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.
Also, if you care about Able Danger, I would urge you to help reelect Congressman Weldon.
So too was this the reason for the Gorelick Wall, IMHO. Well done...
I heard Weldon mention something about this Chinese procurement matter yesterday during the hearing and he said that some well known D.C. names cropped up and they would be embarrassed and that is his theory why AD was shut down.
ping
Where can I listen to the hearings ?
If I didn't have reason to hate and despise William the Impeached before, I most certainly do now.
Just like the Barrett Report - the Clintons are truly the gift that keeps on giving.
I feel very sorry for our younger citizens. Their country needs resuscitation.
But it really is all about the planned one world order.
You can download and listen to the audio of yesterday's hearing here:
http://d.turboupload.com/d/363846/2-5-06AbleDangerAudio.asf.html
This is just a fine and excellent post and I thank you for it. I have not clicked on the links yet, but I will.
Are there any more open hearings scheduled to be held, or was yesterday pretty much it?
Long live Chairman Bernie! Formerly of LORAL????
bump for later
When will the hearings continue?
Yes, Bernard Schwartz, former Chairmam of defense contractor Loral, was instrumental in having many of these export ruels relaxed. If you look at the chart devleoped by LIWA, Loral, along with defense ocntractor Hughes were prominently figured. This couldn't have made Schwartz, or the Clinton Administration -- to whom he had given $1 million in campign contributions -- very happy. I'm sure it had something to do with LIWA and Able Danger ultimately being disbanded.
This whole thing is a putrid example of how the democrats can never be trusted with national security. They are traitors thru and thru.
Lets be honest about Able Danger...it was a giant funnel, and it drug in tons of information...some relating to Ossama and the Jihad boys...some relating to Chinese technology transfer...some relating to "bribes" given to lobbyists and politicans (state, federal, etc)...and some related to large cash flow outside of the US (if you are a international business...you haul cash from one market to another, and hide it from the real front company in the US & IRS).
Once the Clintonites...and even members of the senate realized the impact of this project and just how capable the funnel could be...it became a dangerous weapon. A guy in the CIA could turn info to the IRS and suddenly a company owed an additional $500 million on real taxes and income. I doubt seriously that the government can allow Able Danger to be brought back, and if so, there have to be exteme limits as to what they can gather against.
...Why did the Cox Commission ignore this data? Because it could have caused embarrassing questions for Republicans as well as Democrats....
When the republicans refused to stand up for America and went along with the fatslut scandal, our nation was damaged beyond repair. The flow of Chinese money into the pockets of our politicians is a brilliant act of assymetrical warfare on the part of the Chinese.
In the long run it will be the root of our demise.
Amazing that not one word of the hearings made it to the newswires..at least not here in SE Pa.
That won't stop the dogged interest of this reader nor will it deter Weldon.
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