Panel has 'big questions' for ex-FBI chief about 9/11

USA TODAY ^ | 10/07/02 | Kevin Johnson

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON

[martin_fierro]

Don't know what to make of Freeh.

On the one hand, there was little love lost between him and his boss, Clintoon.

On the other hand, Freeh seriously bungled some major investigations during his tenure.

[kattracks]

I find it curious that Freeh stuck it out for 8 years with clinton and quit when President Bush was elected.

[the_Watchman]

I think Clinton liked Freeh because Freeh bought into the "right wing conspiracy" junk. He apparently participated in the Oklahoma middle-east coverup and I think he installed a lot of people at the top of the FBI that buy into that garbage. I suspect that this is why an American scientist is grilled for the anthrax attack.

Bush would LOVE an Iraq connection with either anthrax or Oklahoma City. I doubt that the current FBI leadership would let him have the info even it if they had the leads developed. It would be too much of an embarassment to the Democrats and to the FBI.

[glorygirl]

"There are a lot of big questions for Louis Freeh," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., a longtime member of the Judiciary Committee, which helps oversee the operations of the FBI. "I have the deepest respect for him. He was dedicated. I think he did a good job. But what was the FBI doing on some of this stuff under Freeh?"

Specter ping.

[baseballmom]

Thanks for the ping. Interesting.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Misterioso]

Could have to do with hundreds of FBI files that were compromised. Maybe Clinton had Louis by the b*lls.

[Sal]

I find it curious that Freeh stuck it out for 8 years with clinton and quit when President Bush was elected.

Exactly. I have to admit I bought into his act when he told Dan Burton in hearings that the Chinagate troubles went all the way to the top. Also when he allegedly refused to turn over info on same to the administration, presumably because they would misuse it. I actually believed he had an investigation going on the treasonous ones heading our government at that time and that, when the time was right, he'd spring the trap.

I have come to believe it was good cop/bad cop with Freeh as the good cop. (Yeah I know that usually means reasonable guy vs tough guy, but it works with clean guy vs dirty guy too.)

That position works on two levels. People relax a little, figuring that somebody with conviction and authority is keeping a finger on the Traitor so they don't have to keep the pressure on, and also people with information would trust the good cop with it and turn it over. What happens to the information and any newly identified witnesses after that...

[Sal]

When he announced his resignation last year, Freeh noted that he had traveled to 68 countries in eight years as FBI director. During that time, the FBI doubled its overseas presence to 44 foreign posts throughout the world.

Credit where due--we have had good cooperation from foreign intelligence on al Qaeda. OTOH some folks in the FBI managed to short circuit the transmission of that info, whether because of turf envy, incompetence or design.

Some facts and some thoughts: Shortly after Freeh's trip to Germany to secure intelligence cooperation, Andreas Strassmeir come from Germany and "infiltrated" the white power group at Elohim City (because it was easier for a GERMAN national to be trusted by these guys). Per Evans-Prichard, Andi the German, in a fearful state, told E-P after the OKC bombing that 'an undercover agent' would be afraid to come forward on the OKC bombing because 'what if "he" were an agent provocateur' (sp?). Andi knew McVeigh. Carol Howe testified that Andi led a group from Elohim City to scout government targets, including OKC.

OK, now imagine you're the current President and you know an agent of a 'friendly and cooperating' foreign country was in on the set up of... what... a sting that went wrong, or a sting that was sabotaged, or maybe even a Reichstag Fire. Even if it's the most innocent of the above, it's quite a can of worms to open. Will our 'allies' trust us and continue to work with us if we blow their cover when they do?

If Andi was working WITHOUT Freeh's knowledge, we've got a much bigger international incident brewing up here. (I doubt that's the situation.) Now, if President Bush could expose the ME connection and manage to contain the information to a sting that was sabotaged by the Iraqi Mafia in OKC...

It still exposes extensive FBI incompetence AT BEST and possibly a lot worse than that IMO. But this is one more possible reason he hasn't used OKC to link SH/Iraq to terrorism against America. Especially now with Schroeder basically supporting Iraq against us--what would happen if more people became aware of a German/Iraqi connection to OKC...

I think it should be exposed, but it's a delicate wire to walk if you're the man in charge and you need to keep allies at least neutral if you can't get them to support you.

[Sal]

An off the wall thought. Freeh brought Andi to America. Andi knew McVeigh. Who put McVeigh in touch with the Iraqis? And why? (A sting or maybe the saboteurs of the sting?) The Germans have helped us quite a bit post 9/11 with intelligence and arrests of al Qaeda. They've also helped Iraq and basically sided more with Iraq than us (at least verbally) in their recent election. I don't know.

[lawdog]

RE: Freeh and Spector

Spector is a phoney. "Scottish law" bah humbug. Cover-up artists or enablers they deserve each other !

[lawdog]

"..a sting that went wrong, or a sting that was sabotaged,..."

Careful now Sal, you are making too much sense.

"It is easier for a king to have a lie believed than a beggar to spread the truth."

[Fred Mertz]

Germany is slowly rising to America's enemies list these day.

Like Boyd says, I wouldn't trust "Magic Bullet" Specter for much.

[Boyd]

The gulf between MB Spector and the Truth is not a slight fissure.

It is a bulbous, ever-widening gorge.

[Senator Pardek]

The gulf between MB Spector and the Truth is not a slight fissure.

I have no idea what that means, but it's good to see you again.

[Fred Mertz]

YaYa has strong opinions on Freeh, but not sure what she thinks of Specter.

[Senator Pardek]

I found out Sal was female. I found out mancini was female.

Unless you're the best cross-dresser in the world, I know you're a male (I've met you).

Unless Askel5 is the best reverse cross-dresser in the world, she's a girl (we've met her.)

Now what exactly is a Boyd?

[Fred Mertz]

I've always assumed B-O-Y-d was male. Someone accused honway of being female and I almost believed it until honway set the record straight.

You gots to watch out for the androgynous names...often female.

[Senator Pardek]

Ah yes - but you're from Queens - and taking into account the way the Brits describe females, how do you pronounce the word "bird'?