PLEASE tune in-Bob Graham - War on Terrorism - 12:50 p.m. C-span

[LittleApple81]

just started

Doing a great job.
Edited to change title

[LittleApple81]

1. He will make comments that will not be well received by the White House"nt

[tandot]

2. I am in the office - can you let us know what he is saying?

thanks!

[LittleApple81]

7. I will try. Not very good at listening and typing at the same time.

Now talking about having Al-Qaida on the ropes in February of 2002 and then basically messing up by going to Iraq.
Central Command told him at that time that they were moving to Iraq. They said the army is trained to fight wars and not to chase individuals (Bin Laden???)

[tandot]

17. Thanks to all who keep us office rats updated on Graham

and anything else that is going on on TV

:pals:

[sadiesworld]

3. 9/11 could have been prevented!

[dennis4868]

4. Bush failed....

to keep his eye on the ball by going into Iraq

[nostamj]

5. damn!

'we had them (AQ) on the ropes...'

slamming * for failure in Afghanistan/invasion of Iraq.

[ellie]

6. I share

Richard Clarke's view that since 9/11 that bushco have dropped the ball on terrorism. We had the opportunity to crush them. Personal anectdote: visited Central Command in FL in Feb. 2002, I visit to be briefed. The commander told me that we have stopped fighting the war in Afghanistan. We were preparing to fight a war in Iraq.

[sadiesworld]

8. Had UBL on the ropes in spring 2002. Feb.'02 moved operations out

of Afghanistan to fight war in Iraq.

[sadiesworld]

9. The disaster monkey is on all whore cable channels talking terra.

[goclark]

10. Love Graham

In Florida last week in Florida Pres. gave impression that there was a tie between Iraq and Al Q.

[ellie]

11. Which evil deserved

to have our primary attention (in that region)? Our intelligence on SH's WMD's was seriously flawed. Never a shred of evidence there was a link between al Qaeda and SH. Bush gave the American people the impression that they were linked when he kicked off his campaign in my home state recently.

I voted against IWR. I thought the standard to which of the many evils to put our energy against was straightforward. Three factors: 1. Which evil had the greatest capability to kill Americans? 2. Who had the greatest will to use that capability? 3. Who had the presence? The answer is al Qaeda for all three.

[truthspeaker]

14. FINALLY!

This is the 800 pound gorilla that the mainstream politicians and press have been (inexplicably) refusing to talk about for over a year. Fighting Iraq had nothing to do with fighting terrorism. It was so obvious at the time, but hardly anyone talked about it.

[proud patriot]

12. I just tuned in

whew .. to escape the coward speaking on the CNN ..

[sadiesworld]

13. Not a "shred" of evidence linking AQ to 9/11.

Iraq no threat to US
Wish misadministration would release docs
Monkey not curious enough to educate himself about threats
Refers to Tenet stating that Iraq war has inflamed terror threat

[Ivote]

Listening to

him now

[Mandate My Ass]

15. when bush declared Iraq next frontier in war on terror

he made that a self-fulfilling prophecy. Our invasion and lack of reconstruction is the cause for insurgents and terrorists there.

[ellie]

16. No indication

that bush is curious to ask the right questions, who is the greatest threat? He never shared with the American people what his criteria was. Iraq war as a self-fulfilling declaration. Iraq became a breeding ground for insurgents after the invasion and due to poorly managed occupation. Tenet acknowledged that the war has inflamed the jihadists. A forseeable threat remains in the future with or without SH or Osama bin Laden. The war on terror and the war in Iraq are two different animals.

To win the war on terror, we have to:
1. Take fight to terrorists. Strong offense is the best defense. Supported the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Don't want to keep building forts. Florida is filled with forts that were burned down by the Seminoles.
2. Instill new creativity in our intelligence agencies.

[truthspeaker]

18. Captain Obvious to the rescue! (in a good way)

Unfortunately this country has been oblivious to the obvious for a long time now.

[sadiesworld]

19. Several references to Clarke. Agreement.

[stopbush]

20. In the other thread on this, I stated that Bob's use of his Seminole

Indian tale was not wise. He needed to temper the statement more than he did. The R's will pounce on this, rest assured.

[ellie]

21. Intelligence agencies need an overhaul

Recommended creating a cabinet level position on intelligence. I have introduced legislation for such a post. As a testimony to my effectiveness, two years after 9/11, nothing has been done. I feel like Richard Clarke. I ask for your forgiveness.


3. We must rebuild our international relationships. A united and super precision warfare strategy will be effective as we move beyond al Qaeda and on to other terrorists networks like Hezbollah, the A-Team of terrorists.

[sadiesworld]

22. Need a debate about personal security vs. civil liberties.

[Norbert]

23. Any know EST when/if this will be rerun?

[Mandate My Ass]

24. need to shift the culture of fbi

to emphasis on counterterrorism, not sure they'll be (willing? able?) to change in timely manner.

[LittleApple81]

25. He just said "What the Hell Intelligence System is that?" ...excuse me.n/t

[LittleApple81]

26. Talking about the SAUDIS!!! n/t

[sadiesworld]

27. Administration's secrecy and character assasination of whistleblowers.

[ellie]

28. 4. Must figure out how to

build intelligence networks throughout society, like using police offiers who are out in the community. A 9/11 highjacker was arrested on a traffic stop. The police officer didn't know he was on the watch list. How the hell is that an intelligence policy?

5. We must be prepared to trust the American people with the truth: what we have done wrong in the past, etc. Truth telling is in very short supply in the current administration. The current administration is the most secretive in history. When someone from the administration comes forward, their response is to engage in character assassination. I know first hand how specious this administration's secrecy can be. My suspicion is that the terrorists weren't working alone. They had assistance from foreign governments. A report was censored by bushco with this information (sorry, I didn't catch what committee it was).

[Mandate My Ass]

29. time to begin to tell the truth to the american people

about what we're doing and why. If we fail to do so we'll face same consequences as former Soviet Union.

[ellie]

30. Moniyhan (spelling)

said that secrecy is for losers. The Soviet Union found that out. We must build an era of openness. Friends it is time to refocus on efforts on the war on terror, without distractions, with laserlike precision and tell the American people what we are doing.

That's all of his speech.

Now questions.

During the joint inquiry, he asked Clinton what his biggest mistake during the 90s? Clinton said allowing the al Qaeda training camps to exist. We didn't have the will to destroy them.

[Mandate My Ass]

Seib of WSJ

trying to get Graham to pin blame on Clinton Admin.

[sadiesworld]

31. Q&A

WSJ: How much of it was Clinton's fault? :puke:

[ellie]

32. Was the plane

that let the Saudis leave an intelligence failure?

Yes. We looked at it as a administerial matter and did not question other agencies who may have wanted to interrogate these people. This is a pattern of behavior that started 9/11. Many people have been let go, and even they have been stopped by foreign governments and we requested they were let go.

Edited to add: of behavior

[sadiesworld]

33. There appears to be alot of mining for RNC talking points.

[LittleApple81]

34. You mean the questioners are trying to trip him? n/t