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Title: Yes, George W. Bush kept us safe
Source:
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URL Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin ... 5-b9c1-f03c48c96ac2_story.html
Published: Oct 20, 2015
Author: By Marc A. Thiessen
Post Date: 2015-10-20 14:16:02 by no gnu taxes
Keywords: None
Views: 1152
Comments: 13
Donald Trump says it is ridiculous for Jeb Bush to claim that his brother, President George W. Bush, “kept us safe.” “The World Trade Center came down during his reign,” Trump says. “He was the president at the time, and you know, you could say the buck stops here.” Blaming Bush for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks is an absurd, left-wing talking point. The fact is, when Bush took office on Jan. 20, 2001, planning for 9/11 was well underway. Bush inherited a world where terrorists had been permitted safe haven in terrorist states and were engaged in a virtually unimpeded offensive. Under his predecessor, they had launched a string of attacks against the United States: the first effort to bring down the World Trade Center in 1993; the murder of 19 American airmen at the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia three years later; the 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania; and the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, which caused the deaths of 17 American sailors. In none of these cases was there a forceful U.S. response. As a result, al-Qaeda was convinced that the United States was soft and that if they hit us hard enough, we could be forced to retreat and withdraw as we had in Beirut and Somalia. They miscalculated. Unlike his predecessor, Bush did not respond by firing cruise missiles into empty tents and abandoned obstacle courses. Within weeks, U.S. special operations forces were on the ground in Afghanistan, and in less than a month they had destroyed the Taliban regime and driven al-Qaeda from its sanctuary there. After Afghanistan’s liberation, the United States and its coalition partners captured or killed hundreds of al-Qaeda leaders, managers and top operational commanders responsible for day-to-day planning of the terror group’s activities across the globe, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed. To uncover and disrupt follow-on attacks, Bush established a program at the National Security Agency to monitor terrorist communications. He built new programs at the Treasury Department to deny extremists state-of-the-art banking and financial tools, thus making it more difficult for them to raise funds, move money, pay operatives, bribe officials and finance new attacks. He established the CIA program to detain and question top terror leaders — an effort that doubled our intelligence on al-Qaeda. He created the Department of Homeland Security and a new director of national intelligence and transformed the FBI and the Justice Department to fight terror. Using these new tools and doctrines, the Bush administration disrupted a series of planned al-Qaeda attacks on our homeland, including a 2002 plot to fly a plane into the tallest building in Los Angeles, a 2003 plot to crash airplanes into targets on the East Coast and a 2006 plot to blow up multiple passenger jets flying across the Atlantic from Britain to North America. The administration also thwarted a series of planned al-Qaeda attacks on U.S. interests and allies abroad, including a plot to blow up the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan; a plot to hijack passenger planes and fly them in to Big Ben and the Canary Wharf district in London; and a plot to blow up U.S. Marines at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti using explosive-laden water tankers — an attack that, if carried out, would have rivaled the 1983 terrorist attack on the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut that killed nearly 300 U.S. and French service members. Asked whether Bush should even get credit for keeping the country safe after 9/11, Trump says, “I’m not sure that anybody can answer that question. Because you don’t know.” Yes, we do. What does Trump think — that after 9/11 al-Qaeda simply gave up trying to attack the United States? Of course it didn’t. It was stopped. Bush made a lot of mistakes, especially in his prosecution of the war in Iraq. But this much is indisputable: Thanks to the actions he took, the institutions he built, the doctrines he established, the United States went 2,688 days on his watch without another attack on our soil. That is an achievement few thought possible when the rubble of the World Trade Center was still burning. Even more ridiculous is Trump’s claim that, unlike Bush, he would have stopped 9/11 because under his immigration policies “these terrorists wouldn’t have been in the country” and because “a good leader would’ve made sure that [the CIA and FBI] would get along and talk.” Trump seems wholly unaware that several of the 9/11 hijackers were already in the country when Bush took office and that most were here legally on tourist visas. He also seems oblivious to the fact that there was a legal wall between the intelligence and law enforcement communities that prevented them from sharing information — a wall Bush broke down when he signed the Patriot Act. According to a recent poll, more than 80 percent of Republican voters agree that Bush kept us safe. Blaming Bush for 9/11 and denying him credit the actions he took to stop al-Qaeda from striking us again are things one would expect from the Democratic presidential nominee — not someone vying for the Republican presidential nomination.
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#1. To: no gnu taxes (#0)
On November 23, 1963 plans and action were well underway in ending any possible threat to So Vietnam from the north and china, then Kennedy was killed and within hours Johnson called it off and recalled the Marines. So, just because the plans had been underway since Clinton, it was on Bush's watch that the towers came down. He had, had plenty of time to secure the borders and force even suspected terrorist out of the country. But he didn't. King George rino Bush the first gave us 8 years William Jefferson Blythe Clinton. King George rino Bush the second gave us 8 years of Barak hussien Obama I cannot even imagine how horrible what ever Jeb Bush would give us after 4 years of his rule. TRUMP/CRUZ 2016 Why I support Ted Cruz for Vice President in a Donald J Trump administration. I have no doubts that either alone or in concert the GOP, the DNC, the media and/or other liberal Republic hating groups will, if a Ben Carson, a Rubio, Bush or even a Rand Paul is the VP, do to President Trump what they did to President Kennedy. No one killed Clinton because of AlGore, the fear of AlGore being president was enough to stifle any thought of killing Clinton, the same with the very thought of Biden as president was and is enough to keep ObamIt alive. It has to be TRUMP/CRUZ 2016
an absurd, left-wing talking point Boosh is left-wing globalist scum, and a homegrown terrorist just like his daddy. Booshbot, Atzlan idol All of the Booshes are. Here's how Jebbie "kept us safe". Report: 9-11 Hijackers Obtained Florida I.D. Cards under Governor Jeb Bush’s Watch However, in spite of that - Jeb will be the nominee in 2016 and will go up against Hillary. In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much If he does, I predict he will lose. Si vis pacem, para bellum Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.
