Posted on 12/17/2003 5:23:34 PM PST by Hal1950
For the first time, the chairman of the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks is saying publicly that 9/11 could have and should have been prevented, reports CBS News Correspondent Randall Pinkston.
"This is a very, very important part of history and we've got to tell it right," said Thomas Kean.
"As you read the report, you're going to have a pretty clear idea what wasn't done and what should have been done," he said. "This was not something that had to happen."
Appointed by the Bush administration, Kean, a former Republican governor of New Jersey, is now pointing fingers inside the administration and laying blame.
"There are people that, if I was doing the job, would certainly not be in the position they were in at that time because they failed. They simply failed," Kean said.
To find out who failed and why, the commission has navigated a political landmine, threatening a subpoena to gain access to the president's top-secret daily briefs. Those documents may shed light on one of the most controversial assertions of the Bush administration – that there was never any thought given to the idea that terrorists might fly an airplane into a building.
"I don't think anybody could have predicted that they would try to use an airplane as a missile, a hijacked airplane as a missile," said national security adviser Condoleeza Rice on May 16, 2002.
"How is it possible we have a national security advisor coming out and saying we had no idea they could use planes as weapons when we had FBI records from 1991 stating that this is a possibility," said Kristen Breitweiser, one of four New Jersey widows who lobbied Congress and the president to appoint the commission.
The widows want to know why various government agencies didn't connect the dots before Sept. 11, such as warnings from FBI offices in Minnesota and Arizona about suspicious student pilots.
"If you were to tell me that two years after the murder of my husband that we wouldn't have one question answered, I wouldn't believe it," Breitweiser said.
Kean admits the commission also has more questions than answers.
Asked whether we should at least know if people sitting in the decision-making spots on that critical day are still in those positions, Kean said, "Yes, the answer is yes. And we will."
Kean promises major revelations in public testimony beginning next month from top officials in the FBI, CIA, Defense Department, National Security Agency and, maybe, President Bush and former President Clinton.
And at the same time fire G. Tenet...
When you find out, let me know
Just the thought ... ewwwwwwwwww
What is so hard to understand about that?
It's clear to me.
Just replace the thought with something more pleasant...like a mushroom cloud. : )
If I had a party and made every guest drink out of a sippy cup, I would prevent all spillage.
In NJ it's all politics and Kean with his smarmy Boston accent was politician number 1 for several terms.
We need to see the full report and not some prerelease sound bite statement that is just asking to be misused by the propagandists and the politicians.
Or is it a speech impairment instead of an accent that Kean has -- I don't know.
The Clinton Adm had a study done on airport security sometime in the late 90s and they recommended the airlines spend some money and tighten up screening of passengers. The airlines screamed and somehow Algore got the provision dropped. I'm sure Daschle's child bride had her fat little fingers in there somewhere...
Clinton IGNORED and yes failed America and did so on every level imaginable. He did it for many different reason, not the least of which was to leave the mess for the next president to clean up.
OTOH, you have no proof that President Bush " failed " America on any level, got any money out of this ( your tinfoil is really far too tight, dear, it's cut off the blood supply to your brain, which has atrophied ! ), knew about OBL's plans,and allowed 9/11 to happen, so that he could get re-elected. You sound just like Mad Cow Halfbnright and Hitlery! Clinton.
Go read FR's archives...Jim and the vast majority of FREEPERS are for President Bush, are working to get him re-elected, don't wear tinfoil, and KNOW that you conspiracy nutters/non-aligned, there's not a dime's worth of difference between the two major party types are not only Sill, but political naifs, who haven't the common sense and understanding of a slug.
Being against President Bush, gives aid and comfort and abets the Dems; that's ALL it does.
Yes, you are SILLY and need far more help, than you'll get here. Just how on earth, did you manage to live as long as you have done, and NOT be educated at all ?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.