Rice Doesn't Recall Al Qaeda Warning

Secretary Of State: No Memory Of Pre-9/11 CIA Warning, As Woodward Book Claims

(AP)  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she cannot recall then-CIA chief George Tenet warning her of an impending al Qaeda attack in the United States, as a new book claims he did two months before the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

"What I am quite certain of is that I would remember if I was told, as this account apparently says, that there was about to be an attack in the United States, and the idea that I would somehow have ignored that I find incomprehensible," Rice said.

Rice was President George W. Bush's national security adviser in 2001, when Bob Woodward's book "State of Denial" outlines a July 10 meeting among Rice, Tenet and the CIA's top counter-terror officer.

"I don't know that this meeting took place. But what I really don't know, what I'm quite certain of, is that it was not a meeting in which I was told there was an impending attack and I refused to respond," Rice said.

Speaking to reporters en route to Saudi Arabia and other stops in the Middle East, Rice said she met with Tenet daily at that point and has no memory of the wake-up call from Tenet described in the book.

"It kind of doesn't ring true that you have to shock me into something I was very involved in," Rice said.

There was near-constant discussion of possible attacks overseas, and high alarm, Rice said.

The meeting between Tenet, Rice and Cofer Black of the CIA was not mentioned in the reports from several investigations of the Sept. 11 attacks. But Woodward wrote that it stood out in the minds of Tenet and Black as the "starkest warning they had given the White House" on al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his network.

Tenet asked for the meeting after receiving a disturbing briefing from Black, according to the book.

Black reportedly laid out secret intercepts and other data "showing the increasing likelihood that al Qaeda would soon attack the United States." Tenet was so worried that he called Rice from his car and asked to see her right away, the book said.

"Tenet and Black felt they were not getting through to Rice," Woodward wrote of the session. "She was polite, but they felt the brush-off."

Rice referred to the session as "the supposed meeting" and noted that it is not part of the independent Sept. 11 Commission's report.

"I remember that George was very worried and he expressed that," Rice told reporters. "We were all very worried because the threat reporting was quite intense. The problem was that it was also quite nebulous."

Meanwhile, former Attorney General John Ashcroft said Monday that he should have been notified of any such report dealing with a pending attack on the United States. "It just occurred to me how disappointing it was that they didn't come to me with this type of information," Ashcroft said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"The FBI is responsible for domestic terrorism," Ashcroft said. He said both Tenet and Black of the CIA should have been aware that he had pressed for a more aggressive policy in going after bin Laden and his followers in the United States and should have briefed him as well. Rice knew of this advocacy, he suggested.

"There was no covert action to kill him and we needed one," Ashcroft said.

Rice, who was promoted to secretary of state in Bush's second term, also said she never argued that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should be fired. The book's suggestion that Rumsfeld would not take her calls is "ludicrous," Rice said.

Rumsfeld and Rice are not close, and he is often considered her rival in administration decision-making. Woodward wrote that then-White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card twice tried to get Bush to sack Rumsfeld and replace him with Bush family counselor James A. Baker III, and that both then-Secretary of State Colin Powell and Rice backed the plan.

Woodward interviewed Rice for his new book.

[pinto126]

I see why Condlezza Rice has a liars gap in her teeth!!!!

[oddjob123]

Amen to what he said omg this administraton is a disgrace. Bush i quoted saying (60 mins) " I will not leave iraq even though the only ones who are supporting me are laura and barney...Barney is the name of his dog......

[girliegirl6]

IT LOOKS LIKE THE CIA DIRECTOR DID TIP OFF THE
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, RICE OF AN ATTACK ON
THE U.S., BUT SHE AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE
ADMINISTRATION ARE TRYING TO COVER THEIR REARS.
BUSH AND COMPANY WERE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL IN THE
EARLY DAYS OF THEIR ADMINISTRATION, TOTALLY
DIS-ENGAGED FROM ANYTHING TO DO WITH FOREIGN
POLICY AFFAIRS. THIS WAS EFFIDENT IN THE STATEMENT
THAT WAS MADE ABOUT THE MIDDLE-EAST AND PEACE,
WHEN BUSH COMMENTED ABOUT WHY HIS ADMINISTRATION
WASN'T FOLLOWING UP FROM THE CLINTON'S ADMINISTRATION ON THE MIDEAST PEACE TALKS. HIS
COMMENTS WERE SOMETHING LIKE, LET THEM SETTLE
THEIR OWN PROBLEMS AND WHEN THEY COME TO A POINT
WHEN THEY ARE SERIOUS, WE WILL JUMP IN TO FINALIZE THE DEAL, BUT NOT UNTIL THEY ARE CLOSE
TO A PEACE TREATY. THEY TREATED THE STATE DEPARTMENT AS A RED HEADED STEP CHILD CONCENTRATE
SOLEY ON DOMESTIC AFFAIRS AND THEIR GIANT TAX CUT
TO THEIR FRIENDS. NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER
THEIR TRACKS AND FROM DAY ONE HAVE DECEIVED THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT EVERYTHING INCLUDING DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES.

