Demanding accountability (9/11 commission's report rendered worthless by Sandy Berger)

The Reporter ^ | 8/29/04 | Kris Reason

[Libloather]

Demanding accountability

Reporter Editor:

The 9/11 commission's report has been rendered worthless by Sandy Berger, former President Bill Clinton's national security adviser.

President Clinton and his attorney, Bruce Lindsey, picked Mr. Berger to screen the former administration's classified anti-terrorism documents and submit them to the 9/11 Commission. Mr. Berger had security clearance to examine code-level security documents held in the National Archives.

Apparently, Mr. Berger not only reviewed the secret files, he allegedly stole and destroyed a large number of them on two separate occasions. The first time, he robbed the National Archives by ordering the guards who were monitoring him to leave him alone with classified documents, while he made "sensitive" phone calls.

The monitors complied, and Berger allegedly stuffed his clothes and leather folder with top secret files, and walked out with them. The second time that Mr. Berger allegedly burglarized the National Archives, he was caught by authorities who suspected him of theft and had launched a sting operation.

Shockingly, he was allowed to keep the documents that he had stolen, a fact that implicates the National Archives' personnel in Berger's allegedly crimes.

Worse, Mr. Berger supposedly accidentally destroyed many of the files that he had stolen, so that the 9/11 commission could not have access to them. For months, the Justice Department has been investigating Mr. Berger's alleged theft and destruction of top secret documents. If convicted, he could serve up to 10 years under Section 793 of the U.S. Code.

What were President Clinton and Sandy Berger trying to hide from the 9/11 commission? The files must have contained incriminating evidence against the Clinton administration if Mr. Berger was driven to allegedly burglarize the National Archives, destroy valuable documents, and ruin his own career. Mr. Berger crippled the commission's investigation by depriving it of at least 24 documents related to al-Qaida that were the measuring stick for President Clinton's response to terrorism in the 1990s. During Clinton's presidency, al-Qaida infiltrated the United States and perfected its plans to bomb the World Trade Center towers in New York City. It was vital that the 9/11 panel be apprised of any mistakes made by the Clinton administration regarding the gathering al-Qaida threat. This would have qualified the commission to make recommendations that could eliminate the same mistakes in the future. Because Sandy Berger buried that evidence, the commission did not have crucial information about the anti-terrorist activities - or lack thereof - of President Bill Clinton and his advisers.

Sandy Berger's alleged crimes against American security have completely dropped off the media's radar screen in order to protect Democratic Sen. John Kerry's presidential race. If Condaleeza Rice, the national security adviser under President George W. Bush, had stolen and destroyed sensitive secret documents, the media would have crucified her with wall-to-wall coverage until she resigned.

Americans need to wake up and demand accountability from Sandy Berger, former President Clinton, the National Archives' personnel, and the media. American voters need to learn a lesson from the Mr. Berger fiasco and refuse to hand the presidency over to yet another Democrat who lies about his record.

Kris Reason, Vacaville

[bitt]

Hurray! Something about the Burgular!

'Americans need to wake up and demand accountability from Sandy Berger, former President Clinton, the National Archives' personnel, and the media. American voters need to learn a lesson from the Mr. Berger fiasco and refuse to hand the presidency over to yet another Democrat who lies about his record.'

Might be a good debating point for W.

[shield]

Sandy BURGLAR is such a perfect name for another one of clintoons' scumbags!!!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Apparently, Mr. Berger not only reviewed the secret files, he allegedly stole and destroyed a large number of them on two separate occasions. The first time, he robbed the National Archives by ordering the guards who were monitoring him to leave him alone with classified documents, while he made "sensitive" phone calls.

Yeah. You can pretty much always get folks to do stuff like that for you, when you just happen to be the junior senator from New York:

Just one of those little "perks" of the position, really.

[Diogenesis]

MONKEYS BEING THEMSELVES

Secretary of Defense Cohen, Impeached Bill Clinton, Albright, and luminary National Security Adviser Sandy Berger,
holding court in the Ronald Reagan Building on April 25, 1999
"We were all making comments we shouldn't have about how the meeting was getting very boring.
So finally we decided we had to make like the monkey. Cohen
started this 'hear no evil,' and then I was next so I spoke no evil,
then Madeleine saw no evil, so Sandy Berger said, 'I'm evil.'" - Bill Clinton

[Uncle George]

When we win this election, the investigation of this CIRCUS will equal WATERGATE. Only the Clintons and their FBI filebook have kept it on "lowkey" up till now but real reporters won't stop investigating till ALL the facts are aired during the Grand Jury Investigation of the investigation.

[clyde260]

As usual I/we feel outrage followed by helplessness, followed by deafening silence on the subject...

[Bogolyubski]

LOL! That's one of the finest likenesses of NY's junior senator I've seen. Suitable for framing!

[Enterprise]

That has been the concensus on FreeRepublic. The reasoning being that Burglar destroyed documents that may have helped the commission's investigation. Thus, he obstructed the work of the commission, and the work of the commission is therefore incomplete, and unreliable.

[joedownthestreet]

I think there is more to this than just covering up mistakes by the Clinton administration. The book "The Third Terrorist", written by Jayna Davis, a local Oklahoma reporter who was charged with investigating the Oklahoma City Bombing, raises some serious questions. Here is a link to a previous post about this book if you are not familiar with it http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1157703/posts.

I am not one for conspiracy theories, but Sandy Burglar's actions would seem to fit, if the administration had knowledge of an Al-Qaida connection to the OCB, and covered it up. The administration was determined to make that bombing the act of radical right wing american terrorists, and that's the way they played it.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

I wonder if he will ever be prosecuted for his crimes? Bush/Cheney 2004

[Ntv.Texun]

When we win this election, the investigation of this CIRCUS will equal WATERGATE

Dream On. Our dominant media culture has become a mouthpiece for the DNC, and have long since stopped hiding the fact. The Sandy Berglar felony will go into the same file as Joe Wilson and his "16 words" debacle. The word "Treason" should apply to both of these criminals, but like John Kerry and Bill Clinton, they know they can depend on our "balanced" media to kiss it and make it go away. I'm mad as hell, and dream of the day that a strong consevative leader will step up to the plate and hold these 1st amendment abusing bastards accountable!

[Arizona Carolyn]

Not only the Jayna Davis book, but Bill Gertz book, "Betrayal" and "Catastrophe" that tells the real Clinton stories by Ruddy. I have more lined up to read, too, because nomatter the results this year we have to start now to get all the facts on Hillary and she and Bill are joined at the hip when it comes to High Crimes. I have zero doubt that Sandy took some very critical documents with him...

[Mrs Zip]

ping

[Ntv.Texun]

DATELINE: March 2005
STORY: Still no Sandy Berger!
Where's the outrage? Does nobody care? Where are the Republican politicians who demand accountability? Where's the NEW media? Should I give up on this one? HELLO!!!!!!!!!

[AmeriBrit]

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