Settle in for 'long war,' says Navy chief (blames Clinton)

[Newsjock]

Have they no shame?
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/194960_navy13.html

By DEBERA CARLTON HARRELL
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, reflecting on past conflicts involving Navy servicemen and women, told a Seattle gathering yesterday that the war on terrorism "is going to be a long war."

... "It's not removing a mole, it's removing a cancer," he said. "It will take total commitment and absolute resolve to fight this war. I'm not sure the public fully realizes that you can't put the lid back on Pandora's box; that it's not the same world as it was before 9/11 and it never will be again."

England declined to discuss specific policies, Iraq or the political differences between Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat running for re-election, and her Republican challenger, Rep. George Nethercutt. Nethercutt was present yesterday, continuing a two-year effort to honor D-Day veterans from Washington state who were unable to receive honorary medals from the French government in 1994 during a 50th anniversary commemoration of the Normandy invasion.

However, England did say in an interview: "The president is trying to lead the nation. He understands that it takes an aggressive policy to fight terrorism. Four years ago today (Oct. 12), the USS Cole was attacked in Yemen. The U.S. did nothing in response, and it bred more terrorism."

more

[Democat]

1. When the Cole was attacked, it was Clinton's fault, but 9/11 wasn't Bush's

Nothing is ever Bush's fault.

When the Cole was attacked - a military ship far from the United States - the right wing blamed president Clinton.

When New York and Washinton DC were attacked - American soil that the President is sworn to protect - it had nothing to do with Bush, it wasn't his fault.

Can you believe the lies and hypocrisy from the right?

[krkaufman]

2. Inaction on USS Cole must be laid squarely at Bush's feet.

However, England did say in an interview: "The president is trying to lead the nation. He understands that it takes an aggressive policy to fight terrorism. Four years ago today (Oct. 12), the USS Cole was attacked in Yemen. The U.S. did nothing in response, and it bred more terrorism."

Does this jackass realize that the CIA and FBI didn't confirm responsibility for the USS Cole bombing until February 2001?

And so it was Bush who opted not to respond to the Cole bombing... just like he chose to not take action on the Al Qaeda "Rollback" plan handed to him by the Clinton Administration in January of that year... and just like he failed to respond to the August 6th,2001, "bin Laden Determined to Strike Within the US" briefing, opting instead to continue his August vacation.

[Grins]

6. Feb 2001?

....that would be after the Clinton admin briefed Condi and company, and well before the PDB that Al Quaeda was going to attack the U.S.?

[krkaufman]

8. Yep. That's the point.

Clinton couldn't take action on the Oct 2000 USS Cole bombing because the CIA & FBI hadn't fingered anybody before he left office.

*BUSH* was in office in Feb 2001 when the CIA & FBI finally came to a conclusion as to responsibility for the bombing -- and Bush did nothing.

[bluestateguy]

3. I can just imagine

Imagine a week or so after the Cole attack Clinton ordered an attack on Afghanistan. Surely two weeks before a close election Republicans would have rallied around the President, right?

Had Clinton ordered an attack during the 36 day Florida standoff the cry from them would have been he was just trying to enhance his popularity, which would help Al Gore's political position.

Had Clinton ordered an attack after Bush's appointment as president they would have said Clinton was just trying to enhance his legacy.

During the Clinton Administration the United States had the most well-funded, well armed and most deadly military on the planet. If someone can name another nation that was more militarily powerful than the US between 1993 and 2001 I challenge them to name one. In the end, 19 punks with box-cutters probably purchased at a department store, were able to penetrate the US national security apparatus.

I distinctly remember not hearing a peep from Republicans demanding retalliation during the waning months of the Clinton Administration or the pre-9/11 days of the Bush Administration.

[Old and In the Way]

4. OK, it's not career military, it's an appointee.

Doing his part to distort the truth in support of his paycheck..

[saigon68]

5. THIS FUCKER IS A PIECE OF WORK

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/people/secnav/england-bio-73.html



Prior to joining the administration of President George W. Bush, Mr. England served as executive vice president of General Dynamics Corporation from 1997 until 2001. In that position he was responsible for two major sectors of the corporation: Information Systems and International. Previously, he served as executive vice president of the Combat Systems Group, president of General Dynamics Fort Worth aircraft company (later Lockheed), president of General Dynamics Land Systems Company and as the principal of a mergers and acquisition consulting company.

his bio lists NO MILITARY EXPERIENCE

IMHO--

IT APPEARS HE IS ANOTHER VIET-NAM DRAFT DODGER like CHENEY and WOLFOWITZ

[progressivebydesign]

9. Geez.. another corporate whore.. with NO military experience? n/t

[saigon68]

10. Meanwhile the children of the poor

Die for the corporate Neocons and the Bush Criminals

[tabasco]

15. War Profiteer ! Traitorous Scum !

Just looking at his face makes me puke. It is un-American scumbags like England that are destroying this nation with their GREED.

[Fleshdancer]

7. But but but.....

When Clinton tried to go after Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, I recall a certain phrase used by Republicans. What was it? Hmm....oh yeah, "wag the dog". He was truly damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Perhaps the world would be a safer place if this country wasn't so paralyzed by Clinton's penis for so many years. Just a thought.

[Amigust]

11. Just another dishonest Bush mouthpiece.

eom

[MADem]

12. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS IDIOT

He is a bozo, a shill, and personifies the term "out of touch." He does not run the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations does. He is more in the mode of a Dalton than a Danzig, for those who know the USN, with the exception that Dalton had more brains. He is such a FUCKIN' WUSS that he QUIT the job to go to an easier post at Homeland Security, didn't like the heat that started rising there, so he went BACK to the SECNAV post, thus earning the distinction of being the only SECNAV in HISTORY to quit and get rehired. He is not one of the worst, but THE WORST SECNAV in modern times--less decisive than Dalton (who wisely stayed out of the way) and stupider than a goddamn anchor. What was his civilian gig? General Dynamics/Lockheed, conveniently located in Fort Worth, Texas. He is a Bushista, a moron, a hack, and a scumbag.

For the record, ANTHONY ZINNI, four star, USMC, went before CONGRESS and TOOK THE HEAT for the Cole. He was the guy who personally approved the refueling in that Yemeni port, and he regrets it deeply. USN had been using the facility off and on, to take the strain off of ships that do the at-sea refueling, and had not had any problems. The difficulty was the the US had no good assets on the ground to do any counterintelligence. Cole was the result.

You notice how the reporter of the source article notes that England did not want to address any policies? That's because the idiot does not know jack about anything. He is the worst form of political appointee--stupid, stupid and even more stupid.

God save our Navy.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

13. My thoughts on

the Cole incident start with this question. How in the hell did the bomber get close enough in the first place to do the damage? Is that Clintons fault too?

[JRicks_GA]

14. Donated 12k to GOP / Bush

Appointed by President Bush. Typical response from a Bush supporter, blame Clinton.
<http://www.fundrace.org/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=england&fname=gordon&search=Search+by+Name