Bill Clinton Talks on Terrorism

(AP) ^ | October 9, 2001, 10:51 PM EDT | By JENNIFER LOVEN

[Dallas]

WASHINGTON -- Former President Clinton on Tuesday cited at least 15 terrorist attacks thwarted during his administration and said the keys to preventing others are supporting President Bush's current efforts and doing "more to reduce the pool of potential terrorists."

"Though neither I nor anyone can tell you there will not be another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, it will be all right," Clinton told a packed Kennedy Center concert hall. "They still can't win unless we give them permission. We are not about to give them permission."

Clinton also confirmed a failed U.S. attempt in 1996 to have Osama bin Laden arrested in Sudan and placed in Saudi Arabian custody and a CIA-sponsored plan to have Pakistani commandos hunt him down in 1999, abandoned after a military coup there.

Bin Laden is the prime suspect in last month's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Clinton said bin Laden's network will be difficult to disable.

"He's smart, he's rich, he's ruthless, bold," Clinton said. "What bin Laden is good at is finding the seams in our defenses."

Clinton ticked off a list of thwarted terrorist attacks, including plans to bomb the Holland Tunnel connecting New York City and New Jersey and a flight from Los Angeles to the Philippines and to kill the pope. He said that during the celebrations marking the turn of the century, a dozen terrorist plots were stopped, including planned attacks in the northeastern and northwestern United States, at the Los Angeles airport, a hotel in Jordan and a Christian holy site in the Middle East.

"If we take down barriers, collapse differences, spread knowledge, we are inevitably vulnerable here in ways we never were before," Clinton said.

To combat that reality, Clinton said Bush's fight against terrorism on military, economic, legal and diplomatic fronts is key.

But it is also necessary to work to alleviate poverty and oppression that creates disaffected people ripe for terrorists' arguments. That should include increased debt relief for poor nations, AIDS-fighting funds and democracy-promoting efforts, Clinton said.

"Terrorists ... feel they can recruit among the dispossessed," Clinton said. "We must do more to reduce the pool of potential terrorists."

[A CA Guy]

Why do I picture Bill authorizing strikes while being serviced with his trousers down around his ankles?

[WRhine]

"He's smart, he's rich, he's ruthless, bold," Clinton said. "What bin Laden is good at is finding the seams in our defenses."

Proving once again that it takes a terrorist to know one.

[anniegetyourgun]

. "We must do more to reduce the pool of potential terrorists."

And we must do more to reduce the chance of ever electing such a lowlife scumbucket as Bill Clinton again.

[paltz]

"What bin Laden is good at is finding the seams in our defenses."

You mean the "seams" you caused?

[ValerieUSA]

Bill Clinton - the terrorism expert who blamed Rush Limbaugh and his listeners for the bombing of the OKC Murrah Building? Yeah, his two cents worth has lost value faster than the stock market.

[Riley]

Bill, it ain't all about you. Shut the f**k up already- nobody cares what you think.

[Free the USA]

I don't know why I clicked on this article. Every time I hear about that slime I get upset. It is not worth it.

[anniegetyourgun]

"Former President Clinton on Tuesday cited at least 15 terrorist attacks thwarted during his administration ..."

Don't you just love this. He's either lying (again) or potentially exposing information he has no business discussing right now.

[ValerieUSA]

"Terrorists ... feel they can recruit among the dispossessed," Clinton said.

Like the "disenfranchised" voters in Florida? Perhaps all those idiots in Florida who can't follow simple voting instructions are potential terrorists? Let's get Alcee Hastings' mailing list and start making arrests!

[Alberta's Child]

"Terrorists ... feel they can recruit among the dispossessed," Clinton said. "We must do more to reduce the pool of potential terrorists."

Once again, the pile of sh!t between the Bushes has no idea what the hell he is talking about. As far as I know, most (if not all) of the September 11th terrorists who have been identified were from wealthy Saudi families.

For a wealthy person to kill himself, there is only one thing at work here that nobody seems to talk about -- interminable boredom.

[Faraday]

First, I hope to God that his speech hasn't compromised our operatives or methods. Not that it would bother the POS if it did. Second, given all the terrorist attacks Clinton says were thwarted (not to mention the many successful assaults--the barrack in Saudi Arabia, the embassies in Africa, the Cole, Somalia), why was his reaction so impotent? Did OBL contribute to the reelection campaign in '96?

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

This genetic throwback is beyond pathetic!!!

“Citing 15 terrorist attacks he thwarted”…

Oh spare me bubba. You care about this country? When monkeys fly out of my a$$$!

The reason you have that vision of him being serviced, is because it is so true and the liberal left can’t stand the thought of it. Of how he [Klintoon] is now how most people visualize the left.

Pond Scum!!! All of’em!!!

[Republic]

bill klinton needs to (He lost his big stick, so the aspirin factories of the world are safe, at least, but he sure kept his MOUTH.

The most patriotic thing this bozo could do would be to shut his mouth and fade away. To hear him speak on this tragedy is excruciatingly painful for people who genuinely love this nation to have to endure.

[Jean S]

I don't know why I clicked on this article. Every time I hear about that slime I get upset. It is not worth it.

Same here. He's irrelevant but he is so annoying.

[jd792]

Hey Traitor Bill,The grown ups are in charge now,when and if we need to know how much a hooker cost in harlem we'll ask.......

[Cold Heat]

yadda,yadda,yadda,yadda,yadda,.....etc. How very predictable.

[NixNatAVanG InDaBurgh]

WE ARE IN THIS POSITION AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE CLINTONS!!! THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BREATHE AMERICAN AIR.

Did not, could not read this article. I will, however, volunteer to serve in the firing squad.
(Am I allowed to say that?)

[Inspector Harry Callahan]

I believe the president. I have always believed him. I believed him when he said he had never been drafted in the Vietnam War and I believed him when he said he had forgotten to mention that he had been drafted in the Vietnam War. I believed him when he said he hadn't had sex with Gennifer Flowers and I believe him now, when he reportedly says he did.

I believe the president did not rent out the Lincoln Bedroom, did not sell access to himself and the vice president to hundreds of well-heeled special pleaders and did not supervise the largest, most systematic money-laundering operation in campaign finance history, collecting more than $3 million in illegal and improper donations.

[Jaidyn]

The only thing Bill has left to do is defend himself the rest of his life. He's too stoopit to think about atonement. If this had happened on his watch, he would still be flying around in Air Force One.