Bush was warned.
"Over the past century, Republican presidents have managed but one war successfully -- the first Gulf War. In that war, the Republican President led a massive coalition against a small country with little air or sea power and where the outcome was certain. The outcome of the current war in Iraq was thought to be certain, too. However, it has been the worst justified and most poorly managed war in history, even topping our fiasco in Viet-nam.
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At the outset and again during the spring and summer of 2001, the Bush White House repeatedly received expert advice on the gravity of the threat as well as many warnings from around the world of an impending attack. These warnings, described as the most urgent in decades, specified the use of hijacked aircraft as weapons. For example:
* In March, Italy warned us of a very, very secret al-Qaeda plan.
* In April (and again in July), Afghanistan warned us of a huge attack on America and aircraft suicide missions.
* In June, Germany warned us of plans to use commercial aircraft as weapons.
* In July, Egypt warned us that 20 al-Qaeda members had slipped into the U.S.; 4 of them had received flight training.
* In July and August, England warned us of multiple airplane hijackings and that al-Qaeda was in the final stages of preparing a terrorist attack.
* In August, Russia (Putin) warned that suicide pilots were training for attacks on U.S. targets.
* In late summer, Jordan warned us that aircraft would be used in a major attack inside the U.S.
During this period, President Bush received 40 separate CIA briefings on the al-Qaeda threat. One of the last ones said al-Qaeda was “determined to attack the United States.” The CIA Director personally told the White House to expect a significant attack in the near future that “will be spectacular and designed to inflict mass casualties … attack preparations have been made, will occur with little or no warning … this is going to be a big one.” At no time did the President take control, call agency heads together, go into crisis mode, or warn the public. Yet, one simple thing could have made all the difference – calling a cabinet meeting to require protection of commercial aircraft before takeoff – just that one thing.
Like the President, none of the national security officials reporting directly to him showed serious concern. For example, on the day of 9/11, the Secretary of Defense still had not appointed a counterterrorism executive and his Department had no mission to counter al-Qaeda. And, the Joint Chiefs of Staff had not been asked to furnish military options. National Security Advisor Condi Rice was supposed to give a speech, the same day of the attack, on the threats of tomorrow. This speech omitted any reference to the imminent al-Qaeda threat or to Osama bin Laden.
Bush may have feared that public awareness of the threat would further sink an already sagging economy and endanger his reelection. Yet, the American people needed to be highly aware, observant, and proactive. As with Clinton at the turn of the century, presidential leadership would have stimulated public participation and a new level of energy, creativity, and cooperation among federal agencies. Reenergizing the nation on the likelihood of a terrorist attack would have left us much better prepared to avert the horrible tragedy.
Following the attack, the President evaded all responsibility and, for a year, attempted to block formation of a congressionally-created investigative commission. When that didn’t work, he stonewalled the commission for more than another year -- creating much delay and limiting access to witnesses and sensitive records. The White House obstructionist tactics finally forced the Commission to threaten use of subpoenas."
