Ex-Bush VP: Clinton 'Policy Breach' Left U.S. Vulnerable to 9-11 Attacks

NewsMax.com ^ | June 4, 2002 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

Former Vice President Dan Quayle said Monday night that the lack of a firm policy to deal with terrorism during the Clinton administration was more responsible for leaving America vulnerable to the 9-11 attacks than any FBI or CIA intelligence failures.

"I don't believe 9-11 happened because of an intelligence breach," Quayle told Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."

"I think it was really a policy breach. It was the inaction of the previous administration, by and large, that al Qaeda -- and bin Laden in particular -- thought that they could hit the United States, and there would be a retaliation maybe of a cruise missile but nothing more than that," he explained.

The comments make the former vice president, who served under President Bush's father from 1989 to 1993, the highest ranking former U.S. official to suggest that the Clinton administration should get the lion's share of the blame for not preventing the 9-11 attacks.

Quayle also insisted that President Bush would have struck back more forcefully against al Osama bin Laden after earlier terrorist attacks on U.S. interests, taking action that could have averted 9-11.

"I can assure you if a USS Cole or an American embassy that had been hit under President Bush's watch, there would have been a different response," he said. "And I really think that bin Laden.... thought that he could hit us (on 9-11) and that the response would not be that much."

The former vice president also suggested that political correctness played a key role in allowing the 9-11 hijackers to elude U.S. anti-terror watchdogs, even after valuable intelligence on al Qaeda suspects was forwarded to Washington from the FBI's Phoenix and Minneapolis offices.

"This was, clearly, a situation where the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. (said), 'Oh, well, we can't do that. We might be getting into racial profiling,'" Quayle said. "'We might be doing something else, getting into wiretapping when we really don't have probable cause.'"

Appearing on the same show, former FBI assistant deputy director Daniel Coulson blamed a Clinton executive order for the failure of U.S. intelligence agents to infiltrate al Qaeda terror cells.

"The first thing you have to remember is that (Clinton) issued an executive order that said.... you can't use an individual who has terrorist connections in order to develop information about terrorist organizations, which is a huge bungle."

Coulson said the Clinton executive order, "defies reason, it defies logic, and it's not consistent with the law."

"Every day in a criminal case, we use unsavory characters," he explained. "We use people that are murderers to find other murderers. And that puts a great burden on the CIA, and it impedes their abilities to do their job."

[eureka!]

I agree, sadly. 1993 was the year this war should have started....

[Retiredforever]

Rush Limbaugh mentioned yesterday that the Saudi's offered to turn Osama bin Laden over to the United States twice during the Clinton administration -- and the offer was rejected both times.

[hchutch]

I sure hope the Perot voters are happy with themselves...

[eureka!]

I am sure they are not. Nobody is, except the most twisted leftists and those that don't care to learn...

[wny]

This, of course will get zero coverage by the networks this evening. But if Quayle had said "I think it was really a policy breach. It was the inaction of THIS administration..." then it would be the lead story on CBS, NBC, CNN, ABC, MSNBC. And it would be on the front page, above the fold, of the NY Times, the LA Times, Washington Post and the other liberal propaganda sheets.

[chiefqc]

Here's hoping that the klinton's, both pervert willya and crusty hellary, have the nightmares that they justly deserve. Reliving the sounds of the screams and the visions of people jumping out of the towers windows.

But I'm almost certain that this will not happen, they are way beyound that stage. They are both morally bankrupt.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Oh those Perot/quitter/'sit at home'/'bitter that a conservative utopia wasn't instituted in one fell swoop' types are back, audibly sighing with relief and inwardly almost gleeful that they've think they've found their latest excuse to not vote Republican. In denial as usual, with a myopic view that ignores reality and blows a few things they don't like way out of proportion. Running on emotional hysteria, they espouse ridiculous world views that defy logic. Chicken Little so-called conservatives, no different than Kitty Genovese's neighbors.

[Quilla]

Nightmares! I don't think so. The Clinton's are dreaming about reclaiming the White House. Both of them are raking in the big bucks from non-existent book deals, speeches to fools (and their money), skimming off of political action committee funds, and not paying the first legal bill or personal expense. When it comes right down to it, money is what bought Billy Clinton's first presidential election and they plan on buying one for Hilly too. Now I'm gonna have nightmares.

[Coop]

God bless Dan Quayle. I'll be waiting for the NY Times headline on this one.

[yendu bwam]

God bless Dan Quayle. I'll be waiting for the NY Times headline on this one.

