Good to see

[AnalogKid]

that the Bush Administration is doing all they can to stop the experts from stopping the terrorists. However, if Halliburton or Bechtel were working on the sniffer technology, you can bet Bush & Co. would be green lighting $6 billion.

AP Enterprise: While plot unfolded, administration tried to pull money for explosives detection

By JOHN SOLOMON

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- As the British terror plot was unfolding, the Bush administration quietly tried to take away $6 million that was supposed to be spent this year developing new explosives detection technology.

Congressional leaders rejected the idea, the latest in a series of Homeland Security Department steps that have left lawmakers and some of the department's own experts questioning the commitment to create better anti-terror technologies.

Homeland Security's research arm, called the Sciences & Technology Directorate, is "rudderless ship without a clear way to get back on course," Republican and Democratic senators on the Appropriations Committee declared recently.

"The committee is extremely disappointed with the manner in which S&T is being managed within the Department of Homeland Security," the panel wrote June 29 in a bipartisan report accompanying the agency's 2007 budget.

Rep. Martin Sabo, D-Minn., who joined Republicans to block the administration's recent diversion of explosives detection money, said research and development is crucial to thwarting future attacks, and there is bipartisan agreement that Homeland Security has fallen short. "They clearly have been given lots of resources that they haven't been using," Sabo said. Homeland Security said Friday its research arm has just gotten a new leader, former Navy research chief Rear Adm. Jay Cohen, and there is strong optimism for developing new detection technologies in the future."I don't have any criticisms of anyone," said Kip Hawley, the assistant secretary for transportation security. "I have great hope for the future. There is tremendous intensity on this issue among the senior management of this department to make this area a strength."

Lawmakers and recently retired Homeland Security officials say they are concerned the department's research and development effort is bogged down by bureaucracy, lack of strategic planning and failure to use money wisely.The department failed to spend $200 million in research and development money from past years, forcing lawmakers to rescind the money this summer.

Edited August 12, 2006 by AnalogKid

[DudeAsInCool]

Glad to see you again AnalogKid

[KiwiCoromandel]

nice one mate..how are ya?..... :) :)

[Malicious Intent]

I wouln't worry about it, I'd be surprised if there was anything to the UK terror plot story.

The PM is in deep shit over his backing of Bush's Lebanon stance and the War on Terror is being called into question again. MPs from all parties, including Labour, were calling for the summer break to be terminated and for the PM to stand up in the Commons and explain himself.

"It's population scaring time!" - Jon Stewart