VodkapunditVodkapunditVodkapundit
Outrage
Posted by Will Collier  ·  26 June 2006

Ten years ago, I was working at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Many of the airmen killed at Khobar Towers were deployed out of Eglin; their memorial was eventually built on the base grounds.

I doubt many of their survivors were comforted when they read this startling memoir by Louis Freeh in the WSJ:

It soon became clear that Mr. Clinton and his national security adviser, Sandy Berger, had no interest in confronting the fact that Iran had blown up the towers. This is astounding, considering that the Saudi Security Service had arrested six of the bombers after the attack. As FBI agents sifted through the remains of Building 131 in 115-degree heat, the bombers admitted they had been trained by the Iranian external security service (IRGC) in Lebanon's Beka Valley and received their passports at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Syria, along with $250,000 cash for the operation from IRGC Gen. Ahmad Sharifi.

We later learned that senior members of the Iranian government, including Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Intelligence and Security and the Spiritual Leader's office had selected Khobar as their target and commissioned the Saudi Hezbollah to carry out the operation. The Saudi police told us that FBI agents had to interview the bombers in custody in order to make our case. To make this happen, however, the U.S. president would need to make a personal request to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

So for 30 months, I wrote and rewrote the same set of simple talking points for the president, Mr. Berger, and others to press the FBI's request to go inside a Saudi prison and interview the Khobar bombers. And for 30 months nothing happened.
...
Meanwhile, then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Mr. Clinton ordered the FBI to stop photographing and fingerprinting Iranian wrestlers and cultural delegations entering the U.S. because the Iranians were complaining about the identification procedure. Of course they were complaining. It made it more difficult for their intelligence agents and terrorist coordinators to infiltrate into America. I was overruled by an "angry" president and Mr. Berger who said the FBI was interfering with their rapprochement with Iran.

Finally, frustrated in my attempts to execute Mr. Clinton's "leave no stone unturned" order, I called former president George H.W. Bush. I had learned that he was about to meet Crown Prince Abdullah on another matter. After fully briefing Mr. Bush on the impasse and faxing him the talking points that I had now been working on for over two years, he personally asked the crown prince to allow FBI agents to interview the detained bombers.
...
Several weeks later, agents interviewed the co-conspirators. For the first time since the 1996 attack, we obtained direct evidence of Iran's complicity. What Mr. Clinton failed to do for three years was accomplished in minutes by his predecessor. This was the breakthrough we had been waiting for, and the attorney general and I immediately went to Mr. Berger with news of the Saudi prison interviews.

Upon being advised that our investigation now had proof that Iran blew up Khobar Towers, Mr. Berger's astounding response was: "Who knows about this?" His next, and wrong, comment was: "That's just hearsay." When I explained that under the Rules of Federal Evidence the detainees' comments were indeed more than "hearsay," for the first time ever he became interested--and alarmed--about the case. But this interest translated into nothing more than Washington "damage control" meetings held out of the fear that Congress, and ordinary Americans, would find out that Iran murdered our soldiers. After those meetings, neither the president, nor anyone else in the administration, was heard from again about Khobar.

That's the meat, but read the whole thing. And try and tell me again why Berger and his infamous pants shouldn't be locked up.

Comments

Sweet mother of god...

Posted by: Mikey NTH at June 26, 2006 01:40 PM

What Mikey said.

Posted by: Julie (Synova) at June 26, 2006 01:48 PM

I believe Hewitt's apt quote about Clinton is rather fitting: Perhaps not the worst President we've ever had, but certainly the worst man ever to be President.

Posted by: Mr. Lion at June 26, 2006 02:28 PM

When in the military, serving your country, you're the most vunerable to your leaders.

This is one of the reasons why Bush is so popular among the troops and Clinton wasn't.

Posted by: ErikZ at June 26, 2006 05:04 PM

Oh my god. I can't believe how no matter how little my opinion of Clinton and Berger is, they manage to completely blow it out of the water and sink lower and lower and lower.

Posted by: silvermine at June 26, 2006 05:14 PM

I hate to say it, but this doesn't surprise me at all. In fact, my guess is had W lost to Gore in 2000, we would have found some tidy way of making a few bombing runs in Afghanistan and then "moving on" afer 9/11 too.

