9/11: 'An apology would salve our wounds' - Guardian news roundup

[emad]

Monday April 19, 2004
The Guardian

<snip>

Washington Post
Editorial, April 18

"Last week's hearings by the September 11 commission presented a sobering - in many ways devastating - assessment of the failings of the law enforcement and intelligence communities in dealing with the threat of domestic terrorism before the attacks. The catalogue of bungled leads, missed clues and dysfunctional bureaucracy was at once depressingly familiar and newly maddening ...

"The unwieldy array of intelligence agencies and the hybrid but not empowered role of the director of central intelligence is a parallel subject of concern. George Tenet oversees a hodgepodge of intelligence agencies, but he doesn't have the authority to hire or fire agency heads. He controls just a slice of the intelligence budget. President George Bush said recently that 'now may be a time to revamp and reform our intelligence services'. The commission is performing a valuable service as it struggles to consider how best that might be done in the midst of a war against terrorists, the success of which is measured day by anxious day."

USA Today
Editorial, April 16


"The lack of accountability is one reason ... intelligence reforms have progressed so slowly, leaving the nation vulnerable to terrorists who have vowed to strike again ... The hearings have underscored the need to overhaul the intelligence-gathering system ... For starters, what's needed are a clear chain of command and line of accountability. That could ... spare the nation another round of finger-pointing after the fact."

Nicholas D Kristof
New York Times, April 17


"Three conclusions flow from the missed opportunities of the Bush and Clinton administrations. First, it's time to replace George Tenet. I've resisted that until now because he's been great for morale at the CIA. But after two major intelligence failures, 9/11 and the missing Iraqi WMD, it's time for a new director of central intelligence. Second, we need to restructure the intelligence community so one person really is in charge of all the pieces and budgets ... Third, an apology or a hint of remorse would show leadership and salve our hurt. Mr Bush should recognise that acceptance of accountability is not a sign of weakness."
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More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/september11/story/0,11209,1194731,00.html

[lostnfound]

1. I care not at all for an apology.

700 soldiers dead, Iraqis dead in the tens of thousands (and I wouldn't be surprised if it's really approaching 6 figures.)

Keep your apology, which would be nothing more than appearances. Don't reassure us that it was all a 'mistake' that you were sorry for.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Tenet isn't the only one who needs to be fired

but unfortunately we have to wait until November to fire Bu$h.

The intelligence failure was at the top and the only way to protect the US from future terrorist attacks is to elect John Kerry and put real leadership back into the WH.

[emad]

3. Tenet's not the only one. Add Mueller to the list.

And Junior's London Shrubman Will Stamps Farish III, without whose collaboration this whole debacle would not have been possible.

[leesa]

4. All blaming the CIA/FBI...no one blaming the real culprits...The Crime

Family. This conspiracy by these guys is really slow to come out.