THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume VI, Issue # 166, July 26, 2004
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
ALLOW JOHN ASHCROFT TO DO HIS JOB
By Christopher G. Adamo
FULL STORY:
Former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger is under criminal investigation for pilfering, and ostensibly “misplacing,” classified
documents that would have been highly significant to the 9/11 Commission hearings. Not surprisingly, this prominent member of the
Clinton administration is bobbing and weaving, claiming to not remember what happened to the documents, and generally evading
investigators, yet all the while promising to “fully cooperate” with them.
From the moment former U.S. Justice Department official Jamie Gorelick (another Clinton appointee) appeared on the 9/11 Commission,
asking questions instead of being made to answer inquiries regarding her own role in the breakdown of national security, that panel
has been tainted. Rather than single-mindedly seeking to identify weaknesses in America’s defenses, it displayed an obvious element
of Clinton “damage control,” deflecting from the Clinton administration blame for security lapses, many of which left the country
vulnerable to terrorist attack.
It now appears that the Commission’s report, released on July 22, does not provide Democrats with any the previously hoped-for
ammunition with which they intended to deride the Bush administration over its handling of the terrorist attacks. Yet, neither does the
report contain appropriate condemnation of blatant Clinton administration bungling of security during the eight years that it was in
power.
No doubt, the pursuit of Berger, an effort critical to recognizing and patching the leaks in national security, will shortly bring
accusations from the political Left of being a “partisan witch hunt” by President Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft. But, if
this administration cares more about the security of the American homeland than it does about its image among the partisan media,
it will ignore such catcalls and diligently pursue the truth regarding Berger’s involvement in a likely cover-up.
Commission members have already attempted to put Ashcroft in the “hot seat,” calling him before them to explain why, in the few
months between his delayed confirmation as Attorney General and the September 11 attacks, he had not done a more thorough job
of analyzing available evidence and recognizing the imminent threat of terrorism.
Fortunately, Ashcroft came out swinging, bluntly identifying Gorelick as the individual who fabricated the bureaucratic nightmare
that prevented the CIA and FBI from sharing crucial information. Appropriate access to such information might have allowed them
to “connect the dots” in order to establish probable attack scenarios and thus avert them.
Ashcroft distinguished himself in this manner once before. In the immediate wake of the attacks, he was summoned to Capitol Hill in
order to account for what some Democrats asserted was an excessive use of power when dealing with terrorist suspects. Rather than
respond defensively, Ashcroft pointed to the fact that, in the months following 9/11, no further incidents had transpired. Since that
time, al-Qa'ida detainees have admitted that America’s response to that horrendous event was much more profound and
comprehensive than they had anticipated, and thus their intentions of perpetrating further incidents were completely thwarted.
When allowed to be himself and fulfill his sworn oath of office, John Ashcroft proves himself to be entirely capable of upholding
justice while rooting out criminal elements that threaten the nation. Unfortunately, on too many occasions, he has apparently been
restrained for some unknown reason (most likely resulting from the President’s misbegotten devotion to a “new tone” in
Washington).
Ashcroft needs to recognize that, unless he pursues Clinton’s criminal activities, his own tenure as Attorney General will become
tainted by them. By overlooking past abuses of government authority, Ashcroft sends a message to America that such excesses
apparently aren’t a matter of great concern.
Sandy Berger’s actions were neither the only nor the worst misdeeds of the Clinton years to come to light that might warrant
criminal investigation. From the petty vandalism of White House property in the last days before Clinton’s departure, to the sharing
of plans for the W-88 nuclear warhead with the Chinese (an act that rivals anything ever perpetrated by the Rosenbergs), the
previous administration has a long track record of corruption that was never sufficiently dealt with.
Berger’s destruction of vital evidence, and his subsequent obfuscation, are merely ingredients of a continuing pattern, spearheaded
by Bill Clinton, whereby the nation’s well-being has repeatedly been subordinated to his disgraceful obsession with his own
interests. Justice will only be served when Clinton is branded as the point man in this ploy, as well as in the many other inexcusable
compromises of national security, security breaches for which America has only begun to pay a price.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
U.S. Intelligence & America's National Security
Counterterrorism & U.S. National Security
The Threat of Radical Islam
War & Peace in the Real World
Islamist Terrorist Attacks on the U.S.A.
Terrorism & American Homeland Security
The USA Patriot Act & U.S. Homeland Security
Osama bin Laden & the Islamist Declaration of War
Against the U.S.A. & Western Civilization
Islamist International Terrorism &
U.S. Intelligence Agencies
U.S. National Security Strategy
Christopher G. Adamo is a freelance writer who lives in southeastern Wyoming and works in the field of industrial instrumentation.
He is actively involved in Wyoming's political process, serving as a delegate to successive Wyoming State Republican Conventions
and as a member of the Wyoming State Republican Central Committee. He has assisted Republican candidates for local and state
legislatures and for the United States Congress. His articles, which appear regularly in The Progressive Conservative, U.S.A.,
and on a number of other websites, reflect a major concern with the damage being done to Conservatism and Conservative causes by
the Liberal Leftist faction in the Republican Party as well as by the much larger and more powerful Liberal Leftist faction in the
Democratic Party. During the early and middle 1990s, Adamo was Editor of the Wyoming Christian Coalition's official news organ,
The Wyoming Christian. Adamo maintains his own Internet website, which is located at
www.chrisadamo.com.
Return to Top of Page
Go to the WEBSITE INDEX
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA,
Public Issues & Political Controversies
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
Most Recent Articles
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA,
Volume VI, 2004
Return to Beginning of
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA,
Subject Matter Highlights
Return to POLITICAL EDUCATION Homepage
CONTACT & ACCESS INFORMATION
This is not a commercial website. The sole purpose of the website is to share with interested persons information regarding civics,
civic and social education, political science, government, politics, law, constitutional law and history, public policy, and political
philosophy and history, as well as current and recent political developments, public issues, and political controversies.
THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Conservative & Free-Market Analysis of Government, Politics & Public Policy, Covering Political, Legal, Constitutional, Economic,
Cultural, Military, International, Strategic, & Geopolitical Issues
Government, Politics, Public Policy, Legal Issues, Constitutional Law, Government & the Economy, Cultural Values, Foreign Affairs,
International Relations, Military Defense & National Security, Geopolitics, Terrorism & Homeland Security, American National Interests,
Political Systems & Processes, Political Institutions, Political Ideologies, & Political Philosophy