Posted by: Pursuit at June 26, 2006 06:14 PM

That's not what scares me about the thought of Gore winning in 2000. It's that the "few bombing runs" in Afghanistan really and truely would have been motivated by vengence rather than considered necessity.

When something is seen as a last resort only, or something to be avoided at all costs, it will still be used but when "war never *solves* anything" it is going to be used with that mindset and expectation. Without the anticipation of a good result can a good result even be possible?

Posted by: Julie (Synova) at June 26, 2006 06:40 PM

If this was such a problem, why didn't the current president fix it.

Posted by: matt at June 26, 2006 07:38 PM

He's kinda busy with their neighbor, Matt.

Posted by: Declan at June 26, 2006 08:33 PM

Someone explain to Matt the difference between moving the goalposts and lowering the bar. He seems confused.

And screw Berger. Why isn't Clinton in jail?

Posted by: richard mcenroe at June 26, 2006 09:13 PM

Keep in mind, guys, Hillary had to be in the loop on this...

Posted by: richard mcenroe at June 26, 2006 09:14 PM

He's kinda busy with their neighbor, Matt.

Neighbors. Plural.

Between Afghanistan, Iraq, and shutting down the Pakistani proliferation bazzar, I'd say Mr Clinton's successor has had his hands full.

IMO, one of the more important reasons to vote against the Democrat in 2008 is because the Democratic administratio's national security/foreign policy staff is going to be drawn from people who served during the Clinton administration.

Posted by: rosignol at June 27, 2006 12:18 AM

This serves as a healthy reminder that not all fools and traitors work at the New York Times.

Posted by: Axel Kassel at June 27, 2006 05:21 AM

Matt,
Read the whole article. You'll find that W did do something about it. A hell of a lot more than that raggedy ass predecesor of his did:

"The Khobar bombing case eventually led to indictments in 2001, thanks to the personal leadership of President George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice. But justice has been a long time coming. Only so much can be done, after all, with arrest warrants and judicial process. Bin Laden and his two separate pre-9/11 arrest warrants are a case in point."

I say, no more discussion in regards to Iran... Let the bombs fall where they may!

Posted by: mad bikini blogger at June 27, 2006 05:48 AM

Ya know, I can forgive mistakes, misperceptions, and even failure.

It's not even trying that really drives me nuts.

Posted by: RPD at June 27, 2006 07:08 AM

Pretty soon, not necessarily within the next decade, but soon enough, former President Clinton is going to look into the mirror as an old man. I, for one, think that he is going to detest the man looking back at him. With the kind of clarity that can only be experienced when dealing with one's mortality, the level of disgust he is going to feel will be crushing.

I know that the comment could be made that with someone as narcissistic and neurotic as Clinton, it won't happen. That he'll look in that mirror and think he's still the man, that he'll keep fooling himself.

Perhaps.

But in those quiet moments alone, in the dark and silence, he won't escape. He can't.

I pity him, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

Posted by: surf at June 27, 2006 08:26 AM

Every time I blame Clinton for 9/11, people think I'm crazy.

https://www.darklock.com/blog/?p=5

But you look at his track record, and you just have to ask: why *isn't* this a perfectly reasonable accusation to lay at his feet?

Posted by: Caliban Darklock at June 27, 2006 10:27 AM

The Left only accept that a Republican can be a bad person. It's fundamental to their world view.

"Liberals are people who want to do nice things and help everyone else. Therefor, when I accept the Leadership of the Liberals, I too become a good person. Anything a good person does must be a good thing, so Liberals can sometimes make mistakes, but they're always good people that MEAN well."

Conversely,

"If you're not a Liberal, then you must be a BAD person, because only a BAD person would not recognize how good Liberals are. If you oppose the ideas of Liberals, this means you are a BAD person, and any action by a BAD person is a BAD thing."

See? It's all so reasonable. So Clinton could never have done anything BAD...

Posted by: Mad Fiddler at June 27, 2006 09:59 PM

The Clinton Administration proved for 2 entire terms that they have no grasp of foreign policy, which derives from their leftist world view. Anyone who believes that the Democrats are capable of handling things as they stand today is fooling himself.

