Bush Had Plan to Overthrow Taliban if They Failed to Turn Over Bin Laden

[rodbarnett]

WASHINGTON (AP) - One day before the Sept. 11 attacks, senior Bush administration officials agreed that the United States would try to overthrow Afghanistan's Taliban rulers if a final diplomatic push to expel Osama bin Laden from the country failed, a federal panel reported Tuesday.

The independent commission reviewing the attacks said in a preliminary report that in the years before the attacks the Clinton and Bush administrations chose to use diplomatic rather than military options, which allowed bin Laden and other al-Qaida leaders to elude capture.

<snip>

The panel, known formally as the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, presented its findings as it began hearings with top-level Bush and Clinton administration officials. The aim was to question officials on their efforts to stop bin Laden in the years leading up to the attacks.

<snip>

Shortly before the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration was debating how to force bin Laden out of Afghanistan. At a Sept. 10, 2001, meeting of second-tier Cabinet officials, officials settled on a three-phase strategy. The first step called for dispatching an envoy to talk to the Taliban. If this failed, diplomatic pressure would be applied and covert funding and support for anti-Taliban fighters would be increased.

If both failed, "the deputies agreed that the United States would seek to overthrow the Taliban regime through more direct action," the report said. Deputy national security adviser Stephen Hadley said the strategy had a three-year timeframe.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAA96S96SD.html

[yardwork]

1. What utter and complete bull-roar!

Do they really think that people will believe this? I guess they do.

[nuxvomica]

12. I'd like to see a copy of the plan myself

I'd bet there are references to minor government officials in foreign countries that weren't in office until just recently. *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*

[Frances]

2. Will there be any questions on what the Bush administration

should have done about airport security?

Didn't the Republicans block Gore's suggestions for that measure?

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. What airport security?

I walked onto a plane at LaGuardia two weeks before 9-11, and no one checked my ticket or boarding pass at any point.

[54anickel]

27. 9/10 my brother flew into Boston, they checked his

briefcase getting OFF the plane. He thought it rather strange, but didn't think anything of it until 9/11. He was staying at the same hotel that they had the big search at - where the terrorists stayed. Too close for comfort that trip!
Anyway, obviously in hind sight, someone knew a lot more than they are letting on. Why else were they searching people upon arrival at their destination that evening. :shrug:

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. Overthrowing the Taliban had more to do

with getting a pipeline, to bring Central Asia's oil, to Kenny Boy Lay's boondoggle of a power plant down in India. At that point Osama was just another pawn in the PNAC grand scheme of things.

[gasperc]

4. hmm "3 year timeframe" and meanwhile loads of "chatter" ignored?

so that's thier pass, they had a plan? the loads of chatter, the warnings flags that were dismissed or ignored we should just brush that shit aside? where's the accountability?

[Dirty Hippie]

6. If they planned to overthrow the Taliban

then why did they give them money? I think they gave 40 mil. Anyone with more detail on this?

[dave29]

8. yes they gave the Taliban money to fight a war on drugs

40 million dollars, even though they were known Al-Queda harborers. It was a token, really to show this administration was on (the) drugs (problem).

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Forty million dollar token?

I know the French are laughing at them.

[yardwork]

24. Oops. That didn't work.

The Taliban did crack down on poppy production. As soon as we threw out the Taliban, poppy production resumed at previous levels.

If it had really been a priority with the * administration, we could have spent a fraction of the money we've spent invading Iraq on providing other sources of revenue for Afghan people. Instead, we bombed their country, wiped out their government such as it was, and then took off again.

Of course the farmers resumed planting poppies. It's the only source of income they have.

W must be the stupidest person in the world. What is remarkable is the level of stupidity of the people he gathered around himself. I'm surprised the Earth's orbit hasn't been affected by the disproportionate level of stupidity occupying one place on the planet.

[UpInArms]

13. here's an article regarding that

http://www.robertscheer.com/1_natcolumn/01_columns/052201.htm

Bush's Faustian Deal With the Taliban
By Robert Scheer
Published May 22, 2001 in the Los Angeles Times


Enslave your girls and women, harbor anti-U.S. terrorists, destroy every vestige of
civilization in your homeland, and the Bush administration will embrace you. All that matters is that you line up as an ally in the drug war, the only international cause that this nation still takes seriously.

That's the message sent with the recent gift of $43 million to the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan, the most virulent anti-American violators of human rights in the world today. The gift, announced last Thursday by Secretary of State Colin Powell, in addition to other recent aid, makes the U.S. the main sponsor of the Taliban and rewards that "rogue regime" for declaring that opium growing is against the will of God. So, too, by the Taliban's estimation, are most human activities, but it's the ban on drugs that catches this administration's attention.

