The New York Times is reporting today that Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld (out from his hiding spot in the shadow government, apparently) and Senator John Warner (R-Virginia) are telling us that a more cautious approach to revamping the US intelligence network is what's necessary..as opposed to the immediate changes requested by the 9/11 Commission.

Warner, who proved he was judgement impaired long ago when he became the 7th sacrificial lamb on the altar of Elizabeth Taylor in 1976, said:

"I'm of the opinion that we should not try and do the whole 9/11 in a single stroke. That's my opinion."

Thankfully, not all Republicans are completely stupid and irresponsible on this issue. Pat Roberts of Kansas (Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee)said he wants a swift approval of the 9/11 Commission's central request: the creation of a central intelligence director who would have the power to hire and fire people, and control the budget. As long as the guy is directly answerable to Congress if he screws up, I'm all for it.

Rumsfeld is not happy moving forward with the new proposal:

"It's important that we move with all deliberate speed. We need to remember that we are considering these important matters, however, while we are waging a war. If we move unwisely and get it wrong, the penalty would be great."

Too bad Rumsfeld didn't think of that before they decided to march into Iraq rather than concentrate on Al Qaida, the entity that declared war on us and murdered our citizens.

The 9/11 Commission studied this thing to death. Dragging feet on it just keeps us further behind. Why is it that these guys are so hot to confirm Porter Goss, a guy who has no problem with keeping the ban on the CIA from doing domestic law enforcement...unless the President says otherwise, but can't seem to bring themselves to implement a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission?