Bush & Cheney Both Took Month-Long Vacations in August 2001 Too >

[Stephanie]

Why are people surprised that Cheney is also taking this month off? This is their SOP.

Everyone knows that Bush spent August 2001 in Crawford, but do you know that Cheney spent that entire month in Wyoming? Now they're doing it again. Buckle your seatbelts!

Reposting this old, old post for those who are new or who forgot.

Say it with me, kids. ASHCROFT FLYING HIGH.

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July 16, 2001: British spy agencies send a report to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other top officials warning that al-Qaeda is in "the final stages" of preparing a terrorist attack in the West. The prediction is "based on intelligence gleaned not just from MI6 and GCHQ but also from US agencies, including the CIA and the National Security Agency," which cooperate with the British. "The contents of the July 16 warning would have been passed to the Americans, Whitehall sources confirmed." The report states there is "an acute awareness" that the attack is "a very serious threat." This information could be from or in addition to a warning based on surveillance of al-Qaeda prisoner Khalid al-Fawwaz (see August 21, 2001).

http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/main/timelinebefore911.html

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Some sources who have read the still-secret congressional report say some sections would not play quite so neatly into White House plans. One portion deals extensively with the stream of U.S. intelligence-agency reports in the summer of 2001 suggesting that Al Qaeda was planning an upcoming attack against the United States—and implicitly raises questions about how Bush and his top aides responded. One such CIA briefing, in July 2001, was particularly chilling and prophetic. It predicted that Osama bin Laden was about to launch a terrorist strike “in the coming weeks,” the congressional investigators found. The intelligence briefing went on to say: “The attack will be spectacular and designed to inflict mass casualties against U.S. facilities or interests. Attack preparations have been made. Attack will occur with little or no warning.”

www.msnbc.com/news/907379.asp?0cv=KA01

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Summer Spinning
To GOP, Vacation Boosted Bush Agenda; To Democrats, Voters See a Shirk Ethic
Aug 29, 2001

<snip>

The White House had announced that Bush would stay at his 1,600-acre ranch in Crawford from Aug. 4 through Labor Day on Sept. 3, a 31-day stretch that would have broken a modern record for a presidential vacation, held by Richard M. Nixon for a 30-day trip to San Clemente, Calif., in 1969. News reports played up the record, and a Gallup Poll found that 55 percent of respondents thought Bush's vacation was too long.

The length of the trip revived old questions about Bush's work ethic, and the poll and the news coverage caused consternation in the White House. Aides said they had planned an ambitious schedule for Bush as long ago as late June, but reporters were not told about it, even after they landed here. The White House, suddenly defensive, took every opportunity to show Bush on the go and even created a "Western White House" logo for the briefing room at Crawford Elementary School. Bush revealed that his ranch had new video conferencing equipment for keeping in touch with his national security team.

www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A15957-2001

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News story - Aug. 15, 2001
A Working Vacation
Vice President Cheney plans to fish, travel during month-long valley sojourn.
By Angus M. Thuermer Jr.

Vice President Dick Cheney took time off from his month-long working vacation Monday to outline his plans for August in Jackson Hole and to reflect on "an amazing year."

Cheney, who will live at his Teton Pines home about six miles west of Jackson until Labor Day, defended his energy policy, supported a local decision to limit drilling around the Gros Ventre Wilderness, recalled a life of service in Washington and said his health problems are not affecting his ability to fish for trout on his favorite Western waters.

http://www.jacksonholenews.com/Archives/NewsArchive/2001/010815-News.html

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Ashcroft Flying High
WASHINGTON, July 26, 2001

(CBS) Fishing rod in hand, Attorney General John Ashcroft left on a weekend trip to Missouri Thursday afternoon aboard a chartered government jet, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart.

In response to inquiries from CBS News over why Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines, the Justice Department cited what it called a "threat assessment" by the FBI, and said Ashcroft has been advised to travel only by private jet for the remainder of his term.

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines," an FBI spokesman said. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department, however, would identify what the threat was, when it was detected or who made it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/07/26/national/main303601.shtml

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[Tesla]

1. Looks like their resting up for September!!!

Hum......
Something big....

[mopaul]

2. america, brace yourselves

i'm just sayin'....

[LiberalEsto]

3. It's called "establishing an alibi"

"I didn't do it, honest! I was clearing brush in Crawford the entire time."

[Crankie Avalon]

4. "How can it be my fault when I wasn't even around due to my vacation?...

...let's blame Clinton."

[Stephanie]

5. More like "let's get the hell out of town Dick! The terrorists are coming"

more like, "we'll come back when it's all over."

[Crankie Avalon]

6. And act like it's really big of them when they do...

..."He actually interrupted his vacation to come tour the rubble, talk into that megaphone, and glom onto real heros by getting himself photographed with those firemen...what a guy!"

[lynettebro440]

7. They are setting the stage

Do they think we are really this stupid? Fool me once, I'm a fool, fool me twice and I'm coming after your ass. God I hate this administration.

[lockdown]

8. Didn't it become an invented tradition?

As I recall Bush was being criticised for taking that 2001 vacation and his staff said it was a Bush presidential tradition, even though it was his first year in office? Got to keep tradition going I suppose.. or the story going anyway.

[Stephanie]

10. I think so

They got themselves "out of harm's way" in 2001 - then they had to keep up the fiction that they do it every August.

[Tsiyu]

9. A Dark Cloud Forms...

Hope that the CIA and FBI agents who give a damn are monitoring everything the Shrub cabal is doing.

