Lee H. Hamilton
Lee H. Hamilton
Lee Herbert Hamiltonis a former member of the United States House of Representatives and currently a member of the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council. A member of the Democratic Party, Hamilton represented the 9th congressional district of Indiana from 1965 to 1999. Following his departure from Congress he has served on a number of governmental advisory boards, most notably as the vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth20 April 1931
CountryUnited States of America
When you're talking with a person at this level of the government, at the very highest level, I think you have to be very discreet because he, President Clinton, is very aware that anything he says publicly can have a profound impact on American politics and on world politics.
But in the end our government usually - not unfailingly - is responsive to the people; and usually - not always - will try to do what is right.
We should insist that governments receiving American aid live up to standards of accountability and transparency, and we should support countries that embrace market reforms, democracy, and the rule of law.
Aid can work where there is good governance, and usually fails where governments are unable or unwilling to commit aid to improve the lives of their people.
What struck me after Katrina was we were not as safe as I thought we were,
The status quo failed us. Reform is an urgent matter, and reform must not wait until the next attack.
The structure of the intelligence community has not changed since 9/11. The commission believes the status quo is unacceptable, ... This legislation is necessary to make the American people safer and more secure. We believe it must be enacted before the 108th Congress adjourns.
Is it countries that harbor or develop weapons of mass destruction? Is it only countries that harbor terrorists? What really are the targets that we're aiming at in this war on terrorism?
Our sense is that the commission supports reform of the intelligence community, but we have come to no judgment about the nature of reform that we will recommend.
We are a mobile, dynamic society. We depend upon open, accessible transportation systems. Terrorists know that. It's the reason they target transportation, and it's why we must stop them.
I was personally kind of discouraged with that statement. This is not a new problem.
It is fair to ask how long the FBI will take to reform itself ... The terrorists will not wait,
The president has a lot at stake here. This is the first major test of his political clout after the election, ... He's said over and over again, 'I support this bill.' Now, if he fails to get that bill through, he has to be worried about the signal that sends about his own political clout with his own party. I think the Congress has a lot at stake. But aside from politics, what is really important here is the safety of the American people.
We have thought about what to do, a global strategy, and how to do it: A different way of organizing our government.