[DrLiberty]

Why not link to Iraq back then?

I think Clinton was going for maximum political effect (as Dick Morris pointed out) and also I'm not sure that it was for him to go after Iraq at that time.(ie maybe it was being saved til 2002 and for Bush to do?)

Certainly Clinton had no stomach for that kind of undertaking or dealing with people like Osama either. He seemed to be in charge to let this stuff get to the boiling point instead of dealing with it effectively. So now Clinton is a convenient scapegoat (deservedly of course) that Bush wont investigate for anything.

So the Dems and Repubs seem to work together well in this regard, eh?

[martian_22]

Got another one to add to your list.

The OKC bombing definitely helped to ram through the Domestic Terrorism Act. I've seen it used by the Xlin-Ton administration's Justice(?) Dept. to "go after" militias, Christians and guns. This was what they needed to go after the enemies of marxism.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"Why not link to Iraq back then?"

Because it gave him the inside track on several things:

1. He could put more of "his" people inside the Justice Department for bigger plans in the future.

2. He was a coward and could never be a war time President.

3. He could blame the "far right" and look like a hero while muting the Gingrich movement even more.

4. Reno could be assured that she would skate on Waco and Ruby Ridge by demonstrating how dangerous the "far right" was.

5. The Saudis paid Klintoon off to not attack Iraq.