# Is it really Clinton's fault? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 19, 2005, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-clintons-fault/331791 "2005-11-19T11:00:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-clintons-fault/331791/41 "2005-11-22T07:57:42Z")
An excellent book that goes into much detail about US activities in the ME is Ghost Wars by Steve Koll. It appears to be non-politicized (although it’s written from the CIA perspective). Here is a summary w.r.t. OBL and Clinton: During 90’s the CIA increasingly saw OBL as a significant threat that needed to be taken out by whatever means possible. The State Department felt engagement/negotiation with the Taliban was a better approach. Clinton waffled due to conflicting advice and worried about the legality of any action as noted in previous posts. On more than 1 occasion there was an opportunity for the CIA to take out OBL but Clinton would not authorize due to worries about killing innocents. I don’t think it’s right to blame Clinton because it’s extremely difficult to determine which of thousands of threats are high priority. But I am disappointed that the CIA’s warnings were not taken more seriously. If I were grading his performance on this topic I would give him a “C”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-clintons-fault/331791/42 "2005-12-14T16:43:37Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > But back to Clinton for a moment. We sent troops to Somalia to give humanitarian aid. Then suddenly we’re in a shooting match against the local Big Cheese. We got our nose bloodied. Shortly after the helicopters were shot down, we left. ObL and other terrorists might have thought to themselves: Interesting. We kill a few Americans, and they leave! > > Reagan had Marines in Lebanon. A suicide bomber killed over 200 of them by exploding a truck bomb at their barracks while they slept. Reagan pulled our troops out of Lebanon. Terrorists may have thought: Interesting. We kill a few Americans, and they leave! Bush just made a speech, and he mentioned [Terrorist\*] taking a lesson from Lebanon and Somalia. I think we all know my views on the President. So his mentioning of these attacks makes me wonder if I’m wrong in my interpretation. 😛 Either that, or he’s emulating a stopped clock. (Or his speech writers are reading The Straight Dope! 😉 Wait… :eek: ) - Tea wasn’t done, so I missed the name in a fit of caffeine deficiency. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-clintons-fault/331791/43 "2005-12-14T16:49:36Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Reagan, aphasic? Do you know what the word means? > **[Definition of aphasic | Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/aphasic)** > > Definition of aphasic from Dictionary.com, the world’s leading online source for English definitions, pronunciations, word origins, idioms, Word of the Day, and more. > [@](#): > > a·pha·sia > > ``` > Partial or total loss of the ability to articulate ideas or comprehend spoken or written language, resulting from damage to the brain caused by injury or disease. > > ``` An aphasic is a person affected with aphasia. Seems close enough to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-clintons-fault/331791.md?page=2)