9/11 Panel Gives White House Mixed Review (Dubya hasn't stopped al-Qaida attempts to get WMD)

Yahoo News ^ | 11/14/05 | BARRY SCHWEID

[Libloather]

9/11 Panel Gives White House Mixed Review
By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer
1 hour, 10 minutes ago

Fred Fielding, a member of the Sept. 11 commission, prepares to join other panelists in a progress report on the 2004 recommendations aimed at guarding against future terrorist attacks, at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, Monday, Nov. 14, 2005. Fielding, a former Nixon White House counsel, praised U.S. attempts to integrate the Arab and Muslim world into the global trading system and in fighting terrorism financing. The Bush administration was given a mixed review and was criticized for not adopting standards for treatment of captured terror suspects. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON - Reviewing action on recommendations it made last year, the Sept. 11 commission on Monday criticized the Bush administration for not adopting standards for treatment of captured terror suspects.

The administration was given a mixed review in a report on the commission's key recommendations that were designed to help the United States better prepare for and respond to a terror attack.

There was high praise for U.S. attempts to integrate the Arab and Muslim world into the global trading system and in fighting terrorism financing.

But former commission chairman Thomas Kean, former vice chairman Lee Hamilton and the eight other members who formed the 9-11 Public Disclosure Project found much to criticize.

Their review gave the administration the grade "unfulfilled" on the commission's recommendation that the United States develop a common approach with friendly nations on the treatment of captured terror suspects. The commission also had suggested the Geneva Conventions on the law of armed conflict should be applied to military prisons and secret detention centers.

What the Bush administration still needs to do, the review said, is to adopt standards for terror suspects that are in accord with international law.

"These standards should cover the treatment of detainees held by all elements of the U.S. government," the former commission members said.

And, they said, "the United States should work with its allies to develop mutually acceptable standards for terrorist detention."

President Bush last week defended U.S. interrogation practices and called the treatment of terrorist suspects lawful. "We do not torture," Bush declared.

Congress, meanwhile, is engaged in a high-profile debate over the handling of detainees. The Senate twice has signed off on legislation to ban the cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners in U.S. custody.

The provision is included in two defense bills. The House versions of the bills do not include the language, which the White House opposes.

At Monday's presentation, commission member Richard Ben-Veniste said Iraq is on track to succeed Afghanistan as a terrorist training ground. "How much this trend has been fueled by the highly publicized reports of brutalization, humiliation and desecration cannot be measured accurately," he said.

"But the flames of extremism undoubtedly burn more brightly when we are the ones who deliver the gasoline," Ben-Veniste said.

On another front, the former commission members found insufficient progress on thwarting attempts by the al-Qaida network to acquire or make weapons of mass destruction.

On the positive side, the review cited an agreement reached last February by Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin to secure nuclear warheads and material.

Russia, for instance, has made several dozen additional nuclear warhead storage sites available for inspection and improvement, the review said.

But more than 100 research facilities worldwide — in some 40 countries — contain enough highly enriched uranium to fashion a nuclear device, and this is troubling, the report said.

"Preventing terrorists from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction must be elevated above all other problems of national security," the former commission members said. "It represents the greatest threat to the American people" and President Bush should publicly make this goal his top priority, the review said.

[Libloather]

On another front, the former commission members found insufficient progress on thwarting attempts by the al-Qaida network to acquire or make weapons of mass destruction.

Like airplanes? So far, so good...

A man flips through copies of the 9/11 Commission Report at a news conference in Washington, November 14, 2005. The U.S. government is still failing to adequately protect nuclear weapons from terrorists and its handling of terrorism suspects is undermining attempts to improve America's image in the Muslim world, members of a commission that investigated the September 11 attacks said on Monday. (Jim Young/Reuters)

[JohnLongIsland]

this commision has as much credibility with me as the ny slimes.
JMHO

[MNJohnnie]

You mean they still cover the 9-11 Circus Clowns. The same Committee that categorically refused to dismiss a Commissioner Jamie Gorlic who had a CLEAR conflict of interest?? What next, just turn editorial decisions over to Hillary Clinton? What a bunch of losers.

[oolatec]

And what of Able Danger, Mr. 9/11 Commission Man?

[carlr]

The commission that protected Gorelicks backside and has taken no interest in the revelations of Able Danger.
How much of Able Dangers work was thwarted because of her wall?
I have no use for any of their posturing.

[Dog Gone]

I didn't realize the commission was still in existence.

[TBarnett34]

It's just a book-selling sham now.

[jwalsh07]

Commissions are like special prosecutors, they shall inherit the Earth.

[Arm_Bears]

But, but, I thought there weren't any WMD's out there to be had.

[NeoCaveman]

Why haven't the Ommission Commission comissars been jailed* yet?

*After a fair trial of course

[yoe]

I give the 9/11 commission a 0-0 review. They were negligent in doing a totally non-partisan report and kept Jamie Gorelick on the panel when it was obvious the woman was much to blame for the 9/11 day of horror. They deemed Able Danger not worthy of investigating; IMHO, they knew it might lead to more Clinton failures being recognized. Al Qaida could have been stopped years before - this isn't the Bush administrations fault, they have been cleaning up the Clinton administration mess left to them.

Stopping Al Qaida will take the MSM and useful idiots who champion the terrorists to stop playing politics and start winning this WOT. Until then the 9/11 commission can stuff it.

President Bush is doing a marvelous job in spite of the thankless “damned if you do or damned if you don’t” unpatriotic, anti-Americans and the MSM using Iraq and the WOT as a political football each and every day!

[Arizona Carolyn]

I agree. Especially since they specifically ignored the Mohammad Ata (Able Danger) information even afterit was offered to them on a silver platter.

[sgtbono2002]

The 911 Commission is about as credible as Fitzgerald.

[PISANO]

You mean they still cover the 9-11 Circus Clowns.

As long as there is 'anything' negative, however minute or nebulous, the MSM will report it from this sham commission as though it were from allah himself.

According to the commission we haven't done all we SHOULD to prevent WMD from getting into the hands of the TERRORISTS!!! ........Hmmmmmm.........So if we did NOT invade IRAQ.....this report would undoubtedly be "SCATHING" in it's attack on this administration for allowing WMD to proliferate in IRAQ and we would all BELIEVE whole heartedly that the PRESIDENT was too weak and too afraid to protect and defend our nation!!!

Am I correct in deducing from this report that GW would be considered a failure in both cases.....INVADE IRAQ or NOT!!

[woofie]

How are the Dems doing on all this?

[Libloather]

How are the Dems doing on all this?

But, but, I thought there weren't any WMD's out there to be had.

My guess - not good...

[Enchante]

A world in which charlatans such as Richard Ben Veniste, Jamie Gorelicker, Slade Gorton (and fellow RINOs), et al are now the great experts on counter-terrorism and international affairs is a world so laughable and Orwellian as to enter the realm of farce. How did these clowns ever get appointed to the 9/11 Commission and why do they now think they can preach to us when they made a total botch of their job? The idea that the MAIN ISSUE post-9/11 is the gentle treatment of Al Qaeda and other terrorist prisoners shows that these clowns are merely spouting 'Rat talking points and do not know squat about securing the USA and the world from terrorists.

[ladyinred]

This commission has no credibility with me. It was meant to cover up for certain democrats, and indict the administration. Crapola.

[NJ_gent]

"Like airplanes? So far, so good..."

You could have said the same thing on September 11th, 2001 up until about 8:45am. My experience with airport security - rather, the lack thereof - since September 11th has left me with the notion that the only thing standing between us and more plane hijackings are unarmed passengers with a will to live. The TSA needs to quit acting like a typical government do-nothing agency and put some decent security in place. For starters, try hiring competent people; not 80 year old women who couldn't read the name on my ticket and didn't bother even glancing at my ID but let me go anyway despite the fact that my ticket had gotten mixed up with a friend's.

[Elyse]

My experience with airport security - rather, the lack thereof - since September 11th has left me with the notion that the only thing standing between us and more plane hijackings are unarmed passengers with a will to live. The TSA needs to quit acting like a typical government do-nothing agency and put some decent security in place.

I'm a frequent flyer and I understand your concern because I have seen exactly what you describe. I think that it is an unreal expectation to believe that we could ever find these perfect people that would be alert and follow procedure 100% of the time, though. I think you could have all high paid college graduates working the lines and you would still have an equal number of screw-ups.