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2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: How to explain this: Hillary Clinton praised a former president [View all]Octafish
(55,745 posts)18. George W Bush who ignored NSA, CIA, FBI warnings about Osama bin Laden?
The Out-of-Towner
While Bush vacationed, 9/11 warnings went unheard.
By Fred Kaplan
In an otherwise dry day of hearings before the 9/11 commission, one brief bit of dialogue set off a sudden flash of clarity on the basic question of how our government let disaster happen.
The revelation came this morning, when CIA Director George Tenet was on the stand. Timothy Roemer, a former Democratic congressman, asked him when he first found out about the report from the FBI's Minnesota field office that Zacarias Moussaoui, an Islamic jihadist, had been taking lessons on how to fly a 747. Tenet replied that he was briefed about the case on Aug. 23 or 24, 2001.
Roemer then asked Tenet if he mentioned Moussaoui to President Bush at one of their frequent morning briefings. Tenet replied, "I was not in briefings at this time." Bush, he noted, "was on vacation." He added that he didn't see the president at all in August 2001. During the entire month, Bush was at his ranch in Texas. "You never talked with him?" Roemer asked. "No," Tenet replied. By the way, for much of August, Tenet too was, as he put it, "on leave."
And there you have it. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice has made a big point of the fact that Tenet briefed the president nearly every day. Yet at the peak moment of threat, the two didn't talk at all. At a time when action was needed, and orders for action had to come from the top, the man at the top was resting undisturbed.
Throughout that summer, we now well know, Tenet, Richard Clarke, and several other officials were running around with their "hair on fire," warning that al-Qaida was about to unleash a monumental attack. On Aug. 6, Bush was given the now-famous President's Daily Brief (by one of Tenet's underlings), warning that this attack might take place "inside the United States." For the previous few yearsas Philip Zelikow, the commission's staff director, revealed this morningthe CIA had issued several warnings that terrorists might fly commercial airplanes into buildings or cities.
And now, we learn today, at this peak moment, Tenet hears about Moussaoui. Someone might have added 2 + 2 + 2 and possibly busted up the conspiracy. But the president was down on the ranch, taking it easy. Tenet wasn't with him. Tenet never talked with him. Riceas she has testifiedwasn't with Bush, either. He was on his own and, willfully, out of touch.
A USA Today story, written right before Bush took off, reported that the vacationscheduled to last from Aug. 3 to Sept. 3would tie one of Richard Nixon's as the longest that any president had ever taken. A week before he left, Bush made a videotaped message for the Boy Scouts of America. On the tape, he said, "I'll be going to my ranch in Crawford, where I'll work and take a little time off. I think it is so important for the president to spend some time away from Washington, in the heartland of America."
Dana Milbank and Mike Allen of the Washington Post recently wrote a story recalling those halcyon days in Crawford. On Aug. 7, 2001, the day after the fateful PDB, Bush, they wrote, "was in an expansive mood when he ran into reporters while playing golf." The president's aides emphasized that he was working, now and then, on a few issueseducation, immigration, Social Security, and his impending decision on stem-cell research. On Aug. 29, less than a week after Tenet found out about Moussaoui, Bush gave a speech before the American Legion. The White House press office headlined the text of the address, "President Discusses Defense Priorities." Those priorities: boosting soldiers' pay and abandoning the Anti-Ballistic-Missile Treaty. Nothing about terrorism, Osama Bin Laden, hijackings. Nothing that reflected the PDB or Moussaoui.
CONTINUED...
http://www.slate.com/id/2098861
While Bush vacationed, 9/11 warnings went unheard.
By Fred Kaplan
In an otherwise dry day of hearings before the 9/11 commission, one brief bit of dialogue set off a sudden flash of clarity on the basic question of how our government let disaster happen.
The revelation came this morning, when CIA Director George Tenet was on the stand. Timothy Roemer, a former Democratic congressman, asked him when he first found out about the report from the FBI's Minnesota field office that Zacarias Moussaoui, an Islamic jihadist, had been taking lessons on how to fly a 747. Tenet replied that he was briefed about the case on Aug. 23 or 24, 2001.
