Why Able Danger Was Scrapped (And Then Ignored by the 9/11 Commission): The China Connection

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.

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 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.

The COX REPORT and Rep Weldon's work were basically overshadowed by Clinton's MONICA services: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1560211/posts?page=13#13

Check this

Weldon Delivers Floor Speech Providing Additional Information Related to the Cox Committee Report (06/08/99) http://web.archive.org/web/19991013233050/www.house.gov/curtweldon/floor_060899.htm

INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE COX REPORT
(from the Congressional Record, Proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives)

Tuesday, June 8, 1999

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 6,
1999, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) is recognized for 60 minutes.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to continue to provide for our
colleagues in the House and for the constituents that they represent across the country information relative to the Cox report and the way this report is being spun by this administration.

snip

We need to have this administration come clean, give us the uncensored text of what Charles LaBella said to Louis Freeh which only went to Janet Reno. When that happens, we will then know the true extent of the China connection and its impact with this administration.

http://web.archive.org/web/20001019030053/www.house.gov/curtweldon/coxreport.htm

Clinton-Gore Illegal Campaign Fundraising, Chinese Espionage,
and U.S.Technology Transfer to PRC

The official, unclassified version of the Cox Report can be viewed at
http://web.archive.org/web/20001019030053/http://www.house.gov/coxreport or http://web.archive.org/web/20001019030053/http://hillsource.house.gov/

Weldon Blasts Reno, Justice Department
in Wake of Revelations of LaBella Memo (03/10/00)

Weldon Article from the RNC's Rising Tide: The China Connection -- Why Clinton-Gore Cannot Be Trusted with National Security (09/28/99)

Weldon Article from Insight Magazine: Newstand Nukes -- DOE Secretary Hazel O'Leary gave away the W-87 diagram to U.S. News and World Report; Classified design of nuclear warhead made availble to every foreign intelligence agency (8/3/99)

DOE Sells Supercomputer in 150,000 to 200,000 MTOPS range to Chinese National; Weldon Calls for Resignation of Energy Secretary Bill Richardson (7/23/99)

Text of Weldon Letter to Richardson Asking for His Resignation (7/23/99)

Text of Weldon Letter to FBI Director Louis Freeh Asking for Investigation into Supercomputer Sale (7/23/99)

Weldon, Seventeen Other Members of Congress, Send Letter to Energy Department Secretary Richardson on treatment of DOE Whistleblower Ed McCallum (7/16/99)

Text of Weldon's Prepared Testimony Before the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee on DOE and DOD Whistleblowers (6/24/99)

Weldon to Testify on Clinton Administration Retaliation Against Whistleblowers Who Raised Concerns About Chinese Espionage and Dangers to U.S. National Security (06/23/99)

Weldon Circulates Dear Colleague Asking Members of Congress to Co-Sign Letter to Energy Secretary Richardson in Support of DOE Whistleblower Edward McCallum (06/23/99)

Weldon Column: Cox Report Details Damage to U.S. National Security (06/14/99)

Outrage of the Week: Did Energy Department Secretary Hazel O'Leary Leak Nuclear Secrets to the Media? (06/11/99)

Diagram of W-87 Warhead Leaked to U.S. News and World Report

Weldon Pushes for Increased Defense Department Oversight of U.S. Export Licensing and Policy; Clinton-Gore Administration Approved Export of Sensitive Technologies to China (06/09/99)

Weldon Delivers Floor Speech Providing Additional Information Related to the Cox Committee Report (06/08/99)

DOE Whistleblower Edward McCallum faces retaliation from Clinton-Gore Administration (06/08/99)

Weldon Delivers Floor Statement Detailing the Clinton Administration's Failure to Protect U.S. Nuclear Secrets from Chinese Espionage (06/07/99)

The Clinton-Gore Administration has ignored Chinese Proliferation of Weapons Related Technologies and Violations of Arms Control Agreements (06/07/99)

Weldon Details Connections Between the Clinton-Gore Administration's Removal of Export Controls on Sensitive Technologies, PLA Front Companies, Campaign Contributions, and Influence Peddling (05/27/99)

What the Charts Show (05/27/99)

Chart 1: The China Connection (pdf 1.8 - mb) (05/27/99)

Chart 1: The China Connection (pdf - 23 kb) Reduced in size courtesy of Paul Drallos (06/04/99) (Print this Landscape) Done by Freeper.

Sources and References for Chart 1 (05/27/99)

Chart 2: Timeline of Liberalized/Decontrolled Technologies to PRC (pdf - 5.4 mb) (5/27/99)

Chart 2: (pdf - 16 kb) Again reduced courtesy of Paul Drallos (06/04/99) (Freeper)

Text of a September 1993 letter from President Clinton to Silicon Graphics CEO Edward McCracken promising to liberalize export controls of computers, machine tools, and telecommunications technologies (pdf - 4 mb) (05/27/99)

Clearer version of September 1993 letter (pdf - 7 kb) Courtesy of Paul Drallos (06/04/99) (A Freeper)

Weldon to Present New Details on China Tech Transfers; Will Unveil Links Between PLA Front Companies, Campaign Contributions and the Clinton-Gore Administration's Relaxed Export Controls on Sensitive Technologies - (05/26/99)

Statement of Congressman Weldon on the release of the Cox Report - (05/25/99)

I couldn't help but notice that a lot of the old timers from FR have begun to show up on this thread with their constant doom and gloom .. how America is about to go under and oh woe is me attitude.

I'm sick of it! I'm not buying all the gloom and doom stuff! This is no time to be running America into the ground. America is not a congressional group who have gotten off tract .. WE'RE AMERICA .. not congress.

We still have our principals .. we still have our values and our pride in ourselves, our accomplishments, our military, and in what America really stands for.

The media does not "shape public opinion" any more. We must not be afraid to push the issue of exposing this corrupt outfit called the Clinton admin. They deserve to be exposed - and anybody - ANYBODY - who collaborated with them deserves to be exposed too - and if they're embarrassed - it's too darn stinking bad - they should have thought of that before they got involved in this.

We need to get on the email and letter writing campaign and set the congress straight! GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER - or we will get people to replace you who will act responsibly.

Rush has told us over and over and over - when you CALL YOUR LOCAL REPS - THEY LISTEN. They won't change if we don't hold them accountable. Don't be sending blast faxes to every tom, dick or harry .. just send msgs to your reps - and I don't care if they are dems; some of mine are too. CALL THEIR LOCAL OFFICE - I only call my reps office here in San Diego - and I always get results and a response.

Don't allow the "it's all over for America - we're gonna be taken over by the Arabs or the Mexicans" sway you from doing YOUR JOB - hold your reps accountable for what they're doing and saying. Don't allow people to steal your zeal for changing things; don't allow them to cause you to stop working to change America for the better; don't allow them to force you into throwing up your hands and giving up.

NO!! HELL NO!! We need to get mad as hell - and let them know we're not going to take it anymore.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.