Is it me or are there oddly-timed terrorist arrests leading up to Patriot Act hearings?

[zulchzulu]

It seems to have been years since there were any very public arrests of terrorists in the United States, but it's been a suddenly different climate being slowly drummed up with terrorist arrests in Texas and Illinois.

Story: http://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-arrests-terrorists-sting-operations-dallas-springfield/story?id=8666300

OK, fine. But...

The Patriot Act is now in committee and about to become a battle in Congress where some laws are supposed to sunset and an overall assessment is to be made regarding different sections of the bill, which I personally find unconstitutional on many levels.

The New York Times had an article about it:

As Congress prepares to consider extending crucial provisions of the USA Patriot Act, civil liberties groups and some Democratic lawmakers are gearing up to press for sweeping changes to surveillance laws.

Both the House and the Senate are set to hold their first committee hearings this week on whether to reauthorize three sections of the Patriot Act that expire at the end of this year. The provisions expanded the power of the F.B.I. to seize records and to eavesdrop on phone calls in the course of a counterterrorism investigation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/us/politics/20patriot.html?hpw

It seems like the arrests, which I am glad have been made, are perfectly timed for any arguments that would support keeping the Patriot Act just the way it is.

[bigwillq]

1. Business as usual in DC...

the more things change..well you know....

[YOY]

2. Nope. Not just you.

Thinking the same thing myself.

On edit: that may not be a good thing.

[Hamlette]

3. blame the NYPD

"the FBI said there was no connection to the alleged terror plot in New York and Colorado, though I wonder if they didn't bring these cases to conclusion as a result of the widespread coverage of the NYC investigation, which was apparently terminated prematurely because an alleged misstep by the NYPD tipped off the target." from TPM

As I understand it, a NYPD official blew his/her cover so they brought all three investigations to a close.

[babylonsister]

4. Loosen that tin foil hat! nt

[zulchzulu]

10. We'll see how this plays out

If you think those that don't want to get of of crap like the "Lone Wolf" legislation in the Patriot Act don't use these recent arrests as "evidence that the Patriot Act is working", then I'll be very surprised...

:hi:

[scheming daemons]

5. Yeah.... maybe we shouldn't have arrested them

:eyes:

(idiotic)

[dionysus]

6. terrorists don't exist... they are all a rovian plot (as read on DU)

:rofl:

[zulchzulu]

11. I guess you missed that part where I mentioned I was glad there were arrests...

...but if you wanna think I don't think there should be arrests and it makes you feel "cool", good for you!

:hi:

[ShortnFiery]

7. It's not you ... the FEAR is being whipped-up by the whorish M$M - right on cue.. eom

[tridim]

8. The obvious difference this time is the WH is not whipping up fear.

Bush would have already taken full credit by now.

[invictus]

9. +1

[scheming daemons]

12. yes... but the White House is *NOT* whipping up fear

No terror level raising.

No lockdowns.


No heated rhetoric.


Just letting the FBI do its job without politicizing.



The difference is striking.... if you can't see it, it is because you are willfully trying to ignore it.

[joeycola]

13. We have read this same book over the last 8 years.