Newspaper Story
Former President Clinton fired back to cirtics durings an interview on Fox News, about his administrations handling on the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
On Chris Wallace's Fox News Sunday Clinton answered questions about whether his administration did, "enough to connect the dots and go after Al-Queda." Clinton responded, "No, I didn't get him, but at least I tried. That's the difference between me and some, including all the right wingers who are attacking me now. I tried, and failed to get bin Laden. I regret it, but I did try."
In 1998 Al-Queda bombed the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. At that time Bush's allies accused Clinton of being "too obsessed" with Bin Laden. Now, his critics are charging that he didn't do enough. Clinton said he authorized the CIA to kill bin Laden after the Nairobi bombings. Clinton continued "I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked "Why didn't you do anything about the Cole." Referring to the 2000 U.S.S. Cole bombing by terrorists in Yemen.
Later Sunday, Chris Wallace, of Fox News, said he was "suprised" by Clinton's reaction and "conspiratorial view" to his "very non-confrontational question" - suggested by viewer e-mails according to Wallace. "I think it was a legitimate news question," said Wallace. "I was suprised that he would conjure up that it was a hit job."
White House spokesman Peter Watkins: "The record paints a very different picture than what President Clinton is expressing. "Looking forward we will fight the war by staying on the offense." Currently, the U.S. has about 21,000 troops in Afghanistan and about 138,000 in Iraq. Clinton said the U.S. did not have a comprehensive couterterrorism operation until his administration took office.
Clinton accused the Bush administration of downgrading the role of former White House counterterrorism Chief Richard Clarke who worked for 4 administrations - Repulican and Democratic- and failed to focus on Bin Laden in the 8 months between taking office and the September 11th attacks.
"If I were president we'd have more than 20,000 troops there trying to kill him (Bin Laden)," said Clinton.
Story compiled by: Kyle Taylor, Karen Hastings, Stephanie Smith, Brent Yoder, Daniel Duol.
On Chris Wallace's Fox News Sunday Clinton answered questions about whether his administration did, "enough to connect the dots and go after Al-Queda." Clinton responded, "No, I didn't get him, but at least I tried. That's the difference between me and some, including all the right wingers who are attacking me now. I tried, and failed to get bin Laden. I regret it, but I did try."
In 1998 Al-Queda bombed the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. At that time Bush's allies accused Clinton of being "too obsessed" with Bin Laden. Now, his critics are charging that he didn't do enough. Clinton said he authorized the CIA to kill bin Laden after the Nairobi bombings. Clinton continued "I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked "Why didn't you do anything about the Cole." Referring to the 2000 U.S.S. Cole bombing by terrorists in Yemen.
Later Sunday, Chris Wallace, of Fox News, said he was "suprised" by Clinton's reaction and "conspiratorial view" to his "very non-confrontational question" - suggested by viewer e-mails according to Wallace. "I think it was a legitimate news question," said Wallace. "I was suprised that he would conjure up that it was a hit job."
White House spokesman Peter Watkins: "The record paints a very different picture than what President Clinton is expressing. "Looking forward we will fight the war by staying on the offense." Currently, the U.S. has about 21,000 troops in Afghanistan and about 138,000 in Iraq. Clinton said the U.S. did not have a comprehensive couterterrorism operation until his administration took office.
Clinton accused the Bush administration of downgrading the role of former White House counterterrorism Chief Richard Clarke who worked for 4 administrations - Repulican and Democratic- and failed to focus on Bin Laden in the 8 months between taking office and the September 11th attacks.
"If I were president we'd have more than 20,000 troops there trying to kill him (Bin Laden)," said Clinton.
Story compiled by: Kyle Taylor, Karen Hastings, Stephanie Smith, Brent Yoder, Daniel Duol.
posted by Kyle at 12:39 PM
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