Came across this excellent timeline of terrorist warnings the Clinton and Bush Administrations received prior to 9/11. For the actual links to all sources, please click here. Note how much of this is contrary to statements given by our current Whitehouse.
A tidbit, perhaps?
1999 –EXPLICIT WARNING THAT AL QAEDA HAD PLANS TO FLY AIRPLANES INTO BUILDINGS: A 1999 report prepared by the Library of Congress for the National Intelligence Council "warned that Osama bin Laden's terrorists could hijack an airliner and fly it into government buildings like the Pentagon." The report specifically said, "Suicide bomber(s) belonging to al-Qaida's Martyrdom Battalion could crash-land an aircraft packed with high explosives…into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the CIA, or the White House." In response to the ominous warnings, the New York Times reports "under Janet Reno, the Justice Department's counterterrorism budget increased 13.6% in the fiscal year 1999, 7.1% in 2000 and 22.7% in 2001." During the Clinton Administration "the federal government had on several earlier occasions taken elaborate, secret measures to protect special events from just such an attack." [Source: CBS, 5/17/02; NY Times, 2/28/02; WSJ, 4/1/04]
EARLY 2001 – MAJOR SURGE IN AL QAEDA ACTIVITY: "In late spring 2001, a sudden surge in activity began among known Al Qaeda operatives…a reporter from Middle East Broadcasting visited bin Laden at a camp in Afghanistan and noted that his supporters were preparing for attacks against American 'interests.'"[Source: The Age of Sacred Terror, 2003]
EARLY 2001 – WHITE HOUSE DEPARTS FROM EFFORTS TO TRACK TERRORIST MONEY: The new Bush Treasury Department "disapproved of the Clinton Administration's approach to money laundering issues, which had been an important part of the drive to cut off the money flow to bin Laden." Specifically, the Bush Administration opposed Clinton Administration-backed efforts by the G-7 and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that targeted countries with "loose banking regulations" being abused by terrorist financiers. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration provided "no funding for the new National Terrorist Asset Tracking Center." [Source: The Age of Sacred Terror, 2003]
APRIL 30, 2001 - BUSH ADMINISTRATION SAYS BIN LADEN FOCUS WAS "MISTAKE": The Bush Administration released the government's annual report on terrorism, but unlike previous Administrations, it decided to specifically omit an "extensive mention of alleged terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden. A senior State Department official told CNN the U.S. government made a mistake in focusing so much energy on bin Laden." Similarly, AP reported in 2002 that the Bush Administration's "national security leadership met formally nearly 100 times in the months prior to the Sept. 11 attacks yet terrorism was the topic during only two of those sessions." [Source: CNN, 4/30/01; AP, 6/29/01]
JULY 2001 –ANOTHER WARNING THAT AL QAEDA PLANNED TO USE PLANES AS MISSILES: The LA Times reported that U.S. and Italian officials were warned in July 2001 that "Islamic terrorists might attempt to kill President Bush and other leaders by crashing an airliner into the Genoa summit of industrialized nations." [Source: LA Times, 9/27/01]
(...Oh, this one below is one of my FAVORITES!)
JULY 2001 – ASHCROFT STOPS FLYING COMMERCIAL BECAUSE OF "THREAT ASSESSMENT": Attorney General John Ashcroft stopped flying commercial airlines and instead began "traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines" because of "what the Justice Department called a 'threat assessment.'" That "threat assessment" has never been made public. [Source: CBS, 7/26/01]
There's more!!!
Posted by Maria at April 13, 2004 10:38 AM | TrackBackNow now Maria..
That's all well and good but Clinton got a blow job while in office so he's all bad. And with (a lack of) respect for Ashcroft. Nothing surprising about that.. like most Republicans he's self-serving and out for #1.
Interesting post. Thanks for all the info. Didn't you just love the way Condi filibustered during her questioning? She's adept in that same way others would acuse Hillary Clinton. "Forehead" woman was cool as a cucumber as she evaded Kerrey's questioning. I'm sure she made the Bushman proud. YUCK.
Again to quote my sainted grandaunt "all in who's doing it".
Posted by: Richard at April 13, 2004 10:46 AMBush was very proud. As he told her when he called her from his cellphone while on vacation. "Good job Condi! You did a great job. You make ol' Don Dubya proud! Don't worry, you'll be compensated accordingly. This time it will make your name on the side of an oil tanker seem a trifle! Keep up the good work Condi!"
Huwaaaaugh.
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 10:49 AMLaughing my GODDAMNED FUCKING ASS OFF!
Posted by: Richard at April 13, 2004 10:54 AMCan't you just hear it? You know that's exactly what he said to her. Except for maybe the word "trifle" he probably just said "a little thing" because his vocabulary sucks so heinously.
