[Newspoetry] NEWSPOEM "Agressive Defense" by Newton Bigelow (Text Only)

[Robert Porter]

Bush, Ridge Gear up for "Aggressive Defense"

by Newton Bigelow

Dateline Madrid --

The Bush Administration continued to push its novel policy of  "Aggressive
Defense" this week, on both international and domestic fronts.  The new
strategy, which emphasizes "Hitting First", has recieved mixed reviews
abroad and reluctant approval at home.  Top officials are confident,
however, that any naysayers can be "Persuaded" to support the new
initiative.

First up was George W. Bush, who directed his top national security aides to
formulate a doctrine of pre-emptive action against hostile states and
terrorist groups.  Iraq is clearly first on the target list for such action,
and already the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Department have
stepped up efforts to unseat Saddam Hussein in a last effort to avoid the
necessity of a full-scale invasion.  Other potential targets include weak
states that have become, in the words of one official, "petri dishes" for
terrorist groups.

Twice since Sept. 11, Mr. Bush has signed findings authorizing more spending
for Iraqi opposition groups, with a focus on intelligence-gathering and on
the infiltration by American Special Operations forces and C.I.A.
operatives.

The latest order authorizes those forces to kill Mr. Hussein only in self
defense.  But a senior administration official said today that the order
made no reference to "targeting Saddam," and it would not waive the
prohibition on assassinating a foreign leader,  "Unless, you know, we get a
really clear shot at him."

Mr. Bush emphasized pre-emption when he addressed the German Parliament last
month. Mr. Bush stood in the Reichstag, whose burning in 1933 marked the
beginning of Hitler's rise, and warned his European allies that "wishful
thinking" would not eliminate "the new totalitarian threat."  He expanded on
the theme at West Point two weeks ago, saying, "If we wait for threats to
fully materialize, we will have waited too long."

The administration, not suprisingly, is arguing for the widest possible
latitude, making the case that only it can define what poses a major and
imminent threat to national security.

Meanwhile, in the United States,  President Bush's Homeland Security Chief,
Tom Ridge, urged Congress on Thursday to move quickly on creating a new
Cabinet-level agency he said was crucial to safeguarding Americans against a
continuing terrorist threat.  The proposed agency would recieve regular
reports from the F.B.I., C.I.A., and other intelligence-gathering entities
such as the Drudge Report and Newspoetry.com.

"I am here to ask that we move quickly. The need is urgent," Ridge said
before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.  Staring unblinkingly at
the Committee Chairman, Ridge repeated the word "urgent" several times in a
low, hypnotic monotone.  Committee members were seen to nod slightly and
repeat the word "urgent" in unison.

Ridge explained that the administration has already begun the huge
transition that Bush wants to put in place beginning Jan. 1, 2003.  Up to
now, Ridge has confined his briefings to groups of House and Senate members
behind closed doors.  The White House had rejected repeated Senate
entreaties that Ridge testify, arguing that as a confidential counselor to
President Bush he was not required to.  Finally, in response to continued
demands from the Senate, the President relented, saying, "What the hell,
send Tommy over there.  It's in the bag anyway."

Following Ridge's testimony, a Senator who declined to be identified said,
"God, I kinda wish we hadn't made him come down here.  Frankly, he just
creeps me out."

Peace and Civil Liberties groups,  who might be expected to have some
objections to the Administration's new initiatives, have been strangely
silent this week.  In fact, there's about ten days worth of newspapers on
their doorsteps.  Friends of theirs admit to being "a little worried, but
we're sure they're just on vacation or something."