“CIA Director George Tenet testified under oath [to Congress’ Joint Inquiry into the September 11 attacks] on October 17, 2002, that during the 1980s, ‘While we knew of him, we have no record of any direct U.S. government contact with bin Laden at that time.’ ” – Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, Pages 598-599 […]
Category: quotes
10/17/2002
In his prepared testimony before the Joint Inquiry Committee on October 17, 2002, CIA Director George Tenet made it clear, “that in every case where [then-President Bill] Clinton’s Cabinet discussed cruise missile strikes, a decisive problem was the lack of absolute certainty that bin Laden was present. Tenet concluded that the CIA’s strategy against bin […]
10/17/2002
“…although terrorism had been NSA’s [National Security Agency’s] top priority since the August 1998 East Africa embassy bombings, the agency’s director, General Michael Hayden, later admitted [before the Joint Inquiry of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on October 17, 2002] that he had at least five […]
10/17/2002
“Former CIA Director George Tenet has said [on October 17, 2002] that before 9/11, seventy suspected terrorists were rendered, and these actions undoubtedly thwarted a number of plots in the making.” – Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon, The Next Attack, Page 257 […]
10/17/2002
Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet released a written statement for the Joint Inquiry Committee on October 17, 2002. It read: “After Bin Ladin had left Sudan we learned that al-Qa’ida had attempted to acquire material used in pursuing a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) capability and had hired a Middle Eastern physicist to work […]
10/16/2002
In Iraq, “In October [16] 2002, Saddam got 100 percent of the vote in a nationwide referendum for another seven-year term, which he described as a show of the Iraqi people’s defiance of the US war threats.” – China Daily Staff, “Profile: Former Iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein,” China Daily, June 30, 2004 […]
10/16/2002
“Upon signing the congressional resolution [to use force in Iraq] on October 16 [2002], [President] Bush assuaged the fears of those who thought it was a declaration of war. ‘I have not ordered the use of force,’ he said. ‘I hope the use of force will not become necessary. Hopefully this can be done peacefully. […]
10/16/2002
“On October 16 [2002], Saddam staged a sham referendum on his tenure, which Iraqi officials claimed he won by a perfect 100 percent of the vote…” – Todd S. Purdum and The New York Times Staff, A Time of Our Choosing, Page 60 […]
10/16/2002
President George W. Bush, after signing the Iraq Resolution: “When Iraq has a government committed to the freedom and well-being of its people, America, along with many other nations, will share a responsibility to help Iraq reform and prosper. And we will meet our responsibilities. That’s our pledge to the Iraqi people. Like the members of Congress […]
10/15/2002
According to a CIA senior executive memorandum on February 21, 2003: ” ‘Close al Qaeda associate [Abu Musab] al Zarqawi has had an operational alliance with Iraqi officials. As of October 2002, al Zarqawi maintained contacts with the IIS [Iraqi Intelligence Service] to procure weapons and explosives, including surface-to-air missiles from an IIS officer in […]