I hate to get all worried when there is so much to do just surviving, but as luck would have it, I'm on a mini break from work and have the luxury of wondering...what if....

We all know what they need to restore "order" and compliance. We all know that they desperately want and NEED another attack to finish the complete destruction of this nation.

So it's not crazy to see the signs and wonder....

[im10ashus]

11. What are you saying exactly?

That we are going to experience another 9/11 version II?

[Stephanie]

13. not saying that

but people are expressing surprise that Cheney's also on vacation, leaving nobody back in DC to run the show. but the fact is they have done this every August - you just don't hear much about Dick's vacation.

Conveniently in 2001 they were both out of town during the dangerous time period they had been warned about in several PDB's and numerous warnings from foreign intel services. It's quite a coincidence that their month-long vacations were scheduled well in advance to coincide with that high alert period. Oh wait, they weren't scheduled well in advance! The 2001 vacations were announced at the last minute. Bush's month-long vacation was politically disadvantageous for him as it made him look like the sorry lazy ass everybody suspected he was. So they dressed the pig farm up as the Western White House and scheduled PR trips for him. I think they had good reason to do all that. IMO it was all a ruse to get the Coward in Chief out of town before the big attack they knew was coming. Finally they were shamed into returning to DC, but George immediately headed to Camp David, followed by that fateful trip to FL and the Booker School.

The Booker School and the Texas Book Depository. Bad things happen when the Bushes and Books come together.

[im10ashus]

14. Well I think they should be ashamed.

We've lost 14 more Marines today in Iraq. How many yesterday? I bet those Marines could sure use a month off. We are at war and they are taking a month long freaking vacation. It's sick and wrong.

[Tsiyu]

16. They know their sheep have minds that are permanently

on vacation, so no one that matters to them will notice. They think they are invisible, like staging their coup of the White House gave them all fancy invisible capes.

They are delusional and don't take seriously the things that rip at your heart and my heart. They don't care about those soldiers. Over and over Freepers say, "They knew they could be sent to war when they joined."

As if we can do anything to a person who volunteers to serve this nation? They are our fuck toys now? And we can kill and maim and torure anyone we want to now? The world is America's fuck toy?


Where the hell do people make the disconnect? That other humans aren't "really" humans? Why are so many usurping the name of a nonviolent diety to dress up their violence?

This American is disgusted with the control freaks and the religious freaks and the Fascist freaks.

A pox upon all you freaks. With a hearty helping of Mongolian Crotch Rot.

[Norquist Nemesis]

12. Dick couldn't leave the WH unattended this year.

He had to give the order for Pentagon War Games planning a pre-emptive strike on Iran ... just in case there is another 9/11 type attack.

Seriously!

http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/nuke_iran.html
CHENEY PLAN CALLS FOR U.S. TO NUKE IRAN

By Greg Szymanski

A number of political observers and activists today sounded “a red alert” after allegations surfaced this week that Vice President Dick Cheney has ordered Strategic Command (STRATCOM) to make contingency plans for a nuclear strike against Iran in the aftermath of another “9-11 type attack” on the United States.

Cheney’s orders first surfaced in an article by Philip Geraldi in the Aug 1, 2005, issue of American Conservative. Geraldi was unavailable for comment, but excerpts of the article went on to say:

“Vice President Cheney’s office has specifically told the Pentagon that the military should be prepared for an attack on Iran in the immediate aftermath of ‘another 9-11.’ ”

However, that’s “not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United States,” notes Geraldi’s article.
<snip>

[Stephanie]

15. He was fly-fishing in Montana - already started his vacation

Then they called him to pay a call after the Saudi King's funeral - I think he left today.

Also today lots of news about Iran resuming nuclear activity. Coinky dink?

[MikeNY]

17. Cheney Calls For US to Nuke Iran (right before the August vacation!)

Greg Szymanski/American Free Press | August 2 2005

A number of political observers and activists today sounded “a red alert” after allegations surfaced this week that Vice President Dick Cheney has ordered Strategic Command (STRATCOM) to make contingency plans for a nuclear strike against Iran in the aftermath of another “9-11 type attack” on the United States.

Cheney’s orders first surfaced in an article by Philip Geraldi in the Aug 1, 2005, issue of American Conservative. Geraldi was unavailable for comment, but excerpts of the article went on to say:

“Vice President Cheney’s office has specifically told the Pentagon that the military should be prepared for an attack on Iran in the immediate aftermath of ‘another 9-11.’ ”

However, that’s “not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United States,” notes Geraldi’s article.

The purported statement was then distributed widely as a number of political observers have issued “worldwide” warning statements,” declaring Cheney’s order to be interpreted as “sounding the bell for World War III.”

GUNS OF AUGUST

In response to Cheney’s order, one outspoken political activist issued an Internet notice covering the time period of August 2005, saying:

“Vice President Dick Cheney, with the full collusion of the circles of British Prime Minister Tony Blair unleashed the recently exposed plans to stage a preemptive tactical nuclear strike against Iran.

“The danger of such a mad, Hitler-in-the-bunker action from the Cheney circles would be even further heightened were the United States Congress to stick with its present schedule, and go into recess on July 30 until Sept. 4. With Congress out of Washington, the Cheney-led White House would almost certainly unleash a “Guns of August” attack on Iran.”

And as reported several months ago, La Rouche said the Bush Administration, under CONPLAN 8022, had already placed the relevant “mini-nukes” under the control of theater military commanders, as part of a new global strike doctrine, a doctrine originally conceived when Cheney was secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush.