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The Bush Administration has been under mounting pressure to engage in face-to-face talks with the Iranians as a way of dealing with the regime's bid to develop nuclear weapons. As Samuel Berger wrote in these pages Monday, the purpose of such talks would be to settle "all issues of mutual concern: its nuclear program, to be sure, but also its support for militant groups, its posture toward the Middle East peace process, the future of Iraq and, on their side, the removal of our sanctions, Iran's integration into the global community and U.S. assurances of noninterference and security guarantees."

We have deep doubts about this course, not least because every previous U.S. attempt at engagement -- Presidents Carter, Reagan and Clinton all tried -- was spurned and taken as a sign of weakness. But put that aside. What Mr. Ahmadinejad's letter reveals is the thinking of the man who would, if Mr. Berger had his way, be our "partner."

Sandy 'The Pita Pocket' Berger bump...

I have a question- did the White House release the letter or is the press getting their leaked info from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's staffers?

1994 : (WHITE HOUSE LAWYERS ADVISE SANDY BERGER TO SELL OFF HIS AMOCO OIL COMPANY STOCK - HE "FORGETS" TO DO SO FOR A YEAR UNTIL REMINDED AGAIN) "…The Washington Post reported that Berger was advised by White House lawyers in 1994 to sell a longtime family stock in the Amoco oil company. After initially questioning the advice, Berger agreed to sell the stock, but forgot to do so until reminded by White House lawyers to do so more than one year later... Still, then-White House counsel Abner Mikva said he had no choice but to refer the case to the Justice Department's public integrity division. But White House counsel Jack Quinn said that Clinton was aware of the Justice Department probe of Berger, and believed Berger had committed a harmless oversight that should not interfere with his promotion, the Post said…." ------ 1/31/97 Jewish Telegraphic Agency via ALAMO-GIRL

JUNE 1996 : (THE TIME PERIOD IN WHICH JANET RENO CLAIMS SHE TRIED TO INFORM THE NSC'S ANTHONY LAKE ABOUT THE FBI'S INFO CONCERNING CHINESE EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE US ELECTIONS) On March 13 [1997], Attorney General Janet Reno claimed she tried to inform Anthony Lake at the NSC about the FBI's information concerning China's attempt to influence America's elections back in June 1996, but did not because she "could not find him". She also said she did not tell President Clinton herself because she felt it was the job of the NSC. -------- Clinton/China timeline, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton/China_timeline [double check source]

1996 : (DPTY NATIONAL SEC ADVISOR SANDY BERGER IS PROMOTED TO NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR BUT DOESN'T UNDERGO CONFIRMATION PROCESS) Deputy National Security Advisor Sandy Berger is being promoted to the council's top post, replacing National Security Adviser Tony Lake, who is leaving to head the CIA. Berger will be spared the confirmation process as the job is a presidential staff position, not a Cabinet slot. Updated Dec. 9 (1996) http://cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/candidates/cabinet.shuffle/nsa.shtml

MARCH 13, 1997 : (CHINAGATE : ) On March 13 [1997], Attorney General Janet Reno claimed she tried to inform Anthony Lake at the NSC about the FBI's information concerning China's attempt to influence America's elections back in June 1996, but did not because she "could not find him". She also said she did not tell President Clinton herself because she felt it was the job of the NSC. Sandy Berger replaced Lake as head of NSC the following day. -------- Clinton/China timeline, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton/China_timeline [double check source]

MARCH 14, 1997 : (SANDY BERGER REPLACES ANTHONY LAKE AS HEAD OF THE NSC)-------- Clinton/China timeline, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton/China_timeline [double check source]

1997 : (SANDY BERGER TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESS _ CLAIMS THERE IS NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE COSCO WAS ENGAGED IN ILLEGALITY - See ARMS SMUGGLING) Mr. Berger told the Congress in 1997 there is no credible evidence COSCO (the China Ocean Shipping Co.) is engaged in a host of illegal activities, including arms smuggling. This misleading and dishonest statement completely ignores COSCO's pivotal role as the delivery boys for China's arms merchants. COSCO is on the record having delivered missiles to trouble spots and 2,000 fully automatic machine guns destined for drug gangs in the United States….." ------http://www.alamo-girl.com/0211.htm

