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A Combative Clinton Defends Record on Fighting Terrorism
WashPost ^ | 9-24-06 | Michael Grunwald

Posted on 09/23/2006 8:37:08 PM PDT by STARWISE

Former president Bill Clinton angrily defended his administration's counterterrorism record during a Fox News interview to be aired today, while accusing "President Bush's neocons" and other Republicans of ignoring Osama bin Laden until the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Clinton had planned to discuss his climate change initiative during his appearance on "Fox News Sunday," but he turned combative after host Chris Wallace asked why he hadn't "put bin Laden and al-Qaeda out of business." Clinton shot back that "all the conservative Republicans" who now criticize him for inattention to bin Laden used to criticize him for over-attention to bin Laden.Clinton said he authorized the CIA to kill bin Laden, and even "contracted with people to kill him." He also said he had a plan to attack Afghanistan, overthrow the Taliban and hunt for bin Laden after the attack on the USS Cole, but the CIA and FBI refused to certify that bin Laden was responsible, and Uzbekistan refused to allow the United States to set up a base.

By contrast, Clinton said the Bush administration's neoconservatives "had no meetings on bin Laden for nine months," believing he had been "too obsessed with bin Laden."

(snip)

Clinton : There is not a living soul in the world who thought Osama bin Laden had anything to do with Black Hawk down or was paying any attention to it, or even knew al-Qaeda was a going concern in October '93.

Wallace : I understand.

Clinton : No, no, wait. Don't tell me that -- you asked why didn't I do more to bin Laden, there was not a living soul, all the people who now criticize me wanted to leave the next day. You brought this up, so you get an answer. But you -- secondly

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; alqueda; binladen; bluedress; cia; clinton; clintonlegacy; douchebag; fraud; guilty; liar; lyingpos; monica; obl; pantsonfire; shameless
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To: nopardons

FOTFLOL! Same here --- how in the heck are WE supposed to know about the MORNING shows? LOL


141 posted on 09/24/2006 12:14:09 AM PDT by onyx (1 Billion Muslims -- IF only 10% are radical, that's still 100 Million who want to kill us.)
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To: shankbear

Keep in mind that he killed more Waco children than terrorists.


142 posted on 09/24/2006 12:19:17 AM PDT by Loud Mime (An undefeated enemy is still an enemy.......war has a purpose.)
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To: Richard Axtell
so is any chance that Clinton will ever occupy the White House, again.

Either one of them, we hope and pray!

I actually hope King Billy Jeff I keeps pointing his finger and showing the dark, angry side of himself. It'll be a major turnoff and a reminder to anyone who would even remotely be pondering a vote for Hillary, the smartest woman, for the White House. To have these two back in power would be the end of the end.

143 posted on 09/24/2006 12:29:08 AM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: STARWISE

After watching the video again...and again...and again...

I realized that the whole Clinton response was shtick..a scripted, pre-planned act to generate exactly the response it did with their base.

No matter what questions Chris Wallace would have asked, he would have gotten the same response: angry, incensed, belligerant.

Reading the posts on left wing blog sites, what seems to us to be an alternate reality is the reaction these lefties have to a raging, vicious, paranoid Slick. They love him. Slick knew this, and geared his remarks to ginning up his, and Hillary's base.

DU:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/

DAILY KOS:
http://www.dailykos.com/

HUFFINGTON POST:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/


144 posted on 09/24/2006 12:29:38 AM PDT by Cincinna (HILLARY & HER HINO WANT TO TAKE OVER YOUR COUNTRY !)
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To: Honestfreedom

You can try and shift the focus to a criticism of GW but it won't fly. This is about many missed opportunities by the Clintons to nab OBL, and they failed miserably.

Bush can be criticized for leaving in place the intelligence people that the Clintons had placed. Bush left it to Tenet to track OBL and AQ while he was trying to get a handle on the power levers of his presidency. He was snowed under by a hostile obstructionist Senate, a growing recession, and a lingering election fiasco, so naturally he would defer to Tenet. But yes he could stand criticism of playing too nice with the Clinton appointees and position holders that were allowed to stay in place.

But history will judge the Clintons much more harshly because contrary to the perjurious ex-President's claim of having tried to get OBL (with a compromised cruise missile attack), he was able to get OBL on several occasions and refused to do so.


