Proof that Bush policies have made global terror worse

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Staying forever on his misleading message about how well the war on terror is going, George W. Bush decided to go with a familiar refrain in his State of the Union speech last night and declared "we are in this fight to win and we are winning." White House spokesman Scott McClellan has been doing his best Gary Cooper imitation lately when he is asked about Osama bin Laden's most recent podcast saying, "We do not negotiate with terrorists. We put them out of business."

And, at every speech given by the president before his hand-picked audiences, he uses the same money lines about "freedom on the march" and "terrorists on the run."

Sadly, we all know too well the most obvious signs that Bush and his crew are full of crap. The first thing that leaps to mind is the fact that on Friday bin Laden will be celebrating day 1,600 of freedom since our tough-talking president vowed to get him "dead or alive." In addition, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) has been touring the country pointing out the waste of money and lives on a pointless war in Iraq, while al Qaeda is still running free and gaining strength.

"Al Qaeda remains active in 60 countries around the world and continues to recruit, train, and develop new strategies to inflict harm on the United States," said Feingold in a recent radio interview. "Extremist organizations are present in another 20 countries and are developing new threats to the United States and our allies. The President needs to realize that his misguided, Iraq-centric policies are draining our military and intelligence capabilities and are undermining our efforts to combat al Qaeda and its allies."

But even knowing all of that doesn't get to the real heart of how badly Team Bush has done. To truly understand why we all feel less safe - no matter how many times the GOP tells us we're "winning" - you simply need to pay a visit to the government's own National Counterterrorism Center (NCC) and make a few queries on the Terrorism Knowledge Base.

Funded by the Department of Homeland Security, the NCC is a non-profit agency tasked with being, as their web site says, "..the primary center for US government analysis of terrorism."

When you take even a brief look at the terror statistics since Bush took office, you find that no matter which way you look at the numbers, worldwide terrorism has gotten much worse, not better, as the president claims.



Between 2001 and 2005, worldwide terrorist incidents increased by an astounding 159 percent, going from 1,733 attacks in 2001 to 4,483 last year. And, under the Bush administration, it's getting worse as each year goes by, with terror incidents increasing by 70 percent in just 12 months between 2004 and 2005.



And, despite Bush and all of his cronies using every opportunity to tell us how much safer they're making the world, the government's own numbers show that they're selling the American people a dangerous bill of goods. Of the 13,403 global terror incidents that have taken place since 2001, one-third of that total took place in 2005 alone.



Of course, deaths caused by this rapid jump in terrorist activity have also increased dramatically. Terror-related fatalities jumped a whopping 64 percent over the five-year period, going from 4,555 in 2001 - that total includes those killed on September 11 - to 7,484 in 2005. And, in just one year ending 2005, deaths from terrorism jumped almost 50 percent.



So if we're really winning the war on terror, shouldn't all of those numbers be going down?

Hardly a press briefing goes by where Scott McClellan doesn't lecture us about how the president's primary job is to "protect the American people." He inevitably follows that with wild claims about how much safer the Bush administration is making the world.

They might want to check in with the Department of Homeland Security because, based on the empirical evidence offered by that agency, the president and the Republican Congress are doing nothing but pursuing policies that make the world an even more hazardous place. And, while they fail at the true war on terror, they use that very effort as their primary excuse for why they need to illegally spy on us to protect us.

The numbers don't lie and these figures should be memorized by every Democrat going into the 2006 election cycle.

http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2006/0...have-made.html

[Atlas]

I agree he has made it much worse, but if you listen to him or other republicans they'll just say that it is a war and it will take time to win.... or something like that.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by Atlas

I agree he has made it much worse, but if you listen to him or other republicans they'll just say that it is a war and it will take time to win.... or something like that.

And the more time, the better for Bush, Cheney, and the war profiteers who line their pockets.

[SteveTensi13]

Or in the alternative we could do what Clinton did and pretend terrorism doesn't exist and hope it goes away by itself. Kill them on their own turf I always say.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

Or in the alternative we could do what Clinton did and pretend terrorism doesn't exist and hope it goes away by itself. Kill them on their own turf I always say.

How's that working out again?

