Eddie Konczal, Published in Courier Post - South Jersey on September 21, 2005

Re: "Clinton lax" (letters, Sept. 12).

The letter writer claims President Clinton failed to respond to terrorist attacks.

This is completely untrue.

Clinton responded to the attacks by putting in place an effective counterterrorism unit that reported directly to the White House. He also nearly doubled the counterterrorism budget while in office.

Under Clinton's Counterterrorism Security Group, several planned al-Qaida attacks on U.S. soil were prevented, and al-Qaida sleeper cells within our borders were eliminated. Because these terrorists were foiled, their actions did not make the front pages; the media were too busy focusing on Clinton's private life.

Unlike Clinton, President Bush refused to meet with his own counterterrorism adviser. The Bush administration actually thought Clinton was overly obsessed with al-Qaida. And we all know Bush did not respond to the infamous presidential daily briefing of Aug. 6, 2001, entitled, "Bin Laden determined to strike in U.S."

Where was Bush? On vacation, where he would remain for the rest of August.

Now that's what I call a failure to respond.