Today's Progress Report: Bush Admits Negligence

[nostamj]

Bush Admits Negligence

President Bush yesterday once again tried to fend off charges of gross negligence before 9/11, saying, "Had I known that the enemy was going to use airplanes to strike America, to attack us, I would have used every resource, every asset, every power of this government to protect the American people." But with more evidence emerging this week that the White House received repeated warnings before 9/11 of an imminent Al Qaeda attack, the President's "had I known" defense raises two disturbing scenarios: Either a) the Administration is telling the truth, actually did not know of the threat despite receiving repeated warnings and was totally oblivious to a brewing national security crisis. Or b) the Administration is not telling the truth, actually knew about the threat from the warnings it received, and yet still failed to act with adequate urgency. See a list of warnings the Administration received before 9/11 and what they failed to do in response. Also see these internal government documents showing how the Administration downgraded and tried to slash funding for counterterrorism before 9/11.

DISHONEST – RICE REFUTES HERSELF: National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice this week reiterated the President's "ignorance" defense, but in doing so repeated a lie that she had previously admitted was a lie. In 2002, she supported the President's "had I known" defense saying, "I don't think anybody could have predicted...that would try to use an airplane as a missile." But when presented this month with overwhelming evidence that the Administration had been warned about such a plot, she admitted privately to the 9/11 Commission that she had "misspoken." Yet, even after this admission, she proceeded to repeat the same dishonest claim, writing in a Washington Post op-ed this week that "we received no intelligence that terrorists were preparing to attack the homeland using airplanes as missiles." As one widely-respected FBI terrorism expert said, the Administration's "ignorance" defense is "an outrageous lie. And documents prove it's a lie." See this new American Progress backgrounder analyzing Rice's dishonesty.

DISHONEST – BUSH ADMINISTRATION REFUTES RICE: Rice this week said the Administration had formulated a National Security Policy Directive (NSPD) before 9/11 "that called for military options to attack al Qaeda and Taliban leadership." But according to the 9/11 Commission, "There is nothing in the NSPD that came out that we could find that had an invasion plan, a military plan." Bush Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage was asked whether Rice's assertions were true, and responded, "No."

DISHONEST – RICE DISCREDITS HERSELF: Rice claimed this week that "No al Qaeda plan was turned over to the new administration." But the 9/11 Commission reported, "On January 25th, 2001, Richard Clarke forwarded his December 2000 strategy paper and a copy of his 1998 Delenda plan to the new national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice."

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www.americanprogress.org

[whatelseisnew]

1. kick

[bluedeminredstate]

2. Why does this woman still have a job?

She fucked up and should have been fired after 9/11. Her JOB was to inform POTUS of threats to national security and she failed. If the Moroccans knew we had a problem, I find it hard to believe Condi couldn't get her hands on the information!
Why does the administration allow her to hold a position that clearly is out of her league, and why does the public buy her lies?
It's not like you can't tell she's lying - when she answer reporters' questions she get all nervous, her voice shakes and quakes and her body language screams "LIAR".

[nostamj]

3. it's simple, really

bushies never take responsibility for anything.

firing Condi (in fact, firing a SINGLE person following 9/11) would mean that someone made a mistake.

bushies don't admit to mistakes. period.

[nostamj]

4. kick! n/t

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

5. I subscribed after you posted yesterday's progress report

really good stuff so thx v. v. much!!

[nostamj]

6. they are our new WAR ROOM

Rapid Response. Documented. Beautiful.

[gasperc]

7. that's why she won't appear

in public she plays stupid "I don't think anybody could have predicted...that would try to use an airplane as a missile."

But when presented this month with overwhelming evidence that the Administration had been warned about such a plot, she admitted privately to the 9/11 Commission that she had "misspoken." Imagine her saying that on the TV cameras, "I mispoke" uh not but 20minutes ago on GMA you said "we had no idea"
oh she stinks like the ocean.

[nostamj]

8. "misspoken"

as an educated woman, she should know that the correct word is:

LIED