MARCH 1998 : (CLINTON AFRICA TRIP INCLUDES SANDY BERGER & JOSEPH WILSON, NSC DIRECTOR FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS) --- "Official Delegation Accompanying the President to Africa March 20, 1998," NARA.gov (They both accompanied Clinton on his 1998 Africa trip)

MAY 1998 : (CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SCRAPS PLANNED RAID TO CAPTURE BIN LADEN) Under the plan, developed from satellite photographs and on-the-ground intelligence, Afghan operatives would execute a daring kidnapping and later hand over Mr. bin Laden, the leader of the Al Qaeda terrorist network, to the Central Intelligence Agency. "No capture plan before 9/11 ever again attained the same level of detail and preparation," the report said. "Working-level C.I.A. officers were disappointed."
The tale of the canceled raid, as described in the commission's report, tells of senior C.I.A. and national security officials balancing the operation's potential rewards against concerns about jeopardizing the lives of operatives and the repercussions that would follow if the gambit failed. Ultimately, senior C.I.A. officials decided the plan was too dangerous, according to the report.
Aspects of the raid have been described in books by Richard A. Clarke, the former counterterrorism chief, and Steve Coll, a journalist with The Washington Post. The commission's report provides a detailed account of deliberations involving the Clinton White House, the C.I.A. and the Pentagon.
The agency's counterterrorist center conceived of the nighttime raid on Mr. bin Laden's compound after Afghan tribal leaders described to agency officials a failed roadside ambush they had tried.
The bin Laden compound, known as Tarnak Farms, contained about 80 concrete or mud-brick buildings surrounded by a 10-foot wall ...near the Kandahar airport.
------ "Kidnapping of bin Laden Was Rehearsed in '98 but Scrapped, 9/11 Report Says," by THOMAS CRAMPTON, The New York Times, |[article really bylined July 23, 2004] July 26, 2004

MAY 29, 1998 : (A STAND-DOWN IS ORDERED ON THE PLANNED RAID TO CAPTURE BIN LADEN; DECISION DISAPPOINTS AFGHAN TRIBAL LEADERS AND BIN LADEN APPARENTLY HAS WIND OF THE PLAN AS HE BEEFED UP HIS SECURITY) On May 29, however, the bin Laden unit chief [* My note: is this CIA agent "Anonymous?"] cabled his field operatives to "stand down on the operation for the time being." Cabinet-level officials, the unit chief wrote, thought the risk of civilian casualties too high.
While many senior officials, including Mr. Clarke and Mr. Berger, had raised concerns about the plan, Mr. Tenet told the commission he had made the decision based on the recommendation of his chief operations officers. "He alone had decided to 'turn off' the operation," the commission report said of Mr. Tenet. [* Bill Clinton din't make the final decision? Am I supposed to believe this?]
The window for action quickly became smaller.
"The tribals' reported readiness to act diminished," the report said. "And bin Laden's security precautions and defenses became more elaborate and formidable."------ "Kidnapping of bin Laden Was Rehearsed in '98 but Scrapped, 9/11 Report Says," by THOMAS CRAMPTON, The New York Times, |[article really bylined July 23, 2004] July 26, 2004