LEWIS BOWMAN

[rayhc]

My full name: Raymond Howard Carlson

My E-Mail: [e-mail]

This letter is concerning article on Ms. Rice (SECRETRARY OF STATE) on IRAQ and IRAN!

Message:

Please get ALL the books by Joel C. Rosenberg and read them! Get a copy of the video and book entitled %u201CTHE LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH%u201D by Hal Lindsey! Get a copy of the video of the controversial documentary film by Michael Moore that attacked the Bush Administration! Michael Moore%u2019s film was out in theaters about a year ago. Next, get a copy of a BIBLE (King James or New King James Versions)!

More below!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONTACT ME! Thank You.

[rayhc]

My full name: Raymond Howard Carlson

My E-Mail: [e-mail]

More below!

BIBLE STUDY:

Get your BIBLE and turn to the BOOK OF REVALATIONS chapters 17 and 18. The correct interpretation:

The %u201CWHORE%u201D: The United States

The %u201CBEAST%u201D: The powers of darkness in general

The %u201CSEVEN MOUNTAINS%u201D: The Roman Empire
Therefore, darkness shall spring forth from the Roman Empire!
KEY: Go to the BOOK OF DANIEL. There is mention of dream and a %u201CSTATUTE%u201D (head of gold, etc.). The %u201CSTATUTE%u201D is the KEY!!!!!!!!!!!! There are %u201CSEVEN%u201D KINGDOMS" mentioned according to the %u201CSTATUTE%u201D!

The %u201CTEN HORNS%u201D: The %u201CCOUNSEL OF TEN%u201D majestic angels
The %u201CCOUNSEL OF TEN%u201D includes Lucifer and the anti-christ!

CONTACT ME! Thank You.

[rayhc]

My full name: Raymond Howard Carlson

My E-Mail: [e-mail]

More below!

BIBLE STUDY:

Get your BIBLE and turn to the BOOK OF REVALATIONS chapters 17 and 18. The correct interpretation:

ADDITIONAL KEYS:

The %u201CLAST%u201D verse within Revelations 17 states that the %u201CWHORE%u201D will RULE over all the Earth!!!! Currently, and before, the United States was and is the %u201CBIGGEST%u201D %u201CSUPERPOWER%u201D in the world!

Contained within Revelations 18 there is a verse that states that the Sailors will be a %u201CFAR OFF%u201D while watching her, the %u201CWHORE%u201D, BURNING! The TIGRESS and EUPHRATES RIVERS are NOT that BIG!!!!!!!!! Bottom line, the ancient city of BABYLON will NOT be rebuilt!!!!!!!!!!!

The Catholic Church is NOT the %u201CWHORE%u201D! It is my opinion that the Catholic Church amounts to paganism mixed with Christianity.

CONTACT ME! Thank You.

[rayhc]

My full name: Raymond Howard Carlson

My E-Mail: [e-mail]

BIBLE STUDY:

Get your BIBLE and turn to the BOOK OF REVALATIONS chapter 13:

The correct interpretation of Revelations 13:

The %u201CBEAST%u201D in Revelations 17 is the SAME %u201CBEAST%u201D in Revelations 13! Look to the END of the chapter in Revelations 13. There is a %u201CSECOND%u201D %u201CBEAST%u201D! This is the anti-christ. His, the anti-christ%u2019s, number is 666! Do NOT be confused! The anti-christ is NOT Dameon Thorn! Ha! Ha! The anti-christ is a multi-dimentional majestic angel that has powers and can shape-shift (SEE: %u201CTHE DEVILS ADVOCATE%u201DLucifer%u2019s character! The anti-christ is immortal, and will survive a fatal attack! Furthermore, the anti-christ will make lightning fall from a clear sky!

