Terrorism Was Major White House Concern, Powell Tells Panel

American Forces Press Service ^ | March 23, 2004 | By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA

[Calpernia]

The White House in the early days of the Bush administration was fully aware a terrorist attack in America was possible, and terrorism was a major concern for the president, Secretary of State Colin Powell told members of a special commission here today.

Powell told the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States that the president knew terrorism would be a major concern, just as it had been for the Clinton administration.

"Early on, we made clear to the Congress and to the American people that we understood the scope and compelling nature of threat from terrorism," Powell told the commission.

Saying that he's "no newcomer" to the horrors of terrorism, Powell noted several terrorist incidents during his tenure in both military and government service, pointing to terrorist bombings in Beirut, Lebanon; the World Trade Center in New York City; Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia; and the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen. The president made it clear, he said, that as secretary of state, Powell would be responsible for the safety of military personnel overseas and of citizens traveling and living abroad.

Powell said that then-Secretary of State Madeline Albright gave staff briefings on counter-terrorism measures taken during President Clinton's eight years in office during the transition between the Clinton and Bush administrations. However, to better understand the terrorism situation, Powell said, four days after his appointment as the next secretary of state was announced, he requested briefings from Clinton's counter-terrorism group, headed by Richard Clarke.

Powell said al Qaeda's growing threat to the United States and Afghanistan's role as a safe haven for the terrorist group was a major topic during Clarke's briefings, which also were attended by counter-terrorism directors from the CIA and FBI, as well as representatives of the Defense Department and the Joint Chief of Staff.

He told the commission he later asked Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to get "directly involved in all these (terrorist) issues."

A transition document handed over to him by Albright's counter-terrorism coordinator, Powell said, urged "close coordination" with the intelligence community to ensure that all precautions would be taken to strengthen the nation's security posture. The papers warned U.S. citizens abroad of the possibility of terrorist attacks, and called for the United States to "maintain a high-level of readiness to respond to additional incidents that might come along," the secretary added.

The transition document also said an investigation by both U.S. and Yemeni officials into the U.S.S. Cole bombing was continuing to develop new information and leads, Powell said, but that it was too early to link definitively the Cole attack to a sponsor, such as Osama bin Laden.

Powell said the transition paper further stated the United States must continue to rally international support for new round of United Nations sanctions against the Taliban, including an arms embargo, and maintain a momentum to get other states to isolate the group. "If the Cole investigation leads back to Afghanistan," Powell said the transition document urged, "we should use it to mobilize international support needed for further pressures on the Taliban."

The briefings and transition papers from the Clinton administration made clear the need for continuity in U.S. efforts against terrorism, Powell said, making reference to several members of the former administration who were "kept on" in the new administration.

"All of us on the Bush national security team, beginning with President Bush, knew we needed continuity in counter-terrorism policy," Powell said. "We did not want terrorists to see the early months of a new administration as a time of opportunity."

The secretary said the president's commitment to fighting terrorism was clear from the beginning of his administration. "From the start, the president -- by word and deed -- made clear his interest and his intense desire to protect the nation from terrorism," Powell said. "He frequently asked and prodded us to do more. He decided early on that we needed to be more aggressive in going after terrorists, and especially al Qaeda."

Powell quoted President Bush as saying, "I'm tired of swatting flies" in the early spring of 2001, as the administration was developing its new comprehensive strategy for national security.

"He wanted a thorough, comprehensive, diplomatic, military, intelligence, law enforcement, and financial strategy to go after al Qaeda," he said. "It was a demanding order, but it was a necessary one."

He said the president was confident that it had an experienced counter- terrorism team in place. "President Bush and his entire national security team understood that terrorism had to be among our highest priorities, and it was."

[Calpernia]

Powell quoted President Bush as saying, "I'm tired of swatting flies" in the early spring of 2001, as the administration was developing its new comprehensive strategy for national security.

"He wanted a thorough, comprehensive, diplomatic, military, intelligence, law enforcement, and financial strategy to go after al Qaeda," he said. "It was a demanding order, but it was a necessary one."

Private Mail to be added to or removed from the GNFI (or Pro-Coalition) ping list.

[ysoitanly]

I watched his testimony, and I was not impressed. He has always been somewhat weak in my eyes, and giving credence to the 'prior administration' instead of being more forceful about this one didn't sell. This whole thing stinks of Clinton covering his butt - no mention was made of the numerous errors and lack of initiative of their administration, except for the vague 'tired of swatting flies' remark, which you had to be pretty quick to catch. Not impressed once again with Powell.

[r9etb]

"Tired of swatting flies" is a nice way of characterizing the Clinton administration's response to terrorism.

What's really interesting here, BTW, is that the D's obvious strategy (through Clarke, et al.) is to focus on the Bush team's pre-9/11 activities as a way of diverting attention away from the very effective post-9/11 response to terrorism.

The post-9/11 record speaks for itself.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[My2Cents]

"Tired of swatting flies."

Ooooo, nice dig at the Clinton policy!

