Did Bill Clinton take terrorism seriously? Read this from 1996

At first I was going to title this post:

"Guess who said this?", but then thought that I wouldn't be flip about it. If you haven't read this speech by Bill Clinton given on August 5th, 1996, please read it.

Here are some excerpts. The whole speech can be found at:
http://www.usconsulate.org.hk/pas/pr/1996/0806b.htm

The fact is America remains the indispensable nation. There are times when America, and only America, can make a difference between war and peace, between freedom and repression, between hope and fear. Of course, we can't take on all the world's burden. We cannot become its policemen. But where our interests and values demand it and where we can make a difference, America must act and lead.

Nowhere is that responsibility more clear or more urgent than in the struggle against terrorism. No one is immune, whether you're riding a subway in Tokyo or a bus in Tel Aviv, whether you're window shopping in London or walking the streets in Moscow, whether you're doing your duty in Saudi Arabia or going to work in Oklahoma City. Terrorism has become an equal opportunity destroyer, with no respect for borders.

Whether we like it or not, in ways both good and bad, we are living in an interdependent world. That's why we must break down the walls in our mind between foreign and domestic policy. And I might say, Mr. President, on this 175th anniversary, that is one of the intellectual objectives that I hope our great universities will commit themselves to

<snip>

But I want to make it clear to the American people that while we can defeat terrorists, it will be a long time before we defeat terrorism. America will remain a target because we are uniquely present in the world, because we act to advance peace and democracy, because we have taken a tougher stand against terrorism, and because we are the most open society on earth. But to change any of that, to pull our troops from the world's trouble spots, to turn our backs on those taking risks for peace, to weaken our opposition against terrorism, to curtail the freedom that is our birthright, would be to give terrorism a victory it must not and will not have.

In this fight, as in so many other challenges around the world, American leadership is indispensable. In assuming our leadership in the struggle against terrorism, we must be neither reluctant nor arrogant, but realistic, determined, and confident. And we must understand that in this battle, we must deploy more than police and military resources. Every one of you counts, every American counts.

Our greatest strength is our confidence. And that is the target of the terrorists. Make no mistake about it: The bombs that kill and maim innocent people are not really aimed at them, but at the spirit of our whole country and the spirit of freedom. Therefore, the struggle against terrorism involves more than the new security measures I have ordered and the others I am seeking. Ultimately, it requires the confident will of the American people to retain our convictions for freedom and peace and to remain the indispensable force in creating a better world at the dawn of a new century.

Clinton was BAD!! He didn't do ANYTHING!!

Ugh. Those GOP assholes.

Julie

I found this while poking around in some old files:

http://www.cybercrime.gov/nas9901.htm

Jan 22, 1999

The United States has mounted an aggressive response to terrorism -- tightening security for our diplomats, our troops, our air travelers, improving our ability to track terrorist activity, enhancing cooperation with other countries, strengthening sanctions on nations that support terrorists.

Since 1993, we have tripled funding for FBI anti-terrorist efforts. Our agents and prosecutors, with excellent support from our intelligence agencies, have done extraordinary work in tracking down perpetrators of terrorist acts and bringing them to justice. And as our air strikes against Afghanistan -- or against the terrorist camps in Afghanistan -- last summer showed, we are prepared to use military force against terrorists who harm our citizens. But all of you know the fight against terrorism is far from over. And now, terrorists seek new tools of destruction.

Clinton was a good man and a smart man....Of course he was aware of what was going on and he had the ability and curiosity to investigate what was important to protect the country and it's people...He felt a keen responsibility to carry out his duty...and He took care of business BEFORE he went on vacation or before he went to bed to sleep 12 hrs. a night He wasn't lazy and stupid like the present squater......He beats the hell out of the aberration that now resides in the oval office....He was after all our last elected president....

When I read these, I also note the phrasing of the speech itself. I don't know if he wrote all of them himself, but they sure were on a higher plain that GW's mutterings.

Is he just waiting for his testimony before the commission?

Damned if I would let them paint me as soft on terrorism if I were him. I'd be shoving this shit up their asses!

If this is what is in the 11,000 pages of Clinton documents, no wonder Shrub didn't want to release the papers. I'm sure the documents show what Clinton did to stop terrorism-and point out, once again, what Shrub DIDN'T do.

many speeches did Bush make before 911 that mentioned terriorist? Not any of his administration, but Bush himself. Not that he had to mention AlQuada or Bin Laden - just terrorism. Does anybody know? I don't and I would be curious to know the answer.

and I post this only because of the noise about Clinton not being tough on terrorism. If Clinton were still in office, I have faith that he would have realized that Osama and Saddam were enemies, not friends ( lol....as everyone with an ounce of sense knows)

n/t

repeatedly points out how on top of things Clinton was, what he tried to do, how focused he was, how smart, how well read ...

I'm 3/4 through and more than any Bush bashing (thus far), the real impact of the book is how much time and energy the Clinton Administration put into anti-terrorism efforts starting in 1995.

Of course the GOP and that FBI bastard Louis 'Clueless' Freeh were waging their own acts of terrorism against Clinton.

Clinton was on duty but not the repuke Congress. And now, of course, they all want to blame Clinton, hide his papers, etc...

God, I hope these guys rot in hell.