This is an inadvertant admission that even after eight Clinton years there was no "clear counterterrorism policy" left over. Plus, Woodward and the rest of the left would've had a hissy-fit if Bush had given the "CIA stronger authority to conduct covert action against bin Laden."
[Tenet] and Black hoped to convey the depth of their anxiety and get Rice to kick-start the government into immediate action.
WHAT? Tenet and Black were already a part of the government, and at high levels too. They could have directed their own agencies to do more, a lot more if they really had this gut feel. To blame it on Rice is a cheap shot.
They needed to take action that moment -- covert, military, whatever -- to thwart bin Laden.
Again, Woodward and his pals on the left would've had a hissy-fit if Bush took covert or military action that killed bin Laden without a new provoking incident.
"after eight Clinton years there was no "clear counterterrorism policy" left over."
Sure there was. It just didn't exist in the Oval Office.
Throughout the 90's, America's counterrorism policy was run by Janet Reno and her overseer Jamie Gorelick at DoJ.
Jihadi terrorism was a law enforcement matter, which is why all of those missed opportunties were rejected on "legal grounds".
"They could have directed their own agencies to do more, a lot more if they really had this gut feel. To blame it on Rice is a cheap shot."
Even though he's a nit of a nutball, I'd like to know what Michael Scheuer says about those last months before 9/11, and after these June "premonitions".
What was the direct impact on his "kill bin Laden" team? Any new orders? Any additional resources? Etc etc.