1998 summer : (HAMAS INVESTIGATION : FBI HANDLER KENNETH WILLIAMS ASKS HARRY ELLEN, ON HIS WAY TO GAZA STRIP, TO PROVIDE MONEY TO A HAMAS FIGURE; CLINTON'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, SANDY BERGER, LATER CLAIMS THE WHITE HOUSE WAS UNINFORMED OF THE FBI ACTIVITIES) [Harry] Ellen, a Muslim convert, testified he was taking a trip to the Gaza Strip to bring doctors to the region in summer 1998 when Williams asked him to provide money to a Hamas figure [* Apparently Ismail Abu Shanab]. Williams wanted "the transfer of American funds to some of the terrorist groups for violent purposes," Ellen testified to the immigration court in a closed June 2001 session. At the same time, Clinton and his negotiators were trying to reinvigorate stalled Mideast peace talks, an effort that culminated in the Wye Accords in October 1998.
Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, said in an interview that the White House wasn't informed of the FBI activities. "We were not aware of any such operation," Berger said. -- "AP: FBI Sent Hamas Money in Clinton Days," by JOHN SOLOMON Associated Press

OCTOBER 1998 : (ME PEACE PEACE TALKS : WYE ACCORDS)- "AP: FBI Sent Hamas Money in Clinton Days," by JOHN SOLOMON Associated Press

1999 early : (CHINAGATE : SANDY BERGER LEAKS INFO FROM CLASSIFIED COX COMMITEE REPORT) As a member of the Cox Committee charged with investigating the transfer of high-tech secrets to China during the Clinton administration, in January 1999 Rep. Weldon sent an advance copy of the committee’s report to Mr. Berger for his review. After seven months of closed-door, bipartisan hearings with no leaks to the press, the committee of five Republicans and four Democrats had unanimously recommended some three dozen steps that should be taken to protect America’s national security.
Within days, however, “Sandy Berger issued a statement to selected members of the media putting the White House spin on what was still a classified document,” congressman Weldon recalled. “He did that without asking any member of the committee. Before the CIA director could even read our report, Berger was already spinning. That sets the pattern for what may have occurred” in the Archives case, Rep. Weldon believes.
Though he planned to remain silent on the current controversy until more facts came to light, a reminder of Mr. Berger’s record was enough to change Rep. Weldon’s mind. “I remember this vividly now,” he told WORLD in his first interview on the subject. “I went through it in a detailed way on the floor of the House. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Berger pre-released classified information to benefit the White House.” ----- "Berger’s secret," by Bob Jones, World Magazine, 7/26/04

FEBRUARY 15, 2002 : (NY : LONG ISLAND ASSOCIATION SPEECH : CLINTON ADMITS SUDAN BIN LADEN EXTRADITION OFFER OCCURED) MALZBERG: Bill Clinton made an admission to the Long Island Association on February 15, 2002, while speaking on Long Island. And we have the tape, which is a little too hard to hear, so you over the phone might not be able to get the most out of it. But he admitted that the Sudan had offered to turn bin Laden over to the United States. And his comments were, quote:
"Mr. bin Laden used to live in Sudan. He was expelled from Saudi Arabia in 1991, then he went to Sudan. And we'd been hearing that the Sudanese wanted America to start meeting with them again.
"They released him. At the time, 1996, he had committed no crime against America so I did not bring him here because we had no basis on which to hold him, though we knew he wanted to commit crimes against America.
"So I pleaded with the Saudis to take him, 'cause they could have. But they thought it was a hot potato . . ." [End of Malzberg's Clinton quote] ----- "Sandy Berger Defends Decision Not to Extradite Bin Laden," NewsMax.com ^ | 6/22/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff
[Dick Morris also confirms the Sudanese offer]

SEPTEMBER 2002 : (SANDY BERGER DENIES THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN EVER OFFERED UP BIN LADEN) The case of the pilfered Clinton terror files isn't the first time Sandy Berger has had to do some fancy rhetorical footwork to explain away the obvious.
In Sept. 2002, he flatly denied during sworn Congressional testimony that the government of Sudan had ever offered to turn over Osama bin Laden to his boss, Bill Clinton.
While Congress didn't press him on the details, Berger had a tougher time a few months later during an interview with WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg, who grilled him on Clinton's Feb. 2002 admission that the Sudanese offer was indeed real.-------- Newsmax via 1,249 posted on 07/19/2004 9:24:55 PM PDT by StarFan

JUNE 2003 : (SANDY BERGER ON THE TOPIC OF SUDAN'S BIN LADEN EXTRADITION OFFER) Berger suggested instead that the Sudanese had fabricated the story of bin Laden's possible extradition to the U.S. to stay on the Bush administration's good side after the 9/11 attacks. But he couldn't explain why Mr. Clinton indicated last year that an offer for bin Laden's release to the U.S. was indeed made by Sudan.
"I've seen [Clinton's] quote," he [Berger] told Malzberg. "And I think at the time there was some examination of whether or not he could be held here if, in fact, we had an opportunity to get him. And the judgment was that we didn't have any basis to hold him here at that time."
But Berger insisted the Clinton administration's conclusion that it couldn't detain bin Laden "was not pursuant to an offer by the Sudanese. "
"The Sudanese never offered to give him to the United States," he insisted. "This is something I've gone back to check very carefully on. No one knows of any such offer." When asked why the Clinton administration didn't press Sudan to release bin Laden to the U.S. after Saudi Arabia rejected a plan to have him sent there, Berger grew defensive.
"The Sudanese . . . had no intention of turning bin Laden over to someone who would have been hostile, period," he insisted. What about Clinton's admission to the contrary? No doubt it was just another case of what Berger might call "sloppiness"... -------- Newsmax via 1,249 posted on 07/19/2004 9:24:55 PM PDT by StarFan , "Sandy Berger Defends Decision Not to Extradite Bin Laden," NewsMax.com ^ | 6/22/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

2003 : (CLINTON ASKS BERGER TO REVIEW AND SELECT ADMNISTRATION DOCUMENTS THAT WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE 9/11 COMMISSION) Clinton asked Berger last year to review and select the administration documents that would be turned over to the [9/11] commission. --- "AP: Clinton Adviser Probed in Terror Memos [Sandy Berger, is the focus of a criminal investigation," John Solomon, AP via Yahoo, July 20, 2004

JULY 2003 : (SANDY BERGER BEGINS VISITING THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES) Berger starts visits to Archives (he later admits to taking notes and leaving with them, against the rules). -------265 posted on 01/12/2005 10:13:32 AM PST by cyncooper

JULY 18, 2003 : (SANDY BERGER BEGINS STEALING NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVES DOCUMENTS - * My note POSSIBLY REPLACING THEM AS WELL AS TAKING THEM?) To: danamco Novak wrote his column on July 14, 2003. Berger first pilfered documents on July 18, 2003. 57 posted on 08/02/2005 3:35:02 AM PDT by Sacajaweau

SEPTEMBER? 2003 : (SANDY BERGER REVIEWS COPY OF POST-MILLENNIUM REPORT IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES- IT WOULD DISAPPEAR, EVIDENTLY INTO HIS PANTS OR SOCKS) --- "AP: Clinton Adviser Probed in Terror Memos [Sandy Berger, is the focus of a criminal investigation," John Solomon, AP via Yahoo, July 20, 2004

OCTOBER 2003 : (SANDY BERGER AGAIN VISITS THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES TO SWIPE MORE DOCUMENTS; IS CONFRONTED) Berger returns and again removes documents and is confronted. He acquires an attorney, Lanny Breuer, previously one of the WH counsel for you-know-who. Shortly after DOJ is notified of Berger's actions. -------265 posted on 01/12/2005 10:13:32 AM PST by cyncooper

OCTOBER 28, 2003 : (SANDY BERGER SPEAKS AT A MOVEON.ORG / CENTURY FOUNDATION CONFERENCE ALSO ATTENDED BY HILLARY CLINTON, RICHARD CLARKE, AND JOE WILSON) To: ScaniaBoy re the question why did Berger do this? Or maybe Berger had a contract to do a backgrounder report for MoveOn. We see Berger speaking at a MoveOn conference on October 28, 2003. I wonder how much he was paid for that. 216 posted on 07/21/2004 11:04:45 PM PDT by dano1

