Did Bush Know?

[Katarina]

While doing some searching I came across this website dated May 18, 2002. I thought some of this was interesting so I decided to share. If it's a repeat, I apologize now ahead of time.

<snip>
The last comment—“Within the American intelligence community, the warnings were taken seriously”—is crucial. It clearly indicates that in response to the ECHELON warnings, the entire U.S. intelligence community—all U.S. intelligence agencies—were on alert for a Project Bojinka-style attack, and consequently intensified surveillance. The New Yorker further reports that according to Richard A. Clarke, U.S. National Coordinator for Counterterrorism in the White House, about ten weeks before 11th September, the U.S. intelligence community was convinced that a terrorist attack by Al-Qaeda on U.S. soil was imminent. Seven to eight weeks prior to the 11th September attacks, all internal U.S. security agencies were warned of an impending Al-Qaeda attack against the Untied States that would likely occur in several weeks time. This warning coincided with the second ECHELON warning cited before:

“Meanwhile, intelligence had been streaming in concerning a likely Al Qaeda attack. ‘It all came together in the third week in June,’ Clarke said. ‘The C.I.A.’s view was that a major terrorist attack was coming in the next several weeks.’ On July 5th, Clarke summoned all the domestic security agencies—the Federal Aviation Administration, the Coast Guard, Customs, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the F.B.I.—and told them to increase their security in light of an impending attack.”<19>

It is apparent then that all U.S. intelligence agencies were fully expecting an impending attack by Al-Qaeda by the beginning of July 2001, and moreover that the U.S. intelligence community was aware that “terrorists were planning to hijack commercial aircraft to use as weapons to attack important symbols of American… culture.” In other words, the U.S. intelligence community was anticipating a Project Bojinka-style attack. Among the buildings identified as “symbolic of American culture” in Al-Qaeda’s Project Bojinka plans, known by U.S. intelligence, was the World Trade Center. That the WTC was an extremely likely target is further clear from the fact that operatives linked to Osama bin Laden had previously targeted the Twin Towers in a failed bombing attempt. As a consequence, the entire domestic intelligence and security apparatus seems to have been alerted to increase relevant security and surveillance.

Much more here... http://www.mediamonitors.net/mosaddeq36.html

[Soup Bean]

1. I'm not sure whether he knew or not.

I tend to think that W himself had no clue. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, Libby, the Skipper and Mary Ann may very well have been aware and prepared to use the incident.

Regardless of foreknowledge, they shamelessly used 9-11 to further their agenda. I think that is bad enough, even if it's Peak Oil they're hiding.

[acmavm]

2. Of course he knew. You know the old saying 'If you fail once, try, try

again'. There was not target more appealing from a terrorist point of view than the World Trade Center towers.

What a douche bag.

[Katarina]

3. Oh, I have no doubt he knew

I just titled my subject that from the article. I am sure he knew. The article is a must read in my opinion.

[opihimoimoi]

4. And still Condi sez its "Historical", meaning intensive multiple warnings

That they didn't pay attention and sound Battle Stations cost Big Time.

That we did not go into advanced warning level, forget the color shit, was criminal. Worse, they did not warn the general public of this. If Americans were warned, the hijackings might have been foiled
as was likely the airlainer crashing into the cornfeild.

He was SUPPOSED to KNOW; How could he NOT?

[boobooday]

5. What does Bush really "know"

His vocabulary is limited. He is a tool. You can see him struggle when he tries to speak to string words together in a semi-coherent way.

They sent him to Florida. I think it was someone here who pointed out that he went obediently, and sat there waiting for someone to tell him what to do.



http://www.wgoeshome.com

[unblock]

6. interesting how bad news must be pinned on the individual president

but good news, he gets credit for regardless.

human nature, i guess. when things go well, a president takes credit, and perhaps to at least some extent he deserves it. after all, he's in charge (in theory, anyway).

but when things go wrong, suddenly, the president as an individual must have specifically screwed up or else he seems to get a pass. but if his people -- you know, the 'smart' people he promised to surround himself with -- screwed up, well, bush himself surely didn't know ... i mean, gee, how could he be expected to do anything if his national security advisor didn't point out the need to do anything, right?


fundamentally, this is a big part of why clinton go so much flak for the monica thing -- unlike the vast majority of political scandals, he couldn't pass even a portion of the blame onto anyone else.

[OneBlueSky]

7. one thing that's stuck with me is a NY Post front page that said . . .

in huge block letter, BUSH KNEW! . . . it was at least a year ago, probably longer, but what struck me is that the Post is a far-right (Murdoch) rag, so that kind of headline seemed quite out of place . . . I think this front page should be reprinted and made into thousands of signs for people to display as they demonstrate at the RNC convention this fall . . .

[Pinko Commie]

8. Guaranteed to stamp forever!

I think he knew. There's just so many disconnected news reports, mostly reported by the alternative press but which, grudgingly, eventually showed up in the mainstream media, that show the admin was covering for the bin Ladens and/or had foreknowledge of impending attacks.

Its all circumstantial, though.

What amazes me is that many Americans don't want to believe that the administration could do something so "Macheavellian". Well, let's see: Bay of Pigs, Gulf of Tonkin incident, Watergate, The October Surprise, Iran-Contra, S&L...no, of course not. No president would ever do something like that.