From the online 12-22-2005 version of US News & World Report:
In search of a terrorist nuclear bomb, the federal government since 9/11 has run a far-reaching, top secret program to monitor radiation levels at over a hundred Muslim sites in the Washington, D.C., area, including mosques, homes, businesses, and warehouses, plus similar sites in at least five other cities, U.S. News has learned. In numerous cases, the monitoring required investigators to go on to the property under surveillance, although no search warrants or court orders were ever obtained, according to those with knowledge of the program. Some participants were threatened with loss of their jobs when they questioned the legality of the operation, according to these accounts.
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) has been around for many, many years, originally created as the “Nuclear Emergency Search Team.” It is said that NEST has already paid off in a limited number of very, very critical incidents.
NEST in itself is not a “kick the doors in” kind of unit; it is comprised of nuclear tech wonks with pocket protectors and access to a wide array of very, very sophisticated equipment and transport/storage mediums, aircraft and warehouses secreted all around the nation. NEST’s “Rules of Engagement,” it is said, are the most strikingly liberal ever created — that is to say, when faced with a true nuclear threat, NEST will do whatever is necessary, if you get my drift, to get the job done.
NEST works in conjunction primarily with the FBI’s HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) based in Quantico, Virginia. They are responsible for NEST security, insertion, extraction, and are the body to the NEST head. NEST may also find itself working with SEALs, DELTA and other SpecOp units. There are no photographs of NEST. No one knows who the members are. No one knows how they function — and all rightfully so. All that is known is, when needed, this country will do whatever is necessary to transport NEST and its corollary support infrastructure and security to the site in question to fix the problem at hand.
Radiological detection is nothing new. There are and have been detectors overseeing the White House, for example, for years.
Does it bother me that we have been radiologically surveilling, “absent warrants,” certain factions domestically since 9-11?
Not in the slightest.
I not only do not object; I expect it.
The MSM and much of the liberal wacko left seem to think we’re dealing with kindergarten kids and can simply give them time out for misbehaving.
If there is a nuclear weapon detonated on US soil these same people will be screaming that the President didn’t do enough to protect us.
The only way President Bush can redeem himself with these nut cases is to change the letter after his name from an “R” to a “D”. He would immediately become a saint who could do no wrong.
And so do I, darlin’… So do I. “Expect it”, I mean. And even appreciate it! For heaven’s sake, NEST is on the side of the United States of America! Whose side are the lamebrained left on? Whose side shall they be on while their heads are being chopped off?
Well, this isn’t a bad comment for someone who has just finished off a bottle of Champagne and a Rum and Coke, is it? I’m celebrating New Year early.
Now for a little spam and I hope you don’t mind: If you want a good laugh, visit “Let Our Voices Be Heard.” The post isn’t bad, but the comments are way funnier than the post! As usual.
Merry Happy New Year and Christmas past! 🙂
The MSM doesn’t even get it when their own are beheaded. They have their agenda and it is not the same as the US.
Email on the way about spec ops and nukes.
BZ: Well said.
Fish & BWH: You make some great points.
BZ, I hope you don’t mind because I am gonna do some *crass* self promotion…
And to all the Bloggers that read here, please take a look at The Texas Connection Blog Roll , we need members and YOU need exposure…
Blo,
Don’t even get me going. I am so sick of these leaks via the press about what we are doing to prevent another attack, all in the name to ‘GET’ Bush. It is going to lead to another attack. We need these searches WITHOUT warrants. What kills me is when the Democratic ‘black’ president did it, no one even barked. He should NOT have built the wall between the CIA and FBI in the first place. That is one of the reasons WHY we had 9/11. Hill and Bill should be ashamed at what they did to our country while in office.
BUT, it will never get reported.
I am all for spying to keep us safe. I am all for the right to do it without warrants. I expect it as well blo.. I EXPECT IT!!!! I am SICK OF THESE WACKED OUT LIBERALS WHO ARE MORE INTERESTED IN POWER THAN THE SAFETY OF OUR POEPLE. THEY WOULD RATHER SEE 3000 PEOPLE GET KILLED THAN HAVE A REPUBLICAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE AGAIN.
They are sick and meniacle and need to be stopped.
I heard a guy on Rush today say that if we get hogtied as a result of all this crap about spying.. and the patriot act gets snuffed.. Then everything will go back to the way it was pre-9/11, and we WILL get hit again.. WE SHOULD SUE ANYONE ON THE LEFT THAT CAUSED THIS, THE LEAKERS, AND THE ONES WHO SNUFFED OUT THE PATRIOT ACT FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED ON ANY ONE WE KNOW AS A RESULT!!!!!!!!
Whew.. got that off my chest..
Fish: you’ve said more in three simple paragraphs than most conservatives pundits have in article after story after magazine. Everything you say is true and I couldn’t have written it better myself.
Gayle: will make the visit! And no, each and every letter you typed appeared totally vertical, no wavering, no slurring of their words, nothing. Most excellent!
BWH: beheaded is right. What does one speculate might happen if, say, the CNN building in Atlanta received even peripheral damage from a Russian SADM or an American W-54? Bedlam? Mayhem? MMQ? The DEM and Dems SCREAMING that GWB did nothing and SLEPT while Americans died? Also, will look for the e-mail.
LMC: no one reads much or knows much about NEST because we don’t need to. IT needs to stay “background” because that’s where it does its best work.
TF: promote all you want. I’M a PROUD member of your ring, so I’ll check out the blogroll and recommend all others do as well!
Rebecca: you are completely correct. Clinton did the precise same thing under ECHELON, and that was more “public” and was much, MUCH more thoroughly-reaching in terms of keywords and phrases in calls and e-mails.
But THAT was “okay.” It was WJC.
Funny how that works out, huh?