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To: Lurking in Kansas
Lt Col Robert "Buzz" Paterson was just on with Steve Malzberg sitting in for Bill Bennet's Morning in America radio show.

He said this may have something to do with a case where Sandy Berger had a window to take out Osama Bin Hidin and he couldn't get through to Bubba for 2 hours and the window had closed by then.

1,622 posted on 07/20/2004 5:57:55 AM PDT by McGruff (I love the smell of Clinton administration scandals in the morning, it smells like victory.)
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To: McGruff
He said this may have something to do with a case where Sandy Berger had a window to take out Osama Bin Hidin and he couldn't get through to Bubba for 2 hours and the window had closed by then.

From Patterson's Dereliction of Duty:

"The watch officer notified Natonal Security Advisor Sandy Berger, "Sir, we've located bin Laden. We have a two-hour window to strike."

Berger ambled down the stairwell and entered the Sit Room. He picked up the phone at one of the busy controller consoles and called the president. Amazingly, President Clinton was not available. Berger tried again and again. Bin Laden was within stricking distance. The window of opportunity was closing fast. The plan of attack was set and the Tomahawk crews were ready. For about an hour Berger couldn't get the commander in chief on the line. Though the president was always accompanied by military aides and the Secret Service, he was somehow unavailable. Berger stalked the Sit Room, anxious and impatient.

Finally, the president accepted Berger's call. There was discussion, there were pauses - and no decision. The president wanted to talk with his secretaries of defense and state. He wanted to study the issue further. Berger was forced to wait. The clock was ticking. The president eventually called back. He was still indecisive. He wanted more discussion. Berger alternated between phone calls and watching the clock.

The NSC watch officer was convinced we had the right target. The intelligence sources were conclusive. The president, however, wanted a guaranteed hit or nothing at all.

This time, it was nothing at all."

1,671 posted on 07/20/2004 6:35:06 AM PDT by Quilla
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