U.S. PLANNED FOR ATTACK ON AL QAEDA-Bush Given Global Assault Strategy 2 Days Before 9/11

MSNBC ^ | May 16, 2002 | Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon

[codebreaker]

President Bush was given detailed plans for a worldwide war against Al Qadea two days before Sept. 11 but did not have the chance to sign them before the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, United States and foreIgn sources told NBC News.

The document, a formal National Security Presidential Directive, amounted to a 'game plan to remove Al Qaeda from the face of the earth,' one of the sources told Jim Miklaszewski.

The plan dealt with all aspects of a war against Al-Qaeda, ranging from diplomatic initiatives to military operations in Afghanistan, sources said on condition of anonymity.

[codebreaker]

Looks like Osama knew his time was up.

[be-baw]

a formal National Security Presidential Directive

If this is true, it should take a lot of the heat off Bush. Will they prove it, or is this damage control?

[habs4ever]

This is over 7 mos old, and now it's news?He ordered a review, unlike anything Clinton ever did, and was thinking of doing what a 9/11 made it imperative to do.Damn, the media are stupid and lazy, with attention spans of 4 yr olds.

[anniegetyourgun]

Not to mention the DEMS in Congress. As of today I am ready to call them un-American.

[knak]

United States and foreIgn sources told NBC

makes me wonder if somehow this was leaked to al-qaeda and that's why they hit when they did?

[codebreaker]

Are NSA Presidential directives leaked to the press everyday?

It seems to me this is a good way to shut up the 'Rats with Gephardt being told on August 1, 2001 about the plane warnings..

[Shermy]

Leak by the Saudis to Osama?

Anyway, possible 9/11 scenario - Osama always planned for the attack, probably had lots of plans. Most of his efforts were aimed at disrupting Central Asia and the Caucasus (i.e., Chechnya). Such helped deter, delay, and even destroy competitive hydrocarbon development in the region, a Iranian and Saudi strategic coalescence of aims. They funded him, facilitated him, and profited. Al Qaeda did nothing about Israel. Big on Kashmir, necessary for ISI support. Useful fanatics in oil politics.

Anyway, the 6+2 countries, especially Russia and the US, warned the Taliban to stop supporting local terrorism earlier in 2001, even threatening some kind of attack. Osama was appointed Taliban Minister of Defense by Mullah Omar. The attack on the WTC may have served as a kind of low tech attack on the US to forestall a perceived attack on the Disneyland of Islamist Terrorism, Afghanistan. Certainly the assassination of Massood three days before anticipated the attack, and attempted to disorient the local opposition which could ffight back in alliance with the U.S.

Miscalculation. That's the problem with fanatics, they're true believers. The worst thing that's ever happened to Saudi.

[Timesink]

This bit of info that Brokaw is trying to report as some exclusive, was actually made public somewhere around 9/12. Practically every newsmagazine article the next week made note of the irony.

Someone who wants to dig through the FR archives could probably find it.

[doug from upland]

A commander in chief who knows how to lead. He was going to do what was right even if we were not attacked. What I said to him at the Town Hall meeting in Ontario still holds.

[TomGuy]

makes me wonder if somehow this was leaked to al-qaeda and that's why they hit when they did?

When the OBL video tape where he talked about the hijackers first surfaced, wasn't there reports that the hijackers had moved their plan up, that initially it was thought to be planned for later, and OBL seemed kind of surprised it had happened earlier than he expected?

[codebreaker]

Or Osama caught wind of the NSA directive through Clinton era back channels at the State Dept.

[habs4ever]

And of course, we all know the Dems would have supported Bush 100% in going after Al Qada even without a 9/11, right?Thery would have agreed with fully about the threat, global in nature, and have supplied the resources to wage war.Of course they would, after all, they are sooooo much smarter than Dub and would have been chomping at the bit to go get 'em.Hillary, espcially.

Sure they would.

[codebreaker]

Does anyone remember when Atta got the approval call 'to go' from the finanaciers, was it 9/9 or afterwords?

[Chad Fairbanks]

Is it just me, or are the Demorats having a bad day all of a sudden????? ;0)

[null and void]

Damn, the media are stupid and lazy, with attention spans of 4 yr olds.

Habs! Don't insult 4 yr olds!

[habs4ever]

I think the assassination of Northern Alliance leader Massoud on 9/9 was as clear a cue as any that the attack was greenlighted by Osama.Plus, if i recall, the unused funds from Atta's bank accounts were wired back several days before 9/11.

[section9]

The news that Bush had an "attack plan" on his desk has been known for months.

Non-story.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[jrlc]

The RATS had better be carefully about opening this can of worms. The worms inside are all Clinton. Clinton was more interested in gays in the military than going after OBL. Clinton had Janet Rhino pushing the FBI to deport a child to Castro's nondemocratic Cuba, not searching out OBL sleepers in the USA. Clinton was too busy getting BJs in the Oval Office to do more than Wag the Dog after the Cole was hit. If the RATS want to push Howard Baker questions maybe we should start with the first attack on the WTC -- what did Clinton know and when did he know it. There's the real blame.