Posted by: trentk269 at June 29, 2006 07:28 PM

The beauty of all of this - the SC decision handed down, and Pelosi's reaction, and the left's complete misread on Iraq - what I once thought as a down year for the GOP is looking more and more like a breakeven - or dare I say - even a winner in November. Just keep doing stupid stuff Dems. Why do you think Hillary is trying so hard to stay on the right of all the dingbats on the looney left?

Posted by: JEM at June 29, 2006 09:21 PM

Why do you think Hillary is trying so hard to stay on the right of all the dingbats on the looney left?


Well, she's got a very fine line to walk, because the dingbats are the ones motivated enough to get off their butts and vote in the primaries.

So Hillary tries to stay to the right of the loonies, but not too far to the right.

Posted by: rosignol at June 29, 2006 11:19 PM



Navigation

MDS - Give Until It Hurts

Terror War Scorecard
Watching America

50 Things
American Cancer Ablation Center
Buy VodkaPundit Stuff



VodkaPundit on Amazon
Vodkapundit for PDA (AvantGo)
Vodkapundit for PDA (Not)
VodkaPundit XML or RDF

Search



Advanced Search



Last Call

The Author

"Mordant wit and stylish cynicism."
-James Lileks

Absolut Link

Blog-Iran

Top Shelf

Ann Althouse
Baldilocks
Austin Bay
Belmont Club
Tim Blair
Chequer Board
Command Post
Counterterrorism Blog
Day By Day
Daniel Drezner
From the Bleachers
Hit & Run
INDC Journal
Iraq the Model
James Joyner
James Lileks
Megan McArdle
OPFOR
Protein Wisdom
Glenn Reynolds
Bill Roggio
ScreedBlog
Roger L. Simon
Rob Smith
Steven Taylor
Venomous Kate
Matt Welch
Winds of Change
Michael Yon
Yuppies of Zion


The Usual

Across the Atlantic
Anticipatory Retaliation
Atlas Shrugs
The Black Republican
Blogcritics
Captain's Quarters
Phil Carter
The Daily Ablution
Andrew Ian Dodge
Eye on the Left
Mike Hendrix
In From the Cold
Charles Johnson
Kathy Kinsley
A Likely Story
Brian Linse
Jay Manifold
Neocon News
Frank Martin
QandO
Bill Quick
Rantburg
John Scalzi
Sine Qua Non Pundit
Team Stryker
Mac Thomason
Michael Totten
Jesse Walker
Dr. Weevil
Bill Whittle
Chief Wiggles
Sissy Willis
Cathy Young

Micro Brews

American Realpolitik
Black Five
Boots and Sabers
Capitalist Lion
Scott Chaffin
John Cole
Coming Anarchy
Bo Cowgill
Dr. Frank's Blogs of War
Donklephant
Ed Driscoll
Kim du Toit
Glenn Frazier
Joe Gandleman
The Gay Patriot
Godless Capitalist
Bill Hobbs
John Hudock
Frank J.'s IMAO
Joanne Jacobs
Brothers Judd
Junk Yard Blog
Major John
Davids Medienkritik
Mr. Misha's Rottweiler
Only Baseball Matters
Matt Moore
Jack O'Toole
Peaktalk
Eric S. Raymond
Red Sugar
Resurrection Song
Robin Roberts
Andrea See
Mathew Sheren
Spoons Experience
DC Thornton
Yankee Station

Gin & Tonic

Albion's Seedlings
American Digest
Radley Balko
Paul Berger
Robert Bidinotto
Blogometer
BusinessPundit
The Chicago Boyz
Classical Values
Conrad the Expat
Susanna Cornett
Dave Cullen
England's Sword
Dean Esmay
Horsefeathers
Jessica's Well
Alex Knapp
Legal Spin
Light of Reason
The Lipstick Republican
Moxie
OxBlog
Suman Palit
Punch the Bag
The Pursuit of Happiness
Samizdata
Sofia Sideshow
Natalie Solent
Texas Best Grok
Professor Michael Tinkler
Cal Ulmann
Brothers Volokh

