I'm so weary of all the Bush wacking. Let's imagine that the terror of 9/11 had struck 2 years earlier under the Clinton/Gore watch. What would be different/better/worse about the American response?
Under the Clinton Administration I think the response may have been quicker to happen. bush waited several weeks after we knew who was responsible. Clinton may have been a lot of things...but I sincerely doubt that he would have let 9/11 go unanswered for.
I think we would have moved on Osama a lot quicker. This administration was too preoccupied with future interests in Afghanistan (Oil pipeline) to act right away. I'm just bullshniting, who knows what would have happened. I'll tell you one thing, it probably wouldn't be much different than the way things went down. Everybody would have supported Clinton initially, but if he came up emptyhanded with no Osama, people would probably be split on whatever his next course of action would be.
Hmmm. I have my skeptism that Clinton would had been as successful thus far in the war on terror. Of course Bin Laden escaped into the bouldery oblivion that is the Afghan/Pakistan border. And you have the leader of the Taliban on the run but the untamed land of Afghanistan, which many had their doubts we would be able to succeed in any kind of conflict under the circumstances. America not only got the rats on the run they liberated an oppressed people. For the most part the conflict in Afghanistan was a success with all things considered. Now of course Mr. Bush can't run around with Bin Laden's head on a stick but I don't recall any videos of the Al-Qaida leader after the Tora Bora bombing. Unless you count those that were taped before the event. I don't know if Clinton could had made it this far into the war on terror let alone at this pace.
Looking at the baseline enmity employed by Republicans throughout his career, I doubt Clinton would have had much of a Honeymoon after the attack. A lot of folks would have been calling for his head because his administration let this happened. Even though the Democrats are now starting to question some of the Bush assumptions, Clinton would have had to put up with stuff from week one. And, he would not have had the time Bush had to prepare a force for Afghanistan--Republicans would have been railing for blood and pounding him for delay every day. (pun intended) Like Bush, Clinton's approval rating would have increased, but not to levels enjoyed by Bush. Clinton would have seen an opportunity to strengthen ties with our friends and make new ones with others. I don't think you'd have the interantional climate that you do today. I don't see Clinton proposing the pre-emptive policy we seem to have now. I don't see Clinton focusing on Iraq, but instead Iraq would be a secondary concern to AQ. I could go on, but my 5-week old is crying.
Is this the same Bill Clinton whose administration was given the opportunity to take in Osama Bin Laden's head on a silver platter in the 1990's but refused to?
I think under the Clinton administration he would have done a better job of keeping everyone on one accord. It seems to me that the two major parties are dividing right along with the world.
I thought this would be a softball pitch for all of you Bush-whackers out there. Most of you have chosen to stay away, I guess.
I don't think that Clinton's response would have been very different than what Bush has done. The only difference would be that Clinton would have been subjected to withering criticism from the right wing no matter what his response would have been.
i totally disagree, rocketman...every time he used force OTHER THAN THE DAY LEWINSKY TESTIFIED he was met with strong support from Congressional Republicans...it would be no different after 9/11.
How are we to judge whether Bush's reaction to the 9/11 attacks have been successful or not? It's been over a year and we still have no idea if Osama is alive or dead. Not only are we in a war with the AQ but we're also approaching a war with Iraq. One thing I said right after Bush was elected was that we would be in a war under his presidency and we're on the verge of being in two of them. I'm not saying Bush isn't doing a good job, but I won't go so far as to say that Clinton wouldn't have been able to handle this as well or even better.
