WH's deflections regarding bin Laden before 9/11

[ck4829]

Feb. 5, 2001:

Q Ari, the embassy bombing trial just got started in New York today. I wonder what the President's expectations are for the trial's outcome, and also, since two of the suspects are charged with worldwide conspiracy associated with Osama bin Laden to kill Americans and to destroy American property; so I wonder what steps President Bush is going to take to counter terrorism?

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm going to, for the moment, refer that question to Mary Ellen, to the Department of Defense.

A clear punt.

Feb 27, 2001:

Q Ari, according to India Globe, the Taliban in Afghanistan, they have offered that they are ready to hand over Osama bin Laden to Saudi Arabia if the United States would drop its sanctions, and they have a kind of deal that they want to make with the United States. Do you have any comments?

MR. FLEISCHER: Let me take that and get back to you on that.

I'm guessing the questioner is still waiting for Ari to "get back" to him. Might it be that Bush refused or ignored an offer to get his hands on bin Laden when the Taliban offered him up?

May 31, 2001:

Q The trial in New York, the bombing trial of the U.S. embassies, now Osama bin Laden has been warning to the U.S., he is condemning the bombing trials. And also, what we are doing really, this administration or President Bush, to bring now the main, Osama bin Laden, maybe this opens the way for him -- for the U.S. to bring him to justice in America?

MR. FLEISCHER: That's a question I think you want to talk to the Department of Justice about.

Is Ari suggesting that bringing bin Laden to justice is a law enforcement issue? Please, say it ain't so.

And we close out with another punt, July 2, 2001:

Q The murderous Osama bin Laden has threatened Israel and the United States in the next two weeks to, in his words, hit them where it hurts the most. Since President Jefferson sent the U.S. Navy to attack the Barbary pirates and President Wilson sent the U.S. Army under General Pershing into Mexico in pursuit of a mass murderer of Americans, named Pancho Villa, the President realizes that these are two legitimate presidential precedents for his taking military action, doesn't he, Ari? Or does he think that Jefferson and Wilson were wrong? (Laughter.)

MR. FLEISCHER: I can't speak to the history, Les --

Not a very robust public record when it comes to the world's #1 most wanted man: 1 "get back to you," 2 "talk to another department," and 1 total non-response. Impressive.

http://www.blah3.com/article.php?story=20060926114229945

[ms liberty]

1. I like this...

After 9/11 they criticized Clinton and the Dems for treating terrorism as a law enforcement issue; yet they themselves were treating it as a law enforcement issue.

Can you say hypocrisy? C'mon say it with me!

[Old and In the Way]

2. Obviously, they made a concerted effort to avoid the discussion of

AQ terror prior to 9/11. We now know that there were plenty of warnings and a growing sense of urgency in the summer of 2001, but absolutely no reaction/action by this administration.
Why?

I think the gameplan was to ignore and minimize discussion of terrorism because Cheney was getting his plans for the hostile takeover of Iraqi National Petroleum formulated in his secret energy meetings. I think the calculus was, we are going to go into the ME. If there is an attack, so what? We can use this as more justication to cover our Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL).

[chat_noir]

3. 2/27/01 press briefing

Q Ari, according to India Globe, the Taliban in Afghanistan, they have offered that they are ready to hand over Osama bin Laden to Saudi Arabia if the United States would drop its sanctions, and they have a kind of deal that they want to make with the United States. Do you have any comments?

MR. FLEISCHER: Let me take that and get back to you on that.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/briefings/20010227.html

Since the video is out there*, I guess they won't be "redacting" it.

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwuN4RZGoA

Watch the whole commentary:

Olbermann Traces Bush Admin's Pre-9/11 Actions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXNCLbsBIfM

Keith Olbermann: Taking A Look Back
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w8FPRKRTV4

[ProgressiveEconomist]

4. Don't forget about "finger-pointing" references. Whenever someone

NAILS Republicans, trying to hold them accountable to the same standard to which Democrats have been held, there's a "finger-pointing" litany that comes into play.

If it were possible for a Republican PR flack to compare Republicans favorably with Democrats, that opportunity never would be passed up.

But, if Republicans have been caught red-handed, their spokespeople (most recently Rudy Giuliani) will caution the media about "finger-pointing".

In this case, Bill Clinton literally did "finger-point"--at that pitiful little Fox wimp Chris Wallace.

[slipslidingaway]

5. K& R

[slipslidingaway]

6. Another kick!