CONTACT ME! Thank You.

[rayhc]

My full name: Raymond Howard Carlson

My E-Mail: [e-mail]

Concerning the current situation in the "MIDDLE EAST", The United States, unfotrtunately, should send more troops to secure the region! The United States should NOT have invaded IRAQ!

Concerning Afghanistan, The United States should consult the other major players on the block (Russia, China, and The European Union).

The United States MUST stay out of IRAN! An invasion will ****-off the other major players on the block (Russia, China, and the European Union). In the interim, The United States should have negotiations with Russia, China, and The European Union!

CONTACT ME! Thank You.

[grazinggoat]

Alzheimer early signs. We want her incompetency out. Will her bosses (G.Walking-LiarBush, DickkeyCheney and Rumsfled) pay for the people who've been victim of the WTC tragedy? Denial, denials, and by way of deception... Untill sky falls on their head. Bleak future for this gang.

[pakaal]

Of course she can't remember what happened in the meeting - since she didn't remember the meeting in the first place. But imagine! She can't remember a meeting with the CIA director and his assistant to tell her about impending attacks on the US. We know the meeting happened, we know what was discussed. And she can't remember?! Yet another public embarrassment for the Bush Administration. Add it to the list.

[a8m3h]

Why is she snarling? sure looks like it to me.
Who would even WANT to remember such a meeting, if nothing was done
widow lady

[aesop2-2009]

Would not expect anything different. Typical of the Bush administration. Reality is obviously not a concept they deal in at any level.

[staff2--2008]

What this administration (and republicans in general) does well is duck accountability...I have never seen so many forgetful people in one place...think about that when you vote republican...don't forget...

[cathaleen]

How is it that she is Secretary of State - also considered to be a brilliant person that she cannot remcall a meeting with the CIA regarding an impending attack on our country? Oh! pleeees.

[abbe7]

Maybe will a little bit more help she will recall

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/washington/03ricecnd.html?ex=1160452800&en=a9fc92094cf1099a&ei=5065&partner=MYWAY

[nynative1340]

What would you expect her to say: "Well, yeah, I knew. But if we just sat back and did nothing it would give George the reason he needed to attack Iraq and overthrow Saddam. Something he's been wanting to do since day one."

[trueprogress]

As Americans we really do not know much about evil. *Now we do. We have to stop finger pointer, and get really serious, and fight a total war for our future.
That means doing whatever it takes to protect us and win.



* slitting throats on plaines, killing innocents in the thousands, after liberation of Iraq, killing fellow Arabs, targeting women and children, sadistic torture. (Our people jumping out of WTC. - show the pictures everyday media ! --) And..cutting off heads of innocent reporters. What next ? Nuclear bombs, biologic ? We are decent, they are evil. We are "feeling bad" for gitmo prisoners, and their rights, they are planning to dominate the world.

[getcentered]

NICE RICE!

Just ride the wave of ignorance.
Just like the rest of us! Yea!

I bet you it's gonna work for Abramoff!!
Good call Rove!

For how much responsibility these people have, they sure are forgetful.

[adventurepa]

Hey Stopne,
Don't know why we attacked the serbs except for the ethnic cleansing thing going on.
However that has been taking place in many countries.
That is not important to the situation we are in now.
Same for Clinton and his fun with Monica.
(Reality is most men would have done the same thing, History and surveys show cheating happens more then most are willing to admit)
The interfearence of Ken Starr's investigation might have had something to do with Clintons decision making. (Most Republicans said those missle attacks were trying to take the focus away from Ken Starrs investigation)

However the information you state is not accurate.

"What we did though was have solid evidence that Saddam was seeking WMDs (if he didn't have them), that he DID have ties to terror groups, and he was torturing and killing his people."

This has already been shown to be false information regarding ties to Al Qaeda and WMD's.
As far as torturing and killing goes, it is happening elsewhere all the time.

Still does not help us in the current situation with Al Qaeda.
The war with Iraq is about oil and money for the war machine. Also for the money it brings the direct benefactors on the other end of the Government contracts.
It's not about morals, otherwise we would be stepping in in Africa.
It is also not about WMD's otherwise we would be after North Korea, Pakistan, India and Iran.
All developing Nukes.
Again none of this takes care of Al Qaeda.

[dlatkinson-2009]

What I find incomprehensible: that after all those warnings of possible terrorist attacks y'all decided to take a month long vacation in Texas after only 7 months on the job!