Question for the break: CIA did not understand hit order on bin Laden?

[The Backlash Cometh]

So far the biggest discrepancy is that the CIA did not understand that Clinton had ordered a hit on bin Laden. They thought it was okay if they killed him while in the process of capturing him, but didn't know that they could take him out as a policy.

I find this incredibly derelict on the part of the CIA. I've heard so much that has gone wrong within the CIA, that this one smells. Sandy Berger was adamant about the fact that the CIA knew, and yet, the CIA claims otherwise and this created confusion on the ground.

What is everybody's thoughts on this?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Teenet is covering for BUSH

they are tying a white wash....

By the way, did younotice they are sending Armitage to bat AFTER Clarke... seems that they cannot send Condy, but they need somebody to blunt Clarke

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Condi is going to turn into a scapegoat if she doesn't testify.

I don't think she sees it yet.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. The CIA was protecting its asset.

Three times, Clinton wanted to assassinate bin Laden, and three times, Tenet said no.

The CIA funnelled 15 of the 9/11 hijackers, and other al Qaeda terrorists, into the US through Jeddah, over the protest of the State Department's head of the visa bureau.

Two CIA agents met bin Laden in a Dubai hospital in July 2001.

The CIA understood the hit order. The CIA did not want to see it executed.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Kind of makes you wonder if the CIA was following its own agenda.

Lots of room for conspiracy theories here, given the amount of drug supplies in Afghanistan.

Because, SURELY, if the CIA had been given an order to assassinate someone, they could just do it within a matter of days or weeks. Otherwise, someone might think they were, er, incompetent.

[terisel]

5. Does Tenet have any history with Bush's Father? n/t

[radwriter0555]

6. Tenet is/was owned by bush incorporated CIA.

end of story.