Senator blames Clinton administration for U.S. intelligence woes

KY3 News, Springfield, MO ^ | April 1, 2005 | Dave Catanese, KY3 News

[WmShirerAdmirer]

Bond is a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence. In an interview here on Thursday, Bond said the bad intelligence came from an archaic system based on assumptions rather than thorough analysis and human intelligence. He also placed much of the blame on the Clinton administration.

... “The intelligence community had not challenged its own assumptions, did not provide the caveats they should have about some of their sources,” said Bond.

"The senator notes that the commission cleared the Bush administration of manipulating the intelligence for political purposes. He took a shot at the Democrats."

“The Clinton administration cut the intel budget by 20 percent. The Director of Intelligence got rid of spies -- human intelligence that we badly needed in the war against terror,” said Bond.

Saw an article in the NYT just after the "Cole" incident where (unnamed) CIA agents were slamming Clinton Administration for not being interested in "foreign intelligence", cutting the Intelligence Budget, the word was being put out to "everyone" (agents included) in Intelligence, "keep a lid on" whatever comes out, "no surprises wanted" from Intelligence community because Gore was going to be running for Prez. I thought the whole situation "stunk" back then and had genuine fear for our men and women in arms since the article spoke about the Cole, the Embassy bombings and the bombings in Saudi Arabia. The article wrote of agents being fed up and disgusted with not being able to do their jobs and pointed saying Clinton was at fault. Of course nothing was done. Not even a stinging indictment written in a paper read by millions, had caused a stir in the Clinton WH, nor does it seem on Capital Hill.

As I've seen written many times, in many places, before and after September 11th, US Foreign Intelligence; Bill Clinton just wasn't interested.

[Restorer]

“Traditionally, intelligence is the foundation for policymaking. In this case, unfortunately, the Bush administration had devised the policy of intervention in Iraq and looked for intelligence that fit that policy,” said Haghayeghi.

The report this article is about flatly disputes this assertion.

[Blzbba]

"As I've seen written many times, in many places, before and after September 11th, US Foreign Intelligence; Bill Clinton just wasn't interested."



Agreed. I still hold the President responsible for listening to these incompetent Clintonistas though. He had a choice and chose to agree with the data provided to him by this bush-league (no pun intended!!) "intelligence community".

Also, I'm disgusted that Colin Powell is now all upset about this. He should've been disgusted 2 years ago. Coming out against Bush now just makes him look like a babbling jackass.

[Piquaboy]

He better stay far away from any parks.

[xjcsa]

Does "Bond" have a first name? Apparently KY3 News doesn't have copy editors...

[Loud Mime]

When Clinton did nothing after the attack on the Cole it told everybody that Clinton was an idiot.

Correction: It told only people who understood politics.

[MSSC6644]

Senator Bond is Christopher "Kit" Bond.

[WmShirerAdmirer]

You noticed too. I was astounded that I couldn't find it (his first name) in the first paragraph or in any others. Could he be that well known in Missouri? Any one in Missouri reading to answer this?

[Bahbah]

Could he be that well known in Missouri?

Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond, also a former governor of the state, is very well known here, I can assure you. Perhaps the writer is just a typical "journalist" and therefore not aware of much of anything :)

[WmShirerAdmirer]

This should have been an issue in the 2000 election, but it wasn't, guess there weren't any CIA whistleblowers brave enough back then. Thought just occurred to me, maybe even CIA agents feared for their lives (remembering Vince Foster) with the Clintons still in the WH.

[Socratic]

"Christopher "Kit" Bond"

Thank you. The only name which came to mind was Julian Bond and I knew that just couldn't be right.

[WmShirerAdmirer]

Thanks for you reply and its information...it was very amusing too!

[WmShirerAdmirer]

Thanks for the info. As an American (and not from Missouri) I'm glad he made those remarks.

[expatguy]

An expert on terrorism, Southwest Missouri State University political science professor Mehrdad Haghayeghi, says many Democrats and even some Republicans never would have voted for the war if the president hadn’t hyped the threat.

There we go. It is all Bush's fault.

Btw, how does one get to be an "expert" on terrorism?

/sarcasm

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

[nuconvert]

“Traditionally, intelligence is the foundation for policymaking. In this case, unfortunately, the Bush administration had devised the policy of intervention in Iraq and looked for intelligence that fit that policy,” said Haghayeghi."

Oh, Really?
And the point of putting this stupid statement in this article that directly refutes it, is what...?

[Thom Pain]

Lately I've come to the conclusion that Dan Ra^ther is running the Associated Press.

[WmShirerAdmirer]

You both were right to bring up those quotes from the article, the writer seems to be shooting himself in the foot, trying to give two sides or what I suppose he thinks "balance" to his reporting. These statements have nothing to do with the "lead" of the article and the report's findings. Thought KY3 News was an Network affilliate, but looked at their website and they say they are independent, ("KYTV is owned by Schurz Communications, Inc., South Bend, IN. The Schurz Communications family of broadcast and print operations includes four television stations, two radio stations, two cable television stations, 10 newspapers, two shopper papers and one commercial printing business. Each business is operated as a separate entity and has an independent management team.") so no reason there that the reporter take the article towards Bush and the Iraq War.

Thanks for your replies.

[ReadyNow]

To Clintonites, perception is reality. Therefore, the perception of accurate intelligence IS accurate intelligence.

[TomGuy]

When Clinton did nothing after the attack on the Cole it told everybody that Clinton was an idiot.

Edited version: When Clinton did nothing after the attack on the Cole American troops in Somolia in 1993, it told everybody that Clinton was an idiot.

If Clinton had given military support and allowed the troops to do their job in Somolia, 9-11 would never have happened. Clinton's weakness was perceived by our enemies as America's weakness. Enemies are currently reassessing that perception.

[Casloy]

Clinton was good at sending messages:

To terrorists, if you kill a few of us we will cut and run (Somalia)

If you attack us we will not respond.

If you attack us enough we will send a few cruise missles

I don't need the CIA so don't send you daily brief to me because I am not interested.

I don't need the CIA so every time I need money I will take it out of CIA hide.