Hillary Shot At in '96? No Media Mention of Bosnia 'Sniper Fire'

Photo of Rich Noyes.
By Rich Noyes | March 18, 2008 - 14:44 ET

In a speech on Iraq policy delivered Monday at George Washington University, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton recalled facing “sniper fire” on her 1996 trip to Bosnia to visit U.S. troops on a peacekeeping mission. But reporters traveling with the then-First Lady made no reference to any “sniper fire” at the time, and pictures of Clinton arriving at the main air base in Tuzla (see attached video) don’t show anyone ducking or covering.

Here’s how Clinton began her speech:

Good morning. I want to thank Secretary West for his years of service, not only as Secretary of the Army, but also to the Veteran's Administration, to our men and women in uniform, to our country. I certainly do remember that trip to Bosnia, and as Togo said, there was a saying around the White House that if a place was too small, too poor, or too dangerous, the president couldn't go, so send the First Lady. That's where we went.

I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base. But it was a moment of great pride for me to visit our troops, not only in our main base as Tuzla, but also at two outposts where they were serving in so many capacities to deactivate and remove landmines, to hunt and seek out those who had not complied with the Dayton Accords and put down their arms, and to build relationships with the people that might lead to a peace for them and their children.
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A Nexis search found hundreds of stories on the election-year trip, but no mention of any hostile fire or snipers. A CBS report did mention that the First Lady was required to wear a flak jacket for her safety; a report by Sharyl Atkisson for the March 25 CBS This Morning showed Mrs. Clinton arriving at the main air base at Tuzla not running with her head down, but smiling and walking alongside daughter Chelsea.

As for a lack of a ceremony at the air base, Atkisson reported Clinton was greeted by the acting President of Bosnia and “an eight-year-old Bosnian girl who says she can't remember a time before the war and by a class of seventh-graders who have been pen pals with the children of US troops.”

The little girl was shown telling Clinton: “Thank you, because you’ve given us a lot of help, and I want all the best in Bosnia.” Nobody was covering their heads or hiding.

The AP’s Ron Fournier noted that Mrs. Clinton was “protected by sharpshooters” when she traveled beyond the Tuzla Air Base, but made no mention that they were needed in his report on Clinton’s next stop:
Protected by sharpshooters, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived by Black Hawk helicopter in a military zone Monday to deliver a personal “thank you” to U.S. soldiers. “They’re making a difference,” she said of the 18,500 Americans working as peacekeepers in Bosnia.
None of the stories mentioned the drama of landing under fire that Clinton referred to on Monday. So either Hillary faced “sniper fire” — and no one at the time thought shots fired at the First Lady were newsworthy — or she is exaggerating the dangers of her Bosnia trip to bolster the image of herself as a potential commander-in-chief. Either way, reporters who were on the trip should make the reality of the situation clear.

Sinbad, who joined Mrs. Clinton on the trip, doesn’t remember anything especially dangerous. “I think the only ‘red-phone’ moment was: ‘Do we eat here or at the next place,’” he told the Washington Post.

As for the trip itself, in the March 26, 1996 New York Times, reporter Mike O’Connor asserted that Hillary “charmed American troops” and quoted the enthusiastic reaction from one New York-area soldier: “She’s the greatest First Lady we’ve ever had! I’m ready to spend another year here now.”

But O’Connor also found soldiers who were less than enamored with Hillary Clinton: “Asked what he would like to tell Mrs. Clinton about his assignment, Specialist Ingersoll, of Williston, N.D., said, ‘I wouldn’t talk to her, because I’d probably say something rude.”

Excerpts:
Hillary Rodham Clinton charmed American troops at a U.S.O. show here, but it didn't hurt that the singer Sheryl Crow and the comedian Sinbad were also on the stage.

In her appearance at Tuzla Air Base, the First Lady told a couple of thousand of the 19,300 Americans serving in Bosnia that they were using military power to advance United States interests and values. She said they were part of "the kind of peacekeeping mission every American should be proud of and support."