Roemer then asked Tenet if he mentioned Moussaoui to President Bush at one of their frequent morning briefings. Tenet replied, "I was not in briefings at this time." Bush, he noted, "was on vacation." He added that he didn't see the president at all in August 2001. During the entire month, Bush was at his ranch in Texas. "You never talked with him?" Roemer asked. "No," Tenet replied. By the way, for much of August, Tenet too was, as he put it, "on leave."
And there you have it. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice has made a big point of the fact that Tenet briefed the president nearly every day. Yet at the peak moment of threat, the two didn't talk at all. At a time when action was needed, and orders for action had to come from the top, the man at the top was resting undisturbed.
Throughout that summer, we now well know, Tenet, Richard Clarke, and several other officials were running around with their "hair on fire," warning that al-Qaida was about to unleash a monumental attack. On Aug. 6, Bush was given the now-famous President's Daily Brief (by one of Tenet's underlings), warning that this attack might take place "inside the United States." For the previous few yearsas Philip Zelikow, the commission's staff director, revealed this morningthe CIA had issued several warnings that terrorists might fly commercial airplanes into buildings or cities.
And now, we learn today, at this peak moment, Tenet hears about Moussaoui. Someone might have added 2 + 2 + 2 and possibly busted up the conspiracy. But the president was down on the ranch, taking it easy. Tenet wasn't with him. Tenet never talked with him. Riceas she has testifiedwasn't with Bush, either. He was on his own and, willfully, out of touch.
A USA Today story, written right before Bush took off, reported that the vacationscheduled to last from Aug. 3 to Sept. 3would tie one of Richard Nixon's as the longest that any president had ever taken. A week before he left, Bush made a videotaped message for the Boy Scouts of America. On the tape, he said, "I'll be going to my ranch in Crawford, where I'll work and take a little time off. I think it is so important for the president to spend some time away from Washington, in the heartland of America."
Dana Milbank and Mike Allen of the Washington Post recently wrote a story recalling those halcyon days in Crawford. On Aug. 7, 2001, the day after the fateful PDB, Bush, they wrote, "was in an expansive mood when he ran into reporters while playing golf." The president's aides emphasized that he was working, now and then, on a few issueseducation, immigration, Social Security, and his impending decision on stem-cell research. On Aug. 29, less than a week after Tenet found out about Moussaoui, Bush gave a speech before the American Legion. The White House press office headlined the text of the address, "President Discusses Defense Priorities." Those priorities: boosting soldiers' pay and abandoning the Anti-Ballistic-Missile Treaty. Nothing about terrorism, Osama Bin Laden, hijackings. Nothing that reflected the PDB or Moussaoui.
CONTINUED...
http://www.slate.com/id/2098861
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Regardless of his flaws and they were many Bush never demonized Muslims or Hispanics.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#6
Thank you for sharing those photographs with me. I never saw them before.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#46
At one time George Wallace was quite progressive and was endoresed by the NAACP
BlueStateLib
Jun 2016
#217
Thank you for misrepresenting my position and sneaking in an ad hominem attack as well
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#50
I don't believe I misrepresented your position as my commitment to veracity is my sine qua non.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#64
And Dubya never praised Mussolini nor Hitler! Obama should give him a Medal of Freedom award!
imagine2015
Jun 2016
#153
this is the kind of black and white thinking that cause something like the OP
treestar
Jun 2016
#211
candidate Bush in 2000 was WAY more moderate and acceptable than any of the Republican
geek tragedy
Jun 2016
#10
GWB never "demonized" Muslims sure; GWB just lied the USA into war and blew up Muslims with
PufPuf23
Jun 2016
#80
I take that as you have no intention to apologize for disrespecting, dehumaninizing....
