Clinton did more to fight terrorists than Reagan, Bush I, Bush II

[AX10]

As a matter of fact, Reagan made terrorists.

http://www.apj.us/20031125Hersh.html

"While Republicans Fought Clinton, Clinton Fought Terrorists.

The Washington Post confirmed, "The Clinton administration ordered the Navy to maintain two Los Angeles-class attack submarines on permanent station in the nearest available waters, enabling the US military to place Tomahawk cruise missiles on any target in Afghanistan within about six hours of receiving the order." See: The Covert Hunt for bin Laden: Broad Effort Launched After '98 Attacks, Barton Gellman, Washington Post, December 19, 2001; Page A01: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=& contentId=A62725-2001Dec18¬Found=true

President Clinton dedicated himself to neutralizing bin Laden, but Republicans in the Congress thwarted his efforts. Republican Senators like Phil Gramm blocked legislation to freeze Al Qaeda financial assets because special banking interests told them to, and they opposed recommendations to improve airline safety out of deference to the airline lobbyists. Still, the Democrats didn't stop trying to keep Americans safe from terror. The Clinton Administration warned the Taliban that America would hold them personally responsible if Osama bin Laden attacked us. The Washington Post reports:

"Assistant Secretary of State Michael A. Sheehan, the department's counterterrorism coordinator, delivered the new message directly to the Taliban. He telephoned Foreign Minister Ahmed Waqil and read him a formal declaration known as a demarche. 'If bin Laden or any of the organizations affiliated with him attacks the United States or United States interests,' he told Waqil, 'we will hold you, the leadership of the Taliban, personally accountable. Do you understand what I am saying? This is from the highest level of my government you're protecting him, you become responsible for his crimes.'" "

[BOSSHOG]

1. Just more reasons for those with conservative values to hate Clinton

they knew he was doing the right thing, and just can't stand it.

[Perry Logan]

2. Here's more that Clinton did against terrorism...

President Clinton led the fight against terrorism over strong opposition from Republicans in Congress and the pro-Republican Media. Here's a partial - yet incredibly long - list of accomplishments against terrorism for which the Clinton Administration gets almost no credit or even recognition. President Clinton:

-- sent legislation to Congress to TIGHTEN AIRPORT SECURITY. (Remember, this is before 911) The legislation was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the airlines.

-- sent legislation to Congress to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF TERRORIST FUNDING. It was defeated by Republicans in the Senate because of opposition from banking interests.

-- sent legislation to Congress to add tagents to explosives, to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF EXPLOSIVES USED BY TERRORISTS. It was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the NRA.

When Republicans couldn't prevent executive action, President Clinton:

-- Developed the nation's first anti-terrorism policy, and appointed first national coordinator.

-- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up 12 U.S. jetliners simultaneously.

-- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up UN Headquarters.

-- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up FBI Headquarters.

-- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up Boston airport.

-- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up Lincoln and Holland Tunnels in NY.

-- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the George Washington Bridge.

-- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the US Embassy in Albania.

-- Tried to kill Osama bin Laden and disrupt Al Qaeda through preemptive strikes (efforts denounced by the G.O.P.).

-- Brought perpetrators of first World Trade Center bombing and CIA killings to justice.

-- Did not blame Bush I administration for first World Trade Center bombing even though it occurred 38 days after they had left office. Instead, worked hard, even obsessively -- and successfully -- to stop future terrorist attacks.

-- Named the Hart-Rudman commission to report on nature of terrorist threats and major steps to be taken to combat terrorism.

-- Tripled the budget of the FBI for counterterrorism and doubled overall funding for counterterrorism.

-- Detected and destroyed cells of Al Qaeda in over 20 countries

-- Created a national stockpile of drugs and vaccines including 40 million doses of smallpox vaccine.

-- Robert Oakley, Reagan Counterterrorism Czar says of Clinton's efforts "Overall, I give them very high marks" and "The only major criticism I have is the obsession with Osama"

-- Paul Bremer, Bush's Administrator of Iraq disagrees slightly with Robert Oakley saying he believed the Clinton Administration had "correctly focused on bin Laden. "

-- Barton Gellman of the Washington Post put it best, "By any measure available, Clinton left office having given greater priority to terrorism than any president before him" and was the "first administration to undertake a systematic anti-terrorist effort."

[AX10]

5. Kick

[Thothmes]

6. His Administration

Also authorized the Cole to refuel in Aden vice Jibouti (sic)against the Navys recommendations

[Toots]

7. Commissioned the Hart Rudman report which sat unread on Bush*'s desk

for over nine months. I would bet almost anything, Bush* to this day has not read it..Remember Bush* placed Cheney in charge of all things related to terrorism and Cheney was so involved he held exactly zero meetings on the subject until after 9-11.

[baldguy]

3. Al Qaeda - created, trained, armed & funded by Ronald Reagan.

[mdmc]

4. agree