DECEMBER 5, 2003 : (WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL ALBERTO GONZALES CALLS FOR NATIONAL ARCHIVES DIRECTOR JOHN CARLIN TO RESIGN) Alberto Gonzales, WH counsel for President Bush, calls Carlin the Archives Director, and requests his resignation. -------265 posted on 01/12/2005 10:13:32 AM PST by cyncooper

FEBRUARY 27, 2004 : (UCLA, CA : JOHN KERRY SPEECH CONCERNING AIRPORT AND PORT SECURITY - SPEECH WOULD LATER BE REMOVED FROM HIS WEBSITE AFTER NEWS OF SANDY BERGER'S THEFT OF NATIONAL ARCHIVES DOCUMENTS BREAKS - COULD KERRY'S WEBSITE CONTAIN TELL-TALE PHRASES LIFTED FROM STOLEN DOCS?)---- FResearch

JULY 13, 2004 : (PRESS REPORT REFERS TO SANDY BERGER AS A CHIEF FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR TO JOHN KERRY)...In a wide-ranging and exclusive interview with Bisnow on Business, former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, now a chief foreign policy adviser to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry,... ----- Bisnow interview reported in The Hill

JULY 20, 2004 : (REPORT : BERGER & MISSING DOCS ON VULNERABILITIES AT US AIRPORTS & SEAPORTS) Government and congressional officials familiar with the investigation, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the probe involves classified materials, said the investigation remains active and no decision has been made on whether Berger should face criminal charges. The officials said the missing documents were highly classified, and included critical assessments about the Clinton administration's handling of the millennium terror threats as well as identification of America's terror vulnerabilities at airports to sea ports. --- "AP: Clinton Adviser Probed in Terror Memos [Sandy Berger, is the focus of a criminal investigation," John Solomon, AP via Yahoo, July 20, 2004

JULY 21, 2004 10:50AM : (KERRY'S SUDDENLY DISAPPEARING WEB DOCUMENTS [07/21 10:50 PM] ) Various Kerry Spot readers are calling attention to the fact that the Kerry web site appears to have removed the press release that used to be here:
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0227a.html
But can still be seen in the Google cache here, and has been posted on the FreeRepublic.com discussion board here: The date of the event is February 27, 2004. The event was a speech at UCLA about homeland security, mentioning port security and airline security.
Now, Kerry wouldn't need any secret documents from March 2000 to make a speech saying port and airline security should be improved in February 2004. So it's hard to buy the most sinister theories running around, that Kerry was using the classified documents to put together his homeland security policy proposals.
Unless, perhaps, the 2000 memo mentioned something about airport perimeter security and airliner's vulnerability to shoulder-fired missiles, and somehow that inspired Kerry release's plan to "increase perimeter inspections of U.S. airports and work with international aviation authorities to make sure the same standards are in place at all international airports. He will work with our allies to crackdown on the sale of shoulder-fired missiles that could be used in an attack on civilian aircraft, and are sold on the black market." But would Kerry really need a secret memo to think of that threat?
Either way, it is odd that this event appears to have been deleted from Kerry's web site.
UPDATE: Another reader wonders if the language in Kerry's speech in New Hampshire on December 17 or at UCLA is from the security memo. Well, if that could be proven, it would be pretty damning. --- "KERRY'S SUDDENLY DISAPPEARING WEB DOCUMENTS [07/21 10:50 PM]" NRO.com, http://www.nationalreview.com/kerry/kerryspot.asp via GrampaDave & Smonk on FR

FEBRUARY 2006 : (FRMR NATL SEC ADVSR SANDY BERGER , FRMR SECSTATE MADDIE ALBRIGHT, FRMR SECDEF PERRY, RET GEN. WESLEY CLARK RELEASE "REPORT" ) Disgraced former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger is blasting President Bush for undermining U.S. defenses by "breaking" the military. A just-released report co-authored by Berger and several other top Clinton administration officials complains: "We believe that the Bush administration has broken faith with the American soldier and Marine."
According to the web site ISN Security Watch, the report by Berger & Co. contends that the Bush administration's poor planning ahead of the Iraq war, a shortage of troops and not enough equipment or protection for troops could result in "breaking the force."
The disgraced Clinton official offered his national security criticisms despite pleading guilty less than a year ago to stealing and destroying top secret national security documents in a bid to thwart the 9/11 Commission investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ..-----------.Sandy Berger: Bush 'Breaking' the Military NewsMax ^ Feb 3, 2006 To: Sub-Driver "Other ex-Clinton officials who contributed to the report include former Secretary of State Madeliene Albright, former Defense Secretary William Perry and former presidential candidate, Gen. Wesley Clark."

