Looking forward to the series. Thanks eriposte.
Paz
Posted by quídam at July 24, 2005 07:59 AMHmmm, so the conclusion was that the intelligence community fell short on their analysis. Probably because Clinton curtailed and hamstrung intelligence efforts. Unless you still beleive that fairy tale that Richard Clarke and the other Clionistas were hot on Al Queda trail until Bush was elected and stopped them.
Posted by Cyber Sarge at July 24, 2005 08:28 AMuntil bush was elected and stopped them
and you wonder why it's so hard to have a dialogue with some of you people..really
Posted by dennis at July 24, 2005 09:22 AMlooking forward to the series. Thnk you for the hard work
Posted by pepsi at July 24, 2005 09:41 AMCyber Sarge,
You mean until Bush decided to completely ignore an August 2001 memo entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside The United States" by spending the entire month of August on vacation at his ranch in Texas?
Yep, that Georgie Bush, who loves so much to read about pet goats (even after being informed by his chief-of-staff that the U.S. is under attack) surely has an interesting perspective on Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama Been Forgotten. You remember what Bush had to say about Mr. Been Forgotten, don't you Cyber Sarge?
"I truly am not that concerned about him"
-- George W. Bush, March 13, 2002
Now Cyber Sarge, you don't know anyone stupid enough to vote for someone unconcerned about Bin Laden, do you?
Posted by at July 24, 2005 09:45 AMThe anonymous fellow who posted something above is "Herman"
Posted by Herman at July 24, 2005 10:08 AMI APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS MATTER, LEFTCOASTER!
Posted by Herman at July 24, 2005 10:14 AMWell Rice didn't think the memo important. Remember, she could only vaguely remember the title of that memo, so why would George think it important? Cutting brush and pretending to be a rancher was much more fun and fulfilling.
Posted by Judith at July 24, 2005 10:41 AMRice didn't think the memo to be important and later winds up getting promoted to Secretary of State. Strange world.
Posted by Herman at July 24, 2005 12:14 PMIt is now 2005. At this point we know that North Korea conducted nuclear weapons tests in Pakistan (our War on Terror ally) in 1998. We know that Pakistan provided nuclear secrets to Iran (our adversary). We know that North Korea exploded a nuclear device in September, 2004. Or they exploded something capable of forming a 2 1/2 mile mushroom cloud. We can surmise that Saddam Hussein lusted after a nuclear weapon and his scientific research team were probably doing all they could to produce documentation that the work was well underway (they were eager to stay in his good graces and still receive regular paychecks). We also know that the nuclear weapons program had not progressed much beyond wishful thinking after the Israeli raid on the Osirak reactor in 1981.
What we don't know is why the U.S. intelligence apparatus did not know these things in a timely manner; why we did not have actionable intelligence prior to the Saudi attack on American soil; why we didn't even know about the fall of Communism until it was well underway. In short, we have no clue why our intelligence system consistently fails us. But there is plenty to suggest that the problem is not fixed.
Maybe it is like those trading systems which analyze a spectrum of sophisticated data and provide buy, sell, hold points based upon a successful strategy. It is up to the investor to act without prejudice on that information. If the investor (or politician) overrides the recommendation of their trading system (intelligence network) and starts acting on their "gut", what gets gutted is their risk management ability.
We are now nearly blinded by the administration's attempt to pin blame on a failure deep in the internal workings of the intelligence system. It is simply unnecessary for us to look any further than the man who took the oath of fulfill the duty of being in charge. Until leaders are forced to be accountable, we will not produce leaders who are competent to be held accountable.
Posted by obelus at July 24, 2005 12:24 PMVery timely report...I just took a peek at the new, updated The Politics of Truth, by Joe Wilson, in the bookstore and his new Preface...It takes some of these issues apart very effectively I think. Apparently, judging from the reports of what my Kansas Senator, Pat Roberts, said on Late Edition this morning (Sunday), they are still lying profusely. Of course, Pat Roberts is a major player in the coverup since he reneged on his promise to investigate how the Bush Crime Family used intelligence after the 2004 elections. And I heard Bush shill David Brooks also lie about whether Wilson's wife had sent him and whether VP Cheney had sent him on the Chris Matthews Show. Brooks has developed a reputation as a "moderate" by practicing his "moderate demeanor" while saying outrageously dishonest and stupid things. Bob Somerby took him apart in a recent edition of The Daily Howler on this very point.
When these desperate "rats" are cornered they are so used to lying their way out of the corner with the willing assistance of the MSM that they are having trouble under what are the emerging rules of what is accepted on trust and what must be proven with concrete factual evidence. I say emerging rules because it remains to be seen if they will get away with it or not.
Posted by Oleary25 at July 24, 2005 01:03 PMGreat post.Thank for the time, work and analysis. As you dig we get close to the tresonous bastards that send our kids to war. As you connect the dots, we soon will be at AIPAC doorsteps and their back door at the OSP for those who forget the Niger documents it appears, have a nexus to recognized fascist Michael Ledeen.
Keep the eye in the ball.
Posted by Annonymous at July 24, 2005 01:23 PM"You mean until Bush decided to completely ignore an August 2001 memo entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside The United States" by spending the entire month of August on vacation at his ranch in Texas?" Great analysis but nt exactly chock full of specifics. During the 90s we got dozens of threats from Bin Laden and the planning for 911 preceded Bush by about two years. You think after the attacks in Riyadh, on the USS Cole, and the Embassy bombings we should have put a little more effort towards finding these people? Bush may have been at his ranch but it's not like he isn't getting briefed each day or getting intel just as if he was in the White House. You act as if he was on the moon and nobody could contact him. Nice picture but far from the truth. Nobody could have or did predicted 9/11 and we have always been on "alert" for hijackings since the 70s. ever notice those metal detectors that you had to go through? Do you think that Bush could have got by with banning air travel for Middle Eastern lokng men or men with Arab/Muslim names? But you sound like a smart person, how would have you acted on a non-specific threat from a terrororists organiztion?
Posted by Cyber Sarge at July 24, 2005 03:04 PMYou think after the attacks in Riyadh, on the USS Cole, and the Embassy bombings we should have put a little more effort towards finding these people?
We should have, but the repuglicans were too concerned over a blue cum-stained dress to worry about Al-Qaeda. Anytime Clinton tried to do something the repuglicans screamed "Wag the Dog", "Wag the Dog"! Fuckin' hypocrites.
Posted by patriot at July 24, 2005 04:53 PMYup hypocrytes that us. Bush has been called every name in the book and accused of all kinds of misdeeds and criminal activity. In spite of all that he continues on the same course! If only he were more like Clinton an change direction every time a poll changed.
Posted by Cyber Sarge at July 24, 2005 08:39 PMWho is this Cyber Sarge? I hope he's writing satire, surely he doesn't really believe what he writes.
Posted by code cooker at July 25, 2005 03:49 PM07.25.2005 Eric Boehlert/Huffingtonpost.com
The Ghost of Ed Meese
If the notion of a timely, legal heads-up from inside a Republican administration during the early days of a burgeoning scandal sounds familiar, it should. We've seen this act before, specifically during Iran-Contra, which ultimately crippled president Reagan's second term. Back then, the tip-off came from Reagan's AG and devoted troubleshooter, Ed Meese. Working from the inside and determined to protect the president, Meese's sloppy, out-of-the-gate legal work conveniently gave key Iran-Contra players, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and former national security advisor John Poindexter, ample time to destroy relevant documents regarding the White House's illegal arms-for-hostage initiative.
Calling Gonzales and Andy Card to explain what they did during the 12 hour lead time. Now what could they have been doing I wonder.
Posted by Judith at July 26, 2005 04:48 AMI noticed you are linking to a PDF version of the Senate Report and thought you might like the link to a html version of the Senate Report.
This version allows you to copy sections of the report.
Posted by pollyusa at October 20, 2005 09:04 PM