Commissione 9/11: l'ex NSA advisor di Clinton ha sottratto dei documenti

Non è ancora chiara l'effettiva importanza dei documenti sottratti da Sandy Berger, ex consigliere di Clinton e fino a poche ore fa membro dello staff del candidato democratico John Kerry.



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Sandy Berger Investigation: What Did Kerry Know?

Editorial by CK Rairden

July 21, 2004



It was a day of spin in Washington. Sources revealed late Monday night that Sandy Berger, former National Security Advisor for Bill Clinton, had been under a criminal investigation for removing highly classified documents related to the 9/11 Commission’s investigation from the National Archives. Some of the documents are still missing and Mr. Berger admitted that he had removed not only copies of documents but hand written notes as well. He allegedly did so by shoving them into his jacket, pants, socks, and scooping them up in his portfolio. Even with that admission Berger claimed it was an inadvertent mistake in a press conference with reporters outside of his office, "Last year when I was in the archives reviewing documents I made an honest mistake. It's one that I deeply regret. Everything that I have done all along in this process has been for the purpose of aiding and supporting the work of the 9/11 commission and any suggestion to the contrary is simply absolutely wrong."



The GOP (The Grand Old Party, il Partito Repubblicano USA, NdR) struck quickly with some pointed observations.



Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) chimed in immediately, "Right after the documents were taken, John Kerry held a photo-op and attacked the president on port security, the documents that were taken may have been utilized for that press conference." Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) also were in front of cameras speculating that same thought. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) released this, "What information could be so embarrassing that a man with decades of experience in handling classified documents would risk being caught pilfering our nation's most sensitive secrets? Did these documents detail simple negligence or did they contain something more sinister?" The release continued, "Mr. Berger has a lot of explaining to do. He was given access to these documents to assist the 9/11 Commission, not hide information from them. The American people and the 9/11 families don't want cover-ups when it comes to the War on Terror. They want the truth."



The blockbuster leak finally forced Sandy Berger to "step aside" as John Kerry’s informal adviser on foreign policy and national security late Tuesday as the charges and counter charges reached a boil. Take note though, he has not stepped down; both he and the Kerry campaign have dreams of Berger returning. Kerry released this statement, "Sandy Berger is my friend, and he has tirelessly served this nation with honor and distinction. I respect his decision to step aside as an adviser to the campaign until this matter is resolved objectively and fairly."



Other Democrats struck back with their spin as well.



"I think the timing of all this is curious," Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) told reporters. Kerry spokesman Phil Singer chimed in with the Democrat talking points as well, "This appears to be a partisan attempt to divert attention away from the 9/11 commission report." But the most telling of the spin came from the master himself, former President Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton opened with the talking point, "I wish I knew who leaked it-- it's interesting timing." But with one more statement Mr. Clinton raised more questions. He told the Denver Post that he knew about the investigation "for several months."



So - Bill Clinton knew that Sandy Berger was under criminal investigation and was advising the presumptive democratic presidential nominee. And obviously former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger knew as well. We’re now asked to believe that neither informed Mr. Kerry? It’s quite the riddle as to exactly how many Democrats knew that Mr. Berger was under criminal investigation. It’s hardly a leap to believe that someone in the Kerry campaign or at least close to Mr. Kerry had knowledge of this investigation. It’s quite a jagged pill the Kerry campaign is asking America to swallow that John Kerry was the last to know.



So - this begs the beltway’s favorite question - what did John Kerry know and when did he know it?



John Kerry has no choice now but to come clean and to turn over all correspondence that his campaign had with Mr. Berger. The suspicions are obvious and spin or not they are legitimate. An assurance is needed that these documents were not exploited for political purposes to benefit John Kerry and his run for the White House.



Thanks to Bill Clinton the time is now - come clean Mr. Kerry.



CK Rairden is the National Editor for The Washington Dispatch.

fonte: The Washington Dispatch.