The Absence Of Intelligence Is Not Intelligence – Preparing To Be “Blindsided” By Terror Attacks

If you had asked anyone in the Intelligence Community on September 10, 2001, if they expected any imminent terror attacks they would have said something like “We have no credible intelligence indicating a heightened terror threat.” That translates in plain English as “we don’t know anything and haven’t got a clue.” For many years before 9/11 policymakers and senior intelligence officials did everything they could think of to prevent us from gathering the necessary intelligence on Al-Qaeda and its affiliates. We were blind and deliberately so.

We paid the price.

We have come full circle. An administration that is more aligned ideologically with our enemies than the American people and intelligence officials more focused on interfering in American domestic politics than collecting intel abroad have conspired to leave us wide open to attack.

Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the Arabian Peninsula, the guys who are based in Yemen where the Houthis are, recently released a video. Just in case you are particularly dense, they narrated the video in English.

Al-Malahem Media, Al-Qaeda Arabian Peninsula's media arm, published the video late last month. It opens with a picture of Al-Qaeda's logo and the translated Quran verse: "And fight in the way of Allah, you are not held responsible except for yourself ... and inspire the believers."

The video features a video of the American flag followed by Israeli flags being burned as a voice says, "Our enemy is one and that is why we strive jihad against this enemy."

The video then shows what appears to be a suicide bomber. The narrator says, "We have returned to you again in a new form, and we present to you Open Source Jihad." Again, just in case you are particularly slow on the uptake the video then flashes images of scenes of New York City, an exploding aircraft, the subway system, a person assembling a bomb, and operatives with suicide vests wearing Palestinian keffiyehs.

The Transportation Security Administration provided this comment in response to the release of this direct threat to the nation’s largest city.  "We are not aware of any credible threats resulting from this video to date," the TSA said. "Foreign terrorist organizations routinely highlight transportation modes during the holidays. TSA is operating at a high level of security and constant state of vigilance, as always."

Translation: We have no intelligence. We don’t know anything. We will be just as surprised as you when things start blowing up and people start dying.

Shortly after releasing this first video, Al-Qaeda put out a longer, much more detailed video. This one provided detailed instructions on the building of bombs and then suggested certain targets for would-be martyrs. They include commercial aircraft, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

As the threat level skyrockets, the truth is we are doing nothing to protect ourselves. Much to the contrary, we are doing everything we can think of to dismantle the few defenses we have left and make it as easy as possible for our enemies to carry out attacks on our soil.

TSA can talk all day about being vigilant. The truth is that the Biden administration started pulling air marshals off planes and sending them to the border a long time ago. Once there they do not help the Border Patrol keep illegals out. They process paperwork and escort illegals through processing to move them more quickly into the interior.

No meaningful checks are done on anyone coming across the border. Illegals largely do not attempt to evade Border Patrol anymore. They seek out Border Patrol and turn themselves in. They know that they will be held for a minimal time, processed, and then cut loose. The Border Patrol has become the ‘Welcome Wagon’.

Your arrest warrant at the border is now considered an official travel document by TSA. Show it to the folks in security and they will put you on a commercial aircraft right alongside American citizens and lawful permanent residents.

The truth is that some time ago it was recognized that the terror threat inside the United States, particularly in New York State, was rising dramatically. An intelligence bulletin distributed in New York over a month ago specifically noted that terrorists were focused on that state. Since then, absolutely nothing has been done to gain control over our borders, limit the flood of illegals entering New York, or enhance our intelligence collection posture.

It does not matter. The de facto policy of this administration is that we have no borders. Anyone, from anywhere can enter. In fact, not only can they enter, they will be assisted in entering. TSA in many places operates separate processing lines for illegals and then escorts them to their flights.

Our enemies are screaming for our blood. These are the same folks who killed almost 3000 Americans in 2001. These are the same people who have worked for decades to acquire nuclear, radiological, chemical, and biological weapons.

We are blind and chanting mindlessly the mantra that “we have no credible intelligence.” Ignorance is no excuse. The absence of intelligence is not intelligence. We are, all of us, sitting still, holding our breath, and waiting to be “blindsided” by the next wave of terror attacks.