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Why Able Danger Was Scrapped (And Then Ignored by the 9/11 Commission): The China Connection
1/16/2006 | americaprd

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.


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: abledanger; atta; cantonsong
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To: archy

Don't miss this one.


61 posted on 02/16/2006 10:52:12 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Calpernia

LOL, I pinged you and you beat me here.
UNping. :-)


62 posted on 02/16/2006 10:54:36 AM PST by Velveeta (<------says: Buy Danish Havarti...........)
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placemarker


63 posted on 02/16/2006 10:58:41 AM PST by longshadow (FReeper #405, entering his ninth year of ignoring nitwits, nutcases, and recycled newbies)
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To: americaprd
I have heard that Condoleezza Rice was one such person

She was on the investigating a end of a conflict of interest charge involving one of her staff.

The facts:

Dr. John W. Lewis, a Stanford professor collaborated with Chinese defector Hua Di in writing books on Chinese missiles. Stanford Provost Ms. Condoleezza Rice said, "Professor John Lewis had provided evidence to the fact that the source materials for publications written by him and Mr. Hua were provided by approved Chinese authorities or already were available through the Stanford University library." Aviation Week, Janes and several other publications confirm the Stanford position that the information Hua Di passed to the West was already obvious.

Source

While many articles try to incriminate her as being connected, the only connection I can see is that she was doing her job in investigating the conflict of interest involving one of her staff, and as indicated above, cleared him...nothing nefarious there. Some journalists say she shut down "the investigation", but that is a preposterous charge considering she concluded her investigation and found him innocent. Investigating the Chinese spy ring was not her job, that was the Clinton Admin's job, once it had been reported to them. Those same journalists were upset because she would not discuss this with them and saw that as a sign of complicity in a cover up. It's the same kind of journalistic arrogance we see on display today in the Cheney case. Condi was under no obligation to discuss this with them and as Provost, she had an obligation to maintain the integrity of the University.
64 posted on 02/16/2006 10:59:38 AM PST by ravingnutter
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To: Velveeta

Are you listening to this? Who is that woman that keeps asking questions for clarification and has a very strong personality?


65 posted on 02/16/2006 11:00:10 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: americaprd
Years ago I wrote Who Sold Us Out to China: A Study of the Sino-American Relationship to explore the bigger picture of how American foreign policy is created. You have filled in the gaps admirably.
66 posted on 02/16/2006 11:00:30 AM PST by Publius
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To: Calpernia

What are you listening to, yesterday's Able Danger hearing?


67 posted on 02/16/2006 11:02:28 AM PST by Velveeta (<------says: Buy Danish Havarti...........)
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To: Velveeta

yes

http://qtmonster.typepad.com/qt_monsters_place/2006/02/audio_of_able_d.html


68 posted on 02/16/2006 11:03:09 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Velveeta

Whoever this woman is, I want to kidnap her and make her the attorney general for NJ.

She kicks butt! :))


69 posted on 02/16/2006 11:03:57 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Calpernia

I listened live yesterday.

If you're closer to the beginning, you're probably hearing Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher, California (D)


70 posted on 02/16/2006 11:05:56 AM PST by Velveeta (<------says: Buy Danish Havarti...........)
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To: americaprd
On a first read, this looks like a shot across the bow of the Dem congresscritters who are pushing for an impeachment vote on President Bush. Weldon is hanging some of Clinton's dirty laundry on the line as a warning to the Dems.

Quoth the raven..."NeverGore".

71 posted on 02/16/2006 11:06:25 AM PST by carl in alaska (The raven watching news of the Florida recounts stirred and spoke. Quoth the raven..."NeverGore.")
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To: Velveeta

No, I'm on tape two. I think it is Ms. McKinney.


72 posted on 02/16/2006 11:08:47 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Calpernia

traitor, coward Murtha bump


73 posted on 02/16/2006 11:10:40 AM PST by i_dont_chat (I defend the right to offend!)
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To: Calpernia

McKinney is an idiot. You obviously didn't just see her rambling speech on the House floor. Check out this thread..


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1579816/posts.


74 posted on 02/16/2006 11:12:59 AM PST by sissyjane (Don't be stuck on stupid!)
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To: Calpernia

Yeah, believe it or not it was McKinney. LOL


75 posted on 02/16/2006 11:14:30 AM PST by Velveeta (<------says: Buy Danish Havarti...........)
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To: americaprd

bttt


76 posted on 02/16/2006 11:19:25 AM PST by shield (The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instructions.Pr 1:7)
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To: Calpernia

Well, can't we the people make an attempt to do so. We've got time, and the press of a campaign would help shed more light on the current investigation. I'm down


77 posted on 02/16/2006 11:20:16 AM PST by s2baccha
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To: americaprd

Excellent.

This helps to explain something that has bothered me- why so many people go to extremes to protect the Clintons.

But, it looks like there are many other interests being protected too.

LIWA, LIWA- sounds like a song. How sweet.


78 posted on 02/16/2006 11:20:42 AM PST by DBrow
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To: beyond the sea

"But it really is all about the planned one world order."

Agreed. I think NWO goes a long way in explaining these and other past events by our "representatives".


79 posted on 02/16/2006 11:20:52 AM PST by JZelle
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To: ovrtaxt

I agree with parts of this as a general theory, but I don't know that it exlains the Able Danger stuff. I think Able Danger is mroe about bureacracy, personal agendas and the resulting voerups of the coverups than part of a larger party plan to remain in power.


80 posted on 02/16/2006 11:21:12 AM PST by americaprd
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