Plan to Capture Bin Laden Before 9/11 Was Called Off

ABC News ^ | 5/21/03 | Brian Ross

[anoldafvet]

"...this plan was probably too dangerous, that the loss of life on the ground would have been significant." So Janet, why didn't you pursue this line of thinking at Waco? Incidentally, what kind of loss of life on the ground are we talking about, A.Q. terrorists?

[Michael.SF.]

federal agents seeking bin Laden had developed a plan to have a plane fly in and attack a compound in Kandahar, Afghanistan,

Call me a skeptic. But when did the FBI develop a Special Ops team capable of a mission such as this?

This assignment would require Delta Force or Rangers, not G-men.

[mr.pink]

This might be another attempt by the Clinton worshippers to prove that his administration was working hard to get bin Laden. Funny how Attorney General Reno is blamed for killing the plan to get Osama, and not Clinton.

Yup, lay it at the door of the feeble Reno, ring the doorbell....and run.

[Aquinasfan]

Bin Laden? No. An American religious cult? Yes.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for linking the Downside Legacy! Hugs!

[Matchett-PI]

"What say you, democrats who elected this scum, twice."

The same thing they always say. They will defend Clinton, et.al., to the bitter end --- because they know that it is really themselves they are attempting to defend.

They can run --- but they can't hide. His legacy is their legacy, and they know it. And they can't stand the thought that we know it, too.

They will never give up trying to rehabiltate their legacy by trying to rehab his.

But it won't work. We only know the tip of the iceberg so far, concerning the long-term damage that Clinton and the DemocRATS have done to this country.

[kayak]

Starting in early 1996, a team of FBI and CIA agents was secretly sent to an unmarked office in a nondescript building off the Beltway in Alexandria, Va. It was called Alex Station, and it was the center of a U.S. government operation to capture bin Laden. Cloonan was one of 13 FBI agents from New York who was part of Alex Station.

I assume that Henry Waxman is calling for an investigation into the cost of this since it's obvious that it had no purpose except to make it look as if the former administration was trying to do something which they had neither the guts, the resolve, nor the integrity to carry out.

[Revelation 911]

interesting this story pops up right after Clinton chirped about Bush this week - hehehehe

[fightinJAG]

bump

[dirtboy]

Typical twisted ABC headline. Makes it sound like this happened just before 9/11, implicating the current administration. It's not until far down in the article that it's clear that this was under Clinton's watch.

Yeah, let's play this game some more:

States disagreed with Republicans prior to 9/11 - in other news, South Carolina seceeded from the Union prior to the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln. Other states followed suit. Democratic congressman Garin O'Daschle was deeply saddened by the move.

[FReepaholic]

>>...There was concern that people around the bin Laden compound would be killed."...<<

Gee, Reno didn't seem to be as concerned about that when she attacked Mt. Carmel church.

[OldFriend]

I believe the AG is in charge of the FBI and CIA.......so Reno would have to sign off.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Does it bother anyone else that the FBI would plan a Law Enforcement action, which involved the military “attacking” targets?

[piasa]

I doubt it was Reno...

...it was Bubba.

Bubba himself called off at least two hits on Aidid in Somalia at the absolute last minute, too...

...and I hear he called off at least one hunt on Imad Mugniyah, but the source for that one I'm not sure of.

[lowbridge]

bump

[muleskinner]

Please post a link to Mansoor Ijaz' story

[hobbes1]

Have you been living in a Cave...?

Here's a clue, GOOGLE works wonders.

[flamefront]

Right. Remember how Reno got her job? It appeared the Clintons made her a deal "she could not refuse." She only did the Clintons bidding. "I'll take domestic," said Hillary.

[lasereye]

Since when does the FBI engage in overseas commando operations?