Bush team tried to suppress pre-9/11 report into al-Qa'ida

[emad]

The Independent
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
11 February 2005


Federal officials were repeatedly warned in the months before the 11 September 2001 terror attacks that Osama bin Laden and al-Qa'ida were planning aircraft hijackings and suicide attacks, according to a new report that the Bush administration has been suppressing.

Critics say the new information undermines the government's claim that intelligence about al-Qa'ida's ambitions was "historical" in nature.

The independent commission investigating the attacks on New York and Washington concluded that while officials at the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) did receive warnings, they were "lulled into a false sense of security". As a result, "intelligence that indicated a real and growing threat leading up to 9/11 did not stimulate significant increases in security procedures".

The report, withheld from the public for months, says the FAA was primarily focused on the likelihood of an incident overseas. However, in spring 2001, it warned US airports that if "the intent of the hijacker is not to exchange hostages for prisoners but to commit suicide in a spectacular explosion, a domestic hijacking would probably be preferable".

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=609895

[Vickers]

1. "President Bush Lied to the American People"

Will the "librul media" have that headline? :eyes:

[KayLaw]

2. Don't know

I just know other countries will and when they finally turn completely against us, at least those who post here will know why they hate us.

[Contrary1]

6. I have friends in several different countries...

They all say the same thing. They know it's the Bush Administration
to blame, not the typical American. Of course, those that voted to
keep the Dim Son in office can in no way be considered "typical".

As for the Middle East, unfortunately that's a different story.

[wiggs]

3. I didn't see a single word in LA Times this morning. nt

[gulfcoastliberal]

4. Such a travesty!

I'm not sure what's more sickening; the report or the way the media is covering it up.

[LTRS]

5. They didn't just TRY - they succeeded!

Bastards! Most lyingest sumbitches ever to sit in the WH. Disgusting!

[gratuitous]

7. Precisely

The administration held up the report, which was ready for public release last August (when the Swift Boat Liars were in full throat), until after Dr. Rice's confirmation vote. Now it doesn't matter what the report says, because the responsible parties have all passed the point of accountability. The Senate sure as the world isn't going to recall Darling Condi to answer any pointed questions about what she as National Security Advisor had been doing in the months before September 11, though the report pretty clearly lays out her incompetence.

The "liberal" New York Times didn't think the news that the report had been withheld for seven months was very important (it was mentioned only in passing in paragraph 5 of their story yesterday), and they didn't quote Richard Ben-Veniste of the Commission until the very end of their account to the effect that the Commission wanted the report published in full back in August.

Now the White House has deigned to release a heavily redacted version of the report, and it's still pretty damning of the corrupt Bush administration. What else is in the report? Back when we had a functioning Fourth Estate, some enterprising reporter might just try to find that out . . .

[Lostnote03]

11. I believe Waxman and one other CongressCritter has done exactly that

in light of the 52 FAA warnings.....Stay tuned

[Just Me]

8. Their goal is a "controlled" populace, not an "informed" public.

In order to achieve their goal of "controlling" the people, they must distract, mislead, LIE, conceal and manipulate.

It's beyond disgusting,...their behavior is so egregious that it's tough to even find the words which best characterizes such corruption.

:mad:

[Al-CIAda]

9. true

[progressoid]

10. Well, gee wiz, I'm shocked.

You know, I'm starting to regret giving money to DU. Maybe I should go back to the comfortably numbness of ABC, CBS, & NBC. You people are bringing me down man.