[WaterDragon]

I agree it's old news. During the Clinton administration wasn't some group tasked with determing the liklihood of an attack and plotting a response if we were attacked by the terrorists? And as I recall, made recommendations that Clinton ignored. Hasn't Dick Morris written about this? And the Bush administration was just getting into looking at this matter when Sept 11th struck. That's my recollection.

[NCDoc]

The formulation of a detailed plan to go into Afghanistan and wage war suggests that the Bush administration knew that the oncoming attack would be severe enough to galvanize the public into being willing to send our armed forces into that war.

[rintense]

If this is true, then there is a MAJOR, and I mean major beyond what we think, leak issue in the Bush administration. The WH needs to hunt down this leak and plug it permanently.

[Almondjoy]

Just thought I would mention you have some damn good insight going on in that brain of yours, I thought I was reading history as we'll read it 50 years from now.

[Republic]

As of today I am ready to call them un-American.[referring to democrats in general, especially the leadership]

ME TOO, Annie! Me too. I watched Nancy Pelosi-I think that is her name, the congresswoman from CA, on with the Rep who is chair of the sub committee on intelligence oversight today on CSPAN. She looked like a deer in the headlights. Muffled, kind of uncomfortable, covering her tracks, trying desparately to defend Gephardt's and Daschle's pathetic, un-American and horrendous innuendos over the memo fiasco. I watched her closely-she was embarrassed. No doubt.

[JRandomFreeper]

The formulation of a detailed plan to go into Afghanistan and wage war suggests that the Bush administration knew that the oncoming attack would be severe

Meadow muffins. There are all kinds of plans produced regularly by the government. Why was IPBM included in Mil-12-C?

/john

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Damn, the media are stupid and lazy, with attention spans of 4 yr olds.

And that's being generous!!

[NCDoc]

The formulation of a detailed plan to go into Afghanistan and wage war suggests that the Bush administration knew that the oncoming attack would be severe.

I'll be more specific. The formulation and signing of a National Security Presidential Directive of the type given to Bush is a preparation for war. Bush must have known in advance that something would happen serious enough galvanize the Amreican public enough to support or even require a war.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Damn, the media are stupid and lazy, with attention spans of 4 yr olds."

Methinks you give the media too much credit. After all, four year olds typically have their bowels under control.

[justa-hairyape]

B: What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the cold war?

The soviets did not kill over 3 thousand americans on our own soil. They also never destroyed any of our skyscrapers. Clearly, the muslim extremists are a proven greater threat. When they get a hold of a nuke, we will lose an entire city. Our borders are wide open and we are ripe for the picking. For proof ask any drug addict how easy it was to get hard drugs. The modern day muslim extremists are just like the ancient Huns. Playing the US Empire for fools, just like the Huns played the Romans. The outcome is far from certain and we need to deal with the Barbarians as they deal with us.

[JRandomFreeper]

The formulation and signing of a National Security Presidential Directive of the type given to Bush is a preparation for war.

Do you have a source for that? Or special knowledge? National Security Presidential Directives are prepared on a contingency basis as well as for direct actions. Nothing about this proves that anyone in the administration had positive knowledge of a specific threat. They obviously had a general knowledge of a general threat, and did their job by preparing a plan.

I noticed you signed up on May day. Welcome to FR.

/john

[Mike Darancette]

President Bush was given detailed plans for a worldwide war against Al Qadea two days before Sept. 11

On a Sunday?

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

"If this is true, then there is a MAJOR, and I mean major beyond what we think, leak issue in the Bush administration. The WH needs to hunt down this leak and plug it permanently."

Rintense - Tenet and the entire upper echelons of the CIA and FBI and defense dept were put in by Clinton. The "leaks" could be going from any of these Clintonites to the terrorists.

And these people are still there - many of them, esp. Tenet and Minetta.

[codebreaker]

The president is given his NSA briefing every day at dawn, shuttled by courier to the White House.

It is a summery of world hot spots, best intel etc.

[codebreaker]

well stated

[dirtboy]

And of course, we all know the Dems would have supported Bush 100% in going after Al Qada even without a 9/11, right

And, quite honestly, I probably would not have either. Quite a few folks on FR thought the War on (Some) Terrorism was planned to supplant the War on (Some) Drugs as a way to continue the erosion of rights in this country. Well, in some ways it was ... but the threat WAS real as it turns out, not fabricated ... now where did I put that platter of roasted crow I was gonna eat for lunch?

[Prodigal Son]

Bush must have known in advance that something would happen serious enough galvanize the Amreican public enough to support or even require a war.

Perhaps Bush, Rice, Cheney and yes, even Powell were smart enough to have taken seriously the warnings that Clinton ignored. Perhaps he wanted to take the action to bin Laden and bust his organization up before he had a chance to do something unspeakable. Kind of like the way the Bush team sees energy as being a big problem for our country's future so they're trying to open up ANWR for drilling and have more power plants built.

