Democrats are better at national security
In his column of November 27, Z. Dwight Billingsly’s assertion that Republican administrations are better than Democratic ones at providing national security is not born out by the facts. There were no attacks by foreign terrorists on the continental United States during 8 years of the Clinton administration. In early 2001, that administration gave the incoming Republicans repeated warnings about the dangers posed by Osama bin Laden and al-Quaeda. The Republicans underestimated that risk and failed to protect us against the 9/11 attacks. Subsequently they initiated a major war against Iraq, a country which had nothing to do with 9/11and which had no serious plan to attack us. Distracted by the challenges of having invaded the wrong country at the wrong time, they let bin Laden and his top aides escape from Afghanistan. If America suffers a major al-Quaeda attack during the new Democratic administration, it will be because the Republicans failed to keep their eyes on the target, and let bin Laden and his America-hating cohorts continue to roam free.
Gail Ahumada
St. Louis
Gail, what kind of drugs are you on? Is the Kool-aid spiked today?
You are in need of mental help!!!
Gail has a point–
Things that happened in Bush’s tenure were Clinton’s fault. Things that happened BEFORE Obamas tenure are Obama’s fault.Things that happened in Clinton’s tenure were Clinton’s fault.
The only peson totally without blame is Bush.
Gail,
I guess you forgot about the first terror attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 during Clinton’s administration.
At least one person (and I believe more) died plus hundreds were injured in that attack.
I remember the 1993 attack one month after Clinton took office.
Unlike GW, He never blamed the previous administration.
He hunted down the perpetrators, and they are rotting in prison.
I don’t recall Bush blaming Clinton for the second WTC attack.
However, my original point about Gail’s claim was that NO terror attacks occured in the continental US during Clinton’s administration.
Gail Ahumada:
“In early 2001, that administration gave the incoming Republicans repeated warnings about the dangers posed by Osama bin Laden and al-Quaeda. The Republicans underestimated that risk and failed to protect us against the 9/11 attacks.”
I’m giving Barack Obama and the Democrats fair and clear warning that something bad might happen sometime, somehow and they will be held accountable if they fail to prevent it.
“Distracted by the challenges of having invaded the wrong country at the wrong time, they let bin Laden and his top aides escape from Afghanistan.”
Usama bin Laden’s escape from Tora Bora in Afghanistan was December 11, 2001, not an especially challenging time for an invasion into Iraq that began March 20, 2003. One must assume Democrats are better at national security than they are at reading calendars. Those chronological suckers can be very confusing documents to some of the lesser lights.
BALDFACED LIAR!! Bill Clinton had EIGHT YEARS to do something about bin Laden, and did NOTHING!! Clinton was offered bin Laden on a silver platter by Somalia and refused. bin Laden himself that Clinton’s weak cut-and-run response to the “Blackhawk down” incident in Somalia inspired him and convinced him that attacks on the US would not be answered. The US suffered several terrorist attacks during Clinton’s tenure: the 1993 WTC bombing, the USS Cole and the African embassy attacks to name a few, and Clinton did nothing, exactly as bin Laden predicted. I guess he was busy with monica. And when did Clinton give Bush “repeated warnings” about bin Laden and al-Qaeda?
You also are either ignorant or lying through your teeth about Iraq. Why then did Clinton/Gore spend eight years warning us about Iraqi WMDs? Why did John kerry advocate invading Iraq in 1997 without the UN if necessary? Why did Clinton send all those cruise missiles into iraq? Iraq harbored Abu Nidal, a terorist who had blown up airports in Vienna and Rome, whose plan to hijack the Achille Lauro resulted in the murder of wheelchair-bound American Leon Klinghofer. Iraq sponsored terrorist attacks in Israel, a country visited by many Americans. Iraq used chemical weapons on iranians and on their own people. Iraq fired on American aircraft patrolling the no-fly zone every day for 10 years. Iraq ordered the assassination of George H Bush and American diplomats in the Phillipines. Iraq harbored Yasin, who helped in the 1993 WTC bombing. Iraq openly celebrated 9/11, and promised it was just the beginning. On 9/11/02, Iraq demanded more suicide attacks on Americans. After 9/11, Abu al-Zarqawi moved to Iraq to plan further attacks. Go read the 9/11 Commission report for a detailed listing of iraq-al Qaeda linkages. Don’t forget eight years of Clinton administration warnings on Iraqi WMDs.
If America suffers another terrorist attack, it will be because of the incredible delusion of fools like you Gail, fools so ignorant they can no longer separate fantasy from reality.
Tim–
Now you’ve got the blame placed EXACTLY where it belongs. Not Bush…….. Gail. Since nobody’s buying all the Clinton crap you put out, let’s blame HER !!!
tim jones notes that Clinton had eight years and did nothing about bin Laden. In contrast to Clinton however Bush started a war killing 4000+ American soldierS and tens of thousands Iraq civilians. In contrast to Clinton, Bush’s war put our nation’s economy on the rocks and apparently sending the world economy into a long, deep recession. In contrast to Clinton, Bush made a mockery of US foreign policy and has done immeasurable harm to our nation’s image worldwide. But like Clinton, Bush had EIGHT YEARS to do something about Bin laden and did NOTHING!