-------------------------------------------
We don't measure success based upon our capacity to destroy [the terrorists'] ability to fight war."

There's a lot of war talk these days, as there should be, but it's all aimed at making sure the world is peaceful.

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
- George W. Bush, 3/13/2002

[Spider]

Bush gets on TV pisses all over the middle east , and now we are shocked terrorrist attacks are up ......... go figure

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

Or in the alternative we could do what Clinton did and pretend terrorism doesn't exist and hope it goes away by itself.

You have it bass-ackwards.

The worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil in history happened because Bush was "pretending terrorism didn't exist."

Under Clinton, counterterrorism was the DOJ's #1 funding priority.

Under Bush, counterterrorism wasn't even on the DOJ's "to do" list before 9/11 - in spite of multiple warnings from numerous intelligence sources that al Qaeda was planning suicide attacks inside the U.S. and despite urgings from the outgoing administration that keeping tabs on Bin Laden should be priority #1.

And the proof is in the pudding: Only 34 Americans were killed by terrorism during Clinton's eight-year watch (as opposed to the >3,000 lost in Bush's first year alone.)

More than 200 U.S. Marines were killed on Red Ink Raygun's watch because Raygun ignored warnings that the men were in danger.

And, BTW, Clinton didn't try to blame the previous administration for the first WTC bombing - even though it happened only a week into his presidency.

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

Kill them on their own turf I always say.

If you were actually able to read and comprehend the story at the top of this thread you would see proof that Bush's policies have made global terror worse - not better.

[SteveTensi13]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

You have it bass-ackwards.

The worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil in history happened because Bush was "pretending terrorism didn't exist."

Under Clinton, counterterrorism was the DOJ's #1 funding priority.

Under Bush, counterterrorism wasn't even on the DOJ's "to do" list before 9/11 - in spite of multiple warnings from numerous intelligence sources that al Qaeda was planning suicide attacks inside the U.S. and despite urgings from the outgoing administration that keeping tabs on Bin Laden should be priority #1.

And the proof is in the pudding: Only 34 Americans were killed by terrorism during Clinton's eight-year watch (as opposed to the >3,000 lost in Bush's first year alone.)

More than 200 U.S. Marines were killed on Red Ink Raygun's watch because Raygun ignored warnings that the men were in danger.

And, BTW, Clinton didn't try to blame the previous administration for the first WTC bombing - even though it happened only a week into his presidency.



If you were actually able to read and comprehend the story at the top of this thread you would see proof that Bush's policies have made global terror worse - not better.

In eight years in office Clinton did absolutely nothing to fight terrorism. What was his response to the first WTC bombing? Get a warrant and arrest a blind cleric, boy that really scared Al Quaida. The USS Cole bombing; nothing, Khobar towers bombing; nothing. Bombing of US embassies in Africa; nothing. Eight years to get Bin Laden who wasn't even hiding at the time; nothing. Yea, that good ol' boy did a real good job fighting terrorism!

The planning for the WTC attack was years in the planning, meaning during the Clinton Administration, but yeah, it was Bush's fault. Apparantly all that DOJ funding your so fond of was spent else where, certainly not on fighting terrorism.

LABF, your hatred of America is disgusting and blinding you to the real threat to America. Not Bush but Islam.

[Spider]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

In eight years in office Clinton did absolutely nothing to fight terrorism. What was his response to the first WTC bombing? Get a warrant and arrest a blind cleric, boy that really scared Al Quaida. The USS Cole bombing; nothing, Khobar towers bombing; nothing. Bombing of US embassies in Africa; nothing. Eight years to get Bin Laden who wasn't even hiding at the time; nothing. Yea, that good ol' boy did a real good job fighting terrorism!

The planning for the WTC attack was years in the planning, meaning during the Clinton Administration, but yeah, it was Bush's fault. Apparantly all that DOJ funding your so fond of was spent else where, certainly not on fighting terrorism.

LABF, your hatred of America is disgusting and blinding you to the real threat to America. Not Bush but Islam.

Just wondering if you have proof Clinton did nothing for 8 years ? Or are you just repeating Right wing talking points ?

