I wish I'd seen your thoughts before I posted. I don't know if I agree with all of them, but you've got some keen observations there. You're right in that outfits like Al-Queda don't fit the usual "national purity" goose-stepping image of fascists. Anarchists might be a better choice. Or kjust plain thuggery.

I'll think about that.

I don't see how news of this new terror plot can be used to help the Republican cause. It seems to me that they have been promising to "make us safer" and fight terrorists for five years now, and we are still uncovering plots like this. The Democrats should use this latest plot discovery as a powerful tool of their own. The public has given Bush & Co. five years to try and fix this issue and they haven't succeeded. Now it is time to give it to someone who atually wants to do something about it.

!

Why the delayed announcement on this terrorist plot?

Well, if I were a neocon political strategist, here is what I would do: 1) Allow the Democratic primary to take place in Connecticut where pre-election polls were leaning toward an anti-war candidate; 2) After the election, announce that a terrorist plot was foiled (overseas); 3) Show quasi-support for the moderate Democrat who supports Bush; 4) Count on Democrats to be split in the November election, ensuring a Republican win; 5) Back-up plan: If Liebermann gets elected, remind him of the Republican support and slowly convert him into a Republican.

It's a win-win for the Republican party, while having the added bonus of renewing fear and paranoia in the U.S. population, which always seems to help Bush.

Of course, now I wonder what else is being covered up: maybe there is a weekend scandal on the horizon (as so many news stories that hurt Republicans are announced on Friday afternoons), and this new terrorist plot will enable it to be downplayed.

What always baffles me is the way newspapers are accused of jeopardizing our national security when they report events or little-known facts that deal with the so-called "War on Terror," but then the Administration exploits the details of secret plots when it is convenient for them. It's all about control, I guess.

Oh, and "Islamic fascists"??? These labels are creeping closer and closer to overt racism, or at the least, religious bigotry. According to webster.com, fascism is: "a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition." (Sorry, LeCastor, for requoting the definition--and your 2:15 p.m. posting is very insightful, by the way.) Nevermind that these "Islamic fascists" encompass a vast diaspora, not a single nation. And nevermind that the definition of fascism is a frighteningly accurate description of policies advocated and implemented (with or without our prior knowledge) by the President of the United States.

Roveing on with King Georges' duodenum who says "It's close to FOOTBALL Season, Boss, the Mid-West ain't SCARED enough; so let us go to GREEN BAY, Tony will take care of the landing". Those "terracottas", we can mold them into any building block of our choosing.

CODE RED, CODE RED, put that plastic and Duct tape away, the Administration has SAVED the day once again!

"TRUST US, you know it is HARD WORK". Beleive you me, I know how to neoCON all of the people most of the time and my Appointees will take care of the rest.

Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens

> "some people have decided that the war on terror is passe."

Being a conservative blog, Instapundit doesn't have comments. So I can't ask whether the "some people" include Mr. Bush, who thought Osama bin Laden was "not a priority," and going after nonexistent WMDs and working out daddy issues in Iraq was more important than fighting terrorism. Or would that be Bush's CIA, who disbanded their bin Laden unit a few months ago? Or the various Republicans who thought stopping gay marriage was the most important issue facing America?

At least we can rest assured that, next time Al Qaeda hijacks an American plane, if the hijacker is gay, he'll be single, damn it! And he'll be killing Americans in a world where Iraq may be a breeding ground for terrorists in the midst of a civil war, but it isn't run by anyone who tried to kill Bush's dad!

All I can say is, thank God Mi6 is on the ball and no one managed to gut that agency and replace it with unqualified GOP loyalists who do a heckuva job when the chips are down...

Once again, Greenwald says it better than I can, but I can't help adding two cents.

Leaving aside the remarkable coincidence that this bust fits neatly into a right-wing August news assault, there are two major points that need to be made, over and over, in Cheney fashion:

1) This was a LAW-ENFORCEMENT action, NOT another ill-conceived, bungled military adventure, and it will presumably be handled in the British COURTS, not in some hidden prison in the nether regions of the Balkans.

2) This was a BRITISH success story, despite Chertoff and Bush leaping into the spotlight, like June-Bugs on a summer night!

Someone may have already made the point, however, this capture, presumming it is as it is being played, an attack mere moments from fruition, and not another "planning stages" break up, warrentless wiretaps would have been key to its uncovering, and as such would be a legitimate argument for such things in our own countries.

Please remember that most nations do not have rights in the same way that americans do. George W. Bush and his allies are infact making America more like these European nations where rights are at the favor of the government bestowed on its citizens and not as in America endowed by one's creator.

British Intelegence no doubt used every available tool in their pursuit of these people, and that no doubt included tactics and procedures that are perfectly within the british legal code but that would leave even the most ruthless of neocons cold.

The real worry in this story is not Bush improperly using this story for gain, but to accuratly hold up British Intelegence as the model for approach in the war on terror.