Just a general thought: if everyone knew that USA and the Treasury Department were investigating where the terrorist money is, where it came from, and where it is going, then how come the NY Slimes had to splash it all over the front page?
We all know that the weather is going to do something. But, unless it is really, really bad, it doesn't make the front page.
Anyhoo, Power Line delves into the way back machine, and catches the Times saying that the US government should do exactly what the Treasury Dept. did.
Organizing the hijacking of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon took significant sums of money. The cost of these plots suggests that putting Osama bin Laden and other international terrorists out of business will require more than diplomatic coalitions and military action. Washington and its allies must also disable the financial networks used by terrorists.
The Bush administration is preparing new laws to help track terrorists through their money-laundering activity and is readying an executive order freezing the assets of known terrorists. Much more is needed, including stricter regulations, the recruitment of specialized investigators and greater cooperation with foreign banking authorities. There must also must be closer coordination among America's law enforcement, national security and financial regulatory agencies.
Of course, the Times didn't mean Bush should do it. Because then, of course, that would be an infringement on our civil liberties, plus would probably involve sacrifice of puppies and kittens to Darth Rove and Darth Cheney.
