Rice scrapped 911 speech, no mention al Qaeda

[diamond geezer]

cnn (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/01/rice.speech/)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- National security adviser Condoleeza Rice planned to deliver a speech on September 11, 2001, about national security that said nothing about Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda or Islamic fundamentalist groups.

A description and excerpts of that undelivered speech were first reported in The Washington Post on Thursday, and the excerpts were confirmed by administration sources.

Rice was scheduled to deliver the speech at the School of Advance International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, but the plans were scrapped with the 9/11 attacks.

NSC officials said the speech was meant to be a broad look at the administration's efforts to fight terrorism. In it, Rice argued that the United States should build a missile defense system.

One line printed in the Post referred to "the suitcase bomb, the car bomb and the vial of sarin released in the subway" and noted the government spent about twice as much on "counterterrorism efforts" as on missile defense.

"In May the president appointed Vice President Cheney to oversee a coordinated national effort to better protect the U.S. homeland against a terror attack using WMD. But why not missile defenses as well?" she was to have said, the Post reported.

Are they so keen on Missile Defense, because it give a lot of money to companies connected with the top Republicans and the Bush family?

It's revolting that such such conflicts-of-interest exist, and these conflicts should be fully investigated.

[zimv20]

evidence is pointing to the fact that the bush administration payed little attention to the threat of islamic terrorism in its first 9 months.

many messages have come from the WH saying this is not the case. i'm wondering if that's a good strategy for them. meaning, if they did recognize al qaeda as a big threat, did take them seriously, and did have a plan in place, and were not able to suss out 9/11, why would i want to entrust them w/ that responsibility now?

might it not be a better tactic to say that they were caught unawares, apologize, and say "but we're doing everything we can now"? look how much positive feedback richard clarke got for apologizing.

just something i was thinking about...

[Sayhey]

evidence is pointing to the fact that the bush administration payed little attention to the threat of islamic terrorism in its first 9 months.

many messages have come from the WH saying this is not the case. i'm wondering if that's a good strategy for them. meaning, if they did recognize al qaeda as a big threat, did take them seriously, and did have a plan in place, and were not able to suss out 9/11, why would i want to entrust them w/ that responsibility now?

might it not be a better tactic to say that they were caught unawares, apologize, and say "but we're doing everything we can now"? look how much positive feedback richard clarke got for apologizing.

just something i was thinking about...

I think your strategy would indeed be smart, however this administration is incapable of admitting it is wrong about anything. Furthermore, if anyone even suggests they are in fact doing something wrong it is clearly their first priority to do everything they can to undercut the credibility of the person making the criticism. Seems strange from a person who, as a candidate, talked of compassionate conservatism and being humble in our relations with other nations.

[mactastic]

Oh come on, the denials and obfuscations only have to work for another 7 months plus.

I can only imagine how bad things would get under a 2nd Bush term where he doesn't have to worry about getting re-selected.

[Sayhey]

Oh come on, the denials and obfuscations only have to work for another 7 months plus.

I can only imagine how bad things would get under a 2nd Bush term where he doesn't have to worry about getting re-selected.

mac, wasn't I sarcastic enough in my post? I'm hoping that the facade crumbles before that 7 months is up.

[miloblithe]

Oh come on, the denials and obfuscations only have to work for another 7 months plus.

I can only imagine how bad things would get under a 2nd Bush term where he doesn't have to worry about getting re-selected.

Great. Now I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight.

[Neserk]

evidence is pointing to the fact that the bush administration payed little attention to the threat of islamic terrorism in its first 9 months.

many messages have come from the WH saying this is not the case. i'm wondering if that's a good strategy for them. meaning, if they did recognize al qaeda as a big threat, did take them seriously, and did have a plan in place, and were not able to suss out 9/11, why would i want to entrust them w/ that responsibility now?

might it not be a better tactic to say that they were caught unawares, apologize, and say "but we're doing everything we can now"? look how much positive feedback richard clarke got for apologizing.

just something i was thinking about...

They are between a rock and a hard place. They should have tried to actually run the country from when they took over (run it somewhere besides in the ground) and they wouldn't be here now.

[Neserk]

Oh come on, the denials and obfuscations only have to work for another 7 months plus.

I can only imagine how bad things would get under a 2nd Bush term where he doesn't have to worry about getting re-selected.


If Bush gets elected my husband wants to know what country we are moving to. I'm thinking Mexico, even though we don't speak the language. It is close, warm, and we could come back if we wanted to.

[mactastic]

If Bush gets elected my husband wants to know what country we are moving to. I'm thinking Mexico, even though we don't speak the language. It is close, warm, and we could come back if we wanted to.

Leaving just makes it worse. Two less votes against Jeb Bush in '08.

[diamond geezer]

If Bush gets elected my husband wants to know what country we are moving to. I'm thinking Mexico, even though we don't speak the language. It is close, warm, and we could come back if we wanted to.

You can still cast your votes from overseas.

I recommend Mexico, as I'm here on holiday at the moment.

Lovely place. Just don't expect things to ever be done in a hurry.

And remember, it's not what you know, but who you know.

[Thanatoast]

Jeb Bush in '08.O_O

damnit. now i gotta change my pants. :eek:

[pseudobrit]

Leaving just makes it worse. Two less votes against Jeb Bush in '08.

Or Neil in '12.

[Neserk]

Leaving just makes it worse. Two less votes against Jeb Bush in '08.


Good point. Of course we wouldn't really move. I'll just get bitchier ;)

[Neserk]

You can still cast your votes from overseas.

I recommend Mexico, as I'm here on holiday at the moment.

Lovely place. Just don't expect things to ever be done in a hurry.

And remember, it's not what you know, but who you know.

I was in Mexico for about 5 days a few years ago. I found the pace very relaxing.

[Dippo]

Are they so keen on Missile Defense, because it give a lot of money to companies connected with the top Republicans and the Bush family?

It's revolting that such such conflicts-of-interest exist, and these conflicts should be fully investigated.

If there was any connection, I am sure that the left media would have found it by now.

[toontra]

If there was any connection, I am sure that the left media would have found it by now.

Was this sarcasm or observation?

The connections between the Bush administration and corporations where there is obvious conflict of interest are almost too numerous to mention. Many of them are reported in the "left" media in the US, and in neutral media around the world, but they still seem to go on regardless.

I think we are almost at the "reporting fatigue" stage, where these sorts of collusions are so regular they are deemed not worthy of reporting any more.

[zimv20]

If there was any connection, I am sure that the left media would have found it by now.
i'm willing to bet that even if published, you wouldn't have read it or believed it.

are you here for a purpose other than trolling?

[mactastic]

If there was any connection, I am sure that the left media would have found it by now.

Give them a chance! Air America's only a few days old yet! :D

[Neserk]

Give them a chance! Air America's only a few days old yet! :D


Air America? Tell me more!

[beefcake]

I go to Hopkins. It's too bad she didn't plan the speech for September 10th :rolleyes:

[Sayhey]

Air America? Tell me more!

Air America (http://www.airamericaradio.com/)

[Neserk]

Air America (http://www.airamericaradio.com/)


Thanks :D