New light on the life and death of John O'Neill

[Teddy_Salad]

New light on life and death of John O'Neill

When former Federal Bureau of Investigation counter-terrorism expert John O'Neill died in the Twin Towers on September 11, questions over his abrupt departure from the FBI and the obstacles he faced from Washington in sounding the al-Qaeda alarm died with him. Now, with Richard Clarke's new insider allegations of US tardiness over al-Qaeda, questions over O'Neill call for answers.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FC27Aa01.html

[Florida_Geek]

1. I think Driven Out is what Clarke said.

Pg 14
"John O'Neill, my closest friend in the Bureau and a man determined to destroy al Qaeda until the Bureau had driven him out because he was too obsessed with al Qaeda and didn't mind breaking crockery in his drive to get Usama bin Laden. O'Neill did not fit the narrow little mold that Director Louis Freeh wanted for his agents. He was too aggressive, thought outside the box. O'Neill's struggle with Freeh was a case study in why the FBI could not do the homeland protection mission.

[Miss Authoritiva]

2. Do I have this right?

Terrorists think outside the box; bureaucrats think inside the box (in fact, they probably constructed the first box). If a bureaucrat starts to think too creatively, he gets booted out of the box, because independent thinking is dangerous and the box must be protected at all costs. But ultimately the bureaucrats' bureaucratic thinking undermines their own efforts. And then the terrorists bomb their box into oblivion. Which really isn't too tragic, because now the bureaucrats get to build an even bigger box.

[Florida_Geek]

3. IMHO John O'Neill could have stopped th 9-11 attack

had he been working still at the FBI. O'Neill was not a Saudi lover like Bush. And the Phoenix memo got to the NYC anti-Terrorist office of the FBI. John O'Neill would have connected the DOTS of Saudi's taking flying lesson on large jets.

[Miss Authoritiva]

5. Still too painful for the me to think about its being preventable....

I still haven't been able to watch the "Frontline" episode on O'Neill all the way through. I get too emotional -- first I start to cry and then I get really angry and start punching pillows. (I live in the NYC metropolitan area and, as for everyone in the area, the day is a scorch mark on my soul.) I don't know how the 9-11 family members -- the ones who appear on the talk and news shows -- remain composed and on point. I couldn't do it. Their nobleness -- and that of Clarke and O'Neill -- really puts the Bush people to shame.

[Teddy_Salad]

4. John O'Neill

I see that C-SPAN at 6:30PM Sunday will be showing the Dick Cavette show from the early '70's with John Kerry on there debating a guy by the name of, "John O'Neill".

Anyone know if this is 'the' John O'Neill or not?

[reprehensor]

6. Thanks for posting. n/t