Anyone else feel the missile sting is totally manufactured?

[Brotherjohn]

I mean, stings usually do have an element of pre-fabrication. The authorities have to contribute to the scenario somewhat for there to be a set-up.

But in this case, the set-up came from both ends. The Russians (in cahoots with us) provided the material, in the form of the (disarmed) missile, and transferred it to the U.S. (always under the watchful eye of U.S. and Russian agents). The U.S. provided the "customer", in the form of an undercover agent posing as an Al Qaeda operative.

In fact, the only hint that there was even the desire to commit any crime before-hand is the following according to the New York Times: "The officials said the arrested man was not a well-known arms trader, but had told associates in the New York area in the last year that he could obtain arms, including shoulder-fired missiles, from military stocks in countries like Russia. Other officials said the Russian authorities had received the first tip in the case, a feeler from the arms dealer trying to buy a shoulder-fired missile." (http://nytimes.com/2003/08/13/international/worldspecial2/13TERR.html?hp)

If you believe that, British intelligence says they also have some rock-solid info on a uranium deal between an African nation and a certain Mid-East one (details to come).

Also adding to the suspicious nature of the sting is the fact that "the investigation was carried out by a somewhat new grouping of American law enforcement agencies... which is part of the Homeland Security Department."

I find it interesting, too, that yesterday, the buzz was that it was an assassination plot against Bush, aimed at Air Force One. Yet today, we don't hear a peep about this. I guess they realized they were pushing the spin too far.

There are also conflicting stories about the man's background as an arms dealer. USA Today says that the man "is an independent arms dealer who has sold weapons to terrorist cells, Muslim extremists, and 'rogue nations'". Yet later in the same article, they say that the suspect "did not appear to be connected to al-Qaeda or any other known terrorist group." (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-08-13-missile-plot_x.htm) The New York Times says that the man "had been motivated by profit and that he was not directly involved in terrorist operations," and that "no real terrorists were ever connected to the plot."

Hmmnnn. No terrorists. No weapons that weren't provided by us. Perhaps even no real arms dealer, depending the version of the story you read, until we made him one. Certainly no actual arms deal a priori, except what was manufactured by us on both ends.

The administration would like us to believe that the purpose of this sting was to keep us safe from terrorists. But there are other goals they are after. The administration is very eager to look as though they're doing something to make us safer . They're also very interested in encouraging the impression that we are ALL at war, even here at home. That is what this spin is all about. That was the real purpose of this sting.

Today, USA Today is hyping the missile threat as "no longer theoretical". Yeah, the sting has served it's purpose alright.