v'~yr<
Opinion
The
Page 11 • Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Invasive intelligence
111 Commission must avoid instituting domestic intelligence agency like Ml5
In an effort to reform the
U.S. intelligence communi
ty, the 9-11 Commission
will evaluate a number of avail
able options for improved
national security, finalizing its
posal in July. Among the
1
Wjpossible recommendations are
rejioving the FBI from intelli-
| Bee gathering, splitting the
current director position into
twi jobs: a CIA director and a national
intelligence director, establishing a cab-
injt-level intelligence director to over-
jjjBall intelligence functions or imple
menting a domestic intelligence agency
sililar to Britain’s M15 program. The
con mission must take its time in select-
inl the appropriate measures to recom-
Bnd, but should throw any domestic
intelligence options out the window.
■ ■Britain’s M15 is one of the oldest
selret intelligence agencies ever imple
mented. It aims to gain the advantage
over government targets by covertly
■aining information about these tar
gets which it can use to counter their
E ■ivities. The idea for the United
M States to create a similar agency began
gaining support last year when
tyJUmeland Security Director Tom
Ridge visited the Ml5 headquarters.
'stilts Sik'h an agency would give the govern-
^"■■nt more power regarding civilian
mwjpo] jlation surveillance, giving “Big
¥ • Blather” a whole new meaning.
■Following 9-11, intelligence agencies
sui i as the FBI and CIA have been
:oa:: uni r intense fire for their inefficient
PKs in protecting the nation from inter-
P 8ll Bional terrorism. In addition to budget
constraints and excessive priorities, it
has been determined by everyone from
the commission to the joint House-
Senate inquiry immediately following 9-
llthat the failure on behalf of the intel-
nce community was due to a lack of
peration among individual agencies,
roponents of a domestic intelli-
gice agency include James B.
Slinberg, deputy national security
awiser for the Clinton administration.
S|inberg, also the director of foreign
icy studies at the Brookings
titution, said that such an agency
uld be effective in tearing down the
ade-old walls that hinder effective
communication within the intel
ligence community. He cited
further how the different task
specialization of agencies such
as the FBI and CIA have ham
pered effective cooperation for
a common goal of terrorism
prevention, according to Fox
CHRIS News. The agency may well
lively accomplish this goal, but at the
cost of unnecessary, unconstitu
tional measures.
u
The commission must
take its time in
selecting the
appropriate measures to
recommend, but should
throw any
domestic intelligence
options out
the window.
CIA Director George Tenet and FBI
Director Robert Mueller have been at
the front lines of harsh interrogations
by the commission. Referring to the 9-
11 attacks, a preliminary report on the
CIA’s failures mentioned several short
falls that left the country more vulnera
ble. One of which was the failure to
even identify al-Qaida until 1999, a
mere 11 years after its formation. In
addition, the report cited several failures
of the FBI, including confusion among
agents as well as how to utilize surveil
lance powers. In short, the report found
that “there is no national strategy for
sharing information to counter terror
ism,” according to USA Today. There
are many problems manifested within
the intelligence community. Maybe they
should be fixed before there is any con
sideration of domestic spying.
While the 9-11 Commission has
been investigating any and all possible
breeches in national security prior to 9-
11, changes have already been made.
The Bush administration created the
MAIL CALL
Holiday's opinion page
atf lacked propaganda
would like to commend Mr. Davis
jd Mr. Rainey on their articles appear-
on Monday’s editorial page,
oth articles were well-written and
fiazingly didn't contain any absurd
ories or near-sighted left or right
wing political propaganda. Both writers
used sound logic and reasoning that
has been apparently lost by other writ-
ns: ers that contribute to the editorial page,
a BMaybe Mr. Ezeanyim should talk to
r Di one of these two gentlemen about writ-
V ing lessons.
mi!* 1 Justin Stone
Class of 2003
^ Political cartoons show
treme anti-Bush bias
realize that I'm probably not the first
iojexpress this opinion, but I am wor
ld about the choice of cartoons in
J e Battalion. It's not the half-naked
lime-type cartoons that I am both-
ipd by; it's the anti-Bush, ultra-liberal,
■dslinging cartoons that grace the
Pages of your “Texas A&M Tradition
lice 1893.” I don't know if you have a
Terrorist Threat Integration Center as
well as the well-known Department of
Homeland Security. In addition, Tenet
and Mueller have assured changes in
their respective agencies that will
increase communication and coopera
tion between the two agencies. These
are changes that both directors
believe will take several years to
take effect. However, the 10-
member, bipartisan 9-11
Commission has recognized
that most Americans probably
do not take comfort in this
assurance and will evaluate all
possible reformation options.
It is important to note that
even with the use of a domestic
spy agency, the terrorism prob
lem will never be fully eradicat
ed. The future of U.S. intelli
gence could be one characterized
by success. Then again, the country
may find itself reliving defective his
tory characterized by intense govern
ment surveillance with the possibility of
intelligence power abuses like that of
the J. Edgar Hoover era. Most
Americans should not be reluctant to
sacrifice a little privacy and freedom at
the cost of capturing terrorists. But the
practicality of implementing a domestic
intelligence agency is not promising, as
many Americans feel that the controver
sial Patriot Act went far enough, and
would not welcome a new, more inva
sive policy with open arms.
As the reformation of the intelli
gence community as well as homeland
security is inevitable, at most it should
result in the restructuring of an already
existing and potentially successful
enterprise, not in the further erosion of
civil liberties. No such plan is active
ly being pursued by either side of the
political spectrum, but many believe
the controversy will heat up once the
9-11 Commission releases its final
report as it may very well recommend
the creation of a domestic spy agency
— an agency which may come at a
greater cost to consumers than to the
terrorists it is meant to discourage.
-ees
Chris Lively is a senior
sociology major.
Graphic by Ivan Flores
limited database of cartoons, or there
is some sort of political agenda here,
but I'm pretty sure it's not the former.
There are other types of political car
toons other than those bashing our cur
rent president, and I for one would be
pleased to view a cartoon or drawing at
least once a week that would represent
a balanced political point of view. I can
accept the fact that not all people own
the same political opinions as I do, but
I cannot accept the fact that The
Battalion has become one huge mud-
slinging ad campaign against
President Bush.
I know it's too much to ask for the
majority of your newspaper to be politi
cally balanced, but please try to print
as many cartoons not bashing George
W. Bush as are bashing the president.
Tony Love
Class of 2004
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor.
Letters must be 200 words or less and include
the author’s name, class and phone number.
The opinion editor reserves the right to edit let
ters for length, style and accuracy. Letters may
be submitted in person at 014 Reed McDonald
with a valid student ID. Letters also may be
mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas
A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-
1111. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall<5)the-
battalion.net
Matte leaves a lasting
impression on Texas A&M
E nter any discussion between
informed Aggies over great lead
ers of this school and one is like
ly to hear a few of these names: Gen.
James Earl Rudder, an obvious contrib
utor whose legacy and stature seeming
ly grow in step with the size and contin
ued success of this University, or E.
King Gill, a man whose willingness to
help his football team forged a tradition
that lives on and breathes stronger every
day. Aggies pride themselves on these legends of old, but
one must not forget that modern-day heroes exist as well:
men and women who cling to the promise this school
offers and commit their lives selflessly to the service of
others. It is true that many Aggies demonstrate these
intangible qualities, and one man, in particular, has epito
mized this role and has seen a phenomenal sequence of
events as an outcome.
Gregg Matte, founder and director of Breakaway
Ministries, will give his last talk on April 27 before he
goes on to serve as senior pastor of Houston’s First
Baptist Church. Matte’s role will change from
speaker/director in Breakaway Ministries to a member of
the Board of Directors.
In 1989, Matte, then a sophomore at A&M, decided to
host a weekly Bible study with his roommates for a group
of 12 people. The next week, the 12 people each brought
a few friends, who brought a few more friends throughout
following weeks. Suddenly, they were running out of
space. Matte and his roommates were able to secure the
College Station Conference Center as a meeting space for
this popular and growing event. Again, logistical issues
arose as more attended, and this group, known as
“Breakaway,” was forced to move again. Long story
made short, after 15 years and 13 changes of venue.
Breakaway meets every Tuesday night at Reed Arena and
humbly reports itself to be the largest college Bible study
in the nation.
But what’s the draw? Why do more than 5,000 stu
dents give up two hours on a Tuesday night for a Bible
study? There is no single way to answer this question,
but one could definitely start by explaining what
exactly is taught. At 9 p.m. students filter into the
side section of Reed Arena and have a time of wor
ship through song. Christian performers Ross King,
Shane and Shane and Chris Tomlin have all graced the
stage at one point, and now the Smith Band, from
Houston, leads the music for its second year.
Following the music, Matte speaks for about 30 min
utes on a variety of issues relevant to the average col
lege student. His gift is in his ability to relate to stu
dents on a personal level.
Junior sports management major Nathan Randel said,
“Gregg is unique in the sense that he knows what I’m
going through. He’s not up there to hear himself speak,
but rather to convey from his heart to mine that there is a
God who loves me and a life worth living.”
Matte’s talks, usually in a two-to-five-part series,
highlight anything from dealing with extreme perfection
ism to the impact that divorce has on the college genera
tion. Week in and week out, thousands sojourn from their
studies and look forward to a spiritual time of renewal,
revival and an applicable message with a twist of humor,
Matte’s forte in speaking.
Matte’s departure does not signify a fading of this
Tuesday night event underlined in countless day planners,
but rather a time to look forward to a new leader who will
engage and motivate the hearts of this campus.
Still it is hard to say goodbye to someone who has
changed this campus for the better.
"There is no way you can quantify how much Gregg
Matte has meant to Texas A&M and our community,”
said communication professor Dr. Rick Rigsby. “His
desire to carry out his call with humility and integrity
will impact generations worldwide. Gregg Matte is one
of my heroes!"
What started out as a desire to lead and serve a small
group of 12 peers culminated to an opportunity to serve
the entire Twelfth Man at Texas A&M. And just as Christ
chose to wash the feet of his disciples as an act of kind
ness and love, so has Matte washed the feet of this
University time and time again. He will be greatly
missed, but it is time for someone else to receive the gifts
that he so willingly bestowed upon this campus.
So now, when people discuss heroes produced by
Texas A&M, do not forget that they still exist today.
Matt Younger is a junior
political science major.