8/6/01 PDB Memo. Released

[strandinthewind]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,116766,00.html

[strandinthewind]

CR was correct, it was historical in context and not specific in any way.

This assumes the text provided contains all of the text except as indicated in the site.

What was the big deal about relesing that?

[dissention]

Why the heck do you peruse Faux News, man?

This is the most telling an it most certainly is new information:

Al-Qa'ida members — including some who are US citizens — have resided in or traveled to the US for years, and the group apparently maintains a support structure that could aid attacks. Two al-Qa'ida members found guilty in the conspiracy to bomb our Embassies in East Africa were US citizens, and a senior EIJ member lived in California in the mid-1990s.

A clandestine source said in 1998 that a Bin Ladin cell in New York was recruiting Muslim-American youth for attacks.

We have not been able to corroborate some of the more sensational threat reporting, such as that from a [deleted text] service in 1998 saying that Bin Ladin wanted to hijack a US aircraft to gain the release of "Blind Shaykh" 'Umar' Abd aI-Rahman and other US-held extremists.

Nevertheless, FBI information since that time indicates patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks, including recent surveillance of federal buildings in New York.
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What tree did they shake? The faux ficus tree in the corner of the Oval Office?

[strandinthewind]

But my point is, it shows the history of Al-Q in and out of America and it points to only a vague and in general threat that had existed in one way or another for a few years. Again, thge buck stops at CR, but this memo. shows the Fed. Govt., including the WH was actively investigating Al-Q and what they were up to, nit sitting on their rear ends and doing nothing

[Nixxxed]

This whole issue is driving me completely crazy. Yes, the document did not contain any "specific" information about upcoming attacks, and was mostly "historical" information. But the whole point of including these non-"specific", "historical" items in the memo was to tell the President that:

BIN LADIN DETERMINED TO STRIKE IN U.S.

And from everything I've seen, heard, and read, the politicians (yes, they were being politicians, not leaders) ignored the whole point and CONTEXT of the memo. The memo wasn't titled, "Gee, Bin Ladin Is A Really Bad Terrorist," or "The Late Show's Top 10 Bin Ladin Terror Actions."

BIN LADIN DETERMINED TO STRIKE IN U.S.

Yet, a month later, neither Al-Qaeda nor Bin Ladin were even mentioned in the speech that Rice was supposed to give on the morning of 9/11/01. Sure, there were no specific threats, but if you were President, wouldn't a memo whose title told you that terrorists were going to attack INSIDE THE COUNTRY prompt you to take a closer, more detailed look at the whole situation and at least come up with an overall plan of action? At least START to take the threat seriously?

Or would you push forward full-steam with a 20-year old "Star Wars" missile defense program that BOTH your father and his predecessor had failed miserably in even getting off the ground because it had been determined to be practically and technically unfeasible and cost-prohibitive?

Let's put this in a Mac context. Let's say you received a letter that was titled, "Fleetwood Mac Will Play Private Concert In Your Backyard". But then, the letter gave the entire history of the band with no specifics as to when they would be there. What would you do? My bet is that you would immediately call the party planner and get quotes on how much chairs and food would cost, and then you'd call a landscape company and start making plans to fix up the yard, and you'd start saving up your money for the big day.

[greatdarkwing]

IMO, This is just a witch hunt.....there were no specifics in that letter, I mean honestly, there was nothing EITHER administration could've done about it! There will never be a clear cut answer as to why 9/11 happened...it happened...and I truly feel that it probably could not have been prevented, period.

~Alex

[strandinthewind]

True enough Alex - I think that as well. But, Condi, W and the rest of them have not had the nads to say we screwed and we are sorry for that. That pisses me off a little even though I know no politician would say it.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

CR was correct, it was historical in context and not specific in any way.

This assumes the text provided contains all of the text except as indicated in the site.

What was the big deal about relesing that?

Oh dear. The World Trade Center was mentioned in the very first paragraph. the last two paragraphs are anything but "historical." The actual document was rumored to be 11.5 pages long. Obstuction of justice? They are in deep, deep ****.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

But my point is, it shows the history of Al-Q in and out of America and it points to only a vague and in general threat that had existed in one way or another for a few years. Again, thge buck stops at CR, but this memo. shows the Fed. Govt., including the WH was actively investigating Al-Q and what they were up to, nit sitting on their rear ends and doing nothing

What, if anything, did they do? Junior was on vacation when this was given to him-had been for about a month. Forty percent of the "war president's" term has been spent on vacation.

[greatdarkwing]

The documents mentioned buildings in New York.....HOWEVER, no where is a specific threat mentioned. No one knew they were going to hijack planes and crash them into the WTC. In fact, the memo says that Al Qaeda was planing on using explosives (we all know how wrong that turned out to be). The point Im trying to make is, that the threats were not specific enough. Neither Clinton or Bush can be held responsible for this. Intellligence agencies is a whole other matter.

~Alex

[greatdarkwing]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

What, if anything, did they do? Junior was on vacation when this was given to him-had been for about a month. Forty percent of the "war president's" term has been spent on vacation.

Unfair. Dont balme the guy just cause he was in Crawford.

~Alex

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by greatdarkwing

The documents mentioned buildings in New York.....HOWEVER, no where is a specific threat mentioned. No one knew they were going to hijack planes

~Alex

Clandestine, foreign government, and media reports indicate bin Laden since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the US. Bin Laden implied in U.S. television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that his followers would follow the example of World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and "bring the fighting to America."

(snip)

We have not been able to corroborate some of the more sensational threat reporting, such as that from a ---- service in 1998 saying that Bin Laden wanted to hijack a U.S. aircraft to gain the release of "Blind Sheikh" Omar Abdel Rahman and other U.S.-held extremists.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/...emo/index.html

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by greatdarkwing

Unfair. Dont balme the guy just cause he was in Crawford.

~Alex

So you have no problem with him being on vacation for 40% of his term?

[greatdarkwing]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Clandestine, foreign government, and media reports indicate bin Laden since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the US. Bin Laden implied in U.S. television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that his followers would follow the example of World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and "bring the fighting to America."

(snip)

We have not been able to corroborate some of the more sensational threat reporting, such as that from a ---- service in 1998 saying that Bin Laden wanted to hijack a U.S. aircraft to gain the release of "Blind Sheikh" Omar Abdel Rahman and other U.S.-held extremists.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/...emo/index.html

Where are the specifics? That is really a blanket, it could cover anything. Really, theres nothing you could do in such a situation. If theres one thing I can gather from these documents is...

1. Bin Ladin is a threat
2. He wants to attack us

Honestly, those are such general threats.

~Alex

[greatdarkwing]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

So you have no problem with him being on vacation for 40% of his term?

40%? C'mon....that is a tad bloated.

~Alex