MICE Won't Bite Jihadists

So you want better intelligence on the enemy? How do you want to get it?

For years experts, pundits, the neighborhood mouth and, in general, Americana, have been exploiting all they know, think they know or don't know regarding that element of statecraft - intelligence. (Spare me the definitions of the craft, its history, its ethical implications, and other cuteness's; I've heard them all.)

Yet, I'm always drawn to an article about the "Trade" as cited:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/message/108876

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/front.htm

No trainee as a special agent in counter-intelligence or an intelligence officer has not heard the code: MICE - The elements employed to induce a person to provide information upon his country, gang or movement are usually gathered in terms of:

Money - Ideology - Compromise - Ego - - MICE

Today, the perceived enemy of our Western Tradition (allowing for all its faults; historical and hysterical) might be more of a challenge than those faced by Joshua, Walsingham, Tallmadge, Pinkerton, Dzerzinksii and Dulles. As a matter to consider, those elements, and combinations of them might work more effectively against us than against the factions that make up the; Jihadists, Islamic Anachists, Muslim Terrorists, Ikwan (take your pick of or add your term).

In the traffic among states, money has always been an incentive. We'll always find someplace to waste it. In philosophical conflicts ideology has been quite effective. Compromise, a most coercive element, engages not only status and vanity and but risks intimacy. Ego, all reasonable men accept, can lead to the unreasonable. And these elements can overlap as well. Permutations and factoring them; all or one, upon a person might be seen as simple as an employment agreement.

Now, let me digress a bit here and ask ourselves what we'd like in an employment agreement; pay, fairness, security and personal appreciation for ourselves in the job we do. These we can take to further extremes; health care, secure retirements, our children's future, goals realized and merit. Employer and employee must have trust that these agreements are understood. So, rapport is essential. (Allow me to re-assert that not all motives of an agent are virtuous.) An employee also expects his employer to be in business tomorrow or next week. How about coming home from a business trip and finding your employer has either gone out of business, or that product line you've racked up in commissions is no longer carried. Frequently enough the American Intelligence Community has yielded to pressures, domestic and foreign. Reliance upon technology (without verification) and internecine political spite have dashed many intelligence programs (think hostile take-overs).

So, here we've had agents-in-place, turned or doubled agents, a few people who can loiter without training (I remember a trainer saying, "Whatever you do, don't loiter. It will take you a generation to learn how to loiter."), who have or will be providing that information, which used to make a decision, will be intelligence. And what have we done in the late 70's and the 90's? Closed shop. "Poof""goes the reputation as a community friendly employer. And the idea that we might have shopped them to our mutual best friends hasn't exactly rubbed their tummies. They could have done that a hundred years ago. But they believed in ..No...We had them believe in us.

While the data being provided may or not be reliable; may or may not be true, if that agent is blown, defects openly or has just had enough and comes over; the goods are perishable. The opposition makes changes. Those are just the variables in the reality of "The Game" (In today's nuance; "Extreme Game").

So much for the sparcely selected items of the scenery.

The question at stake is how do we conduct this activity with people to whom few of the rubrics of the trade apply. In terms of Money, we see it of no concern; well funded educations have gone up in Semtex. In terms of Ideology (theo-centric) their goal - as believers - is death anyway. Compromise might work if we find a jihadist-in-name-only indulging in the kaffir's hedonism. (For that a nuke at Monte Carlo would decimate the major Middle-East royal households and the money they allot our enemies.) And that element of Ego; who can he tell? (Like the Rabbi who get's a hole-in-one on Saturday.)

The nature of this enemy is amorphous. We're not waiting at a Czech border that our 'spitzel' or source will cross. We're not dealing with nation-states. Hoping that competent practitioners have found a channel to navigate, apart from the Cold War mindset that still seems to prevail, in penetrating our current enemies, I found the cited articles seemingly indulgent in frustration.

Europe has aleady been over-run by W-Bombs (Womb Bombs) and they not only saw them coming, were told they were coming, but having religiously embraced anti-religious-secularity, accomodated each metasticizing missle.

Here, in "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave", we are paralayzed by our own strength. The "Free" are afraid on what the less-free world will think. And the "Brave" (law enforcement, military and intelligence) are tethered by whims of disapproval by people inebriated by denial.

Effective intelligence operations have provided many peaceful solutions by just knowing another's intentions. Sure, Second Oldest Profession and all that. But, at least let's bring it up to date. By the way, 1 800 Abu Tech in Jakarta is not the solution.

While we're waiting, we might try something a bit unusual (and you can keep it Top Secret if you want; no candles, processions, flagellating, etc, and you can do it discretely furtively as written by John Buchan, Rudyard Kipling, Ian Fleming):

Pray like a Devil in Hell - (For Insecure Pedestrians like me)

Reflect - (For the Irreligious)

Intelligence Officers run or control "Agents (Sources)" who are functionaries for the deed. No such thing as an Intelligence Agent of CIA, DIA, etc. The professional is an "Intelligence Officer". Special Agents are personnel with tasks; FBI, DEA, etc. Domestically, Confidential Informants serve as Sources. Media will say an "American Intelligence Agent". (You know that 'reporter' majored in speech and drama.) Now that you know, you are professionally more articulate than Wolf Blitzer, Katie Couric, etc.

