'Our target was terror'

[Mabus]

I ran across this old article while doing a search a while ago. It seems appropriate to share it since ABC will be broadcasting "The Path to 9/11".

U.S. missiles pound targets in Afghanistan, Sudan

Clinton: 'Our target was terror'

August 21, 1998
Web posted at: 5:10 a.m. EDT (0910 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- American cruise missiles pounded sites in Afghanistan and Sudan Thursday in retaliation for the deadly bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7.

"Let our actions today send this message loud and clear -- there are no expendable American targets," U.S. President Clinton said in a televised address to the American people Thursday evening. "There will be no sanctuary for terrorists. We will defend our people, our interests and our values."

****

U.S.: Bin Laden's network planning new attacks

Clinton said that information gathered by American intelligence showed that a network of terrorists affiliated with bin Laden was responsible for the bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, which killed 257 people, including 12 Americans.

"Our mission was clear -- to strike at the network of radical groups affiliated with, and funded by, Osama bin Laden, the pre-eminent organizer and financier of international terrorism in the world today," Clinton said. http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/20/us.strikes.02/

and the media played clips from "Wag the Dog", talked about Monica Lewinsky and said "Osama Who?". Of course, this was back in the day when the President of the United States actually cared more about the American people and less about polling data.

[Vexatious Ape]

1. correct me if I'm wrong

but, didn't Clinton also break off all formal ties with the Taliban because of the terrorists they harbor--and didn't the Coward of Crawford reestablish those ties as soon as he slimed his way into the White House????

[DianaForRussFeingold]

2. Thank You Mabus, I intend to email this link to everyone I know

:patriot: :yourock:

[Cobalt-60]

3. These recordings deserve a wide circulation

Im certain our enemies will try to send them down the memory hole.

[Mabus]

4. Clinton's EO 13099

Here's an Executive Order that people need to be reminded of too. Clinton added bin Laden's name to his previous EO (issued in 1995). In less than a month after the embassy bombings in Africa the US government was able to determine who was responsible and took actions that didn't erode the civil rights and liberties of Americans. Instead, Clinton, who apparently had good advisors and advice, went after bin Laden, his associates and their money. So, when people claim that Clinton was soft on terrorists/terrorism they need to be reminded that our Democratic leadership was on the ball and that we managed to it without eroding the rights of the average American.

Executive Order 13099 - Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process
August 20th, 1998


By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, in order to take additional steps with respect to grave acts of violence committed by foreign terrorists that disrupt the Middle East peace process and the national emergency described and declared in Executive Order 12947 of January 23, 1995, hereby order:

Section 1. The title of the Annex to Executive Order 12947 of January 23, 1995, is revised to read "Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process."

Sec. 2. The Annex to Executive Order 12947 of January 23, 1995, is amended by adding thereto the following persons in appropriate alphabetical order:

Usama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin (a.k.a. Usama bin Ladin)

Islamic Army (a.k.a. Al-Qaida, Islamic Salvation Foundation, The Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places, The World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, and The Group for the Preservation of the Holy Sites)

Abu Hafs al-Masri

Rifa'i Ahmad Taha Musa

Sec. 3. Nothing contained in this order shall create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by any party against the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

Sec. 4. (a) This order is effective at 12:01 a.m., eastern daylight time on August 21, 1998.

(b) This order shall be transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register.

William J. Clinton
The White House,
August 20, 1998.

(Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., August 24, 1998)
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=54808