This really must have hurt for the Times to publish:
More than a year before the Sept. 11 attacks, a small, highly classified military intelligence unit identified Mohammed Atta and three other future hijackers as likely members of a cell of Al Qaeda operating in the United States, according to a former defense intelligence official and a Republican member of Congress.
In the summer of 2000, the military team, known as Able Danger, prepared a chart that included visa photographs of the four men and recommended to the military’s Special Operations Command that the information be shared with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the congressman, Representative Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania, and the former intelligence official said Monday.
The recommendation was rejected and the information was not shared, they said, apparently at least in part because Mr. Atta, and the others were in the United States on valid entry visas. Under American law, United States citizens and green-card holders may not be singled out in intelligence-collection operations by the military or intelligence agencies. That protection does not extend to visa holders, but Mr. Weldon and the former intelligence official said it might have reinforced a sense of discomfort common before Sept. 11 about sharing intelligence information with a law enforcement agency.
Those wonderful rules that were in place, thanks to the Clinton Admin, stopped the sharing of intelligence. Of course, the Times made sure not to mention Clinton’s name anywhere in the article. I guess, in Liberal World, this is still probably President Bush’s fault. Can’t blame Slick directly. Though, anyone with half a brain (which still excludes most of the Hard Left), would realize that this travesty occured while Bill was doing Bill things. You want damning proof for culpability for not stopping 9/11? Well, there it.
Captain’s Quarters has lots more.
9/11 Al Qaeda cell identified in 2000 by classified military intelligence unit
9/11 Al Qaeda cell identified in 2000 by classified military intelligence unit
good point, but the MSM will probably say this shows that Bush could have stopped 9/11–and the crazies will say it proves he knew about 9/11 before hand.
Blind Frothing Rage
So, the Clinton Administration failed to deal with known terrorists, because they were afraid of bad publicity. In my humble opinion, a President who declines to defend America because he’s afraid of bad publicity is more suited to selling used cars…