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Scheuer, Townsend call BS on Clinton’s alleged Afghan invasion plan

posted at 10:23 am on September 26, 2006 by Allahpundit
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The “invasion” plan, according to Scheuer, was vintage Billy Jeff: airstrikes, a few cruise missiles maybe, then cross your fingers. More:

Scheuer, who wrote the book “Imperial Hubris,” said he met every 10 days with top members of Clinton’s anti-terror team and plans for an invasion were never presented or discussed…

Fran Townsend, a former top intelligence adviser in Clinton’s Justice Department and now Bush’s anti-terror czar, rolled her eyes when asked about Clinton’s invasion plan.

“There were lots of things that seemed new” in Clinton’s recollections on Fox, Townsend said…

Two sources that Clinton repeatedly cited in the Fox interview – the 9/11 commission report and Richard Clarke’s book, “Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror” – never mention plans to invade Afghanistan.

Condi responded to BJ too yesterday, insisting that no, in fact, there was no “comprehensive anti-terror strategy” left for the Bush administration when they arrived. Which, considering the prominent role focus-group polling surely must have played in it, is probably for the best. She saved her most interesting comments for that NIE about terrorism, though. I’ll leave you with this:

Transitioning to the global war on terror, an animated Rice questioned, “When are we going to stop blaming ourselves for the rise of terrorism?”

Asked about recently leaked internal U.S. intelligence estimates that claimed the Iraq war was fueling terrorist recruiting, Rice said: “Now that we’re fighting back, of course they are fighting back, too.”

“I find it just extraordinary that the argument is, all right, so they’re using the fact they’re being challenged in the Middle East and challenged in Iraq to recruit, therefore you’ve made the war on terrorism worse.

“It’s as if we were in a good place on Sept. 11. Clearly, we weren’t,” she added.

“These are people who want to fight against us, and they’re going to find a reason. And yes, they will recruit, but it doesn’t mean you stop pursuing strategies that are ultimately going to stop them,” Rice said.

She insisted U.S. forces must finish the job in Iraq and the wider Middle East to wipe out the “root cause” of violent extremism – not just the terror thugs who carry out the attacks.

“It’s a longer-term strategy, and it may even have some short-term down side, but if you don’t look at the longer term, you’re just leaving the problem to somebody else,” she said.


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Great quote from Condi.

Wyrd on September 26, 2006 at 10:35 AM

Rock on, Dr. Rice.

What does “froggy” mean?

mikeyboss on September 26, 2006 at 10:36 AM

“It’s a longer-term strategy, and it may even have some short-term down side, but if you don’t look at the longer term, you’re just leaving the problem to somebody else,” she said.

Yep. precisely what Clinton did – leave the problem to someone else.

pullingmyhairout on September 26, 2006 at 10:37 AM

You know, there’s a reason Nixon was able to rehabilitate himself.

He had the self-discipline to shut the hell up for awhile, write some academic books and wait. After a few years, bingo! Elder statesman.

To quote Jacques Chirac, he’s “missed a good opportunity to keep quiet.”

Slublog on September 26, 2006 at 10:42 AM

Whoops. That last sentence was supposed to read:

To quote Jacques Chirac, Clinton has “missed a good opportunity to keep quiet.”

Slublog on September 26, 2006 at 10:43 AM

I think (I do not know) that AP is southern. I’ve never heard the term “feeling froggy” uttered by anyone other than a southerner. If AP’s NOT a southerner, then it only goes to underscore an astoundingly good up-bringing….like all us good ol’ boys!

It always meant, down my way, the “frogger” was considering handing the “frogee” his/her ass on a plate.

james hooker on September 26, 2006 at 10:49 AM

Great Condi quote. The insight — if we resist the Islamic fascists will get angry — is glaringly obvious but someone in this administration having the chutzpah to point it out is refreshing.

Tangential topic: Where are all the MSM and left wing blogger screams for an investigation into this leak of sensitive and truly classified national security secrets?

12thman on September 26, 2006 at 11:03 AM

think (I do not know) that AP is southern.

I think AP’s from NY.

As for the topic, I certainly hope that the current administration keeps dispelling the “Clinton Myths and His Attempts at Rewriting History.”

pullingmyhairout on September 26, 2006 at 11:12 AM

Condi kicks ass! I’ve been tryin’ to explain to my lib friends this long-term / short-term thing for years now but they just don’t get it (a common theme for libs). They watch a movie on TV and it’s over in two hours, they want real life to be wrapped up in two hours too. But real life doesn’t work that way. These jihadis have a very long term view of this war, it’s the same war mohamed (pissbeuponhim) fought 1,300 years ago. Osama been Hidin’ knows he won’t see the world conquered by islam in HIS lifetime, but he’s doing it for future generations. He thinks he can bring us under the caliph, their king/pope and islam conquers the world . We hafta start thinkin’ in the long term too. We’ll be fighting islam for many decades if we liberate and democratize them (Plan A). But if we DON’T then we’ll be fighting them for CENTURIES! Amahjihadist, on the other hand, is thinking short term, he thinks HE will start WW3 which will bring back their child prophet the “12th imam” who will reign over the entire world for the long term, and islam conquers the world. Either way, they wanna rule the entire world. Our long term strategy must be to change the middle east into a region of democracy and freedom, OR go to our short term Plan B and turn the middle east into a glow in the dark, see it from space, big sheet of glass.

