NYT/Reuters: Clinton Faults Bush for Inaction on Bin Laden

[DeepModem Mom]

Clinton Faults Bush for Inaction on Bin Laden
By REUTERS
Published: September 22, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former President Bill Clinton, angrily defending his efforts to capture Osama bin Laden, accused the Bush administration of doing far less to stop the al Qaeda leader before the September 11 attacks.

In a heated interview to be aired on Sunday on "Fox News Sunday,'' the former Democratic president defended the steps he took after al Qaeda's attack on the USS Cole in 2000 and faulted "right-wingers'' for their criticism of his efforts to capture Osama bin Laden.

"But at least I tried. That's the difference in me and some, including all of the right-wingers who are attacking me now,'' Clinton said when asked whether he had failed to fully anticipate bin Laden's danger. "They had eight months to try, they did not try. I tried. So I tried and failed.''

The September 11 attacks occurred almost eight months after President George W. Bush succeeded Clinton in January 2001.

"I authorized the CIA to get groups together to try to kill him,'' Clinton said. He added he had drawn up plans to go into Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban and launch an attack against bin Laden after the attack on the Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-security-clinton.html

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

1. About time.

Thanks Bill!

[WCGreen]

2. I am glad he waited until now....

So soon to the midterms...

If he would have coe roaring out before, it would have been old news by now...

He is going to energize the people to vote...

[krispos42]

3. Give'em hell, Bill!

WTC 1993 attack, all those bastards are in jail. And our nation was not hit again under his watch.

[Subdivisions]

4. That's EXACTLY RIGHT!!! eom

[RamboLiberal]

5. Snippet of the interview video - Big Dog Rightfully Pissed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UwJabtvSUQ

"At least I tried. That's the difference in me and some. Including all of the rightwingers who are attacking me now. They ridiculed me for trying. They had 8 months to try. They did not try. And I tried. So I tried and failed."

And Crooks and Liars claims this is a rough transcript.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/

CW: …may I just finish the question sir. And after the attack, the book says, bin laden separated his leaders because he expected an attack and
there was no response. I understand that heinsight is 20 20.

WJC: no let’s talk about…

CW: …but the question is why didn’t you do more, connect the dots and put
them out of business?

WJC: ok, let’s talk about it. I will answer all of those things on the merits but I want to talk about the context of which this…arises. I’m being asked this on the FOX network…ABC just had a right wing conservative on the Path to 9/11 falsely claim that it was falsely based on the 911 comission report with three things asserted against me that are directly contradicted by the 9/11 commission report. I think it’s very interesting that all the conservative republicans who now say that I didn’t do enough, claimed that I was obsessed with Bin Laden. All of President Bush’s neocons claimed that I was too obessed with finding Bin Laden when they didn’t have a single meeting about Bin Laden for the nine months after I left office. All the right wingers who now say that I didn’t do enough said that I did too much. Same people.

They were all trying to get me to withdraw from Somalia in 1993 the next day after we were involved in black hawk down and I refused to do it and stayed
6 months and had an orderly transfer to the UN. Ok, now let’s look at all the criticisms: Black hawk down, Somalia. There is not a living soul in the world who thought that Bin laden had anything to do with black hawk down or was paying any attention to it or even new al queda was a growing concern in October of 1993.

CW: …I understand…

[Human Torch]

6. I hope he keeps this up all the way through November.

Like a lot of other people, I wondered if he'd ever say what he's said here in such strong terms. He's been very diplomatic, especially toward the Bush Administration's failures. Maybe "Path to 9/11" was the tipping point. After all, the statements made here came a few short days after his assertion that he's "sick of Karl Rove's bullshit"...and "Path to 9/11" had fat boy's stink all over it.

Between this and the Olbermann interview earlier tonight, I'm filled with a sense of pride in what's been said and a really aching emptiness when I realize what's occupied the White House for the last 6 years.

One President raised seven billion dollars in three days in order to make the world a better place.

The other sent 2,973 American men and women to their deaths...and crippled and mailed countless others...in order to prove to himself that he was a better man than his daddy.