"I just hope you have some feeling of how proud and grateful all America is," she said.

Today's visit came as some troops, living uncomfortably and often dangerously, continue to wonder about the value of their mission.

During her daylong visit to American forces at three bases in northeast Bosnia, Mrs. Clinton repeated that the United States had a genuine interest in keeping Europe stable. In addition, she said, the effort to stop the war here is the moral and right thing to do.

Among the troops, reaction to the visit ranged from great enthusiasm to only mild interest....

Sgt. Errol Kennedy, from New York City, whooped to his friends: "She's the greatest First Lady we've ever had! I'm ready to spend another year here now."

But two soldiers next to him said they would just as soon go home now and let Sergeant Kennedy do their work....

Some soldiers, especially those living in the worst conditions or those whose duties do not allow them to see many of the Bosnians who benefit from their efforts, say they do not fully understand the objective here.

"I joined the Army to defend my country," said Sgt. Michael Tucker, one of the friends of Sergeant Kennedy. "There's no one threatening America here, and we don't have a fight here."

Some feel they are exposed to unreasonable discomfort and risk compared with the likelihood of a permanent end to the war.

Two soldiers, Specialist Brent Ingersoll and Specialist Grant Johnavan, both of the Third Squadron, Fifth Cavalry, based about an hour and a half's drive northwest from Tuzla, were talking about the impending visit last Friday. They were not impressed.

Asked what he would like to tell Mrs. Clinton about his assignment, Specialist Ingersoll, of Williston, N.D., said, "I wouldn't talk to her, because I'd probably say something rude."

"Unless she can get us sent back home, there's not much she can do for us," he said, wiping rain from his face. "When she leaves, she'll go back to her family, maybe have a drink, and relax. We can't do any of that."
Audio also available here (37 seconds | 177 kB).

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Serial Liar

She is obviously, uh, mistaken.

Hillary has talked about her life under fire before.

She used the pseudonym Gecko45. :-)
Shrine of the Mall Ninja
http://lonelymachine...

Typical Hitlary lies

She has no chance in making herself out to be a better war time president then John McCain so she now has to lie about it. Next we will learn that B. Hussein spent time in a prison camp.

The Anti 'Man-Made' Global Warming Resource

If you believe the Rev Wright

(At least this rev has a real   church... read Revs Sharpton and Jackson) He has been in a prison camp run by whitey the oppressor. Not bad treatment for a prisoner. A US Senator and the inside track to the Oval Office.

I think you put that in the

I think you put that in the wrong place??

This is the Hillary-under-fire in Bosnia thread. ;-)

They would have aimed at

They would have aimed at her butt, then how could they miss.

So no way did it happen.

Vote 4 change. Vote 4 anything. See Jack & Mr Shy's first campaign ad for the ONLY viable 3rd party candidate.

Obviously the snipers were

Obviously the snipers were not trained by Carlos Hathcock for she would have been dead meat.  

If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes.-Lewis Grizzard

Fly the friendly-fire skies

It was just her broom backfiring Jack...

Let's see a show of hands.

Let's see a show of hands. How many think that the MSM will investigate/report this? Remember she told once that she was turned down by the Marines.  Lair lair pants on fire.

If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes.-Lewis Grizzard

What are "Lair lair

What are "Lair lair pants"?

Bal

You don't remember the song Liar, Liar pants on fire? Any pants that the Hidabeast wears would be Liar Liar pants.

If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes.-Lewis Grizzard

Yes, I was poking fun

Yes, I was poking fun because you spelled it "lair," not "liar" in your first post.

Don't go to the link

Don't go to the link. It is the wrong one. I picked some moonbat singing about Bush. SORRY. 

If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes.-Lewis Grizzard

Pinocchio

Don't you mean "liar liar pant suit on fire"?

I usually say, "Liar, liar

I usually say, "Liar, liar panties on fire." 

  MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe.