Condi for President!

Tony737 on September 26, 2006 at 11:20 AM

What does “froggy” mean?

The phrase “If you are feeling froggy then jump” is a challenge to someone. A fight, debate, whatever. “Getting froggy” means you have accepted said challenge and are retaliating. Clinton challenged with his statements, then Rice “got froggy” in her response. Also a little bit of contempt is implied when “getting froggy”.

Theworldisnotenough on September 26, 2006 at 11:31 AM

OK, SOUTHERN New York.

james hooker on September 26, 2006 at 12:04 PM

F-Town is a righteous babe. It’s high time we get to witness Bethany interview F-Town, even if over the phone and w/a split screen, but preferably in person.

In all seriousness, you always know with Fran what you see is what you get.

Editor on September 26, 2006 at 12:07 PM

As far as the Condi quote, I completely agree. I remember the week after we went into Afghanistan, Time pussed out and put on its cover a shot of an angry mob in Peshawar, eyes boiling, fists heaving, with the headline something along the lines of “Facing the Fury.” It’s fighting back at all that’s getting them angry, not fighting the supposedly “wrong war.”

Mark V. on September 26, 2006 at 12:13 PM

Clinton’s tirade…. Leaked and spun NIE…

Are we seeing a desperate Democratic party here?

Romeo13 on September 26, 2006 at 12:46 PM

The newest demonrat talking point seems to be focused on the stupid idea that the US is creating more terrorism and making what’s already out there worse. Condi called it right on the money. How ridiculous — still, the demonrat strategy remains the same — leave them alone and they’ll be nice and stop hurting us! Psh … give me a freakin break. Just a bunch of spineless maroons.

wytammic on September 26, 2006 at 1:09 PM

Clinton did live a comprehensive anti-terror strategy. There’s a scan of it here.

frankj on September 26, 2006 at 1:15 PM

I don’t know why anyone would even talk about the Dems believing what they are saying. They simply want to be in charge and whatever it takes to achieve it. We should stop talking with the assumption they believe their own BS.

Editor on September 26, 2006 at 1:16 PM

Condolezza Rice an American to be proud she is one among us.

MarkB on September 26, 2006 at 1:32 PM

Dick Morris, in his column today at The Hill writes:

The real Clinton emerges
From behind the benign face and the tranquilizing smile, the real Bill Clinton emerged Sunday during Chris Wallace’s interview on Fox News Channel. There he was on live television, the man those who have worked for him have come to know – the angry, sarcastic, snarling, self-righteous, bombastic bully, roused to a fever pitch. The truer the accusation, the greater the feigned indignation. Clinton jabbed his finger in Wallace’s face, poking his knee, and invading the commentator’s space….

…His self-justifications constitute a mangling of the truth which only someone who once quibbled about what the “definition of ‘is’ is” could perform.

Romeo13, you’re so right, the Democrats are getting desparate, and so is Clinton. The fascade that the Democrats are a serious party concerned about national defense (and not just grasping to get back into power) was destroyed by Clinton and his lies on Sunday.

Today, the Democrats in Congress failed to get closed session to discuss the NIE conclusions scheduled. No doubt this was a political ploy to improve their chances in November — and to do more damaging partisan leaking to the press — but the Republicans refused to bite.

This attempt followed the news conference where President Bush stated he has ordered parts of the April NIE which was leaked to the press over the weekend to be declassified.

Clinton has been exposed as the incompetent liar he is, and there is nothing he can do except rage about it in public. And in his doing so, America finally can see the real Bill Clinton, the one that Morris worked for.

Morris also noted:

Why didn’t the CIA and FBI realize the extent of bin Laden’s involvement in terrorism? Because Clinton never took the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center sufficiently seriously. He never visited the site and his only public comment was to caution against “over-reaction.”

In my frequent phone and personal conversations with both Clintons in 1993, there was never a mention, not one, of the World Trade Center attack. It was never a subject of presidential focus.

Failure to grasp the import of the 1993 attack led to a delay in fingering bin Laden and understanding his danger. This, in turn, led to our failure to seize him when Sudan evicted him and also to our failure to carry through with the plot to kidnap him. And, it was responsible for the failure to “certify” him as the culprit until very late in the Clinton administration.

The former president says, “I worked hard to try to kill him.” If so, why did he notify Pakistan of our cruise-missile strike in time for them to warn Osama and allow him to escape? Why did he refuse to allow us to fire cruise missiles to kill bin Laden when we had the best chance, by far, in 1999? The answer to the first question — incompetence; to the second — he was paralyzed by fear of civilian casualties and by accusations that he was wagging the dog.

Clinton not only deserved to be impeached, he should have been removed for incompetence as well as perjury. The nation would have been better off had he been removed from office.