Here we go again!

Without fail, this cycle comes around again. Each time I see these situations imposed upon youngsters in schools, I'm drawn to think of how many teachers got their education covered because some soldier was posted to another country actually experiencing an education.

When Eisenhower was leaving office he cautioned the country about the influence of the "military-industrial complex". Who thought in the 50's that industrial education would cause the stagnation of development and the disguise of history that it has?

Maybe some of these pedagogues think that George Washington visited Betsy Ross in civvies so as not to offend her creativeness.

Let's not even distract ourselves from the immediate issue here by calling the motivation of these educators by another dishonest term political correctness. They are prejudicing formative minds by the crafting of intellectual dishonesty.

There will be a time, I believe, that some of today's schoolchildren will face the trauma of double-detoxification. Reality will be a shocking side-affect to the awareness that they had been enabled into fantasy dependence .

The image is that of Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, Washington's intelligence officer, who, with his best friend, Nathan Hale, wanted to be teachers.

As Winnie said:

Few words of mine, which would most likely be more than necessary, should light a more provoking fuse than the two words on Churchill's poster.
Just think a moment, before we gather those few things we think are dear to us and head for the cultural bunkers of moral equivalence and rationale and say, regarding the Islamization of the world, "This too shall pass."

And, how dishonest it would be for this cultural pedestrian not to cite Oriana Fallaci (Force of Reason) and George Weigel (Faith, Reason, and the War against Jihadism). Of course, I always add the "Book of Job" from that obscure text "The Bible" when I have to question myself as to how did I get myself in one mess or another.

They're Listening

Crawling out of my slump and the resultant moratorium of my opinions, I have to credit the following observations as having been energized by either Philip and/or Steve at http://gayconservative.org/ who help keep me politically awake during this political season when we’re nearly bored to death by the monotonous drone of US faults.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,335993,00.html
I hate to have to give this murderer his due, but, believe it or not, I witnessed pre-Khadaffi Libya. It was pure squalor once outside Wheelus AFB or the Petri Palace (though you could clearly make out US tankers in and out of terminals). He brought about change in a coup. He even brought about a change that the deserts of the world had earlier witnessed only when the Jewish agronomists began to irrigate Palestine - all of Palestine - Christian, Arab and Jew.
(BTW - “Aronson’s Maps” might be worth a library visit.)
Damn. My “Honesty Muse” forced that.
But, the world does listen to what’s going on in our political arenas. In the mid-70’s Americana was beating the bongos for “Change” after Vietnam, Watergate, and lines at the pump. They were setting the stage to become Yuppies. (Oh, let me set any reader’s interpretation that I have misspelled America. I use ‘Americana’ (the additional “na” denoting those of the citizenry who echo and act by sound-bite un-encumbered by thought-provocation.) So, with all civic ardor, the country, attired in leisure suits, elected an anal-compulsive all decked out in a cardigan sweater. Change? It was a faster retreat from US integrity than we have ever witnessed (albeit we had Vietnam on our record). Jubilation T. Cornpone would be a tortoise in retreat strategy compared to Jimmy Carter with Elmo Zumwalt and Zbignew Brezisnki.
(The latter a foreign affairs consultant for Barry O’Bama - well after all St. Patrick‘s day is soon upon us).
But after the Iranian invasion of our soil, our embassy, the burning to the ground of our embassy in Pakistan while local authorities observed (Anyone forget that? Look it up.), and criminally usurious government sanctioned interest rates at home, we made a correction. We even neutralized the greatest threat to the “Free World” while we were at it. (Anyone remember the USSR?) You know, it was when Gorbachev was elevated to the status of a Twentieth Century Francis of Assisi or the “Rock Star” status of a current junior Senator from Illinois. There was another guy involved that I heard some Republicans reference recently.
Then the work of a few fatigued the many and Americana wanted to rinse themselves of the sweat of their leaders. Again they wanted to “CHANGE”. Americana choosing to indulge in hubris, chose to party.
When we chose to get back to work again and clean up from the “most ethical administration” (that hedonism ever celebrated) reality fatally smacked us sillier. In the morning, during our hangover from another great change, we had to account for all that was neglected; an unkempt military, an ‘as you’d have it’ or appeasing diplomacy, and a domestic ethical void within our borders, the nation of laws not men (persons) showing indifference to one at the expedient dispatch for the historical integrity of the other.
Now, we hear another call for “Change”. Not sure whether we’re advancing or retreating, there’s something about changing horses in midstream about which I’m a bit squeamish.
Actually, I haven’t heard yet toward what plan we haven’t already tried that Americana wants to change.
Of course the Libyan Colonel is listening. The Imams, the Petro-Princes and pseudo-socialist banana republic generals are listening. They never do better that when Americana echoes the word “Change”.
I’m afraid that the “change” Americana wants is one of self-defeat by a nation embarrassed by what it should instead be proud. How awkwardly we project our principles when we should preserve them for ourselves.

