Clinton Flashback: I Trained to Kill Bin Laden (Newsmax transcript)

[joeunderdog]

An account by a former CIA official reported by NBC News Tuesday night directly contradicts ex-President Bill Clinton's claim that he gave the CIA standing orders to kill 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden if the opportunity presented itself.

Gary Schroen, a former CIA station chief in Pakistan, told NBC's Lisa Myers that the Clinton White House required the CIA to capture bin Laden alive rather than kill him.

The directive "reduced the odds from, say, a 50 percent chance down to, say, 25 percent chance that we were going to be able to get him," said Schroen, who was responding to a fall 2000 CIA videotape broadcast by NBC News showing that bin Laden had been pinpointed in his Afghanistan hideout.

In February 2002, however, President Clinton expressly claimed just the opposite, detailing what he insisted were his extensive efforts to track bin Laden down and execute him on the spot.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/3/17/132430.shtml

[Robbien]

1. Newsmax is the propaganda arm of the GOP/Freepers

Even linking to that rag is worse than linking to Drudge Sludge.

[RedEarth]

2. I was just getting ready to post the same thing...certainly not going to

take the time to read the article.

[joeunderdog]

6. FYI-It's almost all quotes, most I've seen on this. Not editorialized.

That is not to say NewsMax isn't a RW rag, but this peice is pretty interesting.

[Robbien]

14. Sure it is interesting if you wish to bash Clinton's penis

I am not saying the quotes are wrong, just saying why are we posting stories that the GOP wants us to focus on and waste our time defending when they should be the ones we put on the defensive?

[TacticalPeek]

17. Agreed. No cooties for my puter, thanks.

But the premise is laughable for starters. Why 'train to kill' if you can only capture?

I believe the actual executive order or intel finding or whatever is still classified and unreleased, but Clinton, Gen. Downing, Sandy Berger, etc. have all made remarks to the effect that Clinton ordered the capture of Mr. O. B. Laden, using lethal means if necessary, including lethal actions against OBL. Witness the cruise missile attacks on OBL's camps, which are lethal to those located where they land.

The US government is forbidden by statute to assassinate foreign leaders. The March 19, 2003 attack on Saddam at Dora Farms and other attacks on him were justified as striking 'command and control' targets which is permissible by US statute and the rules of war. No doubt some such rationale was developed allowing OBL to be targeted.

I am certain there will never be any proof presented that Clinton or anyone ordered the "snatch" of OBL and forbade killing him, since such a thing never happened. On the other hand, proof of Clinton's actual orders, findings, etc. are available to the intel committees in Congress and the 911 commission, etc., and we will soon see an unclassified summary of these actions. That's why the RW hacks are rushing now to muddy as much water as they can, because the flood is heading their way.

Cheney is now spouting as much BS about WTC I and Clinton as Lisa Myers is. They both need to be sent to a school on how to read intelligence reports.

[radwriter0555]

9. newsmax is a MOONIE OWNED SITE.

And all the freaks who write for them are MOONIES.

Fork em.

[lancdem]

3. I wonder if all this "blame Clinton" stuff came out

because the Big Dog is now officially helping Kerry. BTW, was this interview the one on TV yesterday?

[radwriter0555]

11. You got it.

very good.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

4. NBC?

They're referencing something that was on NBC last night. Anybody have a link to that? Newsmax has a Drudge-ish habit of selecting one sentence out of context and making it into the whole story.

[UpInArms]

5. oh we can read more of the "Clenis" attackers' tripe

- this is getting quite old and disgusting -

SnewsMucks is a disgusting place - might as well go over to the freepers and try to enjoy a conversation with literates (NOT!)

:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

[Mountainman]

7. Why do DUers use NewsMax as a source

They really do not do objective news stories. The do hit pieces on Dems.

[Norquist Nemesis]

15. Not only subjective stories

but outright lies and misrepresentations. Funny, when Bush says something, the dense and unthinking rethugs spread the word of truth but when truth comes from a dem it's either based on some political conspiracy motivation or labeled a lie. (In all fairness, we do the same thing sometimes. Payback's a bitch sometimes LOL)

[boobooday]

8. NewsMax -- Clinton hating psycho tabloid

Pay them no mind.



http://www.wgoeshome.com

[rumguy]

10. Newsmax makes shit up and takes things out of context

their record with the truth is spotty...

I need more links about this story...

[David Zephyr]

12. Isn't Newmax Postings In LBN A Break With DU Rules?

:shrug:

No offense meant to you, Joeunderdog, but I think I'm right about this. In any event, it's a lousy fountain to sip news from.

[salin]

13. meanwhile bush pulled resources in the "hunt" to go to war in Iraq

and after more than two years - his efforts "dead or alive" are still naught.

[Torgo4]

16. Think BushCo Will De-Classify?

Nope---Only reveal stuff that supports BushCo:

1. "Broad Effort Launched After '98 Attacks." Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2001, A1. <http://www.washingtonpost.com>

First of two articles.

"Beginning on Aug. 7, 1998, the day that al Qaeda destroyed the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Clinton directed a campaign of increasing scope and lethality against bin Laden's network that carried through his final days in office.

"In addition to a secret 'finding' to authorize covert action,... Clinton signed three highly classified Memoranda of Notification expanding the available tools. In succession, the president authorized killing instead of capturing bin Laden, then added several of al Qaeda's senior lieutenants, and finally approved the shooting down of private civilian aircraft on which they flew.

[lazarus]

18. Moving this to GD

Because Newsmax isn't even remotely a decent news source.

[seabeyond]

19. but there was other stuff

he also was going thru impeachment and lame duck, they stated he couldnt declare war on or just murder him like they could now. thta things were different in 98, 99. adn after the cole they switched. and they did bomb him once trying to get him, so that contradicts what the man says, not sure when it was , but was called wag the dog by republicans

[Spoon]

20. So if Clinton authorized killing Bin Laden,

which I believe he did, then what the F*ck is wrong with the CIA? This "Gary Schroen" is a freaking lier, trying to cover his ass for his mistake. No wonder he's a "former" station cheif. The CIA has failed us too many times.

With the coordinates from the drone, a cruise missile strike from Diago Garcia was definately possible. But I'm sure "Gary" and his boys analyzed and analyzed until it was too late.