Hillary Clinton, superhero

Reminds me of the time that Hillary ran into a burning building to save a small child and a litter of newborn puppies. Or the time she leapt into raging flood waters to save people whose car was being swept away. Or that time she fought off a Klingon invasion. Or the time she put on those blue tights and that red cape and single handedly turned aside an asteroid headed right at earth. Wait a minute, maybe I'm confusing her with someone else.  

When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.

It was a Borg invasion, you

It was a Borg invasion, you idiot!!  And that astroid woulda killed us all.

 

Next Thing You Know . . . .

Hillary will be claiming she served in the military; yep, there's another notch on her experience belt.

Shocking!

Hillary Clinton lied about something? The sky must still be blue.

The first time she told

The first time she told this story it was running because of the danger of sniper fire. So now there actually was sniper fire?

Wow, this is like the story of the fish that got away...it just keeps getting bigger. Perhaps in the next version, she will be returning fire as they run across the tarmac.

There's a vision,

There's a vision, Motherbelt: Hillary clad in a long black coat, pulling two pistols from her waist, diving sideways and returning fire as if in a John Woo movie. I'm willing to bet some clown in Hollywood is already writing a screenplay about that very scenario.

And after that shoot out

she walks into the local saloon, "Bar tend, Latte, straight-up, extra whipped cream!"

"Now, where's that no good, womanizer, globe trotting, red-nobbed nosed, husband of mine? He's late again, ain't he?"

"Yes mam, he's late, but y'know what? Seems the barmaid is late too, if you know what I mean!?!"

There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V

think

Think she'll complain that for the last 4 trips she was exposed to the sniper fire first. Not that she's complaining, but ,as they said on SNL, "can we get Barak a Kevlar vest ."

Both the Clintons are

Both the Clintons are exceptional liars...

Just ask Bob Kerry.

I heard this BS last night, just what it is too...BS.

No accountability...and the msm covering for these despicable liars for years, why should she change her lying ways now...instead she embellishes the lies.

The left at it's best...as always. 

The company you keep

Just to demonstrate what an honest person Hillary is, look who's standing with her in this photo. These noted truth tellers are a testament to Hillary's true honesty.

When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.

viking.... Priceless!

viking....

Priceless!

Oh Jeez, this AM before I

Oh Jeez, this AM before I went out, I saw that they intended to endorse her. Just what she needs, another couple of anchors.....LOL

Could give Reuter's a lesson

You know, the first thing I noticed about the caption is that they used the term "left" to describe which was hillary, "right" for valerie, and , even though he is the only male in the picture, "center" for joe. Just seems kinda interesting.

Amazing Liar

It is still amazing to me, even after all these years (16 years of her!) that I am still stunned when she stands up and bald-face lies to the public, and expects no one to fact-check anything she says. I will be just as stunned, even after all these years, when by tomorrow her story is still not picked up by the MSM and refuted.

What the Hell is wrong with me? Why can't I accept that there are people like this, and why can't I accept that "news reporters" no longer bother to do their jobs, they just regurgitate the lies that they are told?

What a stupid (w)itch!!!

What a stupid (w)itch!!!

BS BS BS

I wasn't at Tuzla air base that day, but I was in Bosnia with 1AD and there was NO, I repeat NO report of anything even close to sniper fire. This just points up the fact that HRC has no clue about military operations or what is going on in her little universe.

During the period she was there the concern was that someone could take a pot shot at a plane or and individual so extreme measures were taken. When I landed in January we did the same combat landing and a rolling off load that she describes. It was routine. In truth there was virtually no danger and her paranoid husband and his cronies thought that US forces had to be hyper sensitve to someone trying to attack us. Meanwhile the other forces that were in Bosnia at the time were enjoying local cuisine, shopping in shops and travelling freely. US forces on the other hand had to travel in convoys of at least 4 vehicles, have one crew served (machine gun) weapon, and be in flak vests and helmets at all times. Yes, no one was hurt by hostile action, and we should all be thankful, but our actions actually earned us the distrust of the locals, making the job harder.

liar, liar pants on fire

that was the first thing I thought also.
http://youtube.com/w...