REAL ID?

Without the tragedy caused by an illegally present person driving a school bus in a manner that caused the deaths of children, the local scene in Massachusetts will not go undone. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/01/a_suspect_by_many_other_names_waits_in_jail/

At a time of national peril several states have refused to comply with the REAL ID process; it must be chic. With avowed enemies trying to cross our borders for the purpose of murder there are still those who elect blindness to the threat and, feel that you'd be better off if you were free of the anxiety of being threatened; one big bang you won't even hear. Having discovered that the fraudulent identity game is high sport, there seems to be an effort to raise it to Olympian stupidity.

For more than a few years of hearing cases dealing with motor vehicle laws in Massachusetts, the issue of bogus drivers’ licenses and proper identification for other validations would come across my appeal board. Getting a fake “ID” has always been a form of mischief in parochial parts; working class streets and academic avenues, routes that the under-age have carried these cards to get a beer or at least admittance to a bar. Many came before this writer, their egos rinsed of the success they experienced just seconds before they were caught.
At best, the law and its sanctions stood. If they wanted to be known as 21 years of age (and they were not, as of the time of the hearing) then the license they could have enjoyed from the age of sixteen and a half years would just have to wait until the 21st year they claimed.
Of course, one could not help but try to convey a little regard for the law. Sure, “It’s the law! That’s it” would suffice. I would forego that. I would cite the mischief that I recognized. I would try to equate it to their credit cards and the age of rampant identity theft. One day, as I noticed one of America’s future water-walkers, supported by the perfect couple parents, exhibiting all the signs of boredom; counting ceiling dots, inventorying fingers, I suggested that this appellant might have friends who had jobs in restaurants, inns or pubs. The reaction that I hoped for suddenly happened. I suggested that it might be wise to consider what a bogus ID carrier, after being served, could cost his friend, the employer of his friend and a number of other people as well. And appealing to responsibility, awakening it, for friends, colleagues and fellow travelers could be a solution for fellow citizens and our government as well.

Each time a concession is granted the order to which the citizenry is entitled becomes compromised. Each state contending the REAL ID shows contempt for its citizens.
Just stepping back to the experience I cited above were offenses committed by the state itself.
In the 80’s the Dukakis Administration issued bogus social security numbers for a couple of groups of immigrants to facilitate their obtaining pay-outs. Were they for the purpose of employment there existed a mechanism. But that wasn’t the case. This was pure state-sponsored welfare fraud.
Underneath this was the fiscal and political advantage that the Governor gained at the time - more employment slots for case workers were sponsored (think payrolls, state employee union endorsements, [try to lay off a state employee]). This became a major debacle after a while when some of the recipients of largesse faced scrutiny in legal affairs; insurance and commercial licenses. The state was complicit in material misrepresentation. Not only was Massachusetts culpable for this as there were similar practices in other states as well. Florida, North Carolina and Texas to name but a few were more egregious in their failure of due diligence in issuing false identity papers. Some even had networks of blind-eyed officials who, together with a cadre of bottom-feeders were issuing licenses for exorbitant fees. (By the way, I don’t consider those that paid them were victims.)

Now, let's consider something else. Who do you want to be, and why do you want to be someone else? How about when you want your one vote counted. Massachusetts has a motor-voter registration system. But the very people who ramped up that idea seem to think it's an indignity to have to show the very ID issued by that process when one votes.

So, we have in place now means by which we can be responsible and accountable. Simple, isn't it.

Yet we find free-way wide gaps through which terrorists and other crimnnal elements can pass toll-free.

Above, I cited a person with multiple identities with a Massachusetts driver's license in two of them and a violation of NY parole in another. A passport application based upon one of these certificates is lost in the US State Department legal ether, as well. (Well, aren't you glad he's not driving a school bus - or is he.)

Aren't you glad he's not Adnan El Shukrijumah who is on a BOLO (Be on the lookout for) as a person of interest for 9/11. Adnan had a couple of driver's licenses also. He entered the US on fraudulent documents. Cited in South America, Colorado and Toronto there seems to be some problem with identifying him accurately - (Huh?) - and no warrant has been sworn.

I bet you're glad he isn't driving a school bus, let alone on a surrender warrant in New York or dealing drugs in Lynn, Massachusetts, Edina Minnesota or Sunnyside Street, Wherever.

Accordingly, thanks to motor-voter-registration (as in Massachusetts) should he show up, he could even exercise his right to vote (more than once) as the thug I first cited may.