Looking down down the road to the future- not looking under your desk for the intern. That's called good leadership- something we hadn't had for the previous 8 yrs before Bush.

[dirtboy]

Then why did we spend twenty training and arming the thing that is threatening us now?Trading with the enemy is as old as war itself ... Northern Generals in New Orleans would go apesh** over the trade with the South, but be told to stifle themselves because it would offend the Northern businessmen who needed that Southern cotton to make their clothing. That's just the way things work...

[Lucas1]

GAWD I HATE the media. This is so PATHETIC. They are showing 9/11 victims and making them think that Bush knew this was going to happen! How sick has the media become. Are the American people going to BELIEVE THIS CRAP! BUSH WAS READY TO GO TO WAR AGAINST THESE PEOPLE...UNLIKE CLINTON WHO WAS NOTHING BUT A WASTE......BUSH WAS PREPARING TO WAGE WAR AGAINST THESE TERRORITSTS....This whole story just makes me SICK. People need to readjust the way this is being spun. The media/dems is basically waging war against Bush. Come on people wake up

[ladyinred]

Perhaps in a perfect and sane world, this would shutup the lying RATS who have raced to the microphones today to express shock at the revelation that the Bush administration had been warned of possible hijackings by the Muslim terrorists!
Of course, there is nothing perfect or sane about the leftists.

[ladyinred]

I don't think it is because the media is lazy, it is their agenda to discredit the Bush administration, thus helping their golden boys in the Democrat party, Stoolie and Noheart.

[justa-hairyape]

A large state always has to justify itself. If there is no viable enemy it will have to create one. It just so happens that some real enemies have existed the past few millenium. Unfortunately these have been either competing states or competing religions fighting for control of the populace. It would be great if all the control freaks would just put away their toys and go home, but unfortunately for us the need for control over others is a major fault within our character. So yes, the US Federal Government armed and trained the Taliban to help destroy the Soviet threat. And yes the US then turned around and destroyed the Taliban after they turned on us. I think however that what we are up againast now is much larger then just the Taliban. It is an ancient religious struggle that modern day americans are in general ignorant of. They are also ignorant of the fact that our laziness and our demand for foriegn oil has actually given one side of this ancient struggle the capital it needs to threaten the free world. The Princes of the Modern Extremist Muslim World (Osama Bin Laden) have the money and captial to do just about anything. For proof, just note how the great military might of our US empire is incapable of apprehending him.

[justa-hairyape]

it is their agenda to discredit the Bush administration

If the media was truely impartial, they would be asking Gore and the Democrats if they regret challenging the election results. For the first few months of Bushes Presidency they referred to him as stealing the election. One has to realize that this definitly impacted his ability to perform his duties.

[willyone]

Considering that racial profiling was banned even after 9/11 just what could have been done to increase security. This country is too stupid to survive much longer. Lets bring in a few million more illegals and get it over with.

[willyone]

Consider that Jorge has left a large number of Clinton appointees in place. Just so as not to appear mean to the Dems. It is long past time for Jorge to grow up and realize he is dealing with people who wish him no good and quit playing the fool.

[Salvation]

BTTT! This is especially good for all the Bush-bashers today.

[Mr_Magoo]

Maybe, just maybe the plans were drawn up in response to the Cole bombing.

[patriciaruth]

TERROR WARNING FOR N.Y. AND D.C.
Daily News (New York)
December 14, 1998, Monday

Terror kingpin Osama Bin Laden may be preparing to bomb New York or Washington to avenge the U.S. attack on his secret bases in Afghanistan, according to a new report.

"We've hit his headquarters, now he hits ours," a State Department official tells Time magazine in this week's issue. "The game is tilted in Osama's favor until he's gone." The CIA as far back as 1996 was planning to "snatch" Bin Laden and bring him to the U.S. for trial. But the Saudi millionaire foiled the plot by staying away from countries eyed by the CIA, Time reports.

Bin Laden has been linked to bombings in Somalia in October 1993 that killed 18 U.S. troops and at the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on Aug. 7 that killed 223 people.

His family owners of Saudi Arabia's richest construction firm disowned him and the Saudis stripped him of his citizenship after he turned radical in 1990. Bin Laden fled to the Sudan, then to Afghanistan.

American missiles struck and destroyed two of his Afghan bases Aug. 21 in retaliation for the embassy attacks. He has been in hiding since.

Bin Laden was indicted in New York last month on charges of masterminding the embassy slaughter, prompting a worldwide search and a $ 5 million reward for his capture.

Time says Attorney General Janet Reno invited 200 Washington metro policemen to FBI headquarters in October to map a simulated response to a terrorist attack. Among the exercises were four scenarios: a car bombing, a chemical-weapons strike at a Redskins football game, an explosive device in a federal building and an assassination attempt on Secretary of State Albright.

But the war games quickly deteriorated into interagency squabbling, disturbing Reno greatly, the magazine said.

Apparently, a Bin Laden terrorist ring planned an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baku,Azerbaijan, but was successfully broken up three months ago, according to the magazine.

end