Yeah, it'll be on page 23 - one paragraph near the bottom. Headline will be something like: Quayle Plays Politics with 9/11 - - In actuality, nobody but nobody deserves more blame for 9/11 than President Clinton. The man knew perfectly well of the threats, and he completely abrograted his responsibility to protect and defend our country. Though the news media can't say this, history will judge him correctly - and Clinton knows that perfectly well.

[bigdog]

Mr. Squat, you're right on target.

But-

Hope you have your fire proof suit on. 'Cause here come the flames.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

"I agree, sadly. 1993 was the year this war should have started...." - I disagree. This all started in 1979 - Jimmy Carter's administration. With the Tehran hostage situation, the radical muslams declared war on the U.S. We ignored them and they grew. Clinton added gas to the fire by his mitilary response or lack thereof. Just like WWI and WWII wern't really over until the wall came down, this war will not really be over until the enemies of the U.S. are completely defeated. We cannot do it alone, but we will not get any help at this stage. It is our turn to be the target. 1993 was not the year it started, it was the year it should have ended.

[1Old Pro]

It doesn't surprise me a bit that the Liberals in politics and the media made Qualying Quayle their top priority.

Dan Quayle WOULD HAVE LIVED UP TO HIS CONSERVATIVE VALUES and that scared libs to death. Thus, they knew they had to pull out all the stops to convince Americans that Dan was a dim-bulb lightweight.

Quayle is just the opposite, a true conservative who would have been perhaps the only potential presidental candidate to REALLY carry the Reagan torch. So sad....

[eureka!]

Good points. While I was thinking in terms of terror on our shores and the WTC bombing, and not to just bash the worthless and corrupt Clinton...

[Kathleen]

In actuality, nobody but nobody deserves more blame for 9/11 than President Clinton

..and his amnesic co-president.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Now you're talking! Thank GOD for former VP Quayle! At last, the hammer is hitting the nail on the head.

Clinton is the Culpable Culprit and deserves charges of treason, arrest, and imprisonment or worse.

[alrea]

Yeah, it'll be on page 23 - one paragraph near the bottom. Headline will be something like: Quayle Plays Politics with 9/11 - - In actuality, nobody but nobody deserves more blame for 9/11 than President Clinton. The man knew perfectly well of the threats, and he completely abrograted his responsibility to protect and defend our country. Though the news media can't say this, history will judge him correctly - and Clinton knows that perfectly well.

But they tell us Dan Quail nest can't even spell Al Quaida.

[alrea]

"The first thing you have to remember is that (Clinton) issued an executive order that said.... you can't use an individual who has terrorist connections in order to develop information about terrorist organizations, which is a huge bungle."

This message is brought to you by the committee to consider Senator Clinton of New York for President.

[bray]

Who cares about scapegoating an ex-impeached President? Go after the real dangers and that is Dame clinton and Janet Reno who loathed the CIA/FBI/Police/Military. Those are the two that caused 911 and need to be ousted. Why didn't Janet Reno/Dame clinton capture terrorists in the same fervor she captured a 10 yr old refugee??? Why did we sell our secrets to China and then hide the truth? Why did Reno and the JOD cover up the possible details of the Oklahoma bombing? That one looks more and more like the first WTD bombing?? Why did they release and honor so many terrorists?? These are the questions that can damage the current DemonicRat leaders.

Pray for GW and the Truth

[Miss Marple]

Perhaps then you will feel better is you know that Dan Quayle defended President Bush as a conservative last night, and said that the things that people were griping about were overblown and symptomatic of not understanding how government works. "Every President signs a farm bill," said former Vice President Quayle.

Or, I guess you can call him a Bushbot.

Quayle was my first choice to run in 2000, but he dropped out early.

[deport]

Quayle talking.......

[aristeides]

Coulson said the Clinton executive order, "defies reason, it defies logic, and it's not consistent with the law."

It doesn't defy reason, if Clinton's purpose was to protect the terrorists.

[aristeides]

And the Sudanese offered to turn over two bin Laden lieutenants after the embassy bombings in '98, and Clinton's response was to bomb the aspirin factory.

[1Old Pro]

said that the things that people were griping about were overblown and symptomatic of not understanding how government works.

There's alot of truth to that. Too many complainers never get involved and have no idea how things work and how to change things from the "inside".

[alisasny]

I like Dan Quayle a lot and supported his Presidential aspirations. Deep down I knew he didn't have a chance thanks to the media but my support of him has never left.

[Joy Angela]

Former Vice President Dan Quayle said Monday night that the lack of a firm policy to deal with terrorism during the Clinton administration was more responsible for leaving America vulnerable to the 9-11 attacks than any FBI or CIA intelligence failures.

