In the Face of the Fascist Threat, an Epic US Intelligence Failure
Insurrectionists invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. 2021. (LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) The failed coup of January 6, writes journalist Joe Conason, “illuminated the national landscape like a flash of lightning. It is now clear even to those who have pretended otherwise that Trump himself represents a grave danger to national security.” And yet as this danger gathered, U.S. domestic intelligence agencies--namely the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI --failed to take action, despite ample warning. As the threat gathered, policymakers were blinded by unconscious racism and a defunct definition of "national security." In a flash, we see how and why American democracy was left undefended. As Foreign Affairs, the house organ of the American policy establishment, notes: Law enforcement, which uses a heavy hand against Black Lives Matter protesters and prepares carefully to stop possible al Qaeda attacks, was apparently unprepared for the mix of white supremacists, anti-government extremists, conspiracy theorists, and other pro-Trump supporters who openly organized to “burn DC to the ground” to overturn an election at the behest of the president. Although it’s too early to point fingers, the Capitol Police and other security forces clearly have some explaining to do. "Other security forces" is right, if too kind in its vagueness. Read the full article











