9/11 Commission Report
When the commission report on the 9/11 attacks came out last year, I had two reactions to it:
#1) it was probably as close to definitive as we'd get until more classified documents became available
#2) it was a cheap grandstanding attempt by Congress to "do something", and it quickly got mired in the usual burecratic and political crap of Washington.
Well, not only were my two reactions close to right- they've basically been confirmed with the release of new information about the proceedings of the 9/11 Commission. Defense Intelligence had been running an intelligence operation for years prior to 9/11, called Able Danger, and in 2000 had identified Mohammed Atta (and his cell) as Al Qaeda operatives. And when they tried to hand the info off to the CIA and FBI, they were blocked by Clinton administration officials, who wanted to keep the various intelligence agencies from sharing information. So, in short, the Clinton administration probably had at least some inkling of what's going on- but intentionally wanted to play civil liberterian activism with the intelligence agencies. And, as a result, the information that the various groups all had never became available to one another, and they were never able to connect the dots. Able Danger Briefing
Oh, and you'd think after the US got lucky with the millenium bomber in 2000, they'd have gotten a damn brain about this stuff, right?
Well, here's where it gets better. Apparently, the 9/11 Commission Report knew about the Able Danger intel, but didn't do anything about it. It's not in the Report itself, nor was anything mentioned of it. Ever. And when the media got wind of Able Danger, the Report's staff tried to deflect criticism, and ended up changing their story a few times over Report's Changing Their Tune . That tells me that they definitely covered something up. One of the 9/11 Commissioners was Jamie Gorelick, who was involved in the Clinton White House law staff, and was directly responsible for the "intelligence wall" that was built up between each of the intelligence agencies to keep them from talking to one another. At this point, it's pretty obvious now that the Commission has alot of explaining to do- and probably also should force Gorelick to take the witness stand before the Senate Intelligence Committee. In public, no less. It boils down to the Clinton administration screwing up in the days before 9/11- which we already knew (and history will prove that to be Bubba's lasting legacy)- but the extent of the coverup that took place after 9/11 to protect the image of the Clintons and their close associates.
Gorelick, Gore, Berger, Bill, Hillary, Reno, Christopher, Tenet, Albright, and Cohen should all be put to the test. They'll complain that the Bush administration's getting a free pass here- but the info doesn't reflect upon the Bush administration. It reflects upon the previous one- and besides, Bush gets bashed daily by the leftist media. At the least, we'll get to the bottom of the actual problems involved in the intelligence community (of which the intel community still should shoulder it's own share of the blame). We may also see criminal charges pressed against various Clinton officials if they've been involved in a cover up (and remember, Bubba's OUT OF OFFICE. He won't be able to save them from a Bush White House and GOP Congress).
This probably will end up being a mid-term election (2006) issue that could explode for the Democrats. They'll have to distance themselves big time from anyone who's been touched by Clinton (either of them). And if they don't they'll probably get dragged down with them. The Dems can lose big if 9/11 effectively is seen as their fault (which I think it largely is, anyways, at least from the US gov't side of things). Once again, they'll come off as weak- and craven- when it comes to national security.
Hillary's got her work cut out for her next year (and 2008). If this rises anywhere close to the top, her political career is finished. (Hat tip: Captain's Quarters)
#1) it was probably as close to definitive as we'd get until more classified documents became available
#2) it was a cheap grandstanding attempt by Congress to "do something", and it quickly got mired in the usual burecratic and political crap of Washington.
Well, not only were my two reactions close to right- they've basically been confirmed with the release of new information about the proceedings of the 9/11 Commission. Defense Intelligence had been running an intelligence operation for years prior to 9/11, called Able Danger, and in 2000 had identified Mohammed Atta (and his cell) as Al Qaeda operatives. And when they tried to hand the info off to the CIA and FBI, they were blocked by Clinton administration officials, who wanted to keep the various intelligence agencies from sharing information. So, in short, the Clinton administration probably had at least some inkling of what's going on- but intentionally wanted to play civil liberterian activism with the intelligence agencies. And, as a result, the information that the various groups all had never became available to one another, and they were never able to connect the dots. Able Danger Briefing
Oh, and you'd think after the US got lucky with the millenium bomber in 2000, they'd have gotten a damn brain about this stuff, right?
Well, here's where it gets better. Apparently, the 9/11 Commission Report knew about the Able Danger intel, but didn't do anything about it. It's not in the Report itself, nor was anything mentioned of it. Ever. And when the media got wind of Able Danger, the Report's staff tried to deflect criticism, and ended up changing their story a few times over Report's Changing Their Tune . That tells me that they definitely covered something up. One of the 9/11 Commissioners was Jamie Gorelick, who was involved in the Clinton White House law staff, and was directly responsible for the "intelligence wall" that was built up between each of the intelligence agencies to keep them from talking to one another. At this point, it's pretty obvious now that the Commission has alot of explaining to do- and probably also should force Gorelick to take the witness stand before the Senate Intelligence Committee. In public, no less. It boils down to the Clinton administration screwing up in the days before 9/11- which we already knew (and history will prove that to be Bubba's lasting legacy)- but the extent of the coverup that took place after 9/11 to protect the image of the Clintons and their close associates.
Gorelick, Gore, Berger, Bill, Hillary, Reno, Christopher, Tenet, Albright, and Cohen should all be put to the test. They'll complain that the Bush administration's getting a free pass here- but the info doesn't reflect upon the Bush administration. It reflects upon the previous one- and besides, Bush gets bashed daily by the leftist media. At the least, we'll get to the bottom of the actual problems involved in the intelligence community (of which the intel community still should shoulder it's own share of the blame). We may also see criminal charges pressed against various Clinton officials if they've been involved in a cover up (and remember, Bubba's OUT OF OFFICE. He won't be able to save them from a Bush White House and GOP Congress).
This probably will end up being a mid-term election (2006) issue that could explode for the Democrats. They'll have to distance themselves big time from anyone who's been touched by Clinton (either of them). And if they don't they'll probably get dragged down with them. The Dems can lose big if 9/11 effectively is seen as their fault (which I think it largely is, anyways, at least from the US gov't side of things). Once again, they'll come off as weak- and craven- when it comes to national security.
Hillary's got her work cut out for her next year (and 2008). If this rises anywhere close to the top, her political career is finished. (Hat tip: Captain's Quarters)
posted by Fafhrd1 | 11:00 AM
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