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Posted by Maggie (Guest) - Tuesday, September 26 2006, 0:15:35 (CEST)
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The Anti-Anti-Terrorists
How the GOP sabatoged Clintons anti-terror efforts:
by Mike Hersh, 7-30-04

Republicans sabotaged Clinton Administration efforts to keep us safe from terrorism.

In February 1995, the Clinton Administration introduced a counter-terrorism bill in the Senate (S. 390) and the House of Representatives (H.R. 896).

This legislation would have expanded pre-trial detention of terrorism suspects, allowed more federal wiretaps, eased deportation of foreigners convicted of crimes, allowed the detention of aliens convicted or suspected of crimes, let the President criminalize fund-raising for terrorism, and revived visa denial provisions of the McCarran Walter Act. If in force before 9/11/01, federal officials might have detected and prevented the terrorist plot that killed 3000 Americans.

Unfortunately, the Republicans stalled the anti-terrorism legislation for nearly a year and a half, despite Clinton Administration warnings, and then watered-down the key provisions. According to CNN:

July 30, 1996 President Clinton urged Congress Tuesday to act swiftly in developing anti-terrorism legislation before its August recess. But while the president pushed for quick legislation, Republican lawmakers hardened their stance against some of the proposed anti-terrorism measures.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, doubted that the Senate would rush to action before they recess this weekend. The Senate needs to study all the options, he said, and trying to get it done in the next three days would be tough. One key GOP senator was more critical, calling a proposed study of chemical markers in explosives "a phony issue."

See: "President wants Senate to hurry with new anti-terrorism laws," CNN July 30, 1996: http://www.cnn.com/US/9607/30/clinton.terrorism/

Finally the Republican Congress passed S.735 "A bill to prevent and punish acts of terrorism, and for other purposes." Sponsored by Senator Bob Dole, it became Public Law No: 104-132 when President Clinton signed it, despite concerns the House Republicans watered down the bill.

CNN reported: "Congress on Thursday passed a compromise bill ... a watered-down version of the White House's proposal. The Clinton administration has been critical of the bill, calling it too weak. The original House bill, passed last month, had deleted many of the Senate's anti-terrorism provisions...."

See: "Congress passes anti-terrorism bill," CNN April 18, 1996: http://www.cnn.com/US/9604/18/anti.terror.bill/index.html

This is just one of the ways Republicans sabotaged Clinton Administration efforts to combat terrorism. Even so, President Clinton never stopped working to keep us safe. Other Clinton Administration anti-terrorism legislative proposals include:

The Comprehensive Antiterrorism Act of 1995, The Counter Terrorism Technology Research Act of 1995, The Antiterrorism Amendments Act of 1995, The Effective Death Penalty and Antiterrorism Act of 1995, and the Senate and House versions of The Omnibus Counter Terrorism Act of 1995.

It took the horrible attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon before the Republicans woke up to the terrorist threat. President Clinton knew took action about it - and warned Republicans about it - more than six and a half years before 9/11/01!

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The Anti-Anti Terrorists Maggie - Tuesday, September 26 2006, 0:15:35 (CEST)
- wait a minute.... pancho - 09/27 01:13
  - Re: wait a minute.... Maggie - 09/27 01:22

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