Cosmopolitans

Justene Adamec
Stephen Bainbridge
La Shawn Barber
Moira Breen
Sasha Castel
Colorado Psycho
Clayton Cramer
CrossingWallStreet
Martin Devon
Kevin Drum
Henry Hanks
Diana Hsieh
Jeff Jarvis
Jessica
Sean Kirby
Liberty Belles
Rachel Lucas
Jeralyn Merritt
Philip Murphy
Oasis of Sanity
Andrew Olmsted
Walter Olson
Michael Parker
Popped Culture
Porphyrogenitus
Fritz Schrank
Donald Sensing
Elizabeth Spiers
The Swanky Conservative
Two Blowhards
Michael Ubaldi
Alexandra von Maltzan
Will Wilkinson

Rum & Coke

The Argument Clinic
Below the Beltway
The Bitch Girls
Jay Caruso
Dog's Life
Fire On The Mountain
GeckoBlue
GZ Expat
David Hogberg
John Hawkins
Horologium
Kris Lofgren
Floyd McWilliams
John Moore
PhotoDude
Robyn Pollman
Chas Rich
Silflay Hraka
Geitner Simmons
Skippy
Dave Tepper
Transterrestrial Musings
Trying to Grok
Walter in Denver
Don Watkins
Weekend Pundit
Joshua Zader

Tequila Shots

Todd A
N.Z. Bear
Begging to Differ
David MSC
Gary Farber
Highered Intelligence
Isntapundit
Jonathan and Wanda
Ken Layne
Nick Marsala
Dan Michalski
Sheila O'Malley
Dawn Olsen
Tony Pierce
Raving Atheist
Matt Traylor
Sekimori
WMET Blog
World Wide Rant

Manischewitz

Moe Freedman
Tal G. in Jerusalem
IsraPundit
Kesher Talk
Mike Silverman
Allison Kaplan Sommer
Meryl Yourish

Boozehounds

Allah Is In the House
Dave Barry's Blog
The Daily Sedative
Doug Dever
Daniel Frank
Scott Ott
Large American Penis
Short Strange Trip
Ten Fingers, Six Strings
Jim Treacher

Cyanide-Laced Kool-Aid

Laurence Simon

Sex on the Beach

Body in Mind
ErosBlog
Eroticalee
Just One Bite
Fred Lapides
New York Hotties
SLA
Unablogger

Kegger

Ben Domenech
HokiePundit
Hoosier Review
John Tabin
Nicholas West

Fosters

Duck Season
Mike Jericho
John Ray
Bernard Slattery
Whacking Day

Molson

Banana Counting Monkey
Daimnation!
Dispatches
David Janes
Western Standard

Left Wing Bar Nuts

Ted Barlow
Joshua Marshall
Dan Perkins

Cover Charge

Eric Alterman
Dave Barry
Barone Blog
Austin Bay
Jay Bryant
C-Log
Campaign Desk
Steve Chapman
Dallas News Blog
Matt Drudge
Google News
Nat Henthoff
Hugh Hewitt
Mickey Kaus
Howard Kurtz
National Review Online
The New Republic
The New York Times
Newsweek
OpinionJournal
Kathleen Parker
Daniel Pipes
Virginia Postrel
Roll Call
Larry Sabato
Linda Seebach
Slate
Sploid
Mark Steyn
StrategyPage
Andrew Sullivan
Tapped
Tech Central Station
Time
US News & World Report
David Warren
The Washington Post

Under the Table

American Times
Angry Left
Asparagirl
BitchPundit
John Braue
Shiloh Bucher
Carthaginian Peace
Lorenzo Cortes
Steven Den Beste
Fevered Rants
Scott "Funkadelic" Ganz
Juan Gato
Happy Fun Pundit
Andrea Harris
Scott Koenig
Brink Lindsey
Sue Lizano
Kieran Lyons
Mean Mr. Mustard
Meeshness
Punditwatch
Dennis Rogers
Jim Ryan
Spinsanity
Unremitting Verse
Norah Vincent
Tony Woodlief

Archives

Powered by Movable TypeDesign by Sekimori