Editor's Note: Juliette Kayyem is a former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, a lecturer at the Kennedy School of Government and a foreign policy columnist for the Boston Globe. She tweets @JulietteKayyem.
By Juliette Kayyem - Special to CNN
The announcement today by Attorney General Eric Holder of the thwarted assassination attempt of the Saudi Ambassador to the United States by suspected Iranian agents is mesmerizing. It does seem like a John Le Carre movie: the drug dealers and informants, the Mexico connection, the money crossing borders and bank accounts, the restaurant where the
Ambassador liked to hang out.
I have been in government long enough to say almost nothing about an unfolding case. I have a lot of confidence in Holder's team but unless or until you know the evidence, better to be quiet. But an irony that cannot be ignored is this: As our strongest law enforcement agency was using investigative techniques, the judicial system and good old fashion rule of law, Congress was at the same exact time considering controversial detainee provisions in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act that would - yes, the irony is deep – remove civilian courts and law enforcement from most counterterrorism efforts.
To say that a bipartisan group of counterterrorism and military efforts (the irony gets better; the military doesn't want this authority, and Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson testified to that effect today) finds this a very dangerous power is an understatement.
And, presumably, as Holder showed today, absolutely unnecessary. Whether the Iranian government is in fact involved, whether this is a rogue defendant or a rogue faction, does anybody actually think that the military could have - or would have - done this better? If there is any testimony to convince a Senate that seems intent on using the military where it ought not to reign, it might have just been a continuous loop of Holder's press conference.
Or, perhaps, they could have moved the Senate hearing to Detroit, where – as the National Security Network reminds us - "underwear" bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab began his trial in, yes, a civilian court.
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"mesmerizing"? is this bimbo trying to gain favor of the corrupt US justice depertment or just a poor writer? either way, it shows how far up this administration's proverbial a$$ CNN likes to be.
I would have expected more from Zakaria but clearly he chooses to play to this failed administration instead of discussing the truth.
And you base your critique on just "what" exactly? Because you sure don't have any facts to offer.
I suppose the author was mesmerised by the dramatic concept of Eric Holder's narrative! The whole story sounds too much of a cliché. It looks as if members of the Revolutionary Guard in Iran do watch American movies!
I thought this was an OPINION page?????? Where do you get off criticizing someone's honest opinion!
Oh, well, government officials can do a good job. Of course, that does not mean GOP will give any credit, other than shouting "government is evil". No, Sir, only the GOP-led branch of government, aka, congress, is evil.
This has NOTHING to do with the GOP. It is about Eric Hilder being an accessory to Murder. This story is redicolous.
Really, busting a terrorest plot is murderous?
By the way, it is spelled "ridiculous". "Redicolous" is not an English word. Check with your grammar school teacher, please.
Oh noes! Watch out for the grammar Nazis! Is that how we get ahead in the world today? If you can't debate with anything substantial, you have to discredit someone based solely on their Grammar?
Gosh, I hope I speeled everything right.
ddblah,
Actually the reference of being an accessory to murder is in regards to Eric Holder's involvement in Operation Fast and Furious. Since you found this page, my assumption is you can find the other CNN articles about said operation.
Try doing some research before you attack people because at this point you just look like an idiot.
This is beyond stupid. Eric Holder is going down for running guns.
Hatred is stupid, beyond stupid.
As far as I and everybody else knows, his agency busted a terrorist plot and saved lives.
ddblah,
If hatred is stupid, and you are attacking everyone who has something negative to say about Eric Holder, doesn't that make you stupid? I'm starting to think you are in fact Eric Holder since you can't stand people pointing out his involvement in a failed operation that cost lives.
Why is it that you have such a hard time accepting facts?
Also, you were the one who turned this into a political discussion by mentioning the GOP. So if you don't want people pointing out that you are just another mindless dem fanboi that would go down on Obama just to say you did, then please stop politicizing this.
Hope they round up Bush for Operation Wide Receiver Too.
What have you contributed to America's defense and national security other than some remarkably stupid comments?
John contributed to English. He has a new word: redicolous.
The right-wing and the left-wing continue to create their own realities. Fact: President Obama's Administration has been extremely successful in fighting terrorists organizations and preventing terror attacks. Hate blinds people but only a total fool would dispute this fact.