Never mind that Osama bin Laden still operates the leading anti-American terror operation from his base in Afghanistan, from which, among other crimes, he launched two bloody attacks on American embassies in Africa in 1998.

...more...

[soleft]

7. We already knew they were planning to overthrow the Taliban

They already had plans for an invasion in October before 9/11. Remember "Accept our carpet of gold or we'll bury you in a carpet of bombs?"

But it wasn't to eliminate Alquada, it was to get to the Caspian Sea reserves.

[radwriter0555]

21. actually, to install the pipeline to transport the caspian reserves that

turned out to be of really really crappy quality, and not worth their time.

Putin was george's best pal while the US was taliban toppling and once it was found that the caspian reserves were crap, and that bushco wouldn't install said pipeline, the subsequent rift between bush and putin came about.

[DoYouEverWonder]

29. And the invasion of Iraq

became the next must do item, on their to do list to control the world's resources.

[daleo]

9. "meeting of second-tier Cabinet officials"

This sounds like a real high priority - second tier officials of a third rate administration.

[Carni]

10. Guess that's why the gave the taliban the millions

For stopping the growing of poppies earlier that same year- what bullshit.

[radwriter0555]

23. that money was actually budgeted by the clinton admin in a genuine effort

to stop the heroin/poppy production.

one of the main reasons the bush regime invaded afghanistan, in addition to the whole caspian sea bullshit, was to reinstate the heroin production, a known commodity in trade for the CIA.

[UpInArms]

11. okay - back to the re-writing of the history books, children

here is a statement by John Maresca in 1998 for Unocal

http://www.bapd.org/Unocal%201998%20Caspian%20testimony.html

Mr. Chairman, I am John Maresca, Vice President, International Relations, of Unocal Corporation. Unocal is one of the world's leading energy resource and project development companies. Our activities are focused on three major regions -- Asia, Latin America and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. In Asia and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, we are a major oil and gas producer. I appreciate your invitation to speak here today. I believe these hearings are important and timely, and I congratulate you for focusing on Central Asia oil and gas reserves and the role they play in shaping U.S. policy.

Today we would like to focus on three issues concerning this region, its resources and U.S. policy:

The need for multiple pipeline routes for Central Asian oil and gas.

The need for U.S. support for international and regional efforts to achieve balanced and lasting political settlements within Russia, other newly independent states and in Afghanistan.

The need for structured assistance to encourage economic reforms and the development of appropriate investment climates in the region. In this regard, we specifically support repeal or removal of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.

...more...

and then Clinton did this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/156620.stm

Saturday, August 22, 1998 Published at 16:18 GMT 17:18 UK


World

US sanctions on Saudi dissident

President Clinton has signed an order forbidding American companies to trade with the exiled Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden - the man Washington says was behind the bombing of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

On Thursday, the US launched missile attacks on targets in Afghanistan and Sudan that it believes are part of a "terrorist" network organised by Osama bin Laden.

In his weekly broadcast to the nation, President Clinton said America would make sure Osama bin Laden had less money in future.

"We must not allow sanctuary for terrorism - not for terrorists or for their money," Mr Clinton said.

http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/99101801.htm

15 October 1999

Text: Clinton Applauds UNSC Adoption of Sanctions Against Taliban

President Clinton applauded the U.N. Security Council "for taking a strong stand against international terrorism ... and demanding that the Taliban stop harboring Usama bin Ladin," according to a statement released by the White House October 15.

The Security Council on October 15 passed by a unanimous vote a resolution that will result in economic sanctions being placed on the Taliban if they do not deliver bin Ladin within 30 days to a country where he can be brought to justice.

"The sanctions the U.N. has chosen parallel the unilateral ones that the United States placed on the Taliban in July and will result in the restriction of landing rights of airlines owned, leased or operated by or on behalf of the Taliban, the freezing of Taliban accounts around the world and the prohibition of investment in any undertaking owned or controlled by the Taliban," the President said.

Following is the White House text:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

Statement by the President

I applaud the U.N. Security Council for taking a strong stand against international terrorism today and demanding that the Taliban stop harboring Usama bin Ladin. The Security Council's resolution, which passed by a unanimous vote, will result in economic sanctions being placed on the Taliban if they do not deliver bin Ladin within 30 days to a country where he can be brought to justice.

