Posted on 06/30/2002 9:34:22 AM PDT by kattracks
Responding to former Vice President Al Gore's criticism on Saturday of the Bush administration's handling of the war on terrorism, Secretary of State Colin Powell blasted the Clinton-Gore administration for not accepting a deal for Osama bin Laden's extradition from Sudan negotiated by Pakistani-American businessman Mansour Ijaz in the late 1990's.
"Perhaps that's what Vice President Gore should have been talking about - what happened on their watch as opposed to the progress we've made on our watch," Powell told "Fox News Sunday," after being asked about Ijaz's claims.
In a Sunday Washington Post op-ed piece, Ijaz and former U.S. ambassador to Sudan Tim Carney detailed the Clinton administration's mishandling of both Sudan's bin Laden offer and overall U.S. relations with the country. In another reference to the Ijaz-Carney piece, Powell said the Bush administration had made progress, "not only in Afghanistan but, I would also submit, in Sudan."
"We've recently sent a presidential emissary to Sudan," Powell told "Fox News Sunday." "Sen. Jack Danforth, he's had very successful trips there. We now have a policy with respect to Sudan that will start to move them in the direction of cooperating with us in the campaign against terrorism."
Powell cited the Clinton-Gore bin Ladengate scandal after the former vice president slammed the Bush administration for failing to capture the 9-11 terrorist mastermind.
On Saturday Gore told a crowd of Democratic Party faithful, "They haven't gotten Osama bin Laden or the al Qaeda operation and they have refused to allow enough troops from the international community to be put into Afghanistan to keep it from sliding back under control of the warlords."
Before making reference Mr. Ijaz's allegations, Powell called Gore's remarks "patent nonsense" adding, "I notice the previous administration didn't even make a serious try (to get bin Laden)."
With his comments on Sunday, the Secretary of State becomes the highest ranking Bush administration official to endorse Mr. Ijaz's claims, which have been all but ignored by the mainstream news media except for the occasional op-ed column authored by the Pakistani-American businessman himself.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ijaz has come under fierce attack from the Clinton administration and their supporters in the press.
In a May radio interview, for instance, Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri called Ijaz "a liar" and "a crackpot." (See: DNC Spokesgal Trashes Key Bin Ladengate Accuser)
Clinton friendly media reporters like the New York Times' Judith Miller and NBC newswoman Andrea Mitchell have explained their own decisions not to cover Ijaz's claims by saying he lacks credibility. Miller said she established Ijaz's lack of credibility by contacting former Clinton administration sources.
In May, Ijaz told radio host Sean Hannity that he, Mr. Carney and the chief of Sudanese intelligence would be willing to give sworn testimony on bin Ladengate but had not yet been called by Congress. (See: Bin Laden-gate Witness Dares Dems: Depose Me on Clinton 9-11 Cover-Up)
Earlier this month, Ijaz told radio host Don Imus that former Clinton administration officials had mounted a campaign to block his testimony. (See: Bin Laden-gate Accuser: Ex-Clinton Officials Trying to Silence Me)
But with Powell's tacit endorsement, the bin Ladengate accuser's story it may be more difficult for congressional investigators and the press to ignore.
In their Sunday Washington Post op-ed piece, Ijaz and Carney added new details to their account of the Clinton administration's bin Ladengate intelligence failure:
"After offering to hand bin Laden over to U.S. authorities, Sudan expelled him..... Sudan gave U.S. authorities permission to photograph two terror camps. Washington failed to follow up. In August, (Sudan) sent an 'olive branch' letter to President Clinton through Ijaz. There was no reply.
"By election day 1996, top Clinton aides, including (National Security Advisor Sandy) Berger, knew what information was available from Khartoum and of its potential value to identify, monitor and ultimately dismantle terrorist cells around the world. Yet they did nothing about it."
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Al-Qaeda
Al Gore
Bush Administration
Clinton Scandals
Media Bias
And the Clintonoids are not only losers they are the CAUSE of the troubles today! Thank you, Mr. Powell, for making that CLEAR as DAY!!!!
Hip Hip Hooray!!!!!
One of those former Clinton administration sources is almost certainly Susan Rice, Clinton's Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, who obstructed the efforts of the Sudan and Ijaz to hand over bin Laden, and who has recently been on television denying the claims of Ijaz and journalist David Rose.
It was clear to me from hearing her on the TV appearances that Rice is a brazen liar, but I now read in Kenneth Timmerman's new book on Jesse Jackson Shakedown that she may also be a murderer. The following paragraph appears on pages 295-96 of Timmerman's book:
After [Nigerian military dictator] Abacha's death in June 1998, Undersecretary of State Tom Pickering went to Abuja to meet with [leading Nigerian democratic politician] Abiola, who was still under house arrest but was about to be released. All sources with whom I've consulted agree that Pickering went to Abiola not to pledge U.S. support for his presidency [he had been elected president, only to be forestalled by a military coup,] but to urge him to abandon all claims to the office in exchange for his freedom under the new military leader, General Abubaker. While Abiola might have wanted to oblige, he collapsed on the floor after drinking tea served (and drunk) by Pickering and Assistant Secretary of State Susan Rice. Transported to a hospital, he died ninety minutes later, reportedly of a heart attack. Pickering had the task of announcing Abiola's death to the world media. "Ever since then, we've referred to him as Dr. Thomas Pickering, the renowned heart specialist," one opposition wag joked.
I recently heard her speak at an Oxford alumni reunion in New York. If I remember correctly, she's now working for some financial outfit in NYC.
I just watched Powell nail Gore to the wall.........it was a beautiful thing.
I agree with you, Miss Marple. I believe he has always been solidly in the Bush camp, fulfilling his unique role admirably in some very precarious situations (eg. India/Pakistan.)
Diplomacy is not always a bad thing, in spite of what some freepers and Conservative talking heads think, and Powell is very good at it. If I'm not mistaken, it's the job of the Secretary of State to be a diplomat, is it not? :o)
What counts is that there is no more diplomacy with Arafat. As Powell said today, they have given him 18 months, and he has not produced results. IMO, that was the Bush game plan all along. They gave him a chance, and he blew it. Now his days are numbered.
But this reaction by Sec. of State Powell - IS SO VERY VERY WELCOME!! THANK GOD!!!
And, yes, the Dept of State must use diplomacy and Sec. Powell has, no doubt, done a tremendous job in an unbelievably tense and trying 18 months.
The M.E. speech by President Bush was so earthshaking - it was simply amazing. And Colin Powell stood there it seemed in full agreement and in soldierlike determination to see this through - whatever that brings. Today's response to the loathesome Gore was, no doubt, quite a surprise to the toadies over in the Clintonista halls. I am sure they think...wait....WHO said WHAT about WHOM?
I just want to say thank you to Sec. of State Powell for standing up and slapping down the outrageous comments by the ever-loathesome Goron.
Carvile:
"Yahdragamilliondollahbilldownwallstreetyahnevaknowwhatyou'llturnup!"
In my opinion, everyone on Free Republic needs to look at what is happening and what is actually being said by the administration, and ignore the pundits, leaks, and especially articles from the New York Times and the Washington Post.
Also, ignore ALL comments from Bill Kristol, who is not wanting to do anything but sabotage the administration.
God bless Secretary Powell, who has been willing to deal with the rants from clueless members of the right in order to move the war forward. He is a true soldier.
I heard one commentator (don't remember who) say that in a hundred years they would look back at that speech as a defining moment in ME politics.
That's a remarkable statement, but it may not be far from the truth, and IMO it is because George W. Bush is listening to that still, small voice, and not to the storm from the left or the right.
Probably, "I've got bigger ones than you two bozos combined."
Good question. It was obviously effective, though, wasn't it? I haven't heard the media talking about how many millions would be killed since he went over there.
IMO, the beauty of this administration is in the balance between the 'hawk' and the 'dove,' with the President in the middle, calling the shots. Bush exhibited brilliant executive leadership even before he took office in the selection of the Rumsfeld/Powell combination.
I haven't been to happy either with Powells behavior. I have been watching him closely and he seems to want to pussy foot around everything while Rumsfield is a go getter and will ram through anything to get the job done.
Didn't get to watch any of the shows today so this news makes me happy but at the same time very surprised coming from Powell. It is about time "SOMEONE" in the administration made reference to this opportunity the clintongore admin. had. I am just surprised it was Powell and now maybe this will be talked about more. As long as algore opens his mouth it will be. He just doesn't learn does he??
"is because George W. Bush is listening to that still, small voice, and not to the storm from the left or the right."
Yes, indeed. I have no doubt that every challenge has been handled with prayer. Also, I believe the President's secret weapons are the people around him who are genuinely committed to earnest prayer for him. Franklin Graham - and what is that other gentleman's name? - come to mind. Prayer works. God is at work. And these speeches have been nothing less than inspired.
When I heard the ME Speech - and I tried to articulate this then but didn't do very well - it was truly as if the calm in the eye of the storm just broke through. It was as if all of a sudden the dark clouds of war broke apart and the clear sunlight of NEW ideas, ideas so radical as to be breathtaking, were stated. Get rid of the terrorists and the terror tactics, and there is hope for Israel and the Palestinian people. Don't, and the miseries will only get worse - not just for Israel - but for the Palestinian people about whom these "leaders" are supposed to care!
In other words, the President expects other leaders to ACT LIKE LEADERS who have the best interests of their citizens at heart. Same with America's leaders. Same with his own cabinet and staff.
It is a new standard in the world. Truly.
Clinton never expected that of leaders. And, of course, certainly not of himself. All Clinton wanted, all the Dems want, are people in whatever position they are in - to DO THE CLINTONS' BIDDING - AND TO BE REWARDED BY THE CLINTONS FOR DOING SO or to be DESTROYED if they DON't DO SO.
It is the difference between night and day, between a real leader and a selfish powermad oaf, between a true American and a Communist holding an American position of power.
As the Israeli commentator said - "Finally, there is a Statesman as President of the United States!"
Now - Mr. President - please turn your focus and your team's eyes to our economy. We need a summit, we need some drastic measures, we need to hold the Rats feet to the fire, and we need MORE TAX AND REGULATOR RELEIF, SIR! TO JUMPSTART THIS ECONOMY! (Yes, we need ethics in business -but we also need Government to get out of the way and to take off the shackles from small businesspeople - and regular wage earners!) I know he knows this but the economy will be the issue this fall - and we must see this great statesman of a President getting a team of experts working on the economy - soon!
And another thing, "this time I'll speak from the heart". Damn, I assumed he just didn't have one and was on his way to see the Wizard to ask for one. God help us for half of the population that buys into his Naomi Wolf created image.
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