HAD THE DEMOCRATS NOT GONE TO THE WALL, PLACING PARTY ÜBER ALLES, and faced the facts about Clinton as the lying, evil, petty, incompetent President he was, they would have gone down in history as the Party of Courage. But they chose, instead, to defend a serial liar as well as a serial sexual predator, out of pure partisanship — which continued the formal paralysis against fighting terrorism that keynoted the Clinton years.

And had they voted to remove him, Al Gore would have run in 2000 as an INCUMBENT president.

But what the Democrats proved starting in 1998 — as they have done many times since — is that they CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY.

A vote for a Democrat in November, as blogger/talkshow host Hugh Hewitt says, is a vote for surrender and appeasement in the war on terror.

In my opinion, the Democrats can either overhaul their party, starting with expulsion of the traitorous left, or there will be no other choice: Potestas Democraticorum delenda est!

georgej on September 26, 2006 at 2:37 PM

The nation would have been better off had he been removed from office

Not that I disagree with you, but would we? Wouldn’t Algore have become pres? *shudder*

Jezla on September 26, 2006 at 3:55 PM

And had they voted to remove him, Al Gore would have run in 2000 as an INCUMBENT president

Hmmm, and how is that better? Slick Willy or Crazy Al – such wonderful choices – sort of like Poe’s pit or the pendulum.

docdave on September 26, 2006 at 4:32 PM

I think we should take Cigarmans advice, and see what Clark had to say about the plan that was given to the Bush White House…

RICHARD CLARKE: Actually, I’ve got about seven points, let me just go through them quickly. Um, the first point, I think the overall point is, there was no plan on Al Qaeda that was passed from the Clinton administration to the Bush administration.

That is from the interview he has with Fox News on Wednesday, March 24, 2004.

What do you know! Billy boy was right. Clark does indeed shed light on the B.S. failure of the Clinton Presidency.

DannoJyd on September 26, 2006 at 5:15 PM

Had Clinton been removed from office via conviction in the Senate, Al Gore would have become the President. Yep.

Regardless of what you think of Al Gore’s competence, I doubt anybody could top Clinton’s personal corruption.

Let’s review Mr. Clinton’s past once again:

He had a 2 decade history of sexual predatation. “Better put some ice on that.”

He personally intervened as Governor of Arkansas to help a crony sell AIDS tainted blood, drawn from convicts, to the Canadian government’s bloodbanks, resulting in 5000 Canadian hemophiliacs and transfusion recipients comeing down with AIDS.

He personally ordered that the FBI screening process be subverted and staffed the White House with convicted felons who were his personal cronies in 1993, in violation of federal law.

He (or his wife) framed with false felony charges a number of White House employees in order help some pals take over the White House Travel department.

He illegally stole 900 pages of secret FBI documents with dirt on Republicans — and used them for blackmail.

He sic-ed the IRS on REPUBLICAN and CONSERVATIVE political opponents in direct violation of federal law, in retaliation to their opposition.

He and his staff of chislers stole the bath towels and guest bath robes on the USS Theodore Roosevelt when he spent the night aboard in 1993.

He even misplaced the nuclear codes!

And the above is just a partial list…..

BILL CLINTON IS STILL, TODAY, A SMALL STATE CROOKED GOVERNOR, who America mistakenly elected in 1992, thanks to Ross Perot. He is still the lying, vicious, vindictive, bully and arrogant man he has was when first elected as governor.

Can anybody show that Al Gore had these same corrosive personalty traits?

I’m no fan of Gore. And I did not vote for him. But Gore, the man, had a track record in politics that wasn’t corrupt when he was a Senator. Yes, he is a loony now. Yes, he is very partisan now. But try as I might, I simply cannot find in him the same level of viciousness and arrogance and “fuck you, America” that the Clintons have.

So ask yourself the question — Given what we know of Clinton, could Gore have possibly been WORSE?

The point I made about his running in 2000 as the incumbent was to point out to Democrats that THEY BLEW IT by not kicking Clinton’s fat, corrupt ass out of the White House when they had a chance.

They could have had the White House back — and probably Congress as well — had they only done the right thing for America and risen above petty partisan politics by removing a truely BAD, INCOMPETENT, AND EVIL man from the White House.

But no….

Das Party über alles is how Democrats have operated since 1972, when the left took them over. And this year, they have openly started wearing their Brownshirts for us all to admire.

georgej on September 26, 2006 at 5:57 PM

georgej, I too have reminisced about how the democratic party was before Cigarman made the Washington scene, but no matter how you cut it the fact remains that the party will never be the same. Whether it is because they no longer have any leadership skills, or because Slick has their FBI files, we’ll never know. We do know that they have no honor, they cannot be trusted to have Americas best interest at heart, and in the end that is all that matters.

DannoJyd on September 26, 2006 at 8:42 PM

The problem is, most of the country get their political information (if they get any at all) from the msm. And we know for sure that they are not going to use this to show how incompetent and bankrupt the democratic party is. No, as we are already seeing happen with Olby & co., they are going to spin it as Billy Bob throwing down courageously in the face of those evil, rich conservative liars and their puppet “news network”.

This episode may have destroyed the facade for us (who of us held any illusions about the liberal takeover of America), but it will take some work to get the word out to the rest of our neighbors.

theholyhermit on September 27, 2006 at 12:29 AM

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