provide for the common defense

Walid Phares:"Lebanon's security arrests could lead to Syria and Hizbollah"

Today, the Lebanese Government accepted a UN investigation commission request to have a number of former security chiefs brought in for interrogation in the Hariri assassination. The three directors detained were: Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed, the former chief of General Security; Maj. Gen. Ali Hajj, the former director general of the Internal Security Forces; and Brig. Gen. Raymond Azar, the former director general of military intelligence. The commander of the Presidential Guards, Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hamdan, also appeared before the U.N. investigation in response to a summons.

...

Sources in Lebanon believe that the UN investigation may well link the Lebanese regime, Assad’s agencies and Hizbollah to the assassination. If this is established the latter axis will be confronted by the international community. In short, the amount of information the former intelligence chiefs, have about not only the assassination but also about a large segment of international Terrorism, is beyond imagination.

More from the Lebanese Daily Star here and here. If the investigation results lead to the expulsion of Syrian intelligence and assassination squads out of Lebanon, that would bode very well for Lebanon. If the results lead to the teetering and fall of the Syrian regime, that would bode very well for the whole Middle East, especially Iraq. And if Hizbollah is exposed, the long arms of Tehran's reach into Lebanon, Syria and Iraq will be cut short substantially.

Christopher Hitchens writes a strong defense of the Iraq War and provides a list of successes which he rightly feels is not being promoted strongly enough:

(1) The overthrow of Talibanism and Baathism, and the exposure of many highly suggestive links between the two elements of this Hitler-Stalin pact. Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who moved from Afghanistan to Iraq before the coalition intervention, has even gone to the trouble of naming his organization al Qaeda in Mesopotamia.

(2) The subsequent capitulation of Qaddafi's Libya in point of weapons of mass destruction--a capitulation that was offered not to Kofi Annan or the E.U. but to Blair and Bush.

(3) The consequent unmasking of the A.Q. Khan network for the illicit transfer of nuclear technology to Libya, Iran, and North Korea.

(4) The agreement by the United Nations that its own reform is necessary and overdue, and the unmasking of a quasi-criminal network within its elite.

(5) The craven admission by President Chirac and Chancellor Schröder, when confronted with irrefutable evidence of cheating and concealment, respecting solemn treaties, on the part of Iran, that not even this will alter their commitment to neutralism. (One had already suspected as much in the Iraqi case.)

(6) The ability to certify Iraq as actually disarmed, rather than accept the word of a psychopathic autocrat.

(7) The immense gains made by the largest stateless minority in the region--the Kurds--and the spread of this example to other states.

(8) The related encouragement of democratic and civil society movements in Egypt, Syria, and most notably Lebanon, which has regained a version of its autonomy.

(9) The violent and ignominious death of thousands of bin Ladenist infiltrators into Iraq and Afghanistan, and the real prospect of greatly enlarging this number.

(10) The training and hardening of many thousands of American servicemen and women in a battle against the forces of nihilism and absolutism, which training and hardening will surely be of great use in future combat.

His stance is all the more remarkable since he is a self-admitted former Marxist. That would now make him a bonifide Neocon.

"What the 9/11 Commission narrative left out: Iraqis."

AHMED HIKMAT SHAKIR IS A shadowy figure who provided logistical assistance to one, maybe two, of the 9/11 hijackers. Years before, he had received a phone call from the Jersey City, New Jersey, safehouse of the plotters who would soon, in February 1993, park a truck bomb in the basement of the World Trade Center. The safehouse was the apartment of Musab Yasin, brother of Abdul Rahman Yasin, who scorched his own leg while mixing the chemicals for the 1993 bomb.

When Shakir was arrested shortly after the 9/11 attacks, his "pocket litter," in the parlance of the investigators, included contact information for Musab Yasin and another 1993 plotter, a Kuwaiti native named Ibrahim Suleiman.

These facts alone, linking the 1993 and 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, would seem to cry out for additional scrutiny, no?

The Yasin brothers and Shakir have more in common. They are all Iraqis. And two of them--Abdul Rahman Yasin and Shakir--went free, despite their participation in attacks on the World Trade Center, at least partly because of efforts made on their behalf by the regime of Saddam Hussein. Both men returned to Iraq--Yasin fled there in 1993 with the active assistance of the Iraqi government. For ten years in Iraq, Abdul Rahman Yasin was provided safe haven and financing by the regime, support that ended only with the coalition intervention in March 2003.

Readers of The Weekly Standard may be familiar with the stories of Abdul Rahman Yasin, Musab Yasin, and Ahmed Hikmat Shakir. Readers of the 9/11 Commission's final report are not. Those three individuals are nowhere mentioned in the 428 pages that comprise the body of the 9/11 Commission report. Their names do not appear among the 172 listed in Appendix B of the report, a table of individuals who are mentioned in the text. Two brief footnotes mention Shakir.

