Dereliction of Duty: The Eyewitness Account of How Bill Clinton Endangered America's Long-Term National Security, by Robert Patterson. ...
Patterson was the one who carried 'the football' [nuclear codes] for Clinton
From Chapter Seven of Lt Col Robert 'Buzz' Patterson's book DERELICTION OF DUTY
THE WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM was buzzing. It was fall 1998 and the national Security Counci (NSC) and the "intelligence community" were tracking the whereabouts of of Osama bin Ladenm the shadowy mastermind of terrorists on American targets overseas. "They've successfully triangulated hus location," yelled a "Sit Room" watch stander. "We've got him."
Beneith the West Wing of the White House, behind a vaulted steel door the Sit Room staff sprang into action.. The watch officer notified National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, "Sir, we've located bin Ladin. We havea two-hour window to strike."
Charasteristic of the Clinton administration, the wepon of choice would be Tomahawk missiles. No clandestine "snatch" by our Special Operations Forces. No penetrating bombers or highg speed fighter aircraft flown by our Airforce and Navy Forces. No risk of losing American lives
Berger ambled Down the stairwell and entered the room. He picked up the phone at one of the busy controller consoles. and called the president. Amazingly, President Clinton was not available. Berger tried again and again.. Bin Ladin was within striking distance. The window of opportunity was closing fast. Teh plan of attack as set and the Tomahawk crews were ready.. for about an hour Berger couldn't get the commnader in chief on the line.. Though the president was always accombanied by military aides and the Secret Service, he was somehow unavailabele. Berger stalked teh Sit Room, anxious and impatient.
Finally the president accepted Berger's call. There was discussion, there were pauses____ and no decision. The president wanted to talk with his secretairies of defense and state. He wanted to study the issue further. Berger was forced to wait. The clock was ticking. The president eventually called back. He was till indecisive. He wanted more discussions. Berger alternated between phone calls and watching the clock.
The NSC watch officer was convinced we had the right target.. teh intelligence sources were conclusive. the president however wanted a guaranteed hit or nothing at all.
This time it was nothing at all. We "studied" the issue until it was to late._____ the window of opportunity closed. Al Qaeda's spiritual and arganizational leader slipped through the noose.
This lost bin Ladin hit typified the Clintons administration's ambuvalent, undecisive way of of terrorism.