Debunking "Clinton offered Bin Laden's head on a silver platter 5 times" ?

[garybeck]

Everyone seemed to think the debate between Rocky Anderson and Sean Hannity was great, but it was disturbing to me. One thing was hearing Hannity claim that Clinton was offered Bin Laden's head on a "silver platter" 5 times and refused. I wanted Anderson to remind everyone that Bush literally had Bin Laden cornered in Tora Bora, but I guess he forgot to mention that. Regardless, the silver platter comment was repeated several times and I'm sure Hannity says it daily on his show.

I googled "Clinton caused 9/11" and got too many hits devoted to this subject, it really bothered me.

I know this isn't right, but I could use some facts and talking points on this. I remember when that propaganda movie was on ABC and they "re-enacted" Sandy Berger literally letting go when people had guns pointed at him, there was public outcry, and we know that is not true.

But what about this Sudan / silver platter thing? Hannity trows all these names and dates out, says he's interviewed some of the people. (if you don't know what I'm talking about, check out this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x26909 )I imagine it's also a lie, but I could use some ammunition... so the next time I hear someone say that, I'd like to have some facts and figures to shoot it down.

any help on this?

[ck4829]

1. Debunked by the 9/11 Commission

http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/staff_statement_5.pdf

[Sweet Freedom]

2. Try here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1975019

[Sweet Freedom]

3. Here's Bush's failure to capture OBL

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=284x259

[hobbit709]

4. Make them prove it true to you

Have them cite dates, names, places. Even if you have facts and figures, the idiots that repeat this garbage won't listen. I just tell them "Unless you can show me the evidence, it's just a steaming pile of taurine metabolic byproducts"

[Sweet Freedom]

5. Republican lawmaker's failure to fight terrorism

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=284x243

(See post #3 for Bush's failure -- I accidentally posted to myself.)

[Sweet Freedom]

6. And this link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=284x251

[Sweet Freedom]

7. Here's one about Hannity making this false allegation in 2004

http://mediamatters.org/items/200407230005

[luckyleftyme2]

9. who is sean hannity

A NOBODY!

[Sweet Freedom]

8. Saudi's balked at US plan

http://propagandamatrix.com/sudan_offered_to_arrest_bin_laden.html

[Selatius]

10. I will quote the relevant portions of the 9/11 staff statement that is seen in post #1

...

Diplomacy had an effect. In exchanges beginning in February 1996, Sudanese officials
began approaching U.S. officials, asking what they could do to ease the pressure. During
the winter and spring of 1996, Sudan’s defense minister visited Washington and had a
series of meetings with representatives of the U.S. government. To test Sudan’s
willingness to cooperate on terrorism the United States presented eight demands to their
Sudanese contact. The one that concerned Bin Ladin was a request for intelligence
information about Bin Ladin’s contacts in Sudan.

These contacts with Sudan, which went on for years, have become a source of
controversy. Former Sudanese officials claim that Sudan offered to expel Bin Ladin to
the United States. Clinton administration officials deny ever receiving such an offer. We
have not found any reliable evidence to support the Sudanese claim.

Sudan did offer to expel Bin Ladin to Saudi Arabia and asked the Saudis to pardon him.
U.S. officials became aware of these secret discussions, certainly by March 1996. The
evidence suggests that the Saudi government wanted Bin Ladin expelled from Sudan, but
would not agree to pardon him. The Saudis did not want Bin Ladin back in their country
at all.

U.S. officials also wanted Bin Ladin expelled from Sudan. They knew the Sudanese
were considering it. The U.S. government did not ask Sudan to render him into U.S.
custody.

According to Samuel Berger, who was then the deputy national security adviser, the
interagency Counterterrorism and Security Group (CSG) chaired by Richard Clarke had a
hypothetical discussion about bringing Bin Ladin to the United States. In that discussion
a Justice Department representative reportedly said there was no basis for bringing him to
the United States since there was no way to hold him here, absent an indictment. Berger
adds that in 1996 he was not aware of any intelligence that said Bin Ladin was
responsible for any act against an American citizen. No rendition plan targeting Bin
Ladin, who was still perceived as a terrorist financier, was requested by or presented to
senior policymakers during 1996.

Yet both Berger and Clarke also said the lack of an indictment made no difference.
Instead they said the idea was not worth pursuing because there was no chance that
Sudan would ever turn Bin Ladin over to a hostile country. If Sudan had been serious,
Clarke said, the United States would have worked something out.

However, the U.S. government did approach other countries hostile to Sudan and Bin
Ladin about whether they would take Bin Ladin. One was apparently interested. No
handover took place.

...

http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/staff_statement_5.pdf

[garybeck]

11. thanks everyone, I wish Rocky would have mentioned all this stuff.

not dissing Rocky... but I think there were some missed opportunities in that debate to really bury Hannity. I like Rocky but I think a lot of DUers could have done as well or better.

[gratuitous]

17. It's hard to anticipate the lies in advance

One thing that Republicans and their ilk never shy away from (like, say, military service in their elective wars) is telling an outrageous lie. Was Clinton offered bin Laden's head on a silver platter five times? Who can say in the heat of the moment of a live debate? The short answer is, as always, "prove it." When and where was Clinton offered bin Laden's head on a platter? The more specifics you demand, the less likely the charge is to be repeated, but you have to be ready for it.

And who can say what's going to spew from some Republican creep's piehole in advance?

[merh]

12. Check the link in my sig line

That is to a video of the WH Press Briefing held on February 27, 2001.

Apparently the Taliban offered the WH OBL and nothing happened. The offer was either ignored (remember, they were working on the missile defense and thought the "Soviet Union" was our biggest enemy) the offer or rejected it.

My bet is they had no idea who OBL was and simply ignored the offer just as the ignored all of the intel on the danger he posed for the US.

Q Ari, according to India Globe, the Taliban in Afghanistan, they have offered that they are ready to hand over Osama bin Laden to Saudi Arabia if the United States would drop its sanctions, and they have a kind of deal that they want to make with the United States. Do you have any comments?

MR. FLEISCHER: Let me take that and get back to you on that.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/briefings/20010227.html

[Canuckistanian]

13. It's FIVE times now?

I never heard that. This story seems to grow like the fisherman's tale of the one that got away.

[garybeck]

14. watch the video

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x26909

not only does he say Clinton was offered 5 times, but he repeats that statement about 5 times in one debate.

[Canuckistanian]

15. Thanks

I'm on dial-up, using an old steam-powered modem. But I'll make the effort to DL it.

[madmom]

16. one thing I remind the idiots about ..

is that 911 hadn't happened yet, even if Clinton was to have been offered bin laden's head, what was the reason for taking him out, it had to be something indisputable, but with bush we knew what was done.This makes them go blank usually.

[juno jones]

18. Also OBL

is a member of the elite Saudi families. They had to have irrefutable evidence to go after him. otherwise our 'allies' would be sorely pissed. Don't think they had that evidence until 9-11 and there are so many gaps in that story that one could probably prove 'reasonable doubt'.

[ComerPerro]

19. Hannity is still spouting that bullshit? It was debunked years ago