The Security Council's action demonstrates the international community's understanding of the threat posed by bin Ladin and his network of terrorists. Despite the condemnation of scores of countries after the 1998 bombing of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the Taliban has continued to allow bin Ladin and his network to operate training camps, make threats against the United States and others and plan terrorist operations from their bases in Afghanistan. Now the international community has spoken with one voice. The sanctions the U.N. has chosen parallel the unilateral ones that the United States placed on the Taliban in July and will result in the restriction of landing rights of airlines owned, leased or operated by or on behalf of the Taliban, the freezing of Taliban accounts around the world and the prohibition of investment in any undertaking owned or controlled by the Taliban.

...more...

Friday, 28 August, 1998, 22:00 GMT 23:00 UK

Timeline

August 28: Second embassy bomb suspect charged The US authorities charge a second man in connection with the bombing of the American embassy in Kenya.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_160000/160512.stm

August 26: Pakistan 'objected to missile attack' The Pakistani army has issued a statement attempting to clarify the role of an American general who visited Islamabad at the time of the US missile strikes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_158000/158896.stm

August 25: US 'reveals' nerve gas evidence An anonymous US intelligence official has reportedly revealed evidence of nerve gas production in the Sudanese factory hit by American missiles.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_157000/157938.stm

August 25: US 'charged' bin Laden before bombings Osama bin Laden, the man blamed by the US for the East African embassy bombings, was reportedly charged with inciting attacks on US citizens weeks before the explosions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_157000/157902.stm


August 25: US 'reveals' nerve gas evidence An anonymous US intelligence official has reportedly revealed evidence of nerve gas production in the Sudanese factory hit by American missiles last week.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_157000/157938.stm

August 24: UN debates Sudan factory attack The UN Security Council is set to consider Sudan's plea for inspectors to visit the factory destroyed by US missiles.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_157000/157192.stm

August 23: Saudi dissident told to hold his tongue The Taleban authorities in Afghanistan say they intend to restrain the activities of Osama bin Laden.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_156000/156936.stm

August 23: Libya accuses US The Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, has accused the US of training Osama bin Laden.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/monitoring/newsid_156000/156802.stm

August 23: Iraq backs Sudan Baghdad says it will support Sudan in fighting American "aggression".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_156000/156721.stm

August 22: 'Terror network severely damaged' The White House says Thursday's Cruise missile attack in Afghanistan badly disrupted terrorist training camps.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_156000/156747.stm

August 22: Trans-Afghan pipeline suspended The United States oil and gas company, Unocal, has called a halt to plans to build a $2bn pipeline through Afghanistan following the US air attacks on Afghanistan and the Sudan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_156000/156497.stm

August 22: UN official dies A senior United Nations official, who was shot in the Afghan capital, Kabul, has died.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_156000/156669.stm

August 22: US sanctions on Saudi dissident President Clinton has signed an order forbidding American companies to trade with the exiled Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_156000/156620.stm

August 22: Sudan protests against West Angry crowds in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, stoned the British embassy building and cut down the British flag.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_156000/156393.stm

August 22: UN victim taken to Pakistan The body of a senior Italian UN official, shot dead in the Afghan capital Kabul, has been flown back to Pakistan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_156000/156669.stm

August 22: UN to discuss factory attack The UN is to consider Sudan's call for observers to investigate whether a factory bombed by the US was making chemical weapons or pharmaceuticals.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_156000/156316.stm

August 21: Squaring up for conflict The US and terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden warn each other of more attacks following American missile raids in Sudan and Afghanistan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_156000/156273.stm

August 21: US on alert for reprisals Americans at home and abroad are warned to be aware of the risk of reprisals. Security is stepped up at public buildings, embassies and airports.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_156000/156298.stm

August 21: Protests begin over US attacks Demonstrations against the American military action begin in Pakistan and Afghanistan, while in Sudan, protesters attack the US embassy in Khartoum.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_155000/155551.stm

August 21: Sudan broadcasts aftermath of air strike Sudan's president Umar Bashir describes the US air strike on his country as an act of "aggression of the forces of tyranny and oppression".
http://sitesvr01/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_155000/155415.stm

August 20: Clinton defends military strikes President Clinton defends his decision to order attacks against targets in Sudan and Afghanistan, but the countries concerned have reacted with anger.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_155000/155252.stm

August 20: Annan 'concerned' over US air strikes The United Nation's Secretary General, Kofi Annan, expressed "concern" at the US air strikes in retaliation for embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_155000/155318.stm

August 20: Strikes 'planned for a week' The US strikes in Sudan and Afghanistan had been planned for up to a week beforehand, according to Pentagon officials.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_155000/155159.stm

