It Could Have Been Me
by pessimist
Today being the fourth anniversary of the terrorist hijackings, we would be remiss in our reportage if we didn't at least acknowledge those who died so that King George could go to war for oil.
This has been a very popular act for too many Americans - at least until gasoline hit $3/gal.!
Despite this, there are those who aren't so fond of the Aimless Wanderings in the Oil Sands of GOP-gypt by those seeking the Promise Planned [PDF].
A very select few have an added stature - but for an Act of God (the real one, not Karl), or Fate, or Kismet, or Karma, or what have you, they themselves would be among those being remembered so politically today.
One of them has something to say:
We're no safer today
By KURT S. WOLZ
Guest Commentary
September 11, 2005
MY CONNECTION with 9/11 is personal. I am a pilot for American Airlines. In September of 2001, I had AA Flight 11 on my flying schedule. As you may recall, AA Flight 11 was the first airplane hijacked. It subsequently impacted the north tower of the World Trade Center.
I lost a friend and fellow pilot, Capt. John Ogonowski, that day. I also knew purser Betty Ong and the rest of the cabin crew. I could have been the copilot who perished that day.
On the four-year anniversary of 9/11, I would like to give you my summation as to what progress our leaders have made in ridding the world of terrorism, and in "bringing to justice" the perpetrators of that horrendous terrorist attack on our homeland. And that is — no real progress.
I remember President George W. Bush standing on the pile of rubble that used to be the WTC, with his bullhorn, his arm over a New York City firefighter, proclaiming to all that the United States will get whoever did this to us and bring them to justice.
Instead, it became an opportune moment for him, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Paul Wolfowitz to pursue their own agenda, which they had when they came into office and were dying to execute.
The reason I say this is because his attempt to capture or kill Osama bin Laden has been lame at best. He delegates the enemy (Pakistan) to hunt for the enemy. Instead, al-Qaida has once again "reared its ugly head," this time with subway bombings in London. Let's face it, our President and all his men have failed the world in bringing these terrorists to justice.What we are coming to learn, through numerous sources including the Downing Street Memos, is that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and Rice knew this before they started their war in Iraq. They deliberately misled us all into believing them. We would have been at war with Iraq even if 9/11 did not occur.
What the war has become is a waste of U.S. lives and taxpayer dollars and a breeding ground for more and smarter terrorists. Also, U.S. companies in Iraq, with close ties to the Bush administration, are engaged in blatant profiteering.
All I can say is that I am tired of being lied to by an administration that has zero credibility. I am hoping that in 2006 Democrats win back control of Congress and open their first session with impeachment proceedings of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, because the Republicans refuse to do so.Kurt S. Wolz of Bedford is a pilot for American Airlines.
From your keyboard to America's eyes, Captain.
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