Great letter in today's Seattle Times (Bush, 9/11, natl security)

[Mike Niendorff]

Too good not to pass on here :)

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Seattle Times
Letters to the Editor, 2/14/04
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2001857611_satlets14.html

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WHAT'S MISSING -- Present without context

Eric Devericks' implication in his "AWOL" cartoon (editorial page, Feb. 8), that the Republican Party owns the national-security issue, is as false as thinking conservative fiscal policy is theirs, too.

Before the 9-11 tragedies, terrorism was hardly a blip on the radar screen of the Bush team, which seemed more focused on reorganizing the military and promoting "Star Wars" missile defense systems; and national-security adviser Condoleezza Rice and Vice President Dick Cheney utterly ignored Clinton national-security adviser Sandy Berger's al-Qaida warnings and (former counterterrorism adviser to Clinton and Bush) Richard Clarke's plan to put ground forces in Afghanistan to hunt down bin Laden.

Remember how Attorney General John Ashcroft turned down acting FBI Director Thomas Pickard's $58 million request for anti-terror funds?

Let's not forget that for four out of the five weeks that led up to the greatest national security failure in our history, our current "War on Terror" president was on his Texas ranch enjoying the longest vacation in presidential history.

No wonder this administration is stonewalling the 9-11 Commission.

Bruce Johnson, Seattle

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MDN

[roscoeroscoe]

1. beautiful

thank you~

[flamingyouth]

2. Yeah, that was a great letter!

And that Eric Devericks guy ... argh ... well, let's just say he's not exactly my favorite political cartoonist. He's like Seattle's version of Michael Ramirez. :puke:

[slor]

3. That was great...

and wow I did forget those 2 facts prior to 9/11, which got me wondering, has anyone created a timeline of all the policy efforts that may be evidence of this administrations failure to prevent 9/11 or even of their complicity to it? I ask because of a thread I just started that asked what will be our candidate's response be to a Osama October surprise. Thanks!