A Combative Clinton Defends Record on Fighting Terrorism

WashPost ^ | 9-24-06 | Michael Grunwald

[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

[SeaBiscuit]

"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"

Bulls**t ..Clinton had a plan like Kerry has a plan.

[Walkingfeather]

It is well known that Clinton canceled his daily CIA briefings for YEARS.

[SegerSkriv]

Ha Ha! The truth is coming out and billy boy is upset about it. Bush ignored osama bin laden...what a joke. That donkey billy boy had at least 4 years and much more opportunity to take care of this menace and didn't. He turned the military into a gd social experiment with peanut funding, sliced the testicles off of our intelligence agencies so we have no intel and will not have any for decades, and ignored everything.
I remember in the 90's and being a vet the complete obliviousness of this administration and the American people for that matter. Our embassies bombed in '98 and the USS Cole. What was the general feeling of the administration and liberals? It was a huge B-F-D. Only when their decisions actually affected their reputation when two giant ballistic missiles hit our towers is when they all of a sudden 'cared'.
Ok...Bush had a whopping 9 months to convince Americans about the threat of UBL. I can't even imagine the turnover once billy boy left the white house. Hi Bush...here is a giant hot steaming pile of you know what. Oh, and in that steamer is that nasty peanut called usama bin laden, but it AIN'T NO BIG DEAL! It's ALL GOOD! Good luck buddy! I'm off to rewrite history about my presidency! Did I remind you that I support the troops?
But as Billy Boy said, 'He tried but failed' just like he said he didn't have sex with that woman. It's all a right wing conspiracy though :)

[STARWISE]

For the files and bookmarks ...... I don't know of it's veracity, but it's a HUGE timeline and report from Time.

Time Mag - "Special Report - The Secret History"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somalia, needless and tragically awful chapter for our brave troops. This from Frontline/PBS report .. Ambush in Mogadisu

Excerpt:

Massacre of Pakistani troops; the hunt for Aidid

During an inspection of a Somali arms weapons storage site, 24 Pakistani soldiers are ambushed and massacred. The next day, the UN Security Council issues an emergency resolution calling for the apprehension of "those responsible" for the massacre. Though Aidid is not specifically named in the resolution, it is, in effect, a call to apprehend him. Twelve days later, Admiral Howe orders Aidid's arrest, offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to his apprehension.

June 8 - Special Forces requested

In the aftermath of the June 5 massacre, Admiral Howe first requests a counterterrorist hostage rescue force from Washington because they he they needed more extensive military capability to deal with the escalating violence. No such troops are forthcoming until Task Force Ranger is deployed in August.

June 12-16 - Attacks on Aidid's strongholds

US and UN troops begin attacking various targets in Mogadishu associated with Aidid, including a radio station and ammunition depots. The peacekeepers are now at war with Aidid.

July 12 - Abdi house attack

In a major escalation, American Cobra helicopters attack a house in south Mogadishu where a group of clan leaders are meeting, destroying the building with TOW missiles and cannon fire and killing a number of Somalis. Four western journalists who had gone to investigate are beaten to death by an angry mob. August 8 - Americans killed by land mines

Four American military police are killed by a remote detonated land mine set off by Somalis. Two weeks later, six more US soldiers are wounded in a similar attack. This gets attention in America, and shortly thereafter, Task Force Ranger is deployed to Somalia.

August 26 - US Special Forces arrive in Somalia

US Army Task Force Ranger flies into Mogadishu -- 440 elite troops from Delta Force and the U.S. Rangers. Led by Major General William F. Garrison, their mission is to capture Aidid. They begin pursuing Aidid and his top lieutenants, with sporadic success.

September - Carter negotiating with Aidid

In the midst of the manhunt, the Clinton administration opens a secret initiative to negotiate with Aidid. Former president Jimmy Carter, who had a previous relationship with Aidid, volunteers to act as intermediary. The US military commanders in Mogadishu are not informed about this new initiative.

September - Request for armored reinforcements denied

In a decision that is later highly criticized, US Defense Secretary Les Aspin denies requests from General Montgomery for armored reinforcements, despite support for Montgomery's request from General Colin Powell.

Aspin says that he did not want to create the appearance that the US was increasing forces in Somalia at a time when they were trying to reduce military presence. He later concedes,"Had I known at the time what I knew after the events of Sunday, [October 3]. I would have made a very different decision." In December, he is forced to resign.

Firefight

Task Force Ranger's assault on the Olympic Hotel in Mogadishu, in search of Aidid, results in a seventeen hour bloody battle in which 18 US soldiers are killed and 84 are wounded. President Clinton decides to cut his losses. He sends substantial combat troops as short term reinforcements, but declares that American troops are to be fully withdrawn from Somalia by March 31. The hunt for Aidid is abandoned, and US representatives are sent to resume negotiations with the warlord. Two weeks later, in a letter to President Clinton, General Garrison accepts full responsibility for what happened in the battle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I never knew about PeanutBrain's involvement .. will these ignorant fools ever quit screwing up our business?

[SeaBiscuit]

You can't be serious.

[kcvl]

He doesn't look too healthy

He sure doesn't. He looks worse as time goes on. There is no telling what he has been doing. NONE! He has never liked sleeping. He has always been mr. party boy.

[Just Lori]

It's all coming unraveled now, eh Willie?

[goodnesswins]

Do you know what Clinton did to the Military during his 8 years.....do you???? And, then, see the post a few above this about Clinton's CIA briefings....

[supremedoctrine]

I KNOW Chris Wallace doesn't like Clinton---in this way he is about as different from his father as Kiefer is from Donald Sutherland. Did you hear, BTW, what KS said when he got an Emmy recently for "24"? He looked at it and said "I guess this means I'm gonna have to have dinner with my father."

[linn37]

So thats combative? No wonder Bin Laden got away.

[kcvl]

Former president Jimmy Carter, who had a previous relationship with Aidid

Carter's urging of Clinton to withdraw to "gain peace" is thought to have contributed to Bin Laden's decision that America was weak.

[STARWISE]

D'ya mind if I get back to ya in 32 years? I'll have to take up residence in the Archives with a 75X magnifying reading glass and a phalanx of experts in miniature documentation .

[bray]

During BJ we had a terrorist attack on us a couple time a year. Under GW, since 911; zero!

Course BJ had other things on his head.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[kitkat]

***"Screw you. So what if I had 27,375 days compared to his 234.
I was being stalked."***

EXCELLENT! That says it in a nutshell!

[Walkingfeather]

OH and when he did get around to talking with the CIA he retasked them to make movie pirating a top priority. ( Hollywoods pay back)

[Prophet in the wilderness]

But when mama Hillary comes to the seen, he's a wimp..

[sgtyork]

He increased the budget for counterterrorism by 5X.

[kcvl]

"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 and they didn't and that's how he wound up in Afghanistan."

[supremedoctrine]

But thinking about it further, I just found out he might have been referring to the fact that his father was also nominated for an Emmy and didn't get it. But they still have to have considerable political differences. I know Donald would not be the type to watch 24 were his son not on it. And I didn't see the Chris Wallace interview but the screenshot shows to me more that Wallace is amused at Clinton's behavior, not respectful of it.

[SeaBiscuit]

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. big Monica"

Fixed it.