I get the feeling that the left is going to deal with this by playing a game of rising expectations...
Remember in the 90's all those Clinton scandals just kept coming one right after another? Any 3 of them should have been enough to get him kicked out, just becasue decent people wouldn't put up with all that garbage.
But his haters would blow up the scandal at the beginning, his spinners would post a high set of of standards of impeachability, then things would collapse when the bottom line looked awful and disgusting, instead of *super* awful and *super* disgusting.
They wore us out by ginning up the game.
I see the same thing happening here. The point has never been made that Clinton received briefings with maps, timetables and DNA profiles of Atta. Even Weldon hasn't said that the intelligence was so strong that 9-11 could have been prevented. (Would that if could have.)
The point in the beginning of this is that the data mining DID show that there were cells, and was right on in identifying bad guys. We should be doing that some more. I think I recall hearing that is how Shaffer and Weldon got to comparing notes, that the military is seeking funding to restart the data mining.
In addition, we learn that information of this great tool was presented to the Commission, at least in a preliminary way. Such info should have been included in the final report, as a recommendation to prevent future terrorist attacks on the US. But it was not included, in fact no more info about was sought or even welcome. They thought they covered all of their shenanigans with fast talk and slick writing, but now their sham is exposed because they didn't include reference to a program that anyone can see is worthwhile. They pushed to far to make Clinton completely blameless. They should have settled for a couple of close calls. (I don't think Clinton's fragile self esteem can tolerate a *hint* of criticism any more, it's as precarious as Michael Jackson's nose!)
The Able Danger folks might have yelled and screamed before the final draft, and gone public. But then the Commission could have back tracked and saved their a$$es. The Bush people knew about Able Danger by October 2001. They've knew the commission was a kangaroo court, and they gave it enough rope to hang itself.
The fact that Clinton is wandering the earth without a moment's peace and everyone is aware of it brings me great consolation for all the murder, messes and mayhem he spewed forth in the 90's.
Rumsfeld is taking care of things at DOD, and doing a good job (contrary to what leftist media would have you believe). Bush is a consummate political poker player. I think they have a strong plan on how to allow this thing to play out. I'm not worried about it.
The Commission members have already shown themselves to be liars and fools. Even if Hillary could win the presidency (I doubt it, unless they have worked out ALL of their kinks in ballot box stuffing), there is no way on God's green earth that Jamie Gorelick could ever get confirmed in any cabinet position now. Her career is over.
In two years, we'll know how all of this will affect Hillary's run. I think it will damage her greatly, two-for-one and all of that.
These general have had 10 years to sort themselves out, are practiced at taking their time and working through a strategy. I have faith that they know this might be their only chance to repay Clinton for what he did to their country. They won't blow it.
We expect this all to flow like a soap opera, our Fox programs have conditioned us to nightly updates. But Bush is wiser, as are those generals. It will play out in its own time. The country is safe under Bush, the Clinton crisis is over, so they're in no rush. (BTW, did you see Ben Stein's article in the American Spectator on that? Beautiful!)
What I hope to see at the end of this... new funding for the data mining for foreign terrorists, exposure of the 9-11 Commission for the sham that it was, a few Clintonistas to be exposed and run out of town, damage done to Hillary, more torment for Bill.
Congressinal hearings could be amusing, but I don't put much stock in them. I saw D'Amato and Thompson both crash and burn, and had my heart broken when John Glenn sold us down the river for a shuttle ride. Congress is pretty worthless when it comes to justice.
And now I'm rambling and must hit the hay. Thanks for keeping on top of this, Peach, with the help of a bunch of fine Freepers. Nite all.
Pinz
Hey, who made you so smart?! ;)
I enjoyed your take on things...hope much of what you said comes to pass.
well now it's out that 'Capt Phillpott' already testified to the 9/11 Comm. that Atta was on the Able Danger chart... so this means this WAS told to them but they decided not to include it. Now they will have to take them seriously.
You brightened my day with this thought! Your entire post is excellent. Thanks
Rising expectations...that's important. Because I think you're right. And that's how this particular game will be played. We'd better be ready and not play that particular game and call the left on it when they try it.
Excellent analysis, pinz.
"Strategery."
Let's hope so.
Great post. Great summary.
Me too! Good comments, BTW.
Now on to some comments in general about the article and what I remember Lt. Col. Shaffer saying from the three interviews I've heard.
The W-P employee says his [Shaffer's] allegations are not based on his memory but on the recollections of others.. . .The comments add to the uncertainty surrounding assertions by Shaffer and Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.)
Today on Savage the Lt. Col said that that is NOT what he told the W-P employee.
To wit, the guys with the multi-terabyte databases and algorithms were at Ft. Belvoir. The analysts were at a base in Florida. It was the analysts (the "others") who took the extracted (raw) data and made them understandable. They produced the charts (graphics). Anyone who has ever worked on anything like this has seen wall-sized charts and knows the true value of graphics and a "walk through" to communicate with nontechnical folks. What does it do / mean not how does it work.
Lt. Col. Shaffer was the intelligence guy, a liaison between the DIA and Able Danger. He is neither a programmer nor an analyst. It was his job to plan the pursuit of the suspected bad guys identified by the "others". Able Danger is no more.
The Washington Post employee is a POS. He and others are creating vapor news with a distorting mist of lies and half truths.
DoD cannot immediately locate the charts? How many times are ad hoc projects initiated in DoD? The systems never get formalized; never get formally reviewed, approved and documented; never go beyond unformatted file prints and manually produced, one-time-only charts. If the end-users (Lt. Col. Shaffer for example) likes the results they can submit a request to formerly create the system. Then the higher ups can say, no. :>)
(I don't think Clinton's fragile self esteem can tolerate a *hint* of criticism any more, it's as precarious as Michael Jackson's nose!)
That is what Billy Dale was all about. They could have fired him in a heartbeat and been perfectly legally justified. But instead of being criticized for firing an old faithful public servant, they'd rather have every action they take be on behalf of a moral crusade.