[SteveTensi13]

Originally Posted by §Pide®

Just wondering if you have proof Clinton did nothing for 8 years ? Or are you just repeating Right wing talking points ?

Ummm, I guess living through that joke of an administration isn't proof enough? Can you offer any contradicatory evidence that anything was done?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

In eight years in office Clinton did absolutely nothing to fight terrorism. What was his response to the first WTC bombing? Get a warrant and arrest a blind cleric, boy that really scared Al Quaida. The USS Cole bombing; nothing, Khobar towers bombing; nothing. Bombing of US embassies in Africa; nothing. Eight years to get Bin Laden who wasn't even hiding at the time; nothing. Yea, that good ol' boy did a real good job fighting terrorism!

Too bad you have trouble with simple arithmetic.

During Clinton's eight-year watch, only 34 Americans were killed by terrorism.

The court-appointed pinhead lost >3,000 in his first year alone.

Red Ink Ron lost >200.

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

The planning for the WTC attack was years in the planning, meaning during the Clinton Administration, but yeah, it was Bush's fault. Apparantly all that DOJ funding your so fond of was spent else where, certainly not on fighting terrorism.

It doesn't matter how many "years in the planning" the attacks were.

Bush received numerous warnings from multiple intelligence sources that al Qaeda was planning suicide attacks inside the U.S. and he did absolutely NOTHING.

Had he done something and still failed to prevent the attacks, then you might be able to defend or forgive him, but such is not the case.

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

LABF, your hatred of America is disgusting and blinding you to the real threat to America. Not Bush but Islam.

What's "disgusting" is your weak, irresponsible attempt to blame Clinton for an attack that happened on Bush's watch. Equally "disgusting" is your denial, when confronted with objective proof, that Bush's policies have made the threat of terrorism worse - not better. Most disgusting of all is your attempt to blur the distinction between "terrorism" and "Islam." You are nothing but a hate-filled, racist xenophobe, and your mindset certainly doesn't represent "America" (as evidenced by the ever-shrinking number of Americans who approve of the smirking pinhead.)

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

Can you offer any contradicatory evidence that anything was done?

Clinton's actions against terrorism vs. Bush's

Great piece in response to the Rethuglicans who drag out the same tired crap about how 9/11 is Clinton's fault, he ignored warnings, he did nothing about terrorism. What he actually did is nicely outlined - which is a lot, compared to Chimp's "actions."

As for your ridiculous lies that Clinton didn't do anything about terrorism or the attack on our soil, that Clinton didn't do anything about Bin Laden or the Taliban. Well, he did much more than Bush. He actually hunted down those responsible for the '93 WTC bombing, he hauled their ugly butts back to America, put them on trial, all were found guilty and all of them are rotting in prison for life. And he did it within 18 months of the bombing. It's been 4 years since 9-11.

I've posted this countless times and for those who actually read and understand it, I'm sorry to be so redundant but the lies of the right-wing extremist jackasses just can't go unanswered.

-He sent anti terrorism and airport security measures to the house in 96, 97, 98, 99 and 2000...
--Everyone one was killed by the house Republicans without even bringing them up for debate....
--They were too busy being perverts, trying to look into the president's bedroom window....
--The sad thing about it, they contain some of the same recommendations that Dubya wanted to implement AFTER September 11th...
--Here, look for yourself, it's all public record..The United States General Accounting Office
--Everytime the last president tried to do something about the terrorist threat, the house republicans all screamed "wag the dog"..
--What Clinton did do was send death squads to try to find bin Laden.. They didn't, but on the other hand, Bush has our whole armed services concentrating on bin Laden, but let him get away...
--Besides, they did catch those responsible for the 1993 WTC attacks and they are rotting in prison...
--Clinton also stopped all trade and aid to the Taliban for letting bin Laden thrive in their nation..
--Bush reversed that policy and gave the Taliban $43million dollars in aid just three months before the attacks on New York City...Bush's Deal With the Taliban --May 22, 2001
--So, with prior warning, and 234 days to do something about the terrorist threat, this president spent the first 9 months of his term either on vacation or trying to get his personal agenda passed as paybacks for his own special interests and giving millions of dollars to our enemies....
--There's an old saying in business that says, "If you prevent problems before they happen, you get no credit but the problems is avoided"..