Eric Holder's law enforcement efforts are now the target of the Republican's political efforts and truth will be difficult to find. This is like the Swift Boat debacle engineered by the right-wing to harm John Kerry's election chances – filled with lies but skillfully prepared to do the job before the truth emerged.
You worry about CNN but make no comment about Fox News – the Pravda of the Republican Party. Surely your not stupid enough to consider them "fair and balanced"?
To this you are only partly correct. While the administration, military, and intelligence community have been quite successful in disrupting plots overseas and killing high value targets, the administration has been extremely lucky when it comes to stopping terror plots on American soil. Three prime examples are the Underwear Bomber (poorly made and executed bomb that was actually on plane and static), Times Square bomber (successfully made it into Time Square and lit the fuse, again poor design and execution), and the individuals that bought fertilizer and only were caught due to a sharp product sales associate who realized the shipping address was fake.
I've spent the last few years of a very long military career in one of our war-fighting commands. Much of the "luck" we have results from disrupting the ability of the bad guys to gather information, deploy weapons correctly, and coordinate the attack with good communications. President Obama changed our strategy, moving away from the "Corps-on-line" mentality and toward skillful application of intelligence and special operations. His leadership was instrumental in making this strategy work, since he didn't play the cowboy role and didn't have Dick Cheney pumping him full of sunshine about how easy the invasion would be. President Obama has been a very successful Commander In Chief in a time of crisis and uncertainty.
Congratulations Law enforcement, I want to watch the "TOO FAST TO FURIOUS SEQUEL" now.
Presstv: Iran complains to UN over US claim
And what truth is that, oh, wise one?
What?! The Dems not giving credit to the Bush policies that thwarted this heinous plot? This Administration isn't responsible for the economy, the wars, the housing market, the high unemployment , etc., etc., etc. Everything else goes back to Bush, I was just wondering where the credit was going on this one.
Well said! And true.
What "Bush policies" unless you have actual facts to the contrary, it seems to have been a conventional FBI counter-intelligence operation.
The author's complaints about the Senate wanting to give more power for these types of situations to the military is also rich, given who controls it.
Lessons for the forgetful: Two years (before your obstructionist teabaggers took over the Repubs) wasn't enough for Obama to heal the Bush devastated economy. Remember, it was the worst economy we had seen since the Great Depression. There were incremental improvements with the President's stimulus package but you negative doom and gloomers, who hated the fact that Obama was elected in the first place, sided with the obstructionist teabaggers to vilefy or obstruct every effort made to improve the economy. Release your hate and angst because it blinds you to reality.
You talking about the worst deficit for decades that Obama DOUBLED in 3 short Years?? Is that the one??????
Bush deserves no credit neither personally or his regime.
Let's not be unfair with Bush, he needs to be recognized as the D*umb Ass of the millenium.
Bush refused Solyndra a bail-out because the company was a bad risk
Obama threw %535Million at Solyndra with no checks; against advice and asked for no business plan.
Bush was so much brighter than Obama. You Dems just can't see it.
ok, Bush ordered Holder.
Just what do the right-wing thugs in Washington take us for? This whole story smells to High Heaven of a C.I.A. put-up job with the collaboration of both the F.B.I. and the D.E.A. since both organizations know how to falsify evidence to make this story appear real. Now we're going to hear a lot of right-wing idiots holler for another useless and unnessary war. All this just to get our minds off of the state of the national economy too!!!
Stop hating the Obama admniistration is doing and be honest to say that you never have supported him. The adminstration is having so much more success than Bush because they are more strategic. As far as the economy goes, if you are so smart yourself, you would know that Bush gave us that too and two years before the sorry Tea baggers took over wasnt enought time for a devastated ecomony to even start to heal. Be honest, your real angst in against Obama and you probably don't want the ecomony to improve because of your selfish and hateful thoughts of the President.
The Democrats [ including Obama] had control from 2006-2010. And in spite of that they still doubled the nation debt in less than 3 years.
It's not so much hate as disappointment that someone who had the gift of the gab on the election trail turned out to be so bad for America.
Stop reading hate and racism into every criticism. The man is a failure and America is in huge trouble. And a Trueman said [in the quote on his desk] :"The buck stops here"
Your head needs to roll for Fast and Furious Holder you POS.
As if you know any detail. I bet you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
The experts say that the best thing for a failed economy is the nearest convenient war !!!!!!
