Posted on 08/11/2005 5:57:46 PM PDT by TonyInOhio
It behaved disgracefully and in a nakedly partisan fashion, with former officials of the Clinton administration attempting to use the platform to damage the president's reelection chances. Then, after months of ludicrous conduct, out of nowhere came the brilliantly conceived and written report that set a new standard of eloquence and coherence for government documents, became a major bestseller and redeemed the commission's reputation.
Well, that didn't last long.
In a story filed at 7:10 PM, the Associated Press is now confirming all the particulars of what will now forever be called the Able Danger disaster. The 9/11 Commission staff did hear about intelligence-gathering efforts that hit pay dirt on the whereabouts of Mohammed Atta -- in 1999 -- and deliberately chose to omit word of those efforts.
And why? Because to do so might upset the timeline the Commission had established on Atta.
And why is that significant? Because the Mohammed Atta timeline established by the Commission pointedly insisted Atta did not meet with an Iraqi intelligence agent in Prague.
And why is that significant? Because debunking the Atta-Iraq connection was of vital importance to Democrats, who had become focused almost obsessively on the preposterous notion that there was no relation whatever between Al Qaeda and Iraq -- that Al Qaeda and Iraq might even have been enemies.
I was very skeptical of this Able Danger stuff about Atta, thought it was just sme way Rep. Curt Weldon was trying to sell a book. No longer. This is clearly becoming the biggest story of the summer -- the fact that, as Andy McCarthy alluded to, the "intelligence wall" set up by 9/11 Commissioner Jamie Gorelick when she was in the Justice Department did, in fact, cause the linchpin of the 9/11 attacks to evade capture by American law enforcement.
So was the staff a) protecting the Atta timeline or b) Jamie Gorelick or c) the Clinton administration or d) itself, because it got hold of the information relatively late and the staff was lazy?
More important, what will co-chairmen Tom (pound his fist on the table) Kean and Lee (look sorrowful) Hamilton do and say in the next 36 hours about this calamity?
And that's a French company isn't it? Oil for food.
I hate to disappoint people, but I believe Berger was stealing copies of a memo in which he recommended against killing bin Laden.
Hasn't Hollywood got a movie planned, based on his book? Thought I heard that somewhere
Oh, come on. Were you asleep all last September during the fraudulent memos and Rathergate?
I really like truth, but I kind of favor national security...
Until we get rid of the entrenched in DC, truth will be lacking... Wish I wasn't as cynical as I am, but I am.
She said that if the info related to Able Danger proves to be true, that it would be "troubling" and would expect that it would be looked into.
Beyond that, she said little else of any note.
PS.....she still dresses like a guy.
Don't get your hopes up. Nothing will happen with this. Just another Clinton scandal that no one will be prosecuted for.
Nope. Wasn't asleep. Rathergate never had the potential to take down Hillary. This does.
From a national security outlook. You just clean up the messes and fix the problems so they don't happen again. We've probably already done that.
I'm probably as cynical as you, it's really burning me to think how this administration has taken hits in order to protect the last administration.
Exactly what did Berger stuff down his pants that was so important to protect Mr Clinton? I think we know now?????
I think you're spot on.
Able Danger might as well have been "Howdie Doodie" to Berger.
Gorelick was the document gatekeeper.
Actually, I recall Dick Morris saying that the Clintons wanted us to focus on Monica...and that Monica was just a diversion from much more serious problems.
I wish I could disagree with you, but like I said, I am cynical. BUT, the potential is there. Now, if the new media doesn't let it go, then maybe, just maybe....
Can anyone verify that it was Jamie Gorelick who authored the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that was Clinton's first major act as President?
"And why is that significant? Because the Mohammed Atta timeline established by the Commission pointedly insisted Atta did not meet with an Iraqi intelligence agent in Prague.
We have a winner here."
Yes, we do.
My trust and respect for Lehman went out the window at that moment.
I think we got the connection Saddam/Al Queda connection vis a vis 9/11 now can we walk this back further....I think we can.
The idea that she could ever come around to recognizing who was really asleep at dawn (reference Lord Pearl Harbor tome) is too much to ask for...
Yep. It started with the fricken silverware and the Bush's 'new tone'... The investigation into the vandalism was a scam as far as I was concerned. I don't understand it.
Here I am wishing that this newest thing is Carl Rove's manaical genius telling Bush to just 'wait and we'll get'em' just in time for 2008... . I'm cynical, yet hopeful. Hope is the worst of all of the emotions. A horrible, yet wonderful thing...
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