WTF??!! 9/11 commissioner criticizes emergergency personnel???!!!

[ibegurpard]

I actually read an article talking about this in the print version of my paper this morning...it was the headline. I went looking for it online but it's not there...the article is now talking about Giulani's response.
Anyway here we go:
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?ts=1&display=rednews/2004/05/19/build/nation/20-nyc-hearing.inc

"Giuliani appeared to be trying to deflect criticism from his former police and fire chiefs, who were widely hailed after the attacks but harshly criticized Tuesday for failing to communicate effectively on Sept. 11. Commissioner John Lehman called the lapses a scandal "not worthy of the Boy Scouts, let alone this great city."

Ex-fire commissioner Thomas Von Essen called Lehman's comments "despicable.""

Here's a link to Mr. Lehman's bio:
http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=John_F._Lehman
"Lehman was formerly an investment banker with Paine Webber Inc. He was president of Abington Corporation between 1977 and 1981. He served 25 years in the naval reserve. Lehman was appointed Secretary of the Navy by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and served until 1987."

How the fuck does anyone get off criticizing emergency response to something completely unprecedented like this when the Bush administration ignored intelligence information that might have helped prevent it???!!! :wtf:

[Bandit]

1. Republicans have no shame

:shrug:

[ibegurpard]

2. This asshole should have his ass canned!

:grr:

[JI7]

3. thomas von essen is supporting bush

[Nashyra]

4. Me thinks that after the firefighters and police unions

came out in favor of Kerry instead of * they felt it was neccessary to be nice to them.

[librechik]

5. ding ding ding--you said the U word

Lehman is a bigwig in the War on Terror (like a majority on the panel hand picked Bushie sex toys) so of course he has to attack the biggest terrorists of all, the UNIONS!!

All these jackasses have a self serving agenda. It's an insult to America.

[ibegurpard]

6. kick

:kick:

[sangh0]

7. No, Lehman did NOT criticize emergency personnel

He criticized the system, and the officials who were responsible for how the emergency system worked.

But on Tuesday, commission member John Lehman said the failure of city agencies to communicate effectively on 9/11 was a scandal "not worthy of the Boy Scouts, let alone this great city."

As this quote indicates, Lehman criticized the agencies, not the workers. As a NYC resident, I can tell you that the incompatibility of the fire and police radio systems has been an issue for years, and it still hasn't been resolved. IIRC, several years ago, at least one fireman died because he did not recieve a radio'd message to evacuate the burning building.

And STILL, nothing was done. Lehman's criticism was spot on.