Slate: While Bush Vacationed, 9/11 Warnings Went Unheard

[Mark E. Smith]

In an otherwise dry day of hearings before the 9/11 commission, one brief bit of
dialog set off a sudden flash of clarity on the basic question of how our govt
let disaster happen.

The revelation came this morning, when CIA Director George Tenet was on the
stand. Timothy Roemer, a former Democratic congressman, asked him when he
first found out about the report from the FBI's Minnesota field office that Zacarias
Moussaoui, an Islamic jihadist, had been taking lessons on how to fly a 747. Tenet
replied that he was briefed about the case on Aug. 23 or 24, 2001.

Roemer then asked Tenet if he mentioned Moussaoui to President Bush at one of
their frequent morning briefings. Tenet replied, "I was not in briefings at this time."
Bush, he noted, "was on vacation." He added that he didn't see the president at all
in August 2001. During the entire month, Bush was at his ranch in Texas. "You never
talked with him?" Roemer was asked. "No," Tenet replied. By the way, for much of
August, Tenet too was, as he put it, "on leave."

And there you have it. National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice has made a big
point of the fact that tenet briefed the president nearly every day. Yet at the peak
moment of threat, the two didn't talk at all. At a time when action was needed, and
orders for action had to come from the top, the man at the top was resting
undisturbed.

- Fred Kaplan, Slate. April 14, 2004

http://www.slate.com/id/2098861/

Bush slept and 3,000 died.

[speedoo]

1. kick

[Catchawave]

2. Thanks Mark...so true

We all know this, and must repeat often. :toast:

[Mark E. Smith]

5. That's My Take

Since the Goops are so interested in history,
I say let 'em have it.

[civildisoBDence]

3. It's not as if anything happens in August

except a little hurricane or terror plot here and there.

Bush cleared his brush--now it's time for the electorate to clear Bush.

Newsprism

[AtomicKitten]

4. dude, you mean Clinton ignored them the summer of 2001 cuz it's his fault

doncha know

[heliarc]

6. Don't forget this fun little ditty...

September 11, 2001: Intelligence Committee Chairs Meet with ISI Head and Possible 9/11 Attack Funder as the Attack Occurs

http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/context.jsp?item=a091101mahmoodmeeting

[GeorgeGist]

7. What's with the misleading headline on Slate...

the warnings were ignored not unheard.

[MasonJar]

8. I thought that Tenet was giving him daily briefs. Who gave him

the brief about bin Laden attacking US on August 6 or 7?