Congress' Intel Chairs Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Mike Rogers tell Candy Crowley we're not safer from terror today.
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Sunday on State of the Union that the civil war in Syria has become a “lightning rod for fighters all over the world.” Appearing with Mike Rogers (D-MI), her counterpart in the House, she said that the dilemma in Syria is that “it’s very difficult to separate the bad guys from the good guys.”
“Any time you take a chemical weapon off the battlefield, that’s a good day for the world,” said Rogers.
But the US was “too quick to try to get a deal,” said Rogers, and the Syrian government headed by President Bashar al-Assad now has “the protection of the Russian government.”
“The opposition felt that the United States walked away from them,” he said.
The heads of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees said Sunday that the Taliban is poised for a “come back.” Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on State of the Union Sunday said that the Afghan Army will not be able to sustain itself financially and that she was fearful about an Afghanistan with “60 percent of the country controlled by the Taliban.”
Feinstein called Afghan President Hamid Karzai who has not signed a bilateral security agreement with the US, Karzai “a cipher.”
Congressman Mike Rogers (R-MI) weighed in as well. “How you leave may be even more important than how you got there,” he said.
“To just say this is too hard and we're going to pack up and come home, we saw the consequences of that in Iraq. It is absolute chaos,” said Rogers.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence told Candy that Al-Qaeda continues to be a threat in various regions around the world, including some areas in the Middle East and North Africa. States with failed governments are easier targets and are prime areas where jihadists seek control. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, agreed and said that it is time for Congress to focus on external threats, instead of infighting regarding the NSA. “We're fighting amongst ourselves here in this country about the role of our intelligence community that it is having an impact on our ability to stop what is a growing number of threats,” said Rogers.
Sen. Feinstein said Sunday that San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, embroiled over a sexual harassment scandal, should resign.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) California says the U.S. should reconsider its military aid to Egypt.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein talks to Candy Crowley about her time as the mayor of San Francisco and her favorite wines.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) California weighs in on Pres. Obama's efforts to pass immigration reform.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) California talks about her efforts to pass new gun control laws.
Another jam-packed show this week. Leading off, the now-former Republican presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich talked to Candy about his victorious opponent, Mitt Romney and how he plans to help him in his general election campaign. He also discussed Tuesday's Indiana GOP Senate primary. Former Republican Virginia Congressman, Tom Davis and Ohio’s former governor, Democrat Ted Strickland joined Candy to discuss the politics of the crucial battleground states. Following their meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Candy talked to Rep. Mike Rogers and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the heads of the House and Senate Intelligence committees about the challenges the United States still faces in Afghanistan. Finally, National Journal correspondent Major Garrett and economists Alice Rivlin and Douglas Holtz-Eakin dissected the April unemployment numbers and their impact on the 2012 campaign.