Clarke claims responsibility: Approved post-9-11 flights for bin Laden family

The Hill ^ | 5/26/04 | The Hill

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[mjaneangels@aolcom]

"At the least September 14th through the 19th. While the national airspace was officially closed."

National airspace was re-opened partially on September 14th and completely on September 15th. I remember. I was manufacturing Boeing commercial airplanes at the time and it was very important how long national airspace was closed. I also remember thinking that it may have been opened too soon considering what had just happened.

[Lancey Howard]

Clarke said, “I take responsibility for it. I don’t think it was a mistake, and I’d do it again.”

Can't you just picture the scumbag Democrats grimacing?
"G*d@mn, can't we find ANYTHING to pin on Bush?"

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

You are in fantasyland

[ontos-on]

Roemer said there are important policy issues to address, such as the need to develop a flight-departure control system.

This reveals the depth of idiocy of the leftist [read "bureaucratic"] mind: the belief that system can replace judgment. If people would claim judgment as the groound of their action [rather than compliance with procedure], it would stupify everyone. What would be even more amazing would be if people had judgment.

Whoever advised W to keep the clintonites in his administration, was a devil.

[ontos-on]

Gephardt and Daschle named Gorelick, ben Veniste and Kerrey to the commission. This fact should be spread all over south dakota which is having a senatorial election this year. It reveals the craven character of Daschle --and his submissiveness to Hilary. Gorelick is a Hilary lieutenant.

[ontos-on]

bin Laden.........ben Veniste

anyone see a connection???

[ontos-on]

(Just curious how this is different.)

You are right on target.

[leadpenny]

“It didn’t get any higher than me,” he said. “On 9-11, 9-12 and 9-13, many things didn’t get any higher than me. I decided it in consultation with the FBI.”

Clarke must have a double. One body cannot hold the likes of that ego.

[ontos-on]

with 20/20 hindsight, they should have been detained and vetted before being allowed to leave. even then, I don't think anything would have come of that. it was not until we captured Zubayda and he started talking - that we found out of the direct 9/11 involvement of members of the house of Saud.

Ah, yes! Here is what I mean about bureau-think. It does not require 20/20 hindsight to say after 9/11: No, no special flights for a bunch of Saudis--when 17 of the 19 were almost immediately known to be Saudis. All it requires is judgment -- and not submitting to a didvided loyalty of some nature. Most "special treatment" issues are in pursuit of a distinct agenda and loyalty.

This clown Clarke should not have been trusted. I think only fools are bowled over by his blow-hard manner. A person that egomanical cannot be retained, then add that he was gooey with the Clintons--[and I am sure he gave phoney criticsms of the clintons in order to appear loyal to Bush, but that is the nature of no account chameleons]--and it is simple common sense not to keep Clarke in his sensitive position. I will bet that it was someone from Bush I who is behind the advice to keep Clarke, possibly the same one who say keep Tenet.

[leadpenny]

It may have been someone from Bush I, but it appears to me that he ended up as a mole for Bill and Hillary.

[ontos-on]

My point was that Bush I people are notorious for not gettign free of entanglements with damaged goods who were loyal to the wrong people from the start. "Bush I" advice should not me relied upon IMHO because of their myopia.

Remember, GHWB frittered away his presidency because he thought [and was obviously advised by trusted advisers that] it would be OK to enter into that disasterous sucker deal with George Mitchell involving raising taxes for budget cuts. He didn't get the budget cuts and the democrats crucified him for breaking his word on "no new taxes". That's how adroit the Bush I team was at avoiding intrigue and becoming pigeons.

[leadpenny]

It could be for the reasons you state but I've always felt that GHWB lost because he looked at his watch in Richmond while Bill Clinton was biting his lip and pressing his hand against his chest. Not sure about GWB but I believe that his dad carries the been-there-done-that gene and really didn't want a second term. He wanted to go fishing and sky-diving but didn't want the history books to show he quit in the manner of LBJ. Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand why anyone would want a second term.

[ontos-on]

well, you do have an alternate explanation--he did not really care about being re-elected so he did what he wanted or felt was right. I don't know, I see the Souter sandbagging of "Bush I" by Warren Rudman as one and the same with the George Mitchell and the tax/budget deal and the cave-in to the Ted Kenndey cabal immediately after the moment of victory with Clarence Thomas. {i.e. he cave on the "restoration of civil rights bill" which previously Bush and the GOP would not allow to be passed and which permitted the congressional override of several Supreme Court decisions which were hard won and which put some balance into the letter of 60's and 70's laws that were being "expanded" by administrative and judicial fiat.

Bush I caved on everything all along and not just at the end of his term. When they won victories, they did not know how to retain their winnings but gave them away: examples Iraq and Clarence Thomas.

Of course, these things are always more and less complex then they seem from out here.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

Because he's a glory hog trying to take credit for every single thing done on that day?

More likely because he is the fall guy.

[bvw]

Thee's always some planes flying -- that have to. CAP, organ transplant stuff, etc.

[Howlin]

More likely because he is the fall guy.

It's hard to label yourself the fall guy when you place yourself at the head of the parade.

Are all your posts this inaccurate?

[Lead Moderator]

Did you write the following?

"Yes, they monitor Freepmail. I've been a freeper since 1997.

The admins have admitted publicly that they monitor it."

If so, I will take the opportunity to set you straight. We do not monitor freepmail. We have no tools to let us see anything of the sort. The closest we have is that Jim can tell if someone has been sending Freepmail, but even he cannot read anyone else's. And the moderating staff cannot even see that much.

Thanks, LM

[mjaneangels@aolcom]

"Thee's always some planes flying -- that have to. CAP, organ transplant stuff, etc."

True, but from September 14th through the 19th of September was what was being discussed. During that period all commercial aircraft were allowed to fly. Legally.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

Are you so daft that you don't realize that USUALLY, a fall guy doesn't choose that role?