Medary.com

My first real attempt at liveblogging . . . refresh the page for updates . . .

No secret, Bush needs to find a new riff. For our country's sake, I hope that's what we'll hear today.

Why the terrorists have not succeeded . . . "hard-working people." "we've given law enforcement the tools"

 . . . same old, same old.

"Our enemies are"

 . . . same old same old.

"The most important source of information is the terrorists themselves."

"These are "enemy combatants" who are waging war against our nation. . . we have an obligation to detain these combatants and stop them from re-joining the battle."

Disappointing, so far. He's not breaking any new ground that I can tell.

"A small number . . . have been held and questioned outside the U.S. . . . by the CIA."

Some examples:

Abu Zabada (sp?) gave up some information, then stopped talking. "The CIA used an 'alternative set of procedures.' The DOJ 'determined the procedures to be lawful.'"

The left is going to have a field day with that . . . look for details on those procedures tomorrow in the New York Times.

Khalid Sheik Mohammed ("KSM") talked, too. Al Qaida was working to develop anthrax. KSM thought we already knew what he told us--but we didn't know about "Yazeed's" role in the anthrax program.

I don't know if these vignettes Bush is offering will have much effect.

Heh. Two guys ducking behind a flag behind the President. My guess is that they'll get a talking-to.

"Were it not for this program . . . Al Qaida would have launched a successful attack."

That should get people's attention. It won't.

In order to hear, one must listen. The opponents of Bush have stopped listening. I don't think there's anything he can say which will make a difference to them. They're sanguine in their belief that they are right, and Bush is wrong.

Sending to Congress legislation to authorize military tribunals to try terrorists for war crimes.

Here's the meat of the speech. In my opinion, he would have been better off getting to this twenty minutes ago.

Terrorists being transferred from the CIA to the military facility at Guantanamo.

"Those who killed 3,000 Americans on 9/11/01 will face justice"

. . . standing ovation from the White House Staff.

The ICRC is being advised of their detention. Look for the 'CIA tortured me' stories in the next couple of weeks from these guys.

Other nations must take back their nationals being held in Guantanamo. "America has no desire to be the world's jailer."

There are now no terrorists in the CIA program. Having a CIA program to question terrorists will be crucial to gaining information.

Why reveal the CIA program now? 1) The current detainees have already been questioned. 2) the Supreme Court's decision has put the CIA program into doubt.

Asking Congress to clarify behavior restricted by war crimes act and restrict access by terrorists to domestic legal system.

And it's over.  Let the firestorm begin.