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mahatmakanejeeves

(56,890 posts)
Mon Feb 1, 2021, 12:12 PM Feb 2021

A 2009 warning about right-wing extremism was engulfed by politics. ...

Kevin M. Kruse Retweeted

Excellent USA Today examination of the moment in 2009 when the GOP -- from Bachmann to Boehner -- decided to play politics with the threat posed by rightwing terror groups rather than take it seriously. Important plot point in how we get to Jan 6



Investigations

A 2009 warning about right-wing extremism was engulfed by politics. There are signs it’s happening again.

Brett Murphy, Will Carless, Marisa Kwiatkowski and Tricia L. Nadolny USA TODAY
Published: 2:42 p.m. ET Jan. 25, 2021 | Updated: 5:33 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2021

In April 2009, federal intelligence officials issued a prescient warning to police departments around the country.

“Right-wing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat,” experts in the Department of Homeland Security wrote. “These skills and knowledge have the potential to boost the capabilities of extremists – including lone wolves or small terrorist cells – to carry out violence.”

It was one of DHS’ most explicit mentions of homegrown terrorists since 9/11, one with a direct connection to the military.

But the call to action was effectively buried after powerful Republican politicians and their allies in the right-wing media launched broadsides against President Barack Obama’s administration and Democrats, alleging that they had disrespected the men and women in the U.S. military while attempting to surveil and silence conservatives. The blowback shifted the debate away from how to actually address the threat and into another partisan public spectacle.

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A 2009 warning about right-wing extremism was engulfed by politics. ... (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Feb 2021 OP
This should be a top story. The Rethugs own this one from the get-go nt DonaldsRump Feb 2021 #1
From the Obama "Told you so " file Pantagruel Feb 2021 #2
Allowing snakes in after you've been told they were snakes never ends well. czarjak Feb 2021 #3
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