Belgium to investigate SWIFT
posted at 4:52 pm on July 3, 2006 by Bryan
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The NYT claims that the SWIFT program wasn’t news to the terrorists, but it was apparently news to Belgian officials.
The European Commission has already said that EU law does not cover the handing over of financial data by Swift. The European Parliament will debate the US action on Monday.
Belgium Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt has ordered an investigation into the activities of Swift, which is regulated by the Belgian central bank and is subject to Belgian law.
Media Blog had the link first and notes what the NYT’s SWIFT disclosure is likely to do to the international anti-terror effort going forward:
Why should any company in any country cooperate with the United States? Its assistance will almost certainly become a major liability once the New York Times splashes the details all over its front page.
Between this and the WaPo’s CIA prison story, the US press is actively destroying the alliances that the Bush administration put in place to fight terror. Here’s some irony: All along the Bush administration was acting in ways that help stop terrorism by including other nations in the fight; the Times’ SWIFT disclosure along with other press exposees will isolate the US and force us to act more unilaterally in the future. Our allies won’t trust us to keep anything secret, no matter how legal or effective it might be.
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Indict, try and jail. Oh yeah, fine the crap of outta these treasonous bastards too.
darwin on July 3, 2006 at 5:09 PM
See…. this is why sometimes it just doesn’t matter to get out of bed in the morning.
We have this story, and it will get NO play, except here, talk radio, and FNC. And when they DO ask about it, it’ll be dismissed at right wing propaganda.
A glorious Independance Day to you all.
Allah, keep up the good fight.
Michelle, stay pretty.
Mortis on July 3, 2006 at 5:11 PM
And what should I do?
Bryan on July 3, 2006 at 5:12 PM
Victor Comras says no big deal.
Allahpundit on July 3, 2006 at 5:13 PM
We’ll see how much of a big deal it isn’t when Euro leftist pols blab details of SWIFT for days on end, it gets in the press, the usual leftwingers over there get their say, etc.
Bryan on July 3, 2006 at 5:19 PM
yawn
Defector01 on July 3, 2006 at 5:33 PM
I don’t know why the Euro’s would get their panties in a bind over this. Any info garnered was shared to save their remarkably thin hides as well. This is just hysterical hyberbolic ass covering from the Euro’s. I find it incredibly hard to believe all these people didn’t know about it.
darwin on July 3, 2006 at 5:35 PM
I wonder if the NY Times will use this in their defense?
darwin on July 3, 2006 at 5:35 PM
Bryan,
Not sure why you were left out in the above post — but I think you could just stay pretty too:) Have a wonderful 4th.
Also, I really enjoyed your post on North Korea this morning. It was well thought out and put together. You only touched the tip of the iceberg too — the persecution that Christians endure over there is atrocious. I feel truly sorry for them.
wytammic on July 3, 2006 at 6:24 PM
Bryan, you stay cool. I believe I saw you on TV a few weeks ago and you looked/acted really cool.
Even though MM gets the air-time and Allah writes most of the posts, we know how integral a part you are in the effective trio. Thank you all (three) for enlightening us daily and for making us think.
As I mentioned before, not being trusted by our allies is a huge setback. The Belgians are really secretive by nature anyway. The MSM and the Europeans always want us to cooperate, then we do and they sabotage the effort. I wonder how they would handle this with a Democratic administratin? Would a Pulitzer be less valuable then? Please, please don’t let me find out!
My old mantra, they aren’t progressive. One can’t be for freedom and then do this. Sure you come back and say “they aren’t intentionally for tyranny either”. There is really only one side and one must chose. This can’t be nuanced and debated!
Entelechy on July 3, 2006 at 9:20 PM
…should have been “Democratic administration” and “…one must choose” :(
Entelechy on July 3, 2006 at 9:27 PM
This should be come active evidence for Bush to use to prove the harm of disclosing secrets. We have allies whose precarious political positions are jeopardized by cooperating with U.S., but they have been. Our own media, left wing, and university educational system have been more destructive to this country in the last 40 years than any of our enemies.
I suspect that if the communication between secret alliances among left wingers were public, that the average U.S. citizens would be shocked.
We need to organize our own search and destroy alliances, infiltrate the left wing socialists and expose their destructive intentions.
Does anyone know of organizations that have active strategic plans to uncover the true subversive operational objectives of the most destructive segments of our country?
CountryDoc on July 4, 2006 at 1:11 AM
Bryan, um, you can, um, have a good Independance Day?
And if Michelle’s husband allows it, get a hug.
Mortis on July 4, 2006 at 6:04 AM
The New York Times – a subscription to treason.
Khyber Pass on July 4, 2006 at 9:20 AM
Belgium doing the grand jury work of indicting the proverbial ham sandwich..or should I say “accuser le sandwich au jambon”
labwrs on July 4, 2006 at 12:41 PM
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