than denying
their Natural Rights, recently was introduced by a leading foreign relations expert. It deserves a much better
coverage than the Corporate Media has provided.
Dr. Stephen Flynn, Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow in National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign
Relations, flatly stated before a House Homeland Security subcommittee that American lives are put at risk by
the Bush Administration's love of undue secrecy. American citizens instead need representatives who actively
inform them about terrorist and security threats, he added.
Dr. Flynn gave his engaging written testimony--entitled, “Tapping America’s Greatest National Asset: An
Informed and Engaged Civil Society”--before a May 15th hearing of the House Subcommittee on
Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment.
Below we offer a random sampling of quotes from his expert testimony:
"[The Bush White House and Congress have] neglected the nation’s greatest asset: the legacy of American
grit, volunteerism, and ingenuity in the face of adversity. Instead, the Bush Administration has sent a mixed
message, declaring terrorism to be a clear and present danger while, at the same time, telling Americans to
just go about their lives.
"Unlike during World War II when everyday people, industry leaders, and local and state officials were
mobilized in a national effort, since 9/11, national security and homeland security officials have too often
[either] treated citizens as potential security risks to be held at arm’s length or like helpless children in need of
protection."
"Officials reflexively assert that candor would only 'provide ideas to the terrorist and spook the public.' Not only
is this instinct short-sighted and counter-productive, I would argue it ignores what should have been [some] of
the central lessons from the 9/11 attacks."
"First, the targets of choice for current and future terrorists will be civilians and infrastructure.
"Second, safeguarding those targets can only be accomplished with an informed, inspired and mobilized public.
"The first preventers and the first responders are far more likely to be civilians and local officials, not soldiers or
federal law enforcement officers."
"President Bush concluded from [the September, 11th, 2001] attacks that [hunting down the terrorist enemy]...
is a job that must be left to more fully empowered and resourced national security professionals."
"[Yet the only hijacked aircraft kept from achieving its bloody mission that day was stopped] by one thing alone--
an alert and heroic citizenry."
"United 93 passengers foiled al Qaeda without any help from the U.S. government. The North American
Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) could not intercept the flight. Officials did not even know that the
plane had been hijacked. There were no federal air marshals aboard."
"The terrorists...did not prevent passengers from making urgent calls to family and friends. These passengers
found out something that their counterparts on the three earlier flights discovered only after it was too late to
act--that the terrorists were on a suicide mission, intent on using the commandeered jet airline as a deadly
missile.
"Armed with that information, the everyday Americans aboard United 93 did something very important: They
charged the cockpit and prevented the plane from reaching its intended target."
"[Yet] overwhelmingly, the national defense and federal law enforcement community have chosen secrecy over
openness when it comes to providing the general public with details about the nature of the terrorist threat and
the actions required to mitigate and respond to that risk."
"There is another vital imperative for placing greatest emphasis on information sharing: it is the key ingredient
for...depriving al Qaeda and other terrorists of the fear dividend they hope to reap by attempting to carry out
catastrophic attacks.
"In military terms, the United States is too large--and al Qaeda’s capacity too limited--for an attack to cause
damage that could weaken U.S. power in any meaningful way.
"[But] what they can hope for is to spawn enough fear to spur Washington into over-reacting in costly and self-
destructive ways.
"Fear arises from the awareness of a threat, coupled with feeling powerless to deal with
it. Although it is impossible to eliminate every threat that causes fear, Americans do
have the power to manage fear, as well as their reactions to it.
"However, for nearly seven years, Washington has been sounding the alarm about weapons of mass
destruction and radical jihadists while providing the American people with no meaningful guidance on how to
deal with these threats or the consequences of a successful attack.
"This toxic mix of fear and helplessness jeopardizes U.S. security by increasing the risk that the U.S.
government will over-react in the event of another terrorist attack."
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!