I've always liked Dan Quayle! He speaks so clearly and without the BS spin.

We little people can think and say the same thing ( see forum topic GUILTY CLINTON: 9-11 It Ain't My Fault http://www.newsmax.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000213-17.html ! ) but no one listens. I hope and pray that the American Public will listen to Dan Quayle!

I am reading Howard Kurtz's SPIN CYCLE, and one of Clinton's protective devises was to avoid having stories on the Evening News...if a scandal had to get out, they preferred print media, because millions would see the report if it hit TV!

With Quayle's past problems with the Media, maybe, just maybe..they'll put Quayle's comments on the News to make fun of him and the TRUTH will get out!

TRUTH: Clinton left America VULNERABLE to attacks!

[quesera]

Well said Sir, thank you!

[MeekOneGOP]

"I don't believe 9-11 happened because of an intelligence breach," Quayle told Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."

"I think it was really a policy breach. It was the inaction of the previous administration, by and large, that al Qaeda -- and bin Laden in particular -- thought that they could hit the United States, and there would be a retaliation maybe of a cruise missile but nothing more than that," he explained.

The comments make the former vice president, who served under President Bush's father from 1989 to 1993, the highest ranking former U.S. official to suggest that the Clinton administration should get the lion's share of the blame for not preventing the 9-11 attacks.

Quayle also insisted that President Bush would have struck back more forcefully against al Osama bin Laden after earlier terrorist attacks on U.S. interests, taking action that could have averted 9-11.

"I can assure you if a USS Cole or an American embassy that had been hit under President Bush's watch, there would have been a different response," he said. "And I really think that bin Laden.... thought that he could hit us (on 9-11) and that the response would not be that much."

He speaks the truth, imho.............

---

The Legacy..........

"A presidential executive order issued during the Clinton
administration hamstrung the FBI so badly that bureau
lawyers decided it would be illegal to infiltrate Osama bin
Laden's terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, a senior
FBI official during the Clinton administration said Saturday."
(June 1, 2002)

[MeekOneGOP]

More Legacy..........

i got away wif murder, rape and
obstruction ov justice. . .
i so proud o' myself! !

JESSE JACKSON and his mistress Karin Stanford (circled)
pose with Clinton and other Rainbow Coalition staffers on
December 3, 1998 -- five months before Jesse's love child
was born.

[SerpentDove]

>>Clinton is the Culpable Culprit and deserves charges of treason, arrest, and imprisonment or worse.<<

My vote is for worse. Much worse. In fact, the worst that can be inflicted on a human.

[MeekOneGOP]

More Legacy..........

Clinton Crying - Video @ Ron Brown Funeral
Laffing & So Forth Til He Sees Camera.....

Spank me Hillary – Harder!

[MeekOneGOP]

The Final Legacy. . .

Conservative Dreams For Bill Clinton - Kansas ?

[Bigg Red]

You are so right about the coverage by the presstitutes.

[Eva]

I like Quayle too, but I am afraid that it is Quayle's meek manner that allowed the Democrats to pillory him. He doesn't have enough aggression, no fight back. I don't think that he got enough support from Bush Sr., either. Quayle is too much of a nice guy.

[Joy Angela]

I really, really didn't need to see Clinton's backside or Hillary in her undies...

Don't you know that if the Conspiring Clintons could get away with it, that is exactly how they'd market themselves!

Sex Sells! That's why there's a Bill Clinton in the first place!

[Phantom Lord]

What the hell kind of headline is that? Ex-Bush VP

Why couldnt the headline read Dan Quayle?

[MickMan51]

"The first thing you have to remember is that (Clinton) issued an executive order that said.... you can't use an individual who has terrorist connections in order to develop information about terrorist organizations, which is a huge bungle."

Well, maybe I'm missing something, but I'd really like to see this one but can't seem to finger it on the list. Any Freepers know which Exec Order this is ??

THIS LIST is all of Clintbilly's EO's. Can any pick out the one referenced ??

[TC Rider]

Rush Limbaugh mentioned yesterday that the Saudi's offered to turn Osama bin Laden over to the United States twice during the Clinton administration -- and the offer was rejected both times.

I think you mean the Sudanese. The Saudis are involved in this up to their beards.

[lasereye]

God bless Dan Quayle. I'll be waiting for the NY Times headline on this one.

Yeah, it'll be on page 23 - one paragraph near the bottom. Headline will be something like: Quayle Plays Politics with 9/11

I doubt it will be in the NYT at all, unless it's mentioned on the Op-Ed page, where they'll rake Quayle over the coals. They'll say something about his Murphy Brown speech, which is still considered thoughtless by liberals, as a way of warning their readers not to take it seriously.

