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Legal Disputes Over Hunt Paralyzed Clinton's Aides
The Washington Post ^
| 2/22/04
| Steve Coll
Posted on 02/22/2004 6:36:33 AM PST by Gothmog
Between 1998 and 2000, the CIA and President Bill Clinton's national security team were caught up in paralyzing policy disputes as they secretly debated the legal permissions for covert operations against Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.
The debates left both White House counterterrorism analysts and CIA career operators frustrated and at times confused about what kinds of operations could be carried out, according to interviews with more than a dozen officials and lawyers who were directly involved.
[Excerpted]
It was common in Clinton's cabinet and among his National Security Council aides to see the CIA as too cautious, paralyzed by fears of legal and political risks. At Langley, this criticism rankled. The CIA's senior managers believed officials at the White House wanted to have it both ways: They liked to blame the agency for its supposed lack of aggression, yet they sent over classified legal memos full of wiggle words.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; bentone; bill; binclinton; binladen; bj; bjclinton; cia; clinton; clintonlegacy; clintontried; impeachedx42; manhunt; slickwillie; wot; x42
1
posted on
02/22/2004 6:36:33 AM PST
by
Gothmog
To: Gothmog
Take note those who would support KerryTheTalkingAss: this is what happens when you deal with people who have declared war on you as a "law enforcement problem."
2
posted on
02/22/2004 6:45:35 AM PST
by
mondonico
(Peace through Superior Firepower)
To: mondonico; Jeff Head
Zactly......A real President defends their nation . The Clintonista's version defend only their actions.
Stay Safe
3
posted on
02/22/2004 6:52:47 AM PST
by
Squantos
(Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
To: Squantos
And sell to the top bidder take the money and run
4
posted on
02/22/2004 7:10:52 AM PST
by
Vaduz
To: Gothmog
This is one explanation. I don't buy it, but it's a nice try.
5
posted on
02/22/2004 7:12:23 AM PST
by
mewzilla
To: mewzilla
The CIA's senior managers believed officials at the White House wanted to have it both ways ...they sent over classified legal memos full of wiggle words.You need to read the whole article.
The CIA field teams were certain of the threat posed by bin Laden. But they were constantly hampered by the WH and DoJ law-enforcement approach, and they never received orders that directly answered the "kill versus capture" question. So they could have been strung-up no matter what happened.
The most ambitious plan was terminated by Tenant because it probably would have left "civilian" casualities inside OBL's Kandahar compound. As if anyone living there could have been considered an innocent "civilian".
6
posted on
02/22/2004 7:48:24 AM PST
by
angkor
To: Gothmog
7
posted on
02/22/2004 7:56:17 AM PST
by
ALOHA RONNIE
(Vet-Battle of IA DRANG-1965 www.LZXRAY.com)
To: Gothmog
Guess how many time Bubba met with his CIA director--0--guess how many times he met with monica--lots--I rest my case--and Bubba rested a lot too.NO surprise the washed out post wrote this tripe.
8
posted on
02/22/2004 8:02:50 AM PST
by
rodguy911
To: Gothmog
...consider the source, The Washington Compost.
..just another CYA operation for Bubba/Shrillary's DNC on WOT, (looking @ Been Hidens' actions...WTCI,Somalia,Kobar Towers...etc..etc. since '93)....in an unlimited number of CYAs for the Clintoons and their Ilk.
9
posted on
02/22/2004 9:43:05 AM PST
by
skinkinthegrass
(Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :)
To: skinkinthegrass
bump ..
don't feel like registering w/ the ComPost right now ... but looks like an interesting article
To: Gothmog
11
posted on
09/25/2006 5:53:21 PM PDT
by
Grampa Dave
(There's a dwindling market for Marxist Homosexual Lunatic lies/wet dreams posing as news.)
To: Grampa Dave
I like the way in the Wallace interview he used the lawyer/weasel word "responsibly" to describe his efforts. IOW: Gorelick/Berger interfence.
12
posted on
09/25/2006 7:44:29 PM PDT
by
Gothmog
To: Gothmog
Clintoon is the poster boy for weasel/lawyers and what they say to stir up the mud, like define "Is".
13
posted on
09/26/2006 6:53:55 AM PDT
by
Grampa Dave
(There's a dwindling market for Marxist Homosexual Lunatic lies/wet dreams posing as news.)
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