Bush Admin Holds Back Clinton Papers
From the New York Times:The commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks said on Thursday that it was pressing the White House to explain why the Bush administration had blocked thousands of pages of classified foreign policy and counterterrorism documents from former President Bill Clinton's White House files from being turned over to the panel's investigators.
The White House confirmed on Thursday that it had withheld a variety of classified documents from Mr. Clinton's files that had been gathered by the National Archives over the last two years in response to requests from the commission, which is investigating intelligence and law enforcement failures before the attacks.
Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said some Clinton administration documents had been withheld because they were "duplicative or unrelated," while others were withheld because they were "highly sensitive" and the information in them could be relayed to the commission in other ways. "We are providing the commission with access to all the information they need to do their job," Mr. McClellan said.
The commission and the White House were reacting to public complaints from former aides to Mr. Clinton, who said they had been surprised to learn in recent months that three-quarters of the nearly 11,000 pages of files the former president was ready to offer the commission had been withheld by the Bush administration. The former aides said the files contained highly classified documents about the Clinton administration's efforts against Al Qaeda.
Matt's Chat
I have absolutely no doubt that the Clinton administration was doing something about terrorism and al Qaeda. Really. I mean, somebody had to work out those four refusals for opportunities to take bin Laden from Sudan. I'm sure there were other things that the Clinton Gang were working on too. I'm not the one trying to re-write his legacy, so forgive me if I don't believe this stuff.The Bush administration has provided everything the commission has asked for...unprecedented cooperation from the White House has been achieved because this commission is that important.
Mark's Remarks
Unfortunately, Matt, the commission has become a farce because instead of finding solutions to the operational problems that prevented the stopping of 9/11, they have become bogged down in the Blame Game and the Promote Richard Clarke's book Parade. It is a terrible commentary on the partisanship of those on this commission with an agenda (read: Bob Kerrey and Co.).
This administration did not equivocate, it did not ask for a definition of what the word 'is' is....it did not shred papers, nor did it board and concrete up offices of executive counsels. It gave over papers, it allowed unprecedented testimony and access, and has put up with Black helicopter theories that have little to no credence.
Maybe the Bush White House is attempting to protect a bit of respect for the Clinton White House. Maybe they don't want the American people to riot outside Clinton's home and demand he be strung up. Ever think of that? I mean, this bozo from Arkansas let bin Laden slip away four times off a silver platter from Sudan; not to mention when he had bin Laden open for air strikes and allowed double agents to warn bin Laden, who subsequently escaped before the missiles hit. And don't even get started on Rwanda, Somalia, etc. Or the embassy bombings, what did the Clintons do about that? Just some questions. I mean, if the Clintonistas really want that stuff dragged out and examined, let's do it. Let's see the misunderstanding of a war in terms of being a law enforcement matter. Let's see the equivocation and empty threats....Be careful what you wish for, hamsters.....
