“Five years after 9/11, the worst attack on the American homeland in our history, Democrats offer nothing but criticism and obstruction and endless second-guessing,” Bush said at a Republican fundraiser.
“The party of FDR and the party of Harry Truman has become the party of cut and run,” Bush told a convention-center audience of over 2,000 people. The event put $2.5 million in the campaign accounts of Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and the state GOP.
Democrats immediately disputed the charge that they would hold back in the anti-terror battle:
“On his watch, five years after 9/11, he not only has failed to capture Osama bin Laden, but as the (National Intelligence Estimate) indicates, his failed policies have made America less safe and spawned terrorism, not decreased it,” said Karen Finney, spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee. “Democrats will be tough and smart, and will actually fight the terrorists, not leave them to plan future attacks.”
How odd she would use that wording, considering that time, planning and execution of the plan is exactly what the Democrats offered AlQaida/OBL
By the end of Mr. Clinton’s first year, al Qaeda had apparently attacked twice. The attacks would continue for every one of the Clinton years.
• In 1994, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (who would later plan the 9/11 attacks) launched “Operation Bojinka” to down 11 U.S. planes simultaneously over the Pacific. A sharp-eyed Filipina police officer foiled the plot. The sole American response: increased law-enforcement cooperation with the Philippines.
• In 1995, al Qaeda detonated a 220-pound car bomb outside the Office of Program Manager in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killing five Americans and wounding 60 more. The FBI was sent in.
• In 1996, al Qaeda bombed the barracks of American pilots patrolling the “no-fly zones” over Iraq, killing 19. Again, the FBI responded.
• In 1997, al Qaeda consolidated its position in Afghanistan and bin Laden repeatedly declared war on the U.S. In February, bin Laden told an Arab TV network: “If someone can kill an American soldier, it is better than wasting time on other matters.” No response from the Clinton administration.
• In 1998, al Qaeda simultaneously bombed U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224, including 12 U.S. diplomats. Mr. Clinton ordered cruise-missile strikes on Afghanistan and Sudan in response. Here Mr. Clinton’s critics are wrong: The president was right to retaliate when America was attacked, irrespective of the Monica Lewinsky case.
Still, “Operation Infinite Reach” was weakened by Clintonian compromise. The State Department feared that Pakistan might spot the American missiles in its air space and misinterpret it as an Indian attack. So Mr. Clinton told Gen. Joe Ralston, vice chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, to notify Pakistan’s army minutes before the Tomahawks passed over Pakistan. Given Pakistan’s links to jihadis at the time, it is not surprising that bin Laden was tipped off, fleeing some 45 minutes before the missiles arrived.
• In January 2000, al Qaeda tried and failed to attack the U.S.S. The Sullivans off Yemen. (Their boat sank before they could reach their target.) But in October 2000, an al Qaeda bomb ripped a hole in the hull of the U.S.S. Cole, killing 17 sailors and wounding another 39.
When Mr. Clarke presented a plan to launch a massive cruise missile strike on al Qaeda and Taliban facilities in Afghanistan, the Clinton cabinet voted against it. After the meeting, a State Department counterterrorism official, Michael Sheehan, sought out Mr. Clarke. Both told me that they were stunned. Mr. Sheehan asked Mr. Clarke: “What’s it going to take to get them to hit al Qaeda in Afghanistan? Does al Qaeda have to attack the Pentagon?”
The Millenium Plot wasn’t even thwarted by our government, but by an alert border agent in Washington(LAX bombing), Jordanian officials who intercepted calls(Jordan bomb plot), and the boat carrying the explosives to the Sullivan sank. According to Clarke, our Government knew nothing about the plots!
In OBL declared war on the US in 96′, the United States issued an indictment against Bin Laden in Nov of 98 and in 2001, this country finally responded with a Declaration of War!
Democrats immediately disputed the charge that they would hold back in the anti-terror battle:
Well of course they wouldn’t hold back!!! They would attack our enemies with all the gusto demonstrated by the Klinton administration! And they would redploy to Okinawa! They would close Gitmo and move the detainees to the Ritz-carlton hotle in New York, where the detainees would be treated like Sultans, at U.S. taxpayer expense! When word gets out how great being a U.S. prisoner is, they will surrender in droves! THAT’S how the Democrites will win!!!
I SEE it now!!!
Senate OKs Detainee Interrogation Bill
The Democrats are holding back in every way they can. They hope to take control of Congress where Charlie Rangel would immediately submit a bill to defund the Pentagon. I don’t think Charlie is just going to stop at the war.
Time to squish some stupid stuborn brainless donkeys SPLAT:mad:
I say this about the DNC: The party of JFK and Andrew Jackson has become the party of Ted Kennedy and Jesse Jackson.
I am sick and tired of these Democrats claiming that Clinton’s policies were so wonderful. If the Clinton administration had put half of the effort into capturing/killing Bin Laden as they put into harassing and arresting law abiding gun owners who are US citizens, 9/11 wouldn’t have happened. Of course, then again neither would’ve Waco or Ruby Ridge. Truth be told, seeing as Oklahoma City was a domestic terrorist attack in response to the outrage in Waco, Clinton’s policies did more to promote terrorism in the US than Bush’s have. Hell, according to Louis Freeh, the Clinton administration refused to help in the investigation of the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing. George H. W. Bush had to call the Prince of Saudi Arabia to get the FBI access to question the terrorists that Saudi Arabia had in custody. Does that sound like the actions of an administration that was actively trying to stop terrorism?
I’m not attacking Clinton as a person. His sense of morality is greatly lacking. His ideology and the people he surrounded himself with are simply entirely out of touch with reality. He may have been a brilliant student, but many brilliant students have no sense of reality. He has NEVER been anything but an attorney or politician. Two jobs that do not necessarily require one to produce results as long the person can produce spin.
Well said FAO. Being buddies with people that are stabbing us in the back, is not the sign of intelligence.
…Oklahoma City was a domestic terrorist attack in response to the outrage in Waco, Clinton’s policies did more to promote terrorism in the US than Bush’s have.
I never thought of it that way, but you are absolutely right-GREAT observation!
“OBL declared war on the US in 96′,”
So this F’er publicly declares war on the U.S. (and his org has already bombed the WTC towers by that time), but Klinton didn’t seem to think he had any cause to take OBL into custody? Huh? WTF?