[ysoitanly]

Unfortunately, the only one. Powell kept mentioning how the Bush administration had been 'briefed' by the 'prior' administration in his testimony. BS. Were they briefed on the refusal to take Bin Laden when point-blank offered up by Sudan, and the appeasement mentality in general after all of the murders, including the Cole? Horrible testimony, IMHO.

[justshutupandtakeit]

YOU are not impressed? Well I am not impressed with your failure to be impressed. And any failure in that regard is strictly due to you not the Secretary of State.

[My2Cents]

Didn't hear the testimony, but I'll take your word for it.

[ysoitanly]

You're entitled to your opinion, and I to mine. I have long felt that Colin Powell was weak. I didn't mean to offend you; that's just how I feel and his testimony did nothing to change that.

[PhilDragoo]

The Dems delayed the Bush team from taking the field, held up transition funds and office space, blocked appointments.

On top of that, the Dems blew eight years on appeasement and weakness, insuring that terrorist attacks would continue.

Clinton, Albright, Berger, Cohen, Reno, Freeh, and Tenet all refused to attack OBL, and Clinton refused to take OBL from Sudan, more than once.

The best Hitlery could come up with was beeyatching about air quality at ground zero.

Powell's predecessors were Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright, emblems of weakness and failure.

Gerald Posner on O'Reilly last night singled out Christopher for special opprobium.

[blackie]

The lunatic left are getting desperate and they are laughable!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[section9]

There is a reason why Powell wasn't as partisan as you would have him be. He's the guy who is trusted by both sides of the aisle. When Powell says that the Clinton people briefed both him and Bush on terrorism, what he says will be accepted as Gospel by both D's and R's. When he also says that Bush took the Clinton team's advice, and chose to amplify it by adding a "direct action" strategy, he is challenging the Democrats to point out where he is lying.

By being understated and factual, Powell is disarming the partisans on the Committee and the Kerry campaign. He is basically challenging Kerry, Rand Beers, and Clarke to call him a liar, and back up their charges with facts, not "impressions".

There is a reason Powell was the way he was. Cut him some slack.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Excellent statement, I thought Powell and Rumsfeld did fine.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Powell quoted President Bush as saying, "I'm tired of swatting flies" in the early spring of 2001, as the administration was developing its new comprehensive strategy for national security.

"He wanted a thorough, comprehensive, diplomatic, military, intelligence, law enforcement, and financial strategy to go after al Qaeda," he said. "It was a demanding order, but it was a necessary one."

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

[Right_in_Virginia]

When he (Powell) also says that Bush took the Clinton team's advice, and chose to amplify it by adding a "direct action" strategy, he is challenging the Democrats to point out where he is lying.

Great point.

[The Westerner]

Should be post of the day. RJayne, see r9etb's comments above.

[RJayneJ]

Thanks for the nomination! };^D) I think he/she is on to something. I'll use that one tonight.

[harpo11]

It's obvious to me listening to these pampered and protected Senators probe the 9-11 ifs, whats, whys, would have beens while pointing accusing manicured fingers at each other that they should instead be very humbled by the brave and courageous men and women on Flight 93 who just did what they had to do and did it!

They took those cowardly maggot terrorist scum on and out before the Islamobastards took them and a lot more out. Talking about it ain't gonna do it. Flight 93 knew their ultimate destiny. There was no ticket out. They knew they'd Die. Or, by God, Die Brave.

No man or woman senator today can hold a candle to that. No man or woman in the senate who are primping like beauty contestants should be so careless with our destiny. Casting blame on President Bush and his team for the despicable horrific murder of our innocent fellow human beings on September 11, 2001 won't bring them back. It won't bring it back to September 10, 2001. It happened.

President Bush told us in his Ignagural Address about an angel riding in the storm. He is riding the storm and his spurs are dug in deep! I know I am safer today because President Bush did not "parley vous" over tea with the enemy as the Euro's would have the world's mightiest superpower do. As if we would gladly get down on our knees to even speak with such evil sons of satan.

Like Todd Beamer on Flight 93. There's No Retreat. No Surrender. Let's Roll!

Flight 93 got the job done. President Bush is getting the job done.

Academics can spend time theorizing. Lawyers can spend time hypothesising. Political Pundits can talk talk all day.

But, in the truest sense of the word President Bush is defending us. He has never wavered. He has never stalled. He didn't even hesitate. Talking about it is fine as long as you've got strong leaders leading.

In closing, President Bush is living and working in the todays and future. It seems that his opponents are still in the jungles of Nam, although, I must say that while Senator Kerry was a brave soldier, he did not take time to discuss America's differences with the Viet Cong. He knew his rifle then was his best friend, not his mouth.

But, heck, he's a Senator now.

Keep on Gettin' the bastard maggot terrorist scum President Bush. Senators can talk all day if they want. America is blessed to have you at the helm of this great nation, The United States of America. USA USA USA!

And a special message to our Brave Troops--I just love the way you kick terrorist a$$! And thank you from the bottom of my red, white and blue heart.

[windchime]

Bump!