Reporter’s Questions Put Intelligence Chair on the Spot
A reporter recently directed the questions about Islam to Texas Democratic Rep. Silvestre Reyes. Reyes failed, which would perhaps not be a big deal if Reyes were an ordinary congressman.
But he’s not. Come January, Reyes will chair the House Intelligence Committee, which oversees all U.S. intelligence activity, a good portion of which is directed toward the war on terror.
Reyes could not tell Congressional Quarterly’s national security editor Jeff Stein whether al Qaeda was made up of Sunnis or Shiites. From Stein’s scathing column on the exchange:
“Al Qaeda, they have both,” Reyes said. “You’re talking about predominately?”
“Sure,” I said, not knowing what else to say.
“Predominantly â?? probably Shiite,” he ventured.”â?? Congressional Quarterly
There really is no excuse for this. Every member of Congress should know the basic facts about the people who want to destroy our way of life. Are we at a point where that is too much to ask?
As an astute observer of the scene told me earlier tonight, I’m paraphrasing,
What’s even more appalling is that he was allowed before a microphone with so little basic knowledge of the situation. Didn’t they prepare him at all? Either way, you have to know the rudimentary aspects of this global struggle to hold that position, don’t you?
Silvestre Reyes is no Alcee Hastings. But he’s still not worthy of the title of Chairmen of the House Intelligence Committee. Pelosi should give Jane Harmon her job back. She should follow one of the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission she loves to cite, which was to keep members on the intelligence committee for long periods of time to accumulate institutional knowledge. I know she is still on the committee, but she was in line to chair it and Pelosi alone said no. The only people that don’t respect Harmon are the far left wing of the Democrat Party. For this, we almost get an impeached federal judge and we do get someone with no idea of what we are up against.
I feel safer already.