Bush Avoided Attacking Suspected Terrorist

[Mr. Goalie]

With Tuesday’s attacks, Abu Musab Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant with ties to al-Qaida, is now blamed for more than 700 terrorist killings in Iraq.

But NBC News has learned that long before the war the Bush administration had several chances to wipe out his terrorist operation and perhaps kill Zarqawi himself — but never pulled the trigger.

MORE


Mr. G

[lazydaze]

‘People were more obsessed with developing the coalition to overthrow Saddam than to execute the president’s policy of pre-emption against terrorists.’


— Roger Cressey
Terrorism expert

[SLUBLUE]

well, we needed a tax cut!

[The Pocket Rockets]

So Al-Qaeda had a base in Iraq before the war?

Does this count as a "connection"?

[lazydaze]

In June 2002, U.S. officials say intelligence had revealed that Zarqawi and members of al-Qaida had set up a weapons lab at Kirma, in northern Iraq, producing deadly ricin and cyanide.

Looks like cheney was right about those al-Qaida ties. Huh Blu.

[Moe_Szyslak]

from the Newsweek article on the new book, Ghost War, about Afghanistan...it is not surprising that the administration is reluctant to divulge the facts in an election year...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4338967/

[Damtoft]

Daze,

What is it that the Ketchup Kid says is his #1 foreign policy priority?

[Moe_Szyslak]

Originally posted by lazydaze@Mar 3 2004, 12:40 PM

In June 2002, U.S. officials say intelligence had revealed that Zarqawi and members of al-Qaida had set up a weapons lab at Kirma, in northern Iraq, producing deadly ricin and cyanide.

Looks like cheney was right about those al-Qaida ties. Huh Blu.

They should've bombed the site, ala Clinton in Operation Desert Fox...but that would've jeopardized the grand neo con plans in favor of efficiency and effectiveness...

[SLUBLUE]

Originally posted by lazydaze@Mar 3 2004, 12:40 PM

In June 2002, U.S. officials say intelligence had revealed that Zarqawi and members of al-Qaida had set up a weapons lab at Kirma, in northern Iraq, producing deadly ricin and cyanide.

Looks like cheney was right about those al-Qaida ties. Huh Blu.

I don't know what to make of it.

I'm curious about where in Northern Iraq. If it was in the autonomous area controlled by the US and the Kurds, that doesn't merit an invasion.

[lazydaze]

A team of CIA operatives flew to Tajikistan in October 1999. The officers told Massoud the United States would not provide money, arms or intelligence to support his war against the Taliban. Instead, U.S. policy focused on capturing bin Laden and a few top aides. If Massoud helped, perhaps it would lead to broader support in the future.

By summer 2000, the CIA's liaison with Massoud was fraying. Massoud's aides were badgered repeatedly about mounting a "Hollywood operation," as one put it, to capture bin Laden. After the terrorist bombing of the USS Cole in October 2000, the CIA tried to supply Massoud with more extensive and more lethal aid. They drew up a list: the covert supplies would cost between $50 million and $150 million, depending on how aggressive the White House wanted to be. But the November presidential election had deadlocked; Clinton's aides were enduring the strangest postelection transition in a century. There would be no new covert action program.

Early in September 2001, Massoud's intelligence service transmitted a report to the CIA about two Arab television journalists who had crossed Northern Alliance lines. It did not seem of exceptional interest.

The Bush cabinet met on Sept. 4. The national-security team had not begun to focus on Al Qaeda until three months after taking office. They did not forge a policy approach until July. Then they took yet more weeks to schedule a meeting to ratify their plans. The draft document revived the CIA plan to aid Massoud that had been forwarded to the lame-duck Clinton White House. The CIA was told that it could at least start the paperwork for a new covert policy—the first in a decade that sought to influence the course of the Afghan war.

Vision, Tuff decisons. Who makes and who doesn't.

Damtoft...

Does he have a #1 priority? I thin it is too make nice with france.

Of course he has great plan to combat terrorism...

Democrat John Kerry outlined his plan to combat terrorism Friday that relies on stronger intelligence-gathering, law enforcement

[The Pocket Rockets]

I'd like to see an article giving the administrations point-of-view before I rush to judgement on whether or not the site should have been bombed.

[SLUBLUE]

Originally posted by lazydaze@Mar 3 2004, 12:49 PM

A team of CIA operatives flew to Tajikistan in October 1999. The officers told Massoud the United States would not provide money, arms or intelligence to support his war against the Taliban. Instead, U.S. policy focused on capturing bin Laden and a few top aides. If Massoud helped, perhaps it would lead to broader support in the future.

By summer 2000, the CIA's liaison with Massoud was fraying. Massoud's aides were badgered repeatedly about mounting a "Hollywood operation," as one put it, to capture bin Laden. After the terrorist bombing of the USS Cole in October 2000, the CIA tried to supply Massoud with more extensive and more lethal aid. They drew up a list: the covert supplies would cost between $50 million and $150 million, depending on how aggressive the White House wanted to be. But the November presidential election had deadlocked; Clinton's aides were enduring the strangest postelection transition in a century. There would be no new covert action program.

Early in September 2001, Massoud's intelligence service transmitted a report to the CIA about two Arab television journalists who had crossed Northern Alliance lines. It did not seem of exceptional interest.

The Bush cabinet met on Sept. 4. The national-security team had not begun to focus on Al Qaeda until three months after taking office. They did not forge a policy approach until July. Then they took yet more weeks to schedule a meeting to ratify their plans. The draft document revived the CIA plan to aid Massoud that had been forwarded to the lame-duck Clinton White House. The CIA was told that it could at least start the paperwork for a new covert policy—the first in a decade that sought to influence the course of the Afghan war.

Vision, Tuff decisons. Who makes and who doesn't.

Damtoft...

Does he have a #1 priority? I thin it is too make nice with france.

Of course he has great plan to combat terrorism...

Democrat John Kerry outlined his plan to combat terrorism Friday that relies on stronger intelligence-gathering, law enforcement

well...we can't un-elect Clinton...

but we certainly shouldn't re-elect Bush.

There were some great National Geographic Extreme Explorers about Massoud and the NA forces.

[lazydaze]

Originally posted by SLUBLUE+Mar 3 2004, 12:51 PM-->

QUOTE(SLUBLUE @ Mar 3 2004, 12:51 PM)

[Moe_Szyslak]

lazy, thinking more about the quote below, as well as the fact that Sandy Berger warned the Bushies overtly about al Queda plans to hit US targets during transition...

As the Bush administration took office, Massoud told a press conference, "If President Bush doesn't help us, then these terrorists will damage the United States and Europe very soon—and it will be too late."

May want to reconsider the chest-pounding about decisiveness...

Moe

[BringBackZezel]

Originally posted by Moe_Szyslak@Mar 3 2004, 01:01 PM
lazy, thinking more about the quote below, as well as the fact that Sandy Berger warned the Bushies overtly about al Queda plans to hit US targets during transition...

As the Bush administration took office, Massoud told a press conference, "If President Bush doesn't help us, then these terrorists will damage the United States and Europe very soon—and it will be too late."

May want to reconsider the chest-pounding about decisiveness...

Moe

It should also be noted again that August 2001 was a vacation MONTH for GWB.


Imagine what could have happened had he been working......