And this is a pretty good smokescreen for Holder, is it not?
Streuth! now we'll have Obama AND Holder wearing their knickers outside their trousers, claiming they're twins and their daddy's name was Jor-El !
Release your anger and hate because it makes you say kooky things. Bush devastated this economy and you or your tea bagging friends did not raise a quetions until Obama got elected. Face it, it is not about the politics but about your hate.
SEE – you ALWAYS jump to conclusions!!!! Not only am I NOT a tea party member; I am NOT American! Your response says everything about why America is failing.
And Michael, It's nothing to do with hate. It's to do with your president's handling of important matters on WORLD TV and failing. It's more disgust really at what is happening to a once truly great nation.
take a deep deep deep breadth. now, release, let it go ...
see a psychiatrist, please.
They expect us to buy this FALSE FLAG TERROR PLOT deal? Timing is sure a coincidence just as the supenea Holder for PERJURY IN STATEMENTS TO CONGRESS. Wake up people...cant you see we are being played AGAIN. The heat is coming down on these clowns and this is just the latest thing TO DIVERT ATTENTION from the cesspool of lies about the FAST AND FURIOS SCAM and THE UDERWEAR BOMBER JOKE. They must be getting pretty desperate.
Put a sock in it Jay.... If you want proof, read the complaint. There's mountains of it for you to see. If you refuse to read it then your opinion holds absolutely NO MERIT.
In your world, are there unicorns?
In my world, Unicorns fart hearts and glitter.
DirtDan – You honestly BELIEVE that the complaint is genuine? Why? You're doing what Jay is doing – forming an opinion on what you BELIEVE is right.
You all BELIEVED there were WMDs without a shred of proof. Haven't you leared ANYTHING????? Evidently not!
I hope the US Government produces some solid evidence that this suspect actually was an Iranian government agent, not an ordinary Iranian citizen. If not, this kind of wild accusation is completely unacceptable, and I am going to quit my job, and join the protests.
Read the formal complaint as signed off by the NY judge Vince. The recorded phone calls with his Iranian handlers in Tehran are all there for you. Just take the time to read it.
Don't try to confuse him with the facts!
I read it very carefully. It is very important to distinguish between an Iranian citizen plot, and an Iranian government plot. You wouldn't want America held responsible for every crazy American. So, the evidence will be critical to back up these claims.
If they would have let the plotters' go thru with the attack we could have solved two problems. Saudi Arabia and Iran,
like pitting the Nazis against the Commies!!
This Kayyem woman is "lost in space"...go back to DHS and the Kennedy school....
PS. GOOD Job FBI and DEA.....
Why these folks are so angry? Because DOJ did a good job? Because government actually worked?
Or, because you simply hate them??
We are angry because 40,000 people are dead and Eric Holder helped with that. There is no doubt about it. This is a political stunt. How stupid are you?
40,000? You know "0"s some times mean different things than what you could comprehend.
Was the GOP's slogan: gun does not kill, humans do?
It would be good if the government gave Bush the credit. It was he who put the protocols in place that made this a success!
Did you say the DOJ did a good job? Get real ! Don't you find it quite timely that he comes out with this at the same time that the 10 AZ Sheriffs give a news conference to denounce what this !did by providing the cartels in Mexico with thousands of firearms with no way to trace them at all. Now we have an American Border Patrol Agent and an American INS Agent dead by those same guns provided to the Mexican cartels by this same group. Good job? Hardly. Eric Holder needs to be tried for treason!
"Good job" ?????
All I can say is shame on Eric Holder, Obama and the writer of this article. Did we already forget the WMD lies in Iraq and the fake Bio weapons trucks we never found after spending hundreds of billions of dollars?
Eric Holder and Obama do not surprise me, I am already used to their lies, but I am very surprised at CNN....why print this editorial on the shameful lies of this govt?
Sorry to give this writer even the importance of responding to her shameful article but this is so stupid that I could not help but express my disgust on publishing such a shameful editorial.
Yes, all lies. All statements made by people other than you are lies. Only you can speak the truth, nothing but the truth.
Man, you need to take your med.
the WMD and the fake Bio weapons were the lies of Mr Bush.
Mr Bush took the country into war based on lies and bad intelligence information.
Mr Obama did not do those things.
If you want to call someone a liar – just get the correct target.
