FBI Sought 1,900 Experts Pre-9/11, Got 76

[maddezmom]

By Caroline Drees, Security Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI sought permission to hire almost 1,900 counter-terror linguists, analysts and agents before the Sept. 11 attacks to combat a growing threat but was allowed to add just 76, former FBI Director Louis Freeh said on Tuesday.

Freeh told the national commission investigating the attacks on America that killed nearly 3,000 people that the government failed to put up the funds needed to provide expertise in the languages of the Muslim world, citing a particular shortage of Arabic and Persian speakers.

"In the budget years 2000/2001/2002, we asked for 1,895 people -- agents, linguists, analysts. We got a total of 76 people during that period," Freeh testified.

"That's not to criticize the U.S. Congress. It's not to criticize the Department of Justice. It is to focus on the fact that that was not a national priority."

~snip~
more:http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4816047

[mouse7]

1. Sibel Edmonds proved they had plenty of translators to stop 9/11

Sibel Edmonds has handled these issues.

[Tempest]

3. Prior to 9/11, the Army released several Arab translators...

For being gay.

[hippiechick]

2. See, those goll darn Big Gov't Democrats ...

always wanting to hire more people !!

Why America, you should THANK the frugal Republicans for smaller gov't, lower taxes, and ... uhh .... 3,000 dead ... uh, err.... never mind...


:hippie:

[Tempest]

4. And which party was in power in Congress in those years?

I seem to recall the Repugs controlled both houses in those years.

[mbperrin]

5. Yes, by gosh! We've always got to be trimming the fat,

cutting the waste and otherwise getting the goldarn dang gubmint out of our lives!!!!

Oh...and cut taxes, too!

[Vogon_Glory]

6. How Many Had Been Working On Whitewater

How many FBI agents had been diverted by Kenn Starr and the right wing Republican-controlled Congress to investigate the so called Whitewater "crimes"?

Seventy million dollars, over 3000 dead on 9/11. I'm wondering if the right-wingers in Congress still think they got their money's worth.