I call bullsh*t

Just like:

I have always been a Yankee's fan.

My parents named me after Sir Edmund Hillary.

I can't recall where those files are.

 

You forgot "I once tried to

You forgot "I once tried to join the Marines."

motherbelt

She only tried to join the Marines because they promised to send her abroad.

Just a semantic misunderstanding.

♣ a seal

A broad?

Well, now we know. 

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

»→ Yes, a broad

Like I said, it was a semantic mixup.

♣ a seal

Hillary's 3:00 AM Nightmare

Great find Rich. Perhaps Hillary was having this fantasy nightmare when she woke up at 3:00 AM to answer the red phone - and thought it was for real. (;~> gary

Wait... a Clinton is lying?

You can easily tell because their lips are moving.

The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.

The question I'd ask Mrs.

The question I'd ask Mrs. Clinton is: Why did you decide to expose your only child to that sort of danger? Seriously. What sort of credible answer could she give to such a question?

 

I am Queen Mum and I approved this message.

to coin a clause

'...they do it with such ease..."

simply put....

"what a *uckin' LIAR!"..... anyone else notice that? (sarc)

 

 

Life can be a real b*tch... so why vote for one?

Snip Hunt

She’s mistaken. Mr. Clinton actually sent her on Bosnian Snip Hunt. She’s just confused about the meaning.

“Ok, Honey. When you get to Bosnia, stand by that culvert and hold this burlap bag over the opening. Sinbad will chase the snips into the culvert and they'll run straight into the bag. Got it?”

Cobra: I think you mean

Cobra: I think you mean "snipe".

 

I am Queen Mum and I approved this message.

Opps

Oops, you're right, it should be snipe. What a difference a dropped letter makes!

BTW, I blame the mistake on the Queen's English. 

-

We Are Not Amused.

The Clintons: The Original Oxymorons!

Not only did the press fail to call Mrs. Clinton on her total fabrication, they failed to ask the most fundemental question about this incident: What was Mrs. Clinton doing there in the first place?

For those of you who have short memories, she was there putting a stamp of respectability on one of the most short-sighted military missions ever. Her husband commited troops and equipment there to combat the "evil" Serbs who were desperately trying to keep an Islamic state from gaining a toehold in Europe.

Yeah, OK, the Serbs were heavy-handed ogres from the old school, but did Bill Clinton really think that backing the UN in supporting a radical Muslim state was a good idea? Well, ten years on he finally got what he wanted - Kosovo is now officially on our enemies list and our traditional allies have a nasty sore in their sides called Kosovo.

A really free and neutral press would have made note of the mission that brought Mrs. Clinton to a potentially dangerous part of the world, as well as dinged her for lying about the actual nature of the events.

A free and neutral press

A free and neutral press would also make note of the fact that President Clinton went to war without congressional authority. There was no "Authorization for the use of force in the Balkans" type of resolution which was debated and authorized by Congress. Instead, President Clinton falsely claimed that NATO should have control of the situation even though we had no NATO treaty with Kosovo, Bosnia, Serbia, or any other affected country or population in the area.

By using NATO, Mr. Clinton bypassed Congress completely. He then worsens the situation by allowing UN control of NATO forces and military decisions. Every action, from air strikes to troop placements, had to be reviewed and authorized by the UN. To this date, the UN is in complete control of the situation. We still have a military present there, and the situation still remains unresolved.

The lesson here is that the UN is the WORST authority when it comes to military decisions.

Another failed communication...

A media maggot heard her discussing "shots taken" after the flight. She was talking about the amount of alcohol needed to induce her drunken stupor.

 

She was talking about shots of alcohol, duh media thought she meant gunfire.

As I remember, wasnt saddam hussein firing guns in the air


sniper
like ? Hoping to hit the shillery.

 

<ringing hands> Recycle, windmills, SAVE THE EARTH!

