An Australian CIA ?

There will be howls of rage  from the usual pink tinged spectrum of Australian politics,  but there is no doubt that this country faces a threat from International terrorism operating under the black flag of Islamic jihad.  The suggestion that we need to upgrade our security forces and stiffen the overseas capacity for intelligence gathering raises the spectre of an Australian " Spooks " outfit, similar to the American CIA.

We already have two intelligence gathering organizations tasked with keeping an eye on threats within and without this country.   ASIO keeps watch over internal subversion and it's sister ASIS works within our embassy networks to keep an eye on foreign threats that emerge and have the capacity to breach our borders.

Both of these work within fairly restrictive guidelines.  The civil liberties people are quick to condemn the tapping of phones or other means of electronic eavesdropping and our spy network is prevented from working closely with the various police forces because of concern that evidence gathering may cross judicial lines.   Presenting evidence in open court can alert those under watch to the tactics being employed -  and give the game away.

What served our interests in keeping this nation safe in the past - is no longer relevant to the threats we face today.  The cold war was a fairly civilized face off between the Communist states and the west and both sides were careful  to keep the " spy dramas " well out of sight.   In contrast, the jihad movement openly seeks public spectacle.    They crave banner headlines and breaking news on television and the greater the carnage on an unsuspecting public - the greater the impact on garnering support from the young and impressionable.

The type of people who slaughtered over three thousand people when they flew hijacked airplanes into the World Trade centre would have no compunction in carrying out a similar atrocity in an Australian city.  Nor would they have qualms about a similar attack to the Bali bombing on Australian holiday makers at another of the world's pleasure centres.

Both of those events were a wakeup call - and it is noticeable that in the US the jihadists have been unable to repeat their 9/11 success.   The public grumble about security delays at airports, but security has been tightened and we need to take similar measures here if Australia is not to become an " open target " in the sights of those who wish to do us harm.

Perhaps both ASIO and ASIS might broaden into something that resembles an Australian Central Intelligence Agency - but if that stops battle hardened jihadists returning to this country to launch attacks and winkles out home grown terror networks before they can launch their schemes, it will be well worth the inconvenience caused.

To do nothing - on the grounds that it might prejudice our vaunted civil liberties - is something that we might come to bitterly regret.   We face a cunning foe - completely devoid of mercy !