Osama Bin Laden - Collection Finding Aid

Osama Bin Laden - Collection Finding Aid

This collection consists of press releases, executive orders, memoranda, newspaper articles, reports, papers, cables, handwritten notes, and briefing materials highlighting the ongoing effort of the Clinton administration to follow and track Osama Bin Laden across several continents in a concerted attempt to eliminate his terrorist network. That the vast majority of the records in this collection are closed for reasons of national security. Published sources reveal President Clinton tried unsuccessfully on a number of occasions to utilize American military forces to target and kill Bin Laden. He also called off proposed operations in a couple of instances for fear of massive collateral damage and the inevitable media backlash that would reflect negatively on the United States.

William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum