Even CNN Couldn't Ignore This

This morning Drudge posted this headline: Incoming House intelligence Chief botches easy intel quizz.

This does not bode well for the protection of our nation.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped to head the Intelligence Committee when the Democrats take over in January, failed a quiz of basic questions about al Qaeda and Hezbollah, two of the key terrorist organizations the intelligence community has focused on since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

We want those in charge of intelligence gathering to at least know about whom they're gathering intelligence.

When asked by CQ National Security Editor Jeff Stein whether al Qaeda is one or the other of the two major branches of Islam -- Sunni or Shiite -- Reyes answered "they are probably both," then ventured "Predominantly -- probably Shiite."

Reyes could also not answer questions put by Stein about Hezbollah, a Shiite group on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations that is based in Southern Lebanon.

Jeff Stein puts it quite simply:

In an interview with CNN, Stein said he was "amazed" by Reyes' lack of what he considers basic information about two of the major terrorists organizations. "If you're the baseball commissioner and you don't know the difference between the Yankees and the Red Sox, you don't know baseball," Stein said. "You're not going to have the respect of the people you work with."

And how on earth would you recognize a real terrorist threat if you know nothing about any of the terrorist organizations? Click here for Jeff Stein's article in CQ.com; it is more comprehensive than CNN's article.

Folks, we are indeed in for a rollercoaster ride with Pelosi and her ilk in charge of the chicken coop. Hopefully someone in the Democratic Party will take running our great nation seriously. Anyone?