frankenlies.com
#9: Franken's Facts On "High Alert"
In chapter 3 of Truth, Franken contrives a flimsy comparison between Presidents Clinton and Bush with regards to their respective approaches to terrorist threats. In writing about the Millennium terrorist plots,1 Franken cooks up the baseless claim that the Clinton government thwarted a destructive attack. If Franken’s claim sounds questionable, you're off to a good start!
On page 39, Franken asserts,
"Clinton put the government on high alert and stopped a deadly attack. Bush did nothing."
The truth? Yes, a plot to bomb Los Angeles International airport (LAX) on or about New Year’s Day 2000 was disrupted, but the Clinton administration's "high alert" played no part in stopping it. The plan was halted thanks to an alert Customs inspector named Diana Dean.2 Dean intercepted and arrested al Qaeda terrorist Ahmed Ressam as he attempted to cross the U.S.-Canada border on December 14, 1999.3
"But, wait!" you say. "Didn't the government's being on heightened alert contribute to Ressam being arrested?"
Answer: No.
The 9/11 Commission Report concluded about this episode (emphasis mine):
"It appears that the heightened sense of alert at the national level played no role in Ressam’s detention."4
"As one of [CTC Richard] Clarke’s staff noted, only a ‘chance discovery’ by U.S. Customs had prevented a possible attack."5
In other words, pure luck and great instincts saved LAX from a terrible catastrophe.
Don’t believe it? How about this?
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Still not convinced? Awww. Then how about this from Al Franken’s own friend and confidant Joe Conason! (emphasis mine)
"Stopping the Millennium plot -- in which al-Qaida operatives planned to bomb Los Angeles International Airport and other major targets at the end of 1999 -- was in great measure the result of a lucky break."6
Got it? The Clinton government did not stop a deadly Millennium attack. Period.
Al Franken is flat-out wrong - again.
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Notes:
1 The "Millennium plots" are often considered as three separate attack plots. Only one of these targeted the United States, and we are addressing this one here. The other two were overseas targets. And, before you ask: No. The Clinton administration did not thwart any of the other two, either.
2 "Remarks of Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Chancery Club of Los Angeles," U.S. Customs and Border Potection, June 10, 2004. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/commissioner/speeches_statements/archives/2004/061004_chancery_club.xml.
3 The 9/11 Commission Report: The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, pp. 177-179. http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch6.pdf.
4 Ibid., p. 179.
5 Ibid., p. 182.
6 The article in which Joe Conason debunks his own friend Al Franken is: Joe Conason, "The president who took bin Laden seriously," Salon.com, July 24, 2004. http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2004/07/24/911_report/index.html?sid=1245619.