CIA Director George Tenet defended the CIA in his testimony before the 9/11 Commission on March 24, 2004: ” ‘The idea that [the CIA’s clandestine officers] are risk-averse, couldn’t get the job done, weren’t forward-leaning–I’m sorry. I’ve heard those comments, and I just categorically reject them.’ ” – Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, Without Precedent, […]
Category: quotes
3/24/2004
In testimony before the 9/11 Commission on March 24, 2004, CIA Director George Tenet was asked why the CIA didn’t protect the American people on 9/11. He replied: ” ‘We didn’t steal the secret that told us what the plot was. We didn’t recruit the right people or technically collect the data, notwithstanding enormous effort […]
3/24/2004
“Following [former counterterrorism czar] Richard Clarke’s testimony before the [9/11] Commission on March 24 [2004], approval of the president’s [Bush’s] handling of homeland security and the war on terror had dropped by eight points.” – Peter Lance, Cover Up, Page 177 […]
3/24/2004
In testimony before the 9/11 Commission on March 24, 2004, former counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke said: ” ‘By invading Iraq, the President of the United States [Bush] has greatly undermined the war on terror.’ ” – Stephen F. Hayes, The Connection, Page xvii […]
3/24/2004
CIA Director George Tenet provided a written statement for the 9/11 Commission on March 24, 2004. He wrote: “The Taliban aided Bin Ladin by assigning him security guards, establishing communications facilities for him and al-Qa’ida, spreading disinformation on his behalf, and permitting him to build and maintain terrorist camps. The Taliban refused to cooperate with […]
3/23/2004
Secretary of State Colin Powell testified before of the 9/11 Commission on March 23, 2004: ” ‘From the start, the president [Bush], by word and deed, made clear his interests and his intense desire to protect the nation from terrorism.’ ” – Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, Without Precedent, Page 159 […]
3/23/2004
In testimony before the 9/11 Commission on March 23, 2004, former Secretary of Defense William Cohen said, regarding sending a specialized force to pursue Bin Ladin: ” ‘We have 13,500 troops in Afghanistan right now, not to mention [how many] the Pakistanis [have there], and we can’t find Bin Ladin to date. So, the notion […]
3/23/2004
In testimony before the 9/11 Commission on March 23, 2004, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld gave his view that “even killing Bin Ladin before 9/11 might not have prevented the attacks, as the plot was already well in motion by 2001.” – Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, Without Precedent, Page 161 […]
3/23/2004
In a 9/11 Commission hearing on March 23, 2004, Commission Member Bob Kerrey said to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: ” ‘It seems to me that a declaration of war either by President Clinton or by President Bush, prior to 9/11 would have mobilized the government in a way that at least would have reduced […]
3/23/2004
During questioning of top-level government officials in the 9/11 Commission hearing on March 23, 2004, critiques were made on the Clinton and Bush administrations. The Clinton Administration “had been too tentative in going after al Qaeda before 9/11: as al Qaeda launched attacks and issued fatwas against the United States, there was not a robust […]