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#142
I refuse to respond to your attempt to denigrate, disrespect, and dehumazine me in kind.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#143
There is no need for us to address our fellow members in such a hurtful fashion.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#196
Thank you for getting another shot in and insulting me again. I refuse to respond in kind.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#199
You bet your fucking ass I'm bitter, I lost a Nephew in that clusterfuck so put your
Autumn
Jun 2016
#221
Presidents and First Ladies are the only ones who knows the crap they go through
yeoman6987
Jun 2016
#94
At Nancy's funeral Hillary spoke a litany of lies in service to Reagan at the expense of the truth
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#12
It's good politics, appealing to centrists and Republicans uncomforatble with Trump.
YouDig
Jun 2016
#14
Every vote counts the same. If there are centrist votes available, and with Trump, there are,
YouDig
Jun 2016
#26
Some centrists do. And I can't think of too many Democrats that would vote against her
YouDig
Jun 2016
#51
By that loose definition any member of Congress who votes for defense spending is a war criminal.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#33
I'm sure her reaction would be the same if Bernie praised W. I'm sure of it
Ned_Devine
Jun 2016
#102
You mean how we're told that Bernie supporters are mostly angry, white,
appalachiablue
Jun 2016
#148
It's been constant forever. This past year has been like a frustrating nightmare that won't end
Ned_Devine
Jun 2016
#149
Nightmare is it. What twisted, contradictory and absurd claims offensive to many groups.
appalachiablue
Jun 2016
#152
No, she said that after the funeral, to the press without being asked about it.
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#39
Why are you lying about me? I've criticized Ronald Reagan a million times on du
La Lioness Priyanka
Jun 2016
#52
You mock me for caring about the history. "No matter how obsessed you are with this" you snark
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#75
You mock me for caring about the truth and seeking to bring that truth to the table.
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#104
She likes war criminals - Kissinger, Netanyahu etc so her affection for the Bush crime family
Arazi
Jun 2016
#213
Legitimizing a corrupt and criminal regime that gave us torture, unjustified wars
tabasco
Jun 2016
#17
Yeah...you missed the part where they won't endorse her...of course you did.
Demsrule86
Jun 2016
#21
I know it's hard for those on the far, far end of the political spectrum to understand, but...
Tarc
Jun 2016
#28
Cordial terms do not require false or undue praise nor the revision of important history to serve
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#31
Bob Hattoy at the 1992 Democratic Convention, spoken in Hillary's presence:
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#93
Oh, she bashed then said 'sorry'? That means it can't be discussed? She said what she said on TV
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#61
Sorry but when you take away the good works of an oppressed group and credit those actions
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#84
I buried the love of my life back then, also half my friends and mentors.
Bluenorthwest
Jun 2016
#79
The readers will see you dredging up some thing Hillary said that she already apologized for
Tarc
Jun 2016
#116
Some are not sophisticated and well read enough to understand that historical context.
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#45
To the extent that you wish to demonize everything about those Republicans that have served this
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#97
Being a Democratic website does not mean that one must hate every aspect of Republicans.
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#122
"Hating" is going crazy over Hillary complimenting past presidents. Projection.
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#103
Nope, hating is being so sanctimonious as believing everything is black and white and good and evil
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#118
I used the term "Tea Party Left" as it applies to totally demonizing the service of past presidents
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#106
Hillary said none of that in the OP. Go re-read the OP so you have a better understanding of the
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#229
Because she's not the "burn the whole house down and demonize everyone" person that a
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#41
Because hating on an old man that served his country in WWII, the CIA, the vice presidency and
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#47
Get a grip. Re-read the OP. It criticized Hillary for saying that H.W. asked her opinions and
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#124
It's a big club, and although you're not in it, we insist you vote for it.
lumberjack_jeff
Jun 2016
#158
Some think that politicians should be kicking each other in the balls or ovaries.
grossproffit
Jun 2016
#168
If "praising" means speaking the truth. As NY Senator she relied on Bush to get the funding needed
glennward
Jun 2016
#194
It was dishonest of her to lie for the Bushes to get them a blank check for the Iraq war
Hydra
Jun 2016
#197
Huh? Lie for the Bushes? When, where? You mean voting for the war like so many other
glennward
Jun 2016
#216