Under President Clinton:

-- Developed the nation's first anti-terrorism policy, and appointed first national coordinator of anti-terrorist efforts.
--Stopped cold the Al Qaeda millennium bombing plot.
--Stopped cold the planned attack to kill the Pope
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up 12 U.S. jetliners simultaneously
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up UN Headquarters
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up FBI Headquarters
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the Israeli Embassy in Washington
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up Boston airport
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up Lincoln and Holland Tunnels in NY
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the George Washington Bridge
--Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the US Embassy in Albania

-- Tried to kill Osama bin Laden and disrupt Al Qaeda through preemptive strikes (efforts denounced by the G.O.P.).

-- Brought perpetrators of first World Trade Center bombing and CIA killings to justice.

-- Did not blame Bush I administration for first World Trade Center bombing even though it occurred 33 days after they had left office. Instead, worked hard, even obsessively -- and successfully -- to stop future terrorist attacks.

--Named the Hart-Rudman commission to report on nature of terrorist threats and major steps to be taken to combat terrorism.

-Clinton sent legislation to Congress to TIGHTEN AIRPORT SECURITY. (Remember, this is before 911) The legislation was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the airlines.

-Clinton sent legislation to Congress to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF TERRORIST FUNDING. It was defeated by Republicans in the Senate because of opposition from banking interests.

-Clinton sent legislation to Congress to add tagents to explosives, to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF EXPLOSIVES USED BY TERRORISTS. It was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the NRA.

-Clinton increased the military budget by an average of 14 per cent, reversing the trend under Bush I.

-Clinton tripled the budget of the FBI for counterterrorism and doubled overall funding for counterterrorism
-Clinton detected and destroyed cells of Al Qaeda in over 20 countries
-Clinton created national stockpile of drugs and vaccines including 40 million doses of smallpox vaccine.
-Of Clinton's efforts says Robert Oakley, Reagan Ambassador for Counterterrorism: "Overall, I give them very high marks" and "The only major criticism I have is the obsession with Osama"
-Paul Bremer, current Civilian Administrator of Iraq disagrees slightly with Robert Oakley as he believed the Clinton Administration had "correctly focused on bin Laden.
-Barton Gellman in the Washington Post put it best, "By any measure available, Clinton left office having given greater priority to terrorism than any president before him" and was the "first administration to underatake a systematic anti-terrorist effort"

Here, in stark contrast, is part of the Bush-Cheney anti-terrorism record before September 11, 2001:

-- Backed off Clinton administration's anti-terrorism efforts.
-- Shelved Hart-Rudman report.
-- Appointed new anti-terrorism task force under Dick Cheney. Group did not even meet before 9/11.
-- Called for cuts in anti-terrorism efforts by the Department of Defense
-- Gave no priority to anti-terrorism efforts by Justice Department.
-- Ignored warnings from Sandy Berger and Louis Freeh about the urgency of terrorist threats.
-- Halted Predator drone tracking of Osama bin Laden.
-- Did nothing in wake of August 6 C.I.A. report to president saying Al Qaeda attack by hijack of an airliner almost certain.
----Now we've got Bush knowing about the terrorists plans, and the fact that they were in flight schools in the US, and little georgie takes a four week vacation..
-- By failing to order any coordination of intelligence data, missed opportunity to stop the 9/11 plot as Clinton-Gore had stopped the millennium plot.
--Blamed Clinton for 9/11.


While the Bush family was doing dirty business with the Bin Laden family Clinton was writing this:
Clinton's Letter to Congress on Freezing of bin Ladin Assets

Text of letter from President Clinton to the leaders of Congress explaining why he ordered the freezing of all assets controlled by or affiliated with terrorist chieftain Usama bin Ladin.


THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts)

Dear Mr. Speaker:

On January 23, 1995, in light of the threat posed by grave acts of violence committed by foreign terrorists that disrupt the Middle East peace process, using my authority under, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), I declared a national emergency and issued Executive Order 12947. Because such terrorist activities continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, I have renewed the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12947 annually, most recently on January 21, 1998. Pursuant to section 204(b) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1703(b)) and section 201 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1631), I hereby report to the Congress that I have exercised my statutory authority to issue an Executive Order that amends Executive Order 12947 in order more effectively to respond to the worldwide threat posed by foreign terrorists.

