THE CLINTON LEGACY: Few CIA analysts put on al Qaeda case

WASHINGTON TIMES ^ | 9/19/02 | Bill Gertz

[Liz]

CIA Director George J. Tenet declared "war" on Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network in 1998 but had only five agency analysts assigned to study the group at the time of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Congress was told yesterday.

[cardinal4]

There might have been some slacking on this issue in 2000 and 2001, but the bulk of the culpability lies with one Willian Jefferson Clinton. His complete lack of concern over terrorism,despite five attacks on his watch, borders on complicity.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

These public hearings are part of our search for truth, not to point fingers or to pin blame

Of course not. Only private-sector officials are crucified. Federal government employees are never held accountable for their criminal negligence and the deaths of innocents. They break the law with impunity and are promoted or, at worst, asked to retire with full pensions. The only government employees who are ever disciplined are those who try to blow the whistle on incompetents or criminals employed by the government.

I won't forget the president going to CIA headquarters after September 11th to give a pep talk. He should have fired half the people there for the billions wasted on failed intelligence programs.

[Liz]

I won't forget the president going to CIA headquarters after September 11th to give a pep talk. <P? It was even more irksome when he clasped Tenet's shoulder and expressed confidence in him (blech).

[Liz]

This lowlife conniver takes the credit for being the so-called "smartest politician" (yuck).

But he ducks the blame for not correctly assessing OBL's threat to the US after countless clues surfaced.

[M. Thatcher]

NOT ORIGINAL TITLE.

[backhoe]

Cross-link:

Bush and Clinton and 911- some facts...

[glorygirl]

"I won't forget the president going to CIA headquarters after September 11th to give a pep talk. He should have fired half the people there for the billions wasted on failed intelligence programs"

I won't forget the "pep talk" from Gore and all those democratic lawmakers on impeachment day, December, 1998, right around the time all this stuff was going down.

And nobody else should, either.

[bimbo]

There might have been some slacking on this issue in 2000 and 2001, but the bulk of the culpability lies with one Willian Jefferson Clinton. His complete lack of concern over terrorism,despite five attacks on his watch, borders on complicity.

I agree about Bill Clinton’s culpability, but there is something Bush could have done before 9/11: he could have purged his administration of Clinton’s holdovers like George Tenet. Perhaps Tenet’s successor would have allocated more than 5 agents to surveillance of al qaida. Bush still retains many of Clinton’s appointees, and they are all quietly working against him.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The Full Select Committee on Intelligence 9/11 report (in PDF) located HERE ...

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I don't blame Liz; the Wash Times spun the title in the first place.

[Liz]

Thanx for posting the link.

[American Soldier]

SEPTEMBER 11 WAS NOT AN INTELLIGENCE FAILURE!

It was caused by a failure to deter bad guys.

Even at their best, our agencies may not be able to detect operations with footprints as small as those left by September 11-type attacks.

The key is to go kill all the people likely to be inclined to pull off such attacks - you can never predict or detect everything they're going to do!

[Liz]

" Few CIA analysts put on al Qaeda case "

This is the W Times title, as posted.

[Liz]

Bush still retains many of Clinton’s appointees, and they are all quietly working against him.

There have been so many telling signs of this.

[Liz]

The key is to go kill all the people likely to be inclined to pull off such attacks .......

You forgot to insert (/sarcasm off).........didn't you?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I was referring to the "Clinton Legacy", which I think M. Thatcher was offended by (but I was not offended by it at all!). What I meant to say is that the Times' title makes it look like it is the current FBI, under Bush's watch, not under Clintons.

[Liz]

What I meant to say is that the Times' title makes it look like it is the current FBI, under Bush's watch, not under Clintons.

You are right. That's precisely why I made a point to stipulate this was "The Clinton Legacy."

[CJ Wolf]

The CIA was hamstrung because they were instructed to fight the drug war and to participate in economic spying (I could never figure the motive on that one) beginning in the early 90s.

It was a policy failure.

[Liz]

Clinton's policies were responsible for the failure. Period.