Do the math.

http://www.forbes.com/business/manufacturing/feeds/ap/2006/09/22/ap3038837.html

Associated Press
Clinton Conference Raises $7B
By BETH FOUHY , 09.22.2006, 04:08 PM

A conference hosted by Bill Clinton on world problems ended Friday with the former president announcing a total of $7.3 billion in pledges to help reduce global warming and fight Third World poverty, disease and ethnic strife.

The three-day Clinton Global Initiative, which attracted world leaders, corporate titans and celebrities, produced at least 215 commitments of financial support to a range of projects supported by the Clinton Foundation. Last year's gathering produced 300 commitments worth $2.5 billion.

A day after British business mogul Richard Branson pledged $3 billion to battle global warming, Clinton on Friday announced the launch of a $1 billion investment fund for renewable energy.

Clinton said the new Green Fund would focus on reducing pollution and dependence on fossil fuels and creating jobs. "The Earth is warming at an alarming rate, we are running out of fossil fuels, and it is long past time for us to take action to correct these problems," Clinton said. "This is also a tremendous opportunity and there are countless good new jobs to be created in the field of green energy."

[RamboLiberal]

7. This is going to be good - Eschaton has transcript

<snip>

Clinton: Let's see what Richard Clarke said. Do you think Richard Clarke has a vigorous attitude about bin Laden?

Wallace: Yes, I do.

Clinton: You do, don't you?

Wallace: He has a variety of opinions and loyalties, but yes. (CROSS TALK)

Clinton: He has a variety of opinions and loyalties now, but let's look at the facts: he worked for Ronald Reagan, he was loyal with him; he worked for George H.W. Bush, he was loyal to him; he worked for me, and he was loyal to me; he worked for President Bush, he was loyal to him. They downgraded him and the terrorist operation.

Now, look what he said -- read his book and read his factual assertions -- not opinions, assertions. He said we took vigorous action after the African embassies, we probably nearly got bin Laden ...

Wallace: But what ...

Clinton: Now, wait a minute -- wait, wait, wait. (CROSS TALK)

http://atrios.blogspot.com/

[BenDavid]

8. Clinton Blasts Chris Wallace:

President Clinton blasts Chris Wallace
By: John Amato @ 7:38 PM - PDT
I got us a rough transcript of Bill Clinton smacking down Chris Wallace as he tried to sandbag him over Bin Ladin that I reported on earlier today along with Duncan: Drudge is linking to a Youtube teaser video that looks to me purposefully out of sync to try and make President Clinton look crazed. Shameless…The whole segment will air Sunday morning…

CW: When we announced that you were going to be on fox news Sunday, I got a lot of email from viewers, and I got to say I was surprised most of them
wanted me to ask you this question. Why didn’t you do more to put bin laden and al queda out of business when you were President. There’s a new book out which I suspect you’ve read called the looming tower. And it talks about how the fact that when you pulled troops out of Somalia in 1993 bin laden said I have seen the frailty and the weakness and the cowardice of US troops. Then there was the bombing of the embassies in Afirca and the attack on the USS Cole.

WJC: ok…

CW: …may I just finish the question sir. And after the attack, the book says, bin laden separated his leaders because he expected an attack and
there was no response. I understand that heinsight is 20 20.

WJC: no let’s talk about…

CW: …but the question is why didn’t you do more, connect the dots and put
them out of business?

WJC: ok, let’s talk about it. I will answer all of those things on the merits but I want to talk about the context of which this…arises. I’m being asked this on the FOX network…ABC just had a right wing conservative on the Path to 9/11 falsely claim that it was falsely based on the 911 comission report with three things asserted against me that are directly contradicted by the 9/11 commission report. I think it’s very interesting that all the conservative republicans who now say that I didn’t do enough, claimed that I was obsessed with Bin Laden. All of President Bush’s neocons claimed that I was too obessed with finding Bin Laden when they didn’t have a single meeting about Bin Laden for the nine months after I left office. All the right wingers who now say that I didn’t do enough said that I did too much. Same people.