The amendment to the Annex of Executive Order 12947 adds Usama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin (a.k.a. Usama bin Ladin), Islamic Army, Abu Hafs al-Masri, and Rifa'i Ahmad Taha Musa to the list of terrorists that are subject to the prohibitions contained in the Executive Order. These prohibitions include the blocking of all property and interests in the property of the terrorists listed in the Annex, the prohibition of any transaction or dealing by United States persons or within the United States in property or interests in property of the persons designated, and the prohibition of any transaction by any United States persons or within the United States that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, any of the prohibitions set forth in the Executive Order.

Usama bin Ladin and his organizations and associates have repeatedly called upon their supporters to perform acts of violence. Bin Ladin has declared that killing Americans and their allies "is an individual duty for every Muslim ... in order to liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Holy Mosque." These threats are clearly intended to violently disrupt the Middle East peace process.

This Executive Order does not limit or otherwise affect the other provisions of Executive Order 12947.

I have authorized these actions in view of the danger posed to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States by the activities of Usama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin (a.k.a. Usama bin Ladin), Islamic Army, Abu Hafs al-Masri, and Rifa'i Ahmad Taha Musa that disrupt the Middle East peace process. I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order that I have issued exercising my emergency authorities.

Sincerely, WILLIAM J. CLINTON

[Spider]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

Ummm, I guess living through that joke of an administration isn't proof enough?

No not realy ..........
I thought you was just repeating right wing talking points , or perhaps your memory is very short .........

Can you offer any contradicatory evidence that anything was done?

Glad you asked .... it is simple what a little research will do ..........
http://nsi.org/Library/Terrorism/policy.html
http://www.cdt.org/policy/terrorism/...error-otl.html
http://www.makethemaccountable.com/m...dTerrorism.htm
http://cbsnews.cbs.com/stories/2004/...in624848.shtml
Not to mention the terrorist that bombed the WTC in 93 were caught and arrested , Can you say the same for OBL ?

[Spider]

So far Republicans are content with talk , oh we will do this and that , Were as Democrats want results , example OBL =Still walking around making home movies .....1993 terrorist bombers = In jail rotting were they belong ......... it is so obvious Reps love tough talk but wimp out when it comes to action

[Spider]

These republicans were wetting all over themselfs , Mr Bush protect us , we are scared shítless of the Mighty arab named Saddam ........Meanwhile these were the same fools that stockedup on Guns and Ammo in case America was ever attacked , they could defend this country .......Well we was attacked and what did these inbred Idiots do ? they hid behind Bush Protect us , take our freedoms away , Freedoms that our forefather faught and died for ............and these bastards call themselfs Americans ..........

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by §Pide®

example OBL =Still walking around making home movies .....1993 terrorist bombers = In jail rotting were they belong ......... it is so obvious Reps love tough talk but wimp out when it comes to action

Bingo.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by §Pide®

These republicans were wetting all over themselfs , Mr Bush protect us , we are scared shítless of the Mighty arab named Saddam ........Meanwhile these were the same fools that stockedup on Guns and Ammo in case America was ever attacked , they could defend this country .......Well we was attacked and what did these inbred Idiots do ? they hid behind Bush Protect us , take our freedoms away , Freedoms that our forefather faught and died for ............and these bastards call themselfs Americans ..........

Yep.

When Clinton was trying to kill Bin Laden in '98, the rethugs tried to block him, and accused him of "wagging the dog" because of their fishing expedition inside his zipper.

Clinton sent legislation to Congress to TIGHTEN AIRPORT SECURITY. (Remember, this is before 9/11.) The legislation was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the airlines.

Clinton sent legislation to Congress to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF TERRORIST FUNDING. It was defeated by Republicans in the Senate because of opposition from banking interests.

Clinton sent legislation to Congress to add tagents to explosives, to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF EXPLOSIVES USED BY TERRORISTS. It was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the NRA.