Posted on 02/16/2006 8:59:40 AM PST by americaprd
General Overview
At yesterday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing on Able Danger, Congressman Curt Weldon (R-PA) repeatedly asked witnesses if a chart produced by the Land Information Warfare Activity (LIWA) / Information Dominance Center (IDC) on Chinese front companies operating within the United States played a role in the dismantlement of Able Danger. The answer was consistently yes.
What exactly was this document that was developed and what were the implications of it for the Clinton Administration? As you will see, the information raised serious questions for the Democratic Party and the Clinton White House in regards to the transfer of sensitive military technologies to China, and how export controls were relaxed in favor of individuals and companies who gave heavily to the election campaigns of Democratic candidates and President Clinton.
In response, the Clinton Administration set about disbanding LIWA and its sister organization, Able Danger, which was investigating Al Qaeda. They wanted to sweep this information under the rug and were, for the most part, successful. But later, when word began to trickle out that Able Danger had actually uncovered some information that could have prevented the 9/11 attacks, Democrats loyal to the Clinton Administration were shocked. They could not let the truth come out about Able Danger and its successes, or else they would have to answer for why the group was disbanded. The reason, of course, being that Able Danger and LIWA were dismantled to cover up the Clinton Administration’s complicity in transferring technology to China.
In short, Able Danger was a collateral victim of the successes of the data mining efforts being performed by LIWA. 9/11 could have been prevented if the Clinton Administration had not disbanded Able Danger and LIWA, which it did to cover up very embarrassing information that the data mining efforts of LIWA were uncovering in regards to China.
History
In mid-1999, Congressman Weldon requested that LIWA develop a chart of Chinese front companies operating within the United States. The results were staggering, showing a complex web of organizations within the United States, including major U.S. defense contractors, who were involved in the transfer of sensitive technologies to Communist China. It also showed how Chinese agents had successfully funneled ten of million of dollars in campaign contributions to the DNC and President Clinton’s reelection campaign.
An accompanying timeline developed by LIWA was equally shocking, showing how the Clinton Administration had liberalized exports rules for a number of extremely sensitive dual use technologies that China could utilize for military purposes. These included very advanced encryption technologies that made it harder for our intelligence community to do its job and rocket technology that allowed China to increase the range of its offensive intercontinental ballistic missiles. China in turn, then transferred these technologies to others nations that included Iran, Syria, Libya and Pakistan. (see page 3 of the timeline
Weldon does an excellent job of outlining the revelation showed by the chart and timeline developed by LIWA showed. Briefly, the cumulative impact of the Clinton Administration’s actions – in exchange for campaign contributions, allowed China to:
o Develop reliable Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles with insights into MIRVing that ICBM force.
o Miniaturize nuclear warheads.
o Implement a command and control structure for its growing ICBM force.
o Develop an integrated command, control, communications, computer and intelligence encrypted network to enable better military command and control over vast areas, even beyond China itself.
o Improve power projection for its surface fleets, submarines, and long-range cruise missiles capable of hitting not only Taiwan, but also Japan from mainland China.
o Produce more proficient fighter and bomber aircraft capable of greater distances and speeds.
This was impeachable material and it scared the hell out of the Clinton Administration. But ultimately, Weldon was shouting into the wind, as the mainstream media largely ignored these explosive findings and instead relied on the somewhat whitewashed findings of the Cox Report. Weldon, you may recall, was in fact a member of the Cox Commission, but he was unsuccessful in his efforts to have this data included in the report, and was instead relegated to putting this information out independently.
Why did the Cox Commission ignore this data? Because it could have caused embarrassing questions for Republicans as well as Democrats. In fact, attempts were even made by conservatives – perhaps fed by Clintonites within the Department of Defense -- to discredit Weldon by linking him to campaign contributions that he accepted from defense companies that were involved in the transfer of sensitive technologies. Never mind the fact that it was Weldon who had revealed this information to begin with. Interested parties needed to paint him with a broad brush to discredit him with the mainstream media. Weldon’s decision to go independent also seemed to rankle Republican leadership, as he was passed over for a slot of on the coveted House Intelligence committee, presumably because he was not a team player.
But while the information was largely ignored by the media and the powers that be that put together the Cox Report, the Clinton Administration took notice. They promptly undertook efforts to hamstring and ultimately dismantle LIWA and other data mining operations. That included Able Danger.
I believe that when Able Danger began to uncover Al Qaeda links and cells operating within the United states, they had already become known as a “persona non grata,” both within the intelligence community and among other federal agencies. The Clinton Administration had already begun efforts to slowly and quietly dismantle these programs, and word was filtering through the federal bureaucracy. The poor treatment of these data mining operations and the intelligence they were collecting may have may also have been partially due to the fact that other agencies were threatened by the good work being performed by these data mining operations and saw it as encroaching on “their turf.” I believe it was a confluence of both factors, with the Clinton Administration cronies playing on the jurisdictional and turf issues as a way of ensuring that LIWA and Able Danger were ultimately scrapped.
As a result Able Danger and its work were quietly folded -- until the 9/11 Commission began soliciting information from federal employees on the work they were performing on pre 9/11 intelligence and Al Qaeda. They, in effect, had opened a can of worms when they began talking to people about Able Danger. To include information on Able Danger in the 9/11 Commission report would require an explanation of why their work had been halted.
I suspect some of the connections on the charts developed by LIWA included unsavory links to prominent Republicans, as well as democrats, which was why it was not included in the Cox Commission Report (I have heard that Condoleezza Rice was one such person.) There may very well have been no real, credible connection, but simply the inference that there were connections may have been alarming for Republicans.