Someone was deluded enough to write this?
Pretty good essay. Covers the details leading up to 9/11 accurately especially what went on in the Clinton years.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
No, he did not. He wrecked the country and now halve way around the world there are terriorists invading all of the ME. Soon they will be piling onto our shores with his personal greeting card signed by his brother JEB!, "We love illegal invasions."
If he does, I predict he will lose. If that's our choice on election day, we all will lose, and deservedly so.
Do you think it is just possible that they are paid to spin a certain slant? By Paul Waldman By Megan Thee-Brenan Sasha Issenberg http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/20/business/dealbook/a-bloomberg-run-drums-are-beating.html Andrew Ross Sorkin
They don't need to be paid. If they are dedicated to a mission or the same encripted pathology thats payment enough.
Yes . I can't believe that Trump is getting applauds for using a cheap Democrat talking points . But it doesn't suprise me when you consider that he thinks that pilots shot down and taken prisoners of war are losers instead of heroes . The attack on our country on 9-11-01 was already in the execution stage long before President Bush took office. The country was still in the pre- 9-11 security mode with various intel depts not sharing relevent information (the "wall of separation" between the agencies ) ;and airlines doing their own security screening of passengers . Yes it can be argued that Trump's immigration policies may have prevented some of the hijackers from entry or over staying their visas . But Trump had best check his arrogance at the door. Let's assume he gets the nomination and has to fight a close Presidential contest (maybe being decided by a court decision) ;and then assumes the office after a previous hostile administration does everything in it's power to sabotage the transition). He better hope that there are no such attacks in his first few months in office or he will have a huge omelet on his face . The only thing really factual in his line is that Bush was President on the day of the attack. It's like saying FDR was responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Just like McCarthy's screw up about Benghazi ,you know Evita ,or any other Dem running will use the 'Bush did it ' meme throughout the campaign ;and candidate Trump will have no grounds for disputing it since he essentially agrees with it . Bush can be faulted for plenty of his domestic policy initiatives (mostly from his belief that he could compromise and make "great deals" with the Dems ....word of caution to Trump supporters ). But the steps he took in the wake of 9-11 like taking the fight to the enemy ,and consolidating intel under a single department overview were the correct steps to take (and it can be safely said that no legislation that created the Dept Homeland Security would've passed Congress prior to the attack regardless of who was President . The Senate was 50-50 when Bush was elected and then Jim Jeffords left the GOP to caucus with the Dems giving them the majority in the Senate ) . The facts are clear . There was no successful jihadist attack inside the US after 9-11 until the Boston Marathon attack under the emperor's watch even though there were plenty of attacks foiled . Before 9-11 the Clintonoids had treated the 1st WTC attack as a law enforcement matter instead of the attack on the country that it was. Even with that ;OBL had been indicted in 1998 ,BEFORE the twin bombings of the embassies ,and the attack USS Cole ....and Bubba only took ineffective, half hearted steps to take OBL out of action (mostly wag the dog attempts to distract from the Lewinsky scandal ). It was Bubba who left Somalia with our tail between our legs that convinced binLaden that the US was a paper tiger . President Bush further laid the ground work for the execution of the 'Long War' against jihadistan . Unfortunately that policy was abandoned by the emperor and we are witnessing the results of his failed policies . Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
If he does, I predict he will lose. Does it really matter at this point? The New World Order agenda will proceed no matter which puppet is president. Which is why Trump does not have any chance - he'd refuse to be a puppet. In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much Well, that is true, but I am not ready to head up into the mountains and hole up. Si vis pacem, para bellum Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.
#2. To: no gnu taxes, boosh globalists, reconquistas, homegrown terrorists (#0)
(Edited)
George W. Bush kept us safe
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#3. To: hondo68, no gnu taxes, BobCeleste (#2)
(Edited)
Boosh is left-wing globalist scum, and a homegrown terrorist just like his daddy.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#4. To: Deckard (#3)
" Jeb will be the nominee in 2016 and will go up against Hillary "
#5. To: no gnu taxes (#0)
#6. To: no gnu taxes (#0)
#7. To: no gnu taxes (#0)
George W. Bush kept us safe
#8. To: Stoner (#4)
" Jeb will be the nominee in 2016 and will go up against Hillary "
#9. To: rlk, no gnu taxes (#5)
Someone was deluded enough to write this?
Are Republican voters going to come to their senses about Donald Trump?
Washington Post
October 20 at 12:28 PM Poll Watch: Donald Trump’s Attacks on George W. Bush May Backfire
New York Times
October 20, 2015 Mike Murphy of Right to Rise Explains His Theory That Jeb Bush Is Still the Candidate to Beat
Bloomberg
Oct 20, 2015 9:00 AM GMT Michael Bloomberg for President? Wall Street’s Drums Are Beating
New York Times
Oct. 20, 2015
#10. To: nolu chan (#9)
Do you think it is just possible that they are paid to spin a certain slant?
#11. To: redleghunter (#6)
Pretty good essay. Covers the details leading up to 9/11 accurately especially what went on in the Clinton years.
#12. To: Stoner (#4)
(Edited)
" Jeb will be the nominee in 2016 and will go up against Hillary "
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#13. To: Deckard (#12)
" The New World Order agenda will proceed no matter which puppet is president. "
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