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 10:59 AMyou did hear that he whispered (in earnest) to Tony Blair ...
"entrepreneur Prime Minister, I don't believe the French have a word for it". There's this hilarious site with Bush malapropisms posted. It rocks.
Also - there a t-shirt shop in Provincetown that has in the window a printed t-shirt that has two pictures. This first is of a certain part of the female anatomy. The second is of Dubya.
Underneath is written: "Good Bush / Bad Bush"
Posted by: Richard at April 13, 2004 11:08 AMHAHAHAHAHA...hey wait I'm a Republican...gonna go sit in the back now and have a smoke...haha..I'm not touching this with a ten foot pole. :)
Posted by: sandy at April 13, 2004 11:27 AMHahaa. That's okay Sandy. We know that deep down you're a closet lib just dying to come out. ;o)
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 11:29 AMStop it..you don't know how many times I've been accused of that...word gets out I'm not gonna be invited to the "meetings" anymore..haha...
Posted by: sandy at April 13, 2004 11:33 AMWell truth be told, I'm a closet heterosexual dying to stay repressed ;-)
Posted by: Richard at April 13, 2004 11:34 AMNow that's funny!
Posted by: sandy at April 13, 2004 11:37 AMI've been accused of being a closet republican by my ex boyfriend who was both a republican AND a pro-lifer!!! (I know it's hard to believe I could be in the same room with someone like that, much less date them. It obviously didn't last...!)
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 11:37 AMOne could speculate as to what made you bend your requirements my love ... ;-)
Posted by: Richard at April 13, 2004 11:39 AMI'll be the first to admit my motives were entirely impure. He was a tall drink of water.
But that was before Bush came into office. I don't think we would have lasted past the first date with the condition of politics in this country now!
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 11:43 AMAh yes.. tall is good.
I'll even use a step ladder if necessary.
Posted by: Richard at April 13, 2004 11:52 AMI dated a "Deadhead" once...we didn't talk very much...hehe...a good lookin' face can get you into trouble sometimes :)
Posted by: sandy at April 13, 2004 11:53 AMI dated a deadhead once too. Imagine that. Actually I think I've dated just about every single category of man possible.
My boyfriend now is shorter than me. He met the ex tall drink of water one time a couple years back. My current boyfriend said "I can't even imagine you with a guy like that..." The ex was about twice his size. Tall is fun. But short is what I'm comfortable with. I'm a very tall girl, so people always expect I like tall guys, but it's the opposite. I like em short and huggable.
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 12:05 PMyou know what I always found weird about my deadhead guy...he also LOVED the Beach Boys..I mean in a freaky way..haha...
I'm 5'10 and went out with a short guy once..his name was Tony Pupo, he was so cute but I never liked towering over him..that ain't the reason I got rid of him but it didn't help matters..haha..
Posted by: sandy at April 13, 2004 03:27 PMYeah well with a last name like Pupo, you really don't have to explain.
GIRL! I din't know you were taller than me! Shit howdy. You could beat my ass.
P.S. Manson loved the beachboys (actually he owned their souls), you can't get scarier hippie than that!
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 03:52 PMI couldn't beat your ass...well if you promise not to hit back I could..haha..
OH shit I forgot about the Charlie Manson connection...spooky!!!
Posted by: sandy at April 13, 2004 03:53 PMIs that all you got Geoffrey? Because, as your friend Gordon would say, your kung-fu is pretty weak.
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 04:28 PMI'll usually read until I find something so laughably preposterous that I realize I can't lend credence to the remainder. Fortunately, I found it within the first date. It saved me some reading.
Posted by: Geoffrey at April 13, 2004 06:11 PMAh an explanation for your lack of education on the facts. YOu saved yourself more than reading. You also saved yourself from being exposed to the truth which you are so inent on avoiding.
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 06:47 PMYou're right. Bush is evil. He purposefully allowed 9-11 to take place.
He should have put "elaborate, secret measures" in place like Billy.
HAHAHAHA
Posted by: Geoffrey at April 13, 2004 06:50 PMWhen you have a real argument, let me know.
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 07:07 PMFunny, I was going to say the same thing to you. I figured you weren't stating an argument, though, just working on your latest fiction novel.
Posted by: Geoffrey at April 13, 2004 07:09 PMOkay, here's how a debate works:
I say my opinion and present the facts that I have dug up (hence the current post) and then you say your opinion based on the facts that you have dug up which are....well no matter where they are. They must be hiding somewhere with the WMDs.
You have nothing my friend. No Osama. No WMDs. No defense for Bush's lack of action. No argument.
*Aw. Sad Geoffrey holding empty pockets turned inside out...sniff...*
Posted by: Maria at April 13, 2004 07:15 PMWAIT! I have "elaborate, secret facts"!
Posted by: Geoffrey at April 13, 2004 07:41 PM