Oh, they 'left' alright.... Pretty smartly, too.
Just a few days ago, newly discovered video from Florida, showing Saudis boarding a chartered jet during the time flights were grounded, was turned over to the 9-11 commission for their consideration.
The question is (and I still think it has not been answered for the public) "How did they receive clearance for their flights at a time when ALL private air traffic in the US was GROUNDED --- for the first time since the Wright Brothers?"
Clarke stated in his 9-11 testimony, that --- while he was in the crisis room (where he had been for three days straight, following the attacks) 'a request came in' to allow special flights to transport Saudis and bin Laden relatives out of the country.
Clarke said he replied that 'if the FBI didn't need to interview these people, and had no objection to letting them leave... then he had no objection to letting them leave on these special flights'.
Supposedly, the FBI representative in the Crisis Room got back that the 'FBI didn't need to talk to any of them', and so Clarke said OK, let the flights proceed.
The curious thing is: NO ONE CLAIMS TO KNOW WHERE THE ORIGINAL 'REQUEST' CAME FROM TO PERMIT THESE 'SPECIAL FLIGHTS.
The FBI says it wasn't them. Clarke testified under oath that he doesn't remember where the request came from, but he assumed it was from State or the FBI... and the one thing he does remember is that the request didn't originate with him... that the first time he heard about the flights (already organized and ready to take off) was in the Crisis Room.
Was it the State Department (seems like the safety of rich foreigners while in the US, would be a concern of their's)? Well, the State Department say's they 'don't know where the request came from'.
The White House says 'they don't know where the request for special flights came from'....
Somebody's gotta be lying about it. Stuff like this doesn't just happen... and, as good as the Saudi's political access has always been in Washington, I'll bet that they took their request for Special Clearance for their chartered flights right to the top.
Not like them to muck around with underlings and paper-pushers (especially since, due to the unprecedented nature of these events --- even organs needed for life saving transplants were not allowed to fly --- I'll bet there wouldn't have been an 'underling' or 'paper pusher' in the Land who would have been willing to put his neck on the line by authorizing such special flights). |
