[aristeides]

Much less reason for Bush to stage a 9/11 than for FDR to stage a Pearl Harbor. In 1941, the U.S. was not going to war without a provocation. No reason to think Bush would have had great difficulty in winning approval for an attack on the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Airing the facts about the Cole, etc. would almost certainly have been enough.

[Plummz]

No reason to think Bush would have had great difficulty in winning approval for an attack on the Taliban and Al Qaeda

Maybe, maybe not. You've documented well how the government seemed to be covering for Al Qaeda in the embassy bombings. Not to mention the stuff on Kosovo. The administration would what, lay out the case to Congress before attacking? What would those hearings be like? (Of course, the Afghanistan takeover was only politically justified inasmuch the Taliban was hoasting Al Qaeda.)