Heard a theory analogous to yours from some radio show
this morning.

Suppose Bush had taken some pre-emptive strike against
OBL prior to 9/11 and got him. Would that have stopped 9/11?
Doubt it. It was planned for years. Under those circumstances,
the group currently accusing Bush of no-action would probably
say Bush caused 9/11. They would argue his actions created
more terrorism, just like they are now with respect to Iraq.


On a side note, Martha was convicted for lying under oath, so what about Clarke?

Booyah! I saw a questioner hold up Clarke's book and a memo that he wrote while still serving. His book totally contradicts his position from while he was active. The questioner asked him which one was true. I didn't catch his response, but I'm sure that Clarke was squirming over that one.

Clarke flip flops more than Kerry does it seems

This is a biased news source ( I found the link via GOPUSA.COM ) but very interesting facts within nonetheless regarding an interview Clarke gave PBS in 2002

Clarke's PBS Interview Indicates Bush Focused on Terrorism

Based on the way I have felt for the past 2 years, I can only imagine what it feels like for the family of those that lost their lives in those towers and in the pentagon If nothing else comes out of the public hearing, at least they got to hear a public apology from a government official.

"We tried hard, but that doesn't matter because we failed."

Let's keep the apology in context and not take it as an admission of culpability. There are many things for which I am sorry but also of which I was powerless to prevent or control.

Failure to forsee future events or consequences happens everyday.

After having watched a good portion of the public testamony I can honestly say I dont know that we could have prevented it based on testamony given. The attacks were several years in the making. Just getting OBL would not, IMHO, have stopped this from happening.

The simple fact is we were lax and they outwitted us, no more, no less.

question
 

An apology is an expression of regret, not more, but not less.

For those who see a connection between 9/11 and Sadaam, would removing Sadaam earlier have prevented the situation?

No easy answers here.

"Trying to eliminate Saddam...would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible.... We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq.... there was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."

-- George Herbert Walker Bush, from his memoir, A World Transformed
(1998)

First, I believe there was a connection between Al Qaeda and Saddam. Second, removing Saddam earlier would not have affected 9-11. AQ's main base was in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Saddam was simply a kindred spirit who probably sent a little financial support and maybe some intel.

Speaking of Intel: The "community" was so downsized after the Cold War that we didn't have the capability we should have had to prevent 9-11. To put it another way, put a blindfold on a sharpshooter and see how well he fires. :mad:

Actually Radar it was "The Peanut Man" who blinded our intelligence. "Gentlemen don't look in other's windows.":mad:

Sir, I imagine that the "Peanut Man" is Jimmy Carter? Even so, it is the democRATs that ruined our intelligence community.

QRQ-30 is right.

Our ability to gather intell was destroyed by one moron and one moron only. He goes by the name of jimmy carter. A side note to this story is that people also (unnecessarily) lost their lives due to this decision. carter is an idiot that got a lot of people killed due to his stupidity.

I once heard a story that when he (carter) was briefed on the Iran raid the first question he asked was "Is anyone going to get hurt?"

Team Sergeant

I don't remember whether it was Beckwith or Haney, but one of those two books on the non-existent anti-terror unit with an airline name mentions that the author was impressed by Carter during the hostage rescue operation. I don't recall whether it was in being decisive about ordering it or in being cool to people after it failed.

I was very surprised to read anything positive about Carter from a member of the military.

RL: Nobody can be wrong ALL OF THE TIME!!

You haven't met Jawbreaker yet, have you?

Just kidding. Even he is right about some things. :D