Political Quotes

“I include material regarding Able Danger for the Record: House of Representatives, Washington, DC, November 9, 2005. Hon. Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary, Department of Defense, The Pentagon, Washington, DC. Dear Secretary Rumsfeld: We the undersigned are formally requesting that you allow former participants in the intelligence program known as Able Danger to testify in an open hearing before the United States Congress. Until this point, congressional efforts to investigate Able Danger have been obstructed by Department of Defense insistence that certain individuals with knowledge of Able Danger be prevented from freely and frankly testifying in an open hearing. We realize that you do not question Congress's authority to maintain effective oversight of executive branch agencies, including your department. It is our understanding that your objection instead derives from concern that classified information could be improperly exposed in an open hearing. We of course would never support any activity that might compromise sensitive information involving national security. However, we firmly believe that testimony from the appropriate individuals in an open hearing on Able Danger would not only fail to jeopardize national security, but would in fact enhance it over the long term. This is due to our abiding belief that America can only better prepare itself against future attacks if it understands the full scope of its past failures to do so.…”