[MississippiMan]

While I find almost nothing to disagree with Quayle on, the truth is that the Bush response is much more severe but the Bush Prevention Effort is as much or more hamstrung by the idiocy of political correctness. We're still firmly set out to prove that we're not going to engage in the atrocious evil of "profiling," despite the fact that 100.0% of our terrorist problems have their origin in Middle Eastern males. I flew myself a month ago and watched what looked to be Middle Eastern males boarding planes without a hitch while 75-year-old caucasians were pulled aside from the same boarding line to remove their shoes. Common sense has left the building and I wonder if it's ever coming back.

MM

[wny]

I usually am.

[Retiredforever]

"I think you mean the Sudanese. The Saudis are involved in this up to their beards."

You are right. I stand corrected.

[berned]

"The first thing you have to remember is that (Clinton) issued an executive order that said.... you can't use an individual who has terrorist connections in order to develop information about terrorist organizations,

If I was Karl Rove, I would have Dubya address the nation (so the major media would be FORCED to cover it and "discuss" it) and announce that he was signing a new Executive Order to REVERSE this Clinton EO.

I would have Bush discuss the specifics of Clinton's EO, (without bashing) and explain that he feels it's in the nations interest to rescind it.

IMHO, that would end the lib media speculation about WHO was to blame for 9/11.

[sakic]

Few here blame W for what happened. Many choose to blame Clinton. No one blames Pappa Bush or Reagan though. Everyone of them is to blame for not understanding that Russia wasn't the one to worry about.

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL!

[MickMan51]

I would have Bush discuss the specifics of Clinton's EO

Still looking for the citation on this. Let's make sure we have our facts straight. See my post # 38. Let's get the document.

[mrsmith]

Apparently that reg is a Deutch "agency guideline".
PBS

"Jeffrey H. Smith was general counsel of the CIA from 1995 to 1996, during which time he was instrumental in drafting new regulations governing the conduct of U.S. intelligence activities. ...

You're responsible for the regulation, as I understand it, that restricts the Central Intelligence Agency from recruiting or paying people who are guilty of murder or human rights violations?
That is not an accurate representation of the regulations.
Are you responsible for the regulation?
In 1995, when I became general counsel of the CIA, there were a series of investigations about CIA activity, largely in Central and South America. There were a series of allegations in public that were being investigated by the Congress... the agency was under huge pressure from the Congress and from the press about, how could you deal with these horrible people? ... So we put those guidelines in place. Essentially, they require that if the CIA wishes to recruit a source of human intelligence information, that is to say, a human being, outside the United States--excuse me--with a bad record, that is to say, someone who's committed murders, someone who's a drug dealer, someone who's a terrorist... ...Congress has directed George Tenet, the Director of Central Intelligence, to look at and rescind these regulations that require headquarters approval to recruit someone with serious human rights problems. "

Clinton made the State Dept. "the lead agency for managing and coordinating counterterrorism policy and operations abroad"!
state.gov
"the President has designated the Department of State, in keeping with its overall responsibility for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy, as the lead agency for managing and coordinating counterterrorism policy and operations abroad, whereas the Department of Justice has been designated the lead agency for domestic terrorism. These responsibilities were reaffirmed recently in Presidential Decision Directive 39, signed by President Clinton on June 21, 1995. "

[Joy Angela]

What the hell kind of headline is that? Ex-Bush VP

It sure caught my attention! I was wondering...EX-VP??? This was the first FR article I clicked on this morning! Talk about Marketing!

[MickMan51]

Appearing on the same show, former FBI assistant deputy director Daniel Coulson blamed a Clinton executive order for the failure of U.S. intelligence agents to infiltrate al Qaeda terror cells.

"The first thing you have to remember is that (Clinton) issued an executive order that said.... you can't use an individual who has terrorist connections in order to develop information about terrorist organizations, which is a huge bungle."

Well, these guys lose more credibility every day. I sure do not see a Clinton "exective order" (his words), and the best anyone can come up with are some vague CIA "agency guidelines" or "regulations" which of course are classified.

The more these clowns open their mouths, the more I think that we need to completely eliminate the FBI and CIA and start from scratch all over. And I'm a leaning libertarian. The FBI seems to be adding about as much value to the fight against terrorism as my grandma. I think that "The FIBBIES" are little more than a leftover Hoover "image machine", a huge paper tiger dedicated to promoting this thought among the populace that everything is under control when in fact it's like the wizard of oz -- whole lotta smoke, not much action. (/rant)