Senator Tom Harkin says there’s no need to over-react to the terrorist bombing of the U-S-S Cole in Yemen. Harkin says our forces across the globe are always going to be subject to attack.Top defense department officials testified before a Senate committee yesterday, and some Senators question whether the military heeded warnings of potential terrorist activity in the region. Harkin’s not a member of that panel and hasn’t had a full briefing on the Cole attack, but he says U-S forces can’t be at wartime “full-alert” 24-hours-a-day.Harkin says until he sees all the facts, he’s not going to decide whether security was lax on the U-S-S Cole.Senator Harkinis sponsoring a bill which would crack down onagribusiness monopolies. Harkin’s “Agricultural Production Protection Act” was formally introduced in the Senate today.Harkin’s bill sets up government oversight of contracting practices and gives producers new tools to enhance their negotiating power with the big agribusiness companies.The U-S House and Senate may complete their work for the year this weekend, and Harkin admits he’s just introducing the bill to lay a foundation for work on the bill next year.
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