The Coverup Players. July 20 2004 When the commission looking into the 9/11 terror attacks releases their final report Thursday, it's expected to propose the cabinet-level position of national director of intelligence. It's just part of the panel's focus on the intelligence community before September 11th, and what improvements have been made since. NY1's Roger Clark has more details in the following report.
Could the United States government have thwarted the 9/11 terrorists before the disaster ever occurred? It's a question the federal panel probing the terrorist attacks has asked mid to top-level government officials from two administrations. Some cited lack of sources.
"We did all we could. We did our best, and we said, 'Make them understand how few we were, and what we had to deal with,'" said Ambassador Cofer Black, former CIA Counterterrorism Chief:
Others blamed a lack of communication between the FBI and the CIA. Attorney General John Ashcroft testified in April, targeting a Clinton administration memo which he says kept the agencies separate.
"The wall left intelligence agents afraid to talk with criminal prosecutors or agents," said Ashcroft. "In 1995, the Justice Department designed a system destined to fail."
Officials from the Clinton and Bush administrations were asked why they didn't go after al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden before September 11th, 2001, especially after the African embassy bombings in 1998 and the attack of the U.S.S. Cole in 2000.
One of the top issues: the government's knowledge of al-Qaeda's growth and the increasing threat to the U.S.
Former White House terrorism adviser Richard Clarke accused the Bush administration of ignoring warnings in 2001 and offered the first public apology to victims' families.
"Your government failed you," said Clarke. "Those entrusted with protecting you failed you and I failed you."
The administration fired back with testimony from National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who appeared in public and under oath in April after months of requests from the commission. Rice called the threats Clarke referred to as "frustratingly vague."
"Let me read you some of the actual chatter that was picked up in the spring and summer," said Rice. "'Unbelievable news coming in weeks,' said one. 'Big event. There will be a very, very, very, very big uproar·There will be attacks in the near future.'"
On the intelligence front, creation of a new domestic intelligence organization came up repeatedly throughout the hearings. FBI Director Robert Mueller opposed it during his testimony, preferring an independent intelligence unit within the bureau.
"Splitting the law enforcement and the intelligence functions would leave both agencies fighting the war on terrorism with one hand tied behind their backs," said Mueller.
But the commission criticized the bureau's limited capacity to share information and insufficient training. Mueller told commissioners future FBI agents will all be trained in counter terrorism and intelligence gathering, but panel member Timothy Roemer was skeptical.
"With so little confidence right now in the FBI, and the stakes being so large for the security of the country, why should we give the FBI another chance?" said Roemer.
The CIA also came under fire. Former Director George Tenet was grilled on why he didn't tell George W. Bush about suspected terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui in a meeting with top officials just a week before 9/11.
"It wasn't the appropriate place," said Tenet.
Tenet told the commission it would take five years to fully modernize the agency. Commission Chair Thomas Kean said the overhaul of the U.S. intelligence community must come sooner than later.
"Whether we can fix these agencies and get them to work together — all of that — is absolutely vital in the national interest," said Kean.
And the commission's final report is expected to outline a number of ways in which the panel thinks that can be done. The question is, will these agencies be able to follow through as America and its interests remain the target of terrorists?
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5. 9/11/01: The Commission, part 1by TheHistoryProfessor1,141 views
Treason. Plain and simple. Liars and murderers.
Nice to have money and power to control, corrupt, threaten, and do what you want.
FALSE FLAG.
gemriderz 8 months ago
Condi Rice had CIA briefings about the al Qaeda threat 5/30 and 7/10/01. Cofer Black said "We did everything but pull the trigger to the gun we were holding to her head." For info on Condi's testimony to the 9/11 Commission, see my video "Condi Lied Under Oath to the 9/11 Widows"
punxsutawneybarney 11 months ago