HOWEVER: Iranian Uranium, ICBM's <sleep>

 

OK, I did some quick

OK, I did some quick research. Here's what Her Royal Clintoness told her audience, at an appearance with Secretary of the Army Togo West: and if this doesn't put B.S. to the line, I don't know what will:

I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.

So..the plane carrying the First Lady and First Daughter of the US not only actually proceeded to land on an airstrip when there was sniper fire, but the Secret Service actually allowed them to deplane out in the open and run for the vehicles?

Oh, yeah, that's plausible.

-

Very good point, MB.  And if the plane was so far into its landing pattern it had to land, wouldn't they have simply held everyone on the plane?  Or had it take off again?

I think she's been caught in yet another whopper.

Aborted Landing

If the plane was in danger of coming under sniper fire upon landing, the pilot would have aborted the landing and performed a "touch and go." This is where the pilot applies full power and takes off again without bringing the plane to a full stop. This is a battle maneuver that the pilots practice time and time again. I actually witnessed this type of maneuver when I was stationed in Germany in the late 80's.

-

There ya go.  Hillary had better hope no one in the msm is as well informed as you.

dahlia, they are always

dahlia, they are always assuming that people are not well-informed, LOL.

Only a Clinton would fabricate a story like that, expecting it to fly, when there is video available to contradict it. Not only of them walking casually across the tarmac, but the bunch of them, including the local dignitaries and the little girl, are obviously standing around outside (the "greeting on the tarmac?)

The only thing missing is her trademark surprised recognition and wave to someone in the crowd!! LOL

As soon as I read this POS

As soon as I read this POS I called my son (stationed in Ft Hood) if this were indeed true. He was there when she showed up in Bosnia, he said it did not happen, if it had happened they would have had a "frago" or in other words an escalation of force. They did not.

But to second what another poster wrote here, my son said they could not have missed her humongus butt. With a pea shooter.

Any Thing for Attention

Is this a prelude for her wanting a Medal of Honor for her herotic actions!

Besides she was in bed with Bill when that phone rang! it must qualitfy her for the Presidency right!

She will not stop at anything.....

the truth rests in the fact that ...

it took 12 years and her standing in a presidential race before this tidbit of information was brought forward.  if it were true, she would have milked it for all it was worth years ago.  nice try hill.

 

 

 

This would make a great

This would make a great campaign commercial. Audio of Hitlary describing her phony experience, over video of the actual! Maybe just on Comedy Central would be better. Are there any youtube people working on this? 

  MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe.

Where was Bill?

Does anyone know where Bill was that day? Did he cover this up?

Plausible Deniability

In the oval office indoctrinating the new intern class, thereby maintaining plausible deniability.   :o)

V/R
Clyde 

"...the aspirants to tyranny are either the...men of the state, who in democracies are demagogues,... or those who hold great offices, and have a long tenure.." - Aristotle, Politics, c350BC

Don't you know? She said

Don't you know? She said

one mantra around the Clinton White House, was that "if the place was too small, too dangerous or too poor, send Hillary."

Recounted here.

double post  

double post

 

Will Obama's supporters in the MSM call Hillary out on this?

I t will be rather interesting to see if they actually do.

You would think they would recognize Obama's need for a diversion of some kind, given the unfortunate events of this weekend, not to mention today.

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

This should be posted to youtube

That is the way to get the presses attention.If it gets enough hits anyways.Her claim is so lame.I guess she doesnt know a video is worth a thousand lies.

 

Time to change:Socks 2008

shucks

Too bad one of the "snipers" wasn't a better shot.....

Come on, cat....that's DU

Come on, cat....that's DU hate garbage.

Obviously he was not

Obviously he was not trained by Carlos "White Feather" Hathcock or she would be taking a dirt bath right now.  

If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes.-Lewis Grizzard

It had to be sarcasm

Sgt. Errol Kennedy, from New York City, whooped to his friends: "She's the greatest First Lady we've ever had! I'm ready to spend another year here now."

Doesn't anybody detect the sarcasm here? She was probably even less popular than her husband with the military. 

  MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe.