WASHINGTON -- National Security Advisor Condileeza Rice today blamed William Bennett for the development of a controversial new Department of Defense program that allows traders to bet on the likelihood of future terrorist attacks.
Rice said Bennett had used his posts as Co-chairman of "Empower America" and Chairman of "Americans for Victory Over Terrorism" as an entree to unduly influence the Pentagon to implement what it now calls the "The Policy Analysis Market."
"We all know Bill had a gambling problem, but nobody thought he would take it this far," Rice said. "Besides, nobody told me about this program, and if they tried to tell me, I didn't read the memo -- and neither did the president," Rice quickly added.
The Pentagon's "Defense Advanced Research Project Agency" ran the program, which works much like the financial markets where traders buy and sell "futures" based on the possibility of a specific event in the Middle East.
Some of the examples listed on the agency's Web site include the assassination of Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat and a missile attack by North Korea. Bidders would profit if the events for which they hold futures occur.
Defense officials said the market-based system is highly accurate when assessing such things as political and civil stability, economic health and military disposition of Middle East countries.
Participants would only have to pick a username and password to participate and the agency said it won't have access to their identities or funds.
But critics said this allows terrorists who are planning an attack to profit on the assault or even make false bets to mislead authorities.
Bennett dismissed such criticism, saying: "So maybe it's a long shot, but hey, I play the slots, so long shots don't scare me."
Rice said Bennett had used his posts as Co-chairman of "Empower America" and Chairman of "Americans for Victory Over Terrorism" as an entree to unduly influence the Pentagon to implement what it now calls the "The Policy Analysis Market."
"We all know Bill had a gambling problem, but nobody thought he would take it this far," Rice said. "Besides, nobody told me about this program, and if they tried to tell me, I didn't read the memo -- and neither did the president," Rice quickly added.
The Pentagon's "Defense Advanced Research Project Agency" ran the program, which works much like the financial markets where traders buy and sell "futures" based on the possibility of a specific event in the Middle East.
Some of the examples listed on the agency's Web site include the assassination of Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat and a missile attack by North Korea. Bidders would profit if the events for which they hold futures occur.
Defense officials said the market-based system is highly accurate when assessing such things as political and civil stability, economic health and military disposition of Middle East countries.
Participants would only have to pick a username and password to participate and the agency said it won't have access to their identities or funds.
But critics said this allows terrorists who are planning an attack to profit on the assault or even make false bets to mislead authorities.
Bennett dismissed such criticism, saying: "So maybe it's a long shot, but hey, I play the slots, so long shots don't scare me."