Rather than revisit an issue that would reap irreparable harm on both parties, Republican and Democratic members of the 9/11 Commission opted to omit any references to Able Danger. Perhaps they justified it in their own minds as something that could not be fixed in hindsight and “for the good of the country” was best not made public. Once that decision was made, it became imperative for the bureaucracy to continue to stick to the line. Otherwise, it would reveal a cover up of monumental proportions.
Former members of the Clinton Administration and DNC clearly have the most to lose in this information being made public. In fact, Weldon is now facing a tough race this cycle from former Vice Admiral Joseph Sestak, a member of President Clinton’s National Security Council during the time frame in question. He represents the highest ranking "Fighting Dem" seeking a seat in Congress. Governor Edward Rendell, former chair of the DNC, also cleared out two of Sestak's primary opponents in the past two weeks to provide him with a clearer shot at Weldon. In a district that voted for Kerry last Presidential election cycle, former members of the Clinton Administration may defeat Weldon and finally be successful in putting Able Danger to rest once and for all.
If I was confident information would never come out, I would sign too just to look good.
Bringing a link to my posts over here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1578997/posts?page=951#951
part of it:
Cong. Weldon just now on Michael Savage radio show -- "Neither the Bush nor Clinton bureaucracies want this story told."
Thnk you bump and a mark.
Pinz
I agree completely.
You saw this, right...???
Sorry I meant to say Fannie Mae not Fanny Mae. When I said "Fanny" I made an ass out of myself.
Well .. well .. well .. I'm not at all surprised about Able Danger being connected to the China mess.
And .. this PROVES why Hillary told Daschle to select Jamie Gorelick to be on the 9/11 Commission - because Jamie knew about Able Danger and Jamie concocted the WALL between the FBI and CIA to keep the China stuff from being exposed. I don't believe the WALL was done to protect terrorists .. only to protect the Clintons.
This has to be exposed because it will definitely put the skids on Hillary's run for president. Her numbers are already bad .. and this revelation of her husband's involvement in this IMPEACHABLE offense .. will surely make her undesirable as a candidate - unless she dumps him - and she will never do that.
If there are any repubs involved in this - I WANT THEM EXPOSED ALONG WITH THE DEMOCRATS.
It's time to stop playing games with our National Security and start revamping it so it can really protect us.
I think Weldon is correct.
I don't care what it's about .. I care that it NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
For too long we have all sat around enjoying our good life while these scum in the democrat party have been selling us down the river.
Time to take back the country - and tell the democrats to go fly a kite. I'm sick of their garbage!!
Remember what Rush said today. A new poll has shown that 57% of the American public don't think the Cheney accident was any big deal .. proving once again that the old media cannot "shape public opinion" anymore. We don't have to be afraid of these people - they are clueless.
boy do I agree with you. The dems will sell us down the river for a campaign contribution.
THIS WAS THE IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE CLINTON SHOULD HAVE BEEN RUN OUT OF TOWN FOR!!
I do not agree with you.
If Able Danger can catch people who are lying and cheating the govt (and the public) then so be it. Why shut it down. If people would do business honestly, they wouldn't have to be hiding their money.
What they should do with their money is tell Congress - either pass some laws to take the regulations off - or we will STOP GIVING. Stopping the money flow could accomplish a lot more than pouring more and more into congressional hands.
Not only run out of town. But faced the gallows.
Well .. I for one am not ready to throw America in the trash can.
There are a lot of hard working, honest people in congress who deserve our support - and not just with donations.
But .. congressional repubs better clean up their act or they are going to be out of power and Hillary will not be nice to them .. as they have been to her. She has nothing but contempt for repubs - and in private I'm confident she is laughing her head off at their willingness to work with her.
I'm sure Rush will take this up again - having already interviewed Weldon for the Limbaugh Letter.
I have a good rep in this - Chairman of the Armed Services Committee - Duncan Hunter. He has been supporting Weldon from the beginning.
Fixed it for ya!
If someone's keeping a Ping list, Please add me. Thanks.
Check out Rush's website - he makes a comment about this Cheney incident and says the old media cannot dictate public opinion anymore.
The old media doesn't seem to realize that .. but if more people on FR would realize that .. maybe we wouldn't be so willing to be so negative about being able to get this information exposure.
As an aside .. were you aware that some judge has ruled that people cannot be forced to speak to the press ..??
I thought that was an interesting event .. especially with Gregory screaming that they should have been contacted first. Looks like the temper trantrum was for naught!
I don't agree .. I think Able Danger would spotlight the need for the NSA program - since we don't have Able Danger.
Re your #54 -
"...but the internet holds a lot of power that hasn't yet seen it's true potential."
Thanks to Google and Microsoft (among others) China seems to have successfully shut down their internet to dissenters from the party line, and Google is more than happy to turn over anyone who gets out of line to the Commie goons so that their organs can be harvested and sold.
That, my FReinds, will take you right off line for a while.
With the Arabs soon owning 6 of our major ports and the Chicoms at least 2 more, and with the Mexican takeover of our Southwest, how long will this internet or other forms of alternative media really be available to us?
About the only hope I see for America is if the Islammofacists and the Communists start fighting each other over what's left of America, and the Mexicans pile right in to get their fair share of the plunder too.
We might still have half a chance with the survivors, if we can somehow keep our own politicians from selling us off to the highest bidder.
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