It is, of course, the combination of feckless responses to the 93 WTC attack, the US embassy attacks in Africa and the USS Cole that emboldened not only OBL but the terrorists everywhere. We can also do some fingerpointing along those lines to Carter and even Reagan and Bush 1.
Much of the blame does indeed rest on Clinton's shoulders and his 8 year tenure of hell though. The attacks were escalating in boldness and frequency.
Certainly true; much of the blame does rest with his shoulders.
I just don't like saying he is directly responsible. But, no doubt his failures and cowardice largely were contributors to allowing Al Quada to grow.
His response of NOTHING to the Cole really was outrageous.