Bush declassifies bin Laden intel

[babsbunny]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070522/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_terrorism

Bush declassifies bin Laden intel By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer
2 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - President Bush, trying to defend his war strategy, declassified intelligence Tuesday asserting that Osama bin Laden ordered a top lieutenant in early 2005 to form a terrorist cell that would conduct attacks outside Iraq — and that the United States should be the top target.


The information mirrored a classified bulletin from the Homeland Security Department in March 2005, reporting that bin Laden had enlisted Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, his senior operative in Iraq, to plan potential strikes in the U.S. The warning was described at the time as credible but not specific and did not prompt the administration to raise its national terror alert level.

The declassification of the intelligence came a day before Bush was scheduled to speak about terrorism at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Bush, who is battling Democrats in Congress over spending for the unpopular war in Iraq, will argue that the terrorist threat to America is real, said Frances Fragos Townsend, the White House homeland security adviser. She said Bush would talk about why Iraq is an important battleground in fighting terrorism abroad to prevent attacks on U.S. soil and highlight previously reported successes in foiling terrorist attacks.

The Bush White House has intermittently declassified and made public sensitive intelligence information to help rebut critics or defend programs or actions against possibly adverse decisions in the Congress or the courts. On a few occasions, the declassified materials were intended as proof that terrorists see Iraq as a critical staging ground for global operations.

Democrats and other critics have accused Bush of selectively declassifying intelligence, including portions of a sensitive National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, to justify the U.S.-led invasion on the ground that Saddam Hussein's regime possessed weapons of mass destruction. That assertion proved false.

[lpbk2713]

1. Of course he *selectively declassifies intel* ....

it's obvious in this case because he released this info on a Tuesday. If it was something that could have possibly backlashed on him it would have been released (if at all) on a Friday. I don't know why the BushCo Regime even bothers any more. Everyone knows they are a corrupt gang of self-serving thieves and liars. Wake me when it's January 2009.

[Amonester]

2. "a terrorist cell that would conduct attacks OUTSIDE Iraq"

Emphasis mine: OUTSIDE.

Comment #1: That's nothing new... sad, of course, but not new.

Comment #2: What are we doing INSIDE Iraq, then?

Oh yeah... The Repuplic-Rats's (and *some* powerful & spineless Dems... cough... cough...) have's and have-more's *bidness* a la Enron & Co.

(OTOH: make that "a la trillion-times-Worst-than Enron&Co.)

Nothing new... And nothing's done to address the ROOTS of terra...) (
Au contraire... The bu$che junta MANUFACTURES MORE terra-ists DAILY...) :crazy:

[AlCzervik]

3. "on April 1st 2000**Redacted*** reported that ***redacted*** was in ***redacted***"