August 20: Taleban leads condemnation of attacks The Taleban leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, condemned the US bombing of Afghanistan, saying there was no camp of the dissident Osama bin Laden in the country.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_155000/155290.stm

August 20: Clinton statement in full The full text of the statement made by President Bill Clinton from the Oval Office in Washington on US military strikes in Afghanistan and Sudan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_155000/155412.stm

August 20: Aid agencies quit Afghanistan International aid agencies start pulling their staff out of Afghanistan following a warning from the United States that they could be in danger.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_154000/154905.stm

August 7: US embassies hit by blasts Two powerful explosions rip through US embassies buildings in Kenya and neighbouring Tanzania.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_147000/147065.stm

for the chimpboy and his minions to come up with a three year plan is absolute bullshit

Shortly before the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration was debating how to force bin Laden out of Afghanistan. At a Sept. 10, 2001, meeting of second-tier Cabinet officials, officials settled on a three- phase strategy. The first step called for dispatching an envoy to talk to the Taliban. If this failed, diplomatic pressure would be applied and covert funding and support for anti-Taliban fighters would be increased.

:puke:

(edited to add more detail)

[Teaser]

14. This is being reported as a failure for Bush...

not a cover story.

Because the diplomatic options they used allowed bin Laden to evade capture.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. "Carpet of bombs" beginning to sound feasible?

I think so. And today Madeline Albright testified that they never knew during the Clinton Administration how intertwined Osama was with the Taliban. You know what that means? It means that when Bush threatened the Taliban, they threatened Osama. Perhaps this was the trigger for the 9/11 operation.

[underpants]

17. Hadley? the sam guy who was "responsible" for the 16 words in SOTU?

Oh yeah him.

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. Was he the one responsible?

Well, now I know why he protest too much.

[colonel odis]

19. yeah, yeah. that's the ticket!

we were gonna over.... THROW them! on, um, uh..... september 10TH!. but we decided to sleep on it -- with my girlfrr-- er.... wife! morgan fairchild. then the next day we couldn't get any planes out of the country cause they were all on the ground.

yeah, that's it.

[radwriter0555]

20. the bush regime had plans to topple the taliban LONG before 9.11

occurred, simply because the taliban had NO interest in doing business with western countries to install that insane pipeline through their country at the behest of Unocal.

[grytpype]

22. That settles it.

They clearly did not consider going after Al Qaeda a priority if they had a three-year timetable to diplomatically drive him from Afgh. And this was a day before the attacks.

[Malva Zebrina]

25. smells so bad

why are there no questions about what went down on 9-11? ush sitting in classroom and a myriad of other puzzling events.

Yahoo has the headline now
Powell: Sept. 11 Attacks May Have Been Unstoppable

so now the lie is going to be that 9-11 was unstoppable?--I did not read the article, but the headline certainly is an eye stopper--so it was fine that Bush did nothing and went on vacation for six weeks prior to it.



How disgusting this whole crew.

[Corgigal]

26. Sept. 11 Attacks May Have Been Unstoppable

Well, Yeah with Bush and buddies asleep at the switch it certainly was.

[NYC]

28. 9/11 "was not something that had to happen."

9/11 "was not something that had to happen."
9/11 Commission Chairman, Governor Thomas Kean

[leesa]

30. They DID have a plan in place to overthrow the Taliban, but it

had nothing to do with terrorism. They planned to bomb Afghanistan since July of 2001 because the Taliban refused the offer BushCo presented to them for the pipeline through Afghanistan. The US threatened them with a carpet of gold or a carpet of bombs if the Taliban did not agree to the US terms.

Bombing Afghanistan had not one thing to do with terrorism either before OR AFTER 9-11.

[nomatrix]

31. On September 11 the CIA ....

http://www.nlsi.net/hs-alc-info.htm

"On the morning of September 11th 2001, Mr. Fulton and his team at the CIA were running a pre-planned simulation to explore the emergency response issues that would be created if a plane were to strike a building. Little did they know that the scenario would come true in a dramatic way that day. Information is the most powerful tool available in the homeland security effort. At the core of every initiative currently underway to protect our country and its citizens is the challenge of getting the right information to the right people at the right time."

Shaking head in disbelief.

Wait, if the Clinton administration was passing this off as fact....
never mind.

[koopie57]

32. Good grief!

They haven't turned Bin Laden over so what happened to the plan? Why isn't he using this plan?

I think they should hire someone as head of the 'department for keeping lies straight and somewhat believable'.