They were all trying to get me to withdraw from Somalia in 1993 the next day after we were involved in black hawk down and I refused to do it and stayed
6 months and had an orderly transfer to the UN. Ok, now let’s look at all the criticisms: Black hawk down, Somalia. There is not a living soul in the world who thought that Bin laden had anything to do with black hawk down or was paying any attention to it or even new al queda was a growing concern in October of 1993.

CW: …I understand…

WJC: No wait…no wait…Don’t tell me. You asked me why I didn’t do more to bin laden. There was not a living soul…allhe people who criticized me wanted to
leave the next day. You brought this up so you get an answer.

If they run the entire segment adn not cut and splice together then WJC will cut the balls off another numb nuts right winger.....

[moondust]

9. The Cole is a non-issue for Clinton.

It was too close to the end of his term for him to start up any kind of serious retaliation. That job was appropriately left to the new administration which failed to follow through. I don't believe Clinton even knew positively who was responsible until after he was out of office.

[RamboLiberal]

10. Imagine the Repukes howling if he had done something

before the election or during the recount. They'd have sworn he was trying to help Gore with more "Wag the Dog". F'ing hypocrites.

[HuffleClaw]

11. 700+ comments about this by the freeeeepers

90% about monica etc...

still obsessed.

[Straight Shooter]

12. Listen to his language of taking responsibility: "I tried and failed."

Despite being hog-tied by Congress, Bill Clinton did everything in his power to get bin Laden. When those plans and actions did not bear fruit, Clinton doesn't point to everybody else and say, "It's your fault this doesn't work." Instead, he takes the blame for the failure, which is his duty, just as it is to his credit that he made bin Laden a priority and did try to get him.

Compare and contrast with bush and the gang. No matter what, they take all the credit and always -- always!! -- shift the blame to others.

Bill Clinton was absolutely justified to point out that once the fighting terror baton was passed to the bush administration, it was no longer his responsibility whether bin Laden was captured or not. At that point, it became the responsibility of the bush administration. But the bush administration was more interested in spreading rumors about the Clinton administration removing the "w" from typewriters. Pathetic, isn't it?

[rodeodance]

13. ah, payback is beatiful. and Thanks to the NYT's.

[NOLADEM]

14. Gee Bill, glad you finally had a break in your schedule

to defend your country and legacy.

Maybe you haven't heard, but these assholes have been tearing at every thread of your legacy they can reach.

Nice of you to join us.

[samsingh]

15. kick and push.

blast this message out

[Eurobabe]

16. AS WELL HE SHOULD

and yes, I am shouting, god dammit!!

[MagickMuffin]

17. Full Transcript here:

http://thinkprogress.org/clinton-interview/

Go add a post. I posted twice... It could use some help in the reality based comments.:evilgrin:

Edit to comment about the article: Interesting how they included this tidbit.

Earlier this month, Clinton dismissed as ``indisputably wrong'' a U.S. television show that suggested her was too distracted by the Monica Lewinsky scandal to confront the Islamic militant threat that culminated in the September 11 attacks.

[alteredstate]

18. Bill Clinton's inteview will air on Fox News Sunday at 9 am

At least that's what I just heard on Fox News......

[Riddler]

19. EVERY Democrat in EVERY state running for ANY office ....

....should be saying the same thing at EVERY opportunity to be quoted in the paper or on the news. We need a FULL FRONTAL attack and a UNITED voice on this ONE issue until we hammer it into the heads of the dimwits who still think President Pissy-pants is tough on terrorism.

[YvonneCa]

20. AMEN, President Clinton...

...thank you for speaking the truth...LOUDLY AND PUBLICLY ! President Clinton is the only Democrat who can call Fox News on their unconscionable behavior that mislead us into the Iraq War.


THANK YOU, Mr. President! :patriot:

[screenplaya]

21. That is not Clinton angry.

Clinton just debated Wallace and kicked his ass. It in no way qualifies as "purple faced rage." Just goes to show that the neocons and the wealthy fox anchors are prepared to lie and scare and misinform again to steal '06.