Hayden's claims are arguably reckless and designed to energize law enforcement against unspecific tarrgets. This smacks of a dubious dragnet, not a well-managed US government effort to defend America.

CIA Director Hayden appears to be still wearing his domestic-surveillance hat he wore as NSA director. He's reported to have said that AlQueda is recruiting "western looking" recruits. Hayden fails to explain his dubious claim. If AlQueda were recuriting "western looking" recruits, there would be no problem for the CIA to penetrate AlQueda. Yet, Hayden presents this as a problem, nor an opportunity. Even if it were true, Hayden is recklessly putting the lives of CIA agents at risk. The French remind us it takes two years to penetrate cells. The US's problem has been the inability to penetrate AlQueda.

Either Hayden's admitted that he has no excuse not to penetrate AlQueda with "western looking" CIA agents, and has tipped off AlQueda, and set-back CIA inflitration two [2] years; or he's making a dubious claim to broaden US abuse of power against all people. Most likely, Hayden has nothing specific. If he had anything specific, he'd keep it secret, not say anything publicly, and the "western looking" recruits would be known and targeted and tracked into the United States. Lo and behold, the President would have his evidence. But Hayden didn't do that. He's not keeping this secret because it's fabricated.

This "western looking" recruit is a theory, which NSA and CIA will work with the FBI and DHS to "find the evidence". This isn't about defending America, but about broadening the NSA-JTTF intrusions into all people, and justify longer detentions, more intrusive questions, and more US government meddling. 2006 was about change. Hayden is giving us more of the same he gave us as NSA director.

Hayden isn't looking at this as an "opportunity" because there is no opportunity, and this is not an AlQueda-related plan, but a speculative idea from US-based intelligence of what AlQueda "might" do. Yet, rather than test that theory in secret Hayden's disclosed the theory, presented it as if it were true, but made himself look foolish.

The theory smacks of the same wishful thinking the White House counsel had about the Guantanamo detention centers: "If we abuse them, they'll admit." The problem was when the POWs were not connected with illegal activity or war crimes, but were innocent, and subjected to illegal abuse. This administration has a bad habit of floating theories, then literally pounding people to death until they involuntarily conform to that twisted theory. The greatest tragedy is this Administration using people's reasonable resistance to that abuse as "evidence" of their guilt. This smacks of the non-sense of the Spanish Inquisition.

Using Hayden's "logic" anyone "could be" a recruit. Is Hayden prepared to answer questions about his "possible" recruitment as a "western looking" AlQueda agent? If he's not willing to be stopped and grilled about this "possible, future risk" why should any American or 'western looking' person be expected to endure the anticipated increase in intrusions?

The right answer is to put the spotlight on Hayden. He's the one making accusations which appear dubious. Congress needs more information about Hayden's assertions. They smack of a pre-text to mislead the Senate Intelligence Committee, delay flights from Europe despite extensive discussions to streamline air travel, and to expand the already dubious fishing trips JTTF and local law enforcement regularly engage.

The Congress has a reason to examine Hayden's claims:

- Why is the CIA director looking at this supposed "western looking recruitment effort" by AlQueda as a problem, but not an opportunity?

- Why did Hayden disclose "intelligence" which tips off AlQueda?

- Did Hayden comprehend that in disclosing this "intelligence" about AlQueda he's compromising the very CIA agents who are supposedly entering the AlQueda cells?

- Where is the evidence of this "western looking" recruitment; why hasn't this been provided, in detail, to the Congressional intelligence committees?

- When did the CIA specifically identify people who have entered these camps; why is the CIA directly openly discussing supposed risks and opportunities which he should secretly exploit, not pose as a problem?

- Which training camps in Hayden referring to; where are the predator drones?

- Why aren't these recruits being secretly tracked so that admissible evidence can be entered into court and not get an acquittal, as DoD's Hayden told Guantanamo prosecutors were not tolerable?

- If Hayden has the information to "know "about this, does he not trust DHS enough to track them to the US border and detain these specifically-identified people; or does someone think DHS will "miss" this because there really is no one being specially recruited for "western looking" reasons?

- How will these vague claims about "western looking recruitment efforts" be broadly used to expand NSA surveillance against larger targets; what will ensure these claims are not used as a pretext before the FISA court and telecoms to rush surveillance based on absurd accusations, not probable cause?

- What is the relationship of Hayden's comments to the upcoming votes in the Congress on NSA surveillance, FISA immunity, and electronic monitoring of innocent Americans?

- WHy should anyone believe CIA director Hayden has removed his NSA directors' hat?

- Is this theory about "western looking recruits" linked more with White House counsel desires to shift attention from illegal activity, and find another scapegoat (hopefully) that might justify the abuses and illegal activity since 2001?

- How will this information be provided to telecoms as further inducement for them to not demand a warrant against "western looking" surveillance targets?

- How is this theory going to be used by local law enforcement, contracted security, and US government officials to shift attention from reckless security misconduct, and shine the light on those who have evidence of illegal conduct by US officials and contractors?