Oh, wait, the anti-Obama / GOP doesn't like facts getting in their way.
Absolutely pathetic.
I think Obama just finished saying we were not at war with Libya and there were no boots on the ground. Both of which turned out to be wrong. Somehow we can bomb a country into oblivion and "it is not a war". He is a bigger liar than GWB. It would not be surprising at all if this was a fabricated publicity stunt.
@steve – well said, young man. But don't forget you're up against the selective amnesia of the dim Dems
First of all, CNN is very pro-Obama and pro-illegal immigrant. They have proven that time and time again. You can't trust anything that you read here. CNN has no ethics.
Don't be fooled folks, I think this story just might have merit...crazy world out there.
Pray for peace,
Mr. John
Yes law enforcement is a great field to go into because with the economy the way it is you now have law biding citizens looking for a way to make a $ to feed their family. Hence the crime rate rising. Blame the Gov't !
Actually, James, the crime rate has dropped in 2011. Violent crime is down nationally by 1.4% and property crimes are down 2.1%. However, the drop in crime varies by region and population density. The greatest drop occurred in the largest cities with populations over 1 million. Some medium sized and smaller cities saw a rise in certain types of crime. Crime dropped the most in the Northeast and most places that saw an increase were in the South and rural areas.
Stop showing off. You know what he means.
Streuth! Some people are so full of it. I don't suppose you have too much else to offer, apart from copying figures that were a result of someone elses hard work and passing THEM off as your own !
My family & I are 1 pay check away from robbing a bank. The consequences ? 3 hot meals a day & a cot. Better than any shelter I've seen !
Good job Law Enforcement???? Exactly whose opinion is that? You mean, Good Job CIA agents involved in Operation Fast & Furious in Mexico under the direct authority of Holder?
BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL JEWS, THERE ARE FOOLISH AMERICANS.
And your point about the Saudi Ambassador being targetted by Iranians has WHAT to do with Israel???????
Tell you what . Look in the mirror and repeat after me – "I am incapable of stringing an intelligent sentence together. I need an adult to help me!"
Eric Holder may want more folks to go into law enforcement so that he can hire them as private security and protect him when his treason charges come about.
Bush or John McCain's admin would have been asleep at the wheel and the Saudi ambassador and innocent Americans would have been blown up in some restaurant in NYC. Then either would have started another war this time with Iran.
Since it was procedures put in place by BUSH that allowed the so-called assassin to be caught – how totally devoid of intelligence does that make you look????? Muppet!
Who in their right mind would believe this phoney Iranian plot against the Saudi ambassador anyway? I can't get over just how much the right-wing thugs in Washington try to brainwash us into beliving that we need to go to war again, this time with Iran. Then again, Obama's father himself was a Muslim who left the family when Obama was a child and this might explain his ardent vendetta against the Muslims worldwide.
Well, Matt, you might just have a point. Don't the experts say the only way to save a failed economy is to find a convenient war????/
Quite true, Semper Fidelis. On the other hand as George Patton has already said, Obama's father who himself was a Muslim who left the family when Obama himself was still a child, could also explain Obama's obsessive hatred for Islam and his desire to make it a thing of the past!
Who cares?
Yep, the government did a good job using GW Bush's strategy!! But you Dem non-thinkers wouldn't give him or the REPUBLICANS credit!
GWB also refused Solyndra a bail out. Said it wasn't appropriate. Obama rushed in and threw $535 Million at them hoping some would stick.
Bush is looking better by the day. He's really bright compared to "Boy Wonder, Barry"
Are you still taking your meds? If so, you need a greater doze. you seem to be losing your grip on facts or reality!!!
Facts, Muppet. You can't argue with facts.
And BTW making derogatory comments instaed of reasoned arguments in your response simply makes you look juvenile and a wee bit daft!
"Yep, the government did a good job using GW Bush's strategy!!
What "Bush strategy?" The strategy of letting the justice system and the courts do their jobs? The "Bush strategy" of obeying the laws and obtaining court orders? LOL!
Folks you have to understand that everything in the news is not a conspiracy. Thank you Eric Holder and everyone involved for helping to save lifes. My family thanks you also.
Peace,
Mr. John
They should have lured them to the border then fired a missile from a drone and called it a day! Investigation, arrest, trial and sentence all in one.....BOOM! End of story.
Oh and republicans suck. The democrat’s have accomplished more on the terrorism from in 3 years then the Bush administration did in 8. I would even have to say tricky dicky and his bush added to the terror threat during there tenure.
By all means, people, let's not let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory! Facts like, gee, Saudi Arabia and Iran have been at each other's throats for eons; how wonderful it would have been for the Iranians to score a "victory" like this on American soil with all our "Homeland Security;" how much it would have disrupted the alliance between the Saudis and the U.S. – y'know, those facts?
Nah, let's just blame the 'gubbermint' for telling all those lies about WMDs, regardless of whether or not the same players are on the stage. Let's get really creative and suck the Israelis in there too! Wow, let's go whole hog and convince ourselves that the 'gubbermint' and the Israelis dreamed the whole thing up together!!
There's just way too much tin foil in this country that is going to waste on all your heads.
Let’s get this straight....the Israelis and the Arabs are the whole problem in the Middle East. They have been fighting with each other for millenniums and now they have drawn the US into their friggin war. The American people do not want any part of their damn conflict! We don't care if you are a democracy or autocratic government. The only reason our government supports anyone of you all is because it is corrupt. One day this nation is going to wake up and kick all these idiots out of office.
Pssst... that's millennia, the plural of millennium.
Still, I agree that we don't want to be drawn into this conflict between the Saudis and Iran. I disagree that the only reason we support any of them is the result of governmental corruption, however. Do we support other nations because our government is corrupt, or is that just a Middle East problem? How about the aid we send to South American or African nations? Is ALL American aid the result of corruption?
If you're going to point the finger in one direction, you must also consider all the others. Unless, of course, you favor strict isolationism... which hasn't worked even prior to WWII. Yes, we need to fix our problems here at home, but we can also do much to assist other nations even as we fix our own messes. We are that great, frankly, and the only nation in the world that still is that great. Well, when we can come down off our high horses and COMPROMISE on things, at least.
I don’t support isolationism but I also don't support giving tax payer money to nations that build settlements on land that is not theirs. We donate to poor countries because they are poor. Why do we donate to counties that are rich? I am pretty sure it’s because of the Jewish lobby in Washington hence my argument. By the way are you a schoolmarm?
Okay, CNN really doesn't want me to reply to you... tried four times now, darn it.
Anyway, not a schoolmarm... just an editor that has a nervous twitch where it concerns the language.
Not a schoolmarm... just an editor with a nervous twitch where it concerns the language, sorry.
I can understand your objection to the amount of aid we give Israel, in view of the Palestinian issue... I really can. I, too, feel that Israel has been less than transparent and forthcoming in dealing with them. Still, as you noted, the Jewish lobby in Washington is a powerful group and has been for a very long time – the realities of politics dictate that you ignore them (along with the huge multi-national corporations) at your own peril.
In a perfect world (where corporations weren't granted 'personhood' by the Supreme Court), the power of the lobbies, PACs and corporate contributors would already have been cut off, but this world isn't perfect. Until their power can be diminished or removed, we have to 'play ball' with whoever we can to maintain any semblance of influence in that region. We elect the politicians that we HOPE will keep our country's best interests at the forefront, but we cannot be assured of that until the election laws are completely overhauled. Until then, no matter how many 'clean sweeps' we make of incu mbents, we're still dealing with the same problems.
Chalk another up to the Obama Administration. This is starting to look real good for the campaign trail. Issa deposes Holder to the detriment of the nation. Without Eric on the job, one will get through with mass American casualties. Issa should really think about whether he wants to kill his GOP, with that type of scandal!
And where is the head of 'our' family of Saud, within the United States of America? The benefit of of country bestowed upon all – not just those educated into a process? Could the culture and foresight of the Saud family be of benefit of the world?
OMG what does that mean....I mean I know I worked 11 hours today and I'm tired but that made no friggin sense. You talk like an Arab. Always in riddles.
Or is it Persian? Same...Same....lol.
Scandal in the White House scenario anti-iranian / accused was 10 years ago, a thief! + Photo for more go through Google Translation to Farsnews site
Presstv: Iran complains to UN over US claim.
Yes, this government does do a very good job at fooling the people. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time!". The Obama administration believes, however, that you can fool most of the people most of the time and sadly enough, that's proving to be true as most people seem to be falling for this phoney government story about this Iranian plot!!!