A Further Look at a Right Wing Talking Point

This article explores a follow-up point to the very excellent opinion piece published by Stephanie Dray titled The Truth About Clinton and Bin Ladin: Another Right Wing Talking Point Exposed here on Associated Content. She highlights the attempts by the Right Wing spin machines to try to portray former President Clinton at least as inept-and even to insinuate purposeful neglect-when it comes to countering Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Ladin. They would have us believe that President Clinton had no interest in fighting terrorism at all. According to the Talking Points, Mr. Clinton was far more interested in Monica Lewinsky than fighting Al Qaeda. Of course, the truth is very different. Stephanie Dray does an exceptional job outlining what actually happened. President Clinton tried to counter Bin Ladin at every opportunity.

Remember, he had to operate in a pre-9/11 political climate. He had to build a consensus to support military action, when he took it. He had to fight the accusations that he was “wagging the dog.” When Bush came into office, he didn’t make anti-terrorism a priority at all. In fact, he remained on vacation and didn’t add any “Alerts” when in the month before the attacks he was given information stating that Osama Bin Ladin was determined to strike in America. So to that point, he did less than Clinton.

Now, for the big difference. The attacks on September 11th. Almost the entire world was fully behind America. The worldwide consensus was unprecedented. There was no question in Congress. Bin Ladin would be pursued to the ends of the earth. So President Bush had the full support of the vast majority of the world. He had the authority to bring the full strength of the American military to bear against those who did the acts. And what has he done? I mean, besides not get Bin Ladin. Not “dead or alive” or anything. When he was widely believed to be in the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, troops were pulled to prepare for the Iraq invasion. So with everything on his side, with everything behind him-Bush didn’t get him. I didn’t really fully make this connection until I read the article by Stephanie. Now when I think about it, the stench of the hypocrisy is as apparent as can be. I hope more people can come to the realization.