Why? Why would the 9/11 Commission fail to mention Abdul Rahman Yasin, who admitted his role in the first World Trade Center attack, which killed 6 people, injured more than 1,000, and blew a hole seven stories deep in the North Tower? It's an odd omission, especially since the commission named no fewer than five of his accomplices.

Why would the 9/11 Commission neglect Ahmed Hikmat Shakir, a man who was photographed assisting a 9/11 hijacker and attended perhaps the most important 9/11 planning meeting?

And why would the 9/11 Commission fail to mention the overlap between the two successful plots to attack the World Trade Center?

The answer is simple: The Iraqi link didn't fit the commission's narrative.

It seems that the calls for a commission on the Commission are growing louder.

Michael Barone reports that a new Pew Global Attitudes Project poll indicates that minds are changing in Muslim countries. Results showed declining support for terrorism and increased support for democracy and even the direction of Iraq.

Heather MacDonald takes a critical and detailed look at intelligence failures involving the FBI, CAIR, the ACLU, the media and their fellow travelers in Why the FBI didn't stop 9-11.

In response to a request for a favor, a rare chance to use background investigation techniques to locate a person.

My response:

Wow, a background check challenge. I tried Fx land records and found a XXXXXX XXXXX who deeded out a property in reston in '74. If she's my age now, she would have been 12 back then, so she may not be the one.

I tried the Lycos White Pages at http://www.whowhere.com/
XXXXX XXXXX in Va site at http://preview.ussearch.com/preview/newsearch?&searchtab=people&fc=orange&TID=0&adID=4010073690&sourceid=&adsource
=4&searchZip=&searchState=VA&searchLName=XXXXXX&searchCity
=&searchFName=XXXXX&searchPhone=

He could try click on the different XXXXX X XXX names and follow up. Or try different states.

He could try Yahoo http://people.yahoo.com/ http://www.whitepages.com/5053

http://directory.superpages.com/people.jsp?STYPE=AD&PS=15&PI=

http://www.anywho.com/

Pay sites to buy current phone numbers:
http://www.masterfiles.com/
http://www.555-1212.com/mindex.jsp

These also do email finder sites:
http://www.iaf.net/ http://www.theultimates.com/email/
http://www.theultimates.com/email/
http://www.411locate.com/ http://www.e-mailfinder.com/
http://www.worldemail.com/

Or he could try http://www.classmates.com/cmo/user/index.jsp;jsessionid
=HM13MWGYICY5KCQKWZTCQ1QKBK1GOIV3?_requestid=562087

The easiest way supposedly is to get an address and then use one of the sites like 555-1212.com to get the most current phone number (that's why it's a pay site). Unfortunately, she doesn't own a property in Fx County. She may be renting or may live somewhere else.

He could also try contacting people/friends of hers who could give him more current info. All per "The Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating." If he really wants to be sure, he could just pay a service or a private investigator to try to find her. I think they call it skip tracing. Or he can Google it to try it himself.
----- Original Message -----
From: XXXX XXXXXX
To: PWS
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 7:34 AM
Subject: favor


Hi. I was wondering if you could do a favor for me? My brother in XX is trying to get in touch with someone from high school. She may own property in FX Co. NO, he isn't a stalker! :)
Her name is XXXX XXX XXX. I was just wondering of you could check Fx Co records to see if there is anything. Last he knew she lived in XXXXXXX. She may be married now but not sure what that name is. If it turns out to be a common name don't worry about it.
Thanks, XXXX

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OMNIPLEX World Services Corp. seems to be constantly advertising for positions including Background Investigators:

"Assigned Req # : REQ00263
Job Title: Background Investigators DC Metro Area
Req Status: Open
City: MD, VA, and DC
State or Site: MD, VA and DC
Salary:
Yrs Exp Required: 1-2
Degree Required: Bachelor/or equiv. expr
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Description:
Interested in playing a vital role in our NATIONAL SECURITY effort? Join our
team of Right People with Right Values! OMNIPLEX, a leader in investigative
services, is seeking individuals for a prestigious government contract in the
metro area.

Duties include:
Responsible for conducting federal background investigations in compliance
with all laws, Executive Orders, Federal regulations and manuals as designated
by the responsible Federal agency.
Will obtain factual information from a variety of personal and record sources
and produce a report of investigation that contains all pertinent facts,
including both positive and negative, which will in turn be used by the Federal
Government to make a security determination.

Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree from a four year college or university or 3 years general
investigative experience.
Must be able to resist being influenced by political, religious, ethnic or
other irrelevant considerations during the conduct of the investigation and
produce a report that is a fair, impartial, and objective representation of an
individuals background and character.
Must be able to establish a rapport with sources and foster a sense of mutual
confidence and cooperation while maintaining credibility.
Must be able to adapt to changing situations and environments as they occur
and be able to interact with people from all walks of life and socioeconomic
levels.
Must have strong verbal and written communications skills and behave in a
professional manner at all times.
Must be able to exercise absolute integrity in every aspect of the job duties
and responsibilities.
Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), E-mail, Internet,
and database software.
Must be able to pass Basic Background Investigator Class conducted by
OMNIPLEX.
Must possess a valid drivers license.
Daily travel in geographic area of responsibility required and some extended
temporary duty assignments possible.
Must be able to pass a U.S. Government background investigation.
Benefits:
Outstanding benefits include: paid vacation and holidays, excellent health,
dental, life, and 401(k), training, credit union and more!

Other OMNIPLEX jobs require a familiarity with DCID 6/4. The Defense Security Service website has that and more.

Example from the "About Us":

The Defense Security Service (DSS), formerly known as the Defense Investigative Service (DIS), plays a crucial role in safeguarding our Nation's security. As a Department of Defense (DoD) agency, DSS makes its contribution to the National Security Community by conducting personnel security investigations and providing industrial security products and services, as well as offering comprehensive security education and training to DoD and other government entities. To complement its three primary missions: the Personnel Security Investigations Program (PSI); the Industrial Security Program (ISP); and the Security Education, Training and Awareness Program, DSS offers the unique advantage of integrating counterintelligence into its core security disciplines through our training programs, policy development, and operational support to our field elements.

Specific details about the Director of Central Intelligence Directive, DCID 6/4 here. Annex A details some of the requirements of background investigations, including the Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI), Standard B:

STANDARD B

Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI)

12. Applicability.

Standard B applies to initial investigations for:

a. Access to TOP SECRET (including TOP SECRET SAPs) and SCI; and

b. "Q" access authorizations.

13. Investigative Requirements.

Investigative requirements are as follows:

a. Completion of Forms: completion of Standard Form 86, including applicable releases and supporting documentation.

b. National Agency Check: completion of a National Agency Check.

c. National Agency Check for the Spouse or Cohabitant (if applicable): completion of a National Agency Check, without fingerprint cards, for the spouse or cohabitant.

d. Date and Place of Birth: corroboration of date and place of birth through a check of appropriate documentation; a check of Bureau of Vital Statistics records when any discrepancy is found to exist.

e. Citizenship: for individuals born outside the United States, verification of US citizenship directly from the appropriate registration authority; verification of US citizenship or legal status of foreign-born immediate family members (spouse, cohabitant, father, mother, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters).

f. Education: corroboration of most recent or most significant claimed attendance, degree, or diploma. Interviews of appropriate educational sources if education is a primary activity of the Subject during the most recent three years.

g. Employment: verification of all employments for the past seven years; personal interviews of sources (supervisors, coworkers, or both) for each employment of six months or more; corroboration through records or sources of all periods of unemployment exceeding sixty days; verification of all prior federal and military service, including discharge type. For military members, all service within one branch of the armed forces will be considered as one employment, regardless of assignments.

h. References: four references, of whom at least two are developed; to the extent practicable, all should have social knowledge of the Subject and collectively span at least the last seven years.

i. Former Spouse: an interview of any former spouse divorced within the last ten years.

j. Neighborhoods: confirmation of all residences for the last three years through appropriate interviews with neighbors and through records reviews.

k. Financial Review: verification of the Subject's financial status, including credit bureau checks covering all locations where Subject has resided, been employed, and/or attended school for six months or more for the last seven years.

l. Local Agency Checks: a check of appropriate criminal history records covering all locations where, for the last ten years, the Subject has resided, been employed, and/or attended school for six months or more, including current residence regardless of duration. (NOTE: If no residence, employment or education exceeds six months, local agency checks should be performed as deemed appropriate.)

m. Public Records: verification of divorces, bankruptcies, and other court actions, whether civil or criminal, involving the Subject.

n. Subject Interview: a Subject Interview, conducted by trained security, investigative, or counterintelligence personnel. During the investigation, additional Subject Interviews may be conducted to collect relevant information, to resolve significant inconsistencies, or both. Sworn statements and unsworn declarations may be taken whenever appropriate.

o. Polygraph (only agencies with approved personnel security polygraph programs): in departments or agencies with policies sanctioning the use of the polygraph for personnel security purposes, the investigation may include a polygraph examination, conducted by a qualified polygraph examiner.

14. Expanding the Investigation.

The investigation may be expanded as necessary. As appropriate, interviews with anyone able to provide information or to resolve issues, including but not limited to cohabitants, relatives, psychiatrists, psychologists, other medical professional, and law enforcement professionals may be conducted.

The Omniplex job advertisement also required familiarity with Department of Defense security requirements and the Standard Form 86 (SF86) and the required information/formatting asociated with the SF 86. Here is the SF86 form in PDF format, which is a questionnaire for national security positions.