MARCH 27, 2006 : (WASHINGTON, DC : SANDY "PANTS" BERGER, FORMER CLINTON NSC DIRECTOR ANTHONY LAKE, RICHARD CLARKE, JOHN DALTON, RAND BEERS, SUSAN RICE, BOB BELL, BILL DANVERS, ANNE RICHARD, ANNE WITKOWSKY & STEVE ANDREASEN HOST FUNDRAISER AT THE LAW OFFICES OF HAROLD ICKES & JANICE ENRIGHT FOR RET VICE ADMIRAL JOSEPH SESTAK JR, WHO WILL BE RUNNING AGAINST REPUBLICAN CURT WELDON) Several members of President Bill Clinton’s national security team are hosting a Washington fund-raiser tonight for retired Vice Adm. Joseph Sestak Jr., the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon in November.
Officials at Sestak’s campaign headquarters in Media will not comment on the event, though an invitation sent out to potential donors and obtained by the Daily Times lists Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger as a host.
...Berger, who served as Clinton’s second-term national security adviser, pleaded guilty last year to removing classified material from the National Archives. He originally claimed it was an "honest mistake," but later admitted that he took the terrorism documents by hiding them in his jacket, then cut some of them up with scissors.
"I don’t know why this fund-raiser is so secretive -- other than the fact that it is a fund-raiser hosted by a convicted felon, a man convicted of destroying information dealing with pre-9/11 intelligence," said Russ Caso, Weldon’s chief of staff.
...
Sestak’s campaign issued a press release earlier this month, stating that the Democrat had raised more than $150,000 since announcing his candidacy Feb. 2.
About $50,000 of that was raised with the help of Sen. John Kerry, Sestak said at the time.
...Tonight’s event begins at 6 p.m. and will be held at the Connecticut Ave. law office of Harold Ickes and Janice Enright, according to the invitation. Ickes, a labor attorney and former top aide to President Clinton, was a strategist for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s 2000 Senate campaign. Enright, a lobbyist who works with Ickes, is the treasurer of Sen. Clinton’s 2006 re-election committee.
The invitation asks for individual contributions ranging from $250 to $2,100. Sestak is not distancing himself from Berger or the other Clinton administration officials hosting the fund-raiser, including Anthony Lake, Richard Clarke, John Dalton and Rand Beers. "This event is hosted by a group of people I used to work with, people that I was and am friends with, and I am proud to count them among my friends," Sestak said through Bennett.
...Sestak, 54, a former deputy chief of Naval operations who served as director for defense policy on Clinton’s National Security Council, has deep roots in Springfield, but has been living outside the district for more than three decades while serving in the Navy. He now lives in Nether Providence but also plans to keep his home in Alexandria, Va.
------ Sandy Berger Raises Money for Weldon Foe (Able Danger Alert) Delaware County Daily Times ^ | 3/27/06 | William Bender
[Susan Rice was associated with Lake, Berger, and Wilson on African issues at NSC. This NSC association is worth further examination: Clinton had placed Lake in charge of NSC after Lake's nomination for CIA Director (in the midst of the scandal over outgoing Director John Deutch's computer security lapses) was stymied by conservative objections over Lake's ties to the KGB/Castro-linked Institute for Policy Studies and related front groups. Lake was then replaced by Berger in the midst of the FBI's investigation of Chinagate]------ via 35 posted on 03/28/2006 1:56:29 PM PST by Fedora