145 posted on 09/24/2006 12:31:40 AM PDT by Hostage
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To: STARWISE
Bill, Bin Laden declared war on the United States twice... in August 1996 and Febuary 23, 1998 ...Who in the hell was the President ? Hmmm...

You treated terrorism as a LAW ENFORCEMENT problem.. You sent the FBI instead of the military..as you can see it didnt work out too good !

146 posted on 09/24/2006 12:32:29 AM PDT by lawdog
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To: onyx
All that stuff about his faces turning bright red and his losing it, was HYPE! This time, we've all seen the flimclip and read the transcript. If that part is cut out of the program, all of us can go ballistic on FNC! :-)
147 posted on 09/24/2006 12:34:03 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: onyx
Being night owls, I guess we're out of luck. LOL

But I WILL be taping the 6:00 PM. EDT FNC show. :-)

148 posted on 09/24/2006 12:35:26 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Gondring

"Watch where you put your finger, Billy-Boy!"


Slick Willie is a Switch Hitter Willie when the well is dry for the hetrosexual conquests....I almost feel sorry for Wallace...almost


149 posted on 09/24/2006 12:37:11 AM PDT by GLH3IL (What's good for America is bad for liberals.)
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To: nopardons

Tomorrow is antique auction day --- I just might be up early enough to watch the 9:00AM broadcast.


150 posted on 09/24/2006 12:44:14 AM PDT by onyx (1 Billion Muslims -- IF only 10% are radical, that's still 100 Million who want to kill us.)
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To: STARWISE

Watching this reminded me of a Hillar-ious clip I saw on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b96l8boZ_Rs


151 posted on 09/24/2006 12:46:05 AM PDT by GLH3IL (What's good for America is bad for liberals.)
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To: Honestfreedom
President Bush was NEVER offered OBL, at least three times and possibly MORE; but, Clinton was!

President Bush didn't treat 9/11 as a local POLICE PROBLEM; but, that's EXACTLY how Clinton treated the '93 bombing of the WTC.

During Clinton's eight years, al Qaeda attacked the WTC, our troops in Somalis, two American embassies in Africa, and blew a hole in the USS COLE. Clinton IGNORED all of that as well as OBL's declaration of war on the USA in 1996. And you call all of that "inept"?

Besides trying to get his presidency up and running, after having be severely hampered and delayed by the Clinonista horde, what, exactly, did President Bush have to deal with in his first eight months and just what, specifically from OBL and/or al Qaeda?

152 posted on 09/24/2006 12:47:46 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: onyx

I hope you find a lot of great stuff! :-)


153 posted on 09/24/2006 12:48:59 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

I am buying for my daughter. I have her list....


154 posted on 09/24/2006 12:49:55 AM PDT by onyx (1 Billion Muslims -- IF only 10% are radical, that's still 100 Million who want to kill us.)
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To: nopardons
Besides trying to get his presidency up and running, after having be severely hampered and delayed by the Clinonista horde, what, exactly, did President Bush have to deal with in his first eight months and just what, specifically from OBL and/or al Qaeda?

Thanks to Gore. The transition team didn't get to DC till December. A lot of folks have forgotten that.
155 posted on 09/24/2006 12:57:57 AM PDT by BIGLOOK (Keelhauling is a sensible solution to mutiny.)
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To: onyx

What's she want? :-)


156 posted on 09/24/2006 1:00:51 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: BIGLOOK
Yes, thanks to gore and Slick's disgusting horde.

FREEPERS forget NOTHING! :-)

157 posted on 09/24/2006 1:01:53 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons


Marble top tables and a lovely bride's trunk from 1850.


158 posted on 09/24/2006 1:02:45 AM PDT by onyx (1 Billion Muslims -- IF only 10% are radical, that's still 100 Million who want to kill us.)
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To: onyx
You should check your own local listings. I recall that some posters see the FOX broadcast before it airs here.

It comes on at 8:00am MDT on local FOX (WNYW-NY) and at 4:00pm MDT on FNC here.

159 posted on 09/24/2006 1:05:05 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (Karl Rove you magnificent bastard!)
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To: nopardons

Poor memories can be fatal.


160 posted on 09/24/2006 1:08:09 AM PDT by BIGLOOK (Keelhauling is a sensible solution to mutiny.)
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