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9-11 COMMISSION REPORT |
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by Douglas Brown Public Statement Good morning. Today, we present this Report and these recommendations to the President of the United States, the United States Congress, and the American people. This report represents the unanimous conclusion of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States. On September 11, 2001, 19 men armed with knives, box-cutters, mace and pepper spray penetrated the defenses of the most powerful nation in the world. They inflicted unbearable trauma on our people, and turned the international order upside down. We ask each of you to remember how you felt that day -- the grief, the enormous sense of loss. We also came together that day as a nation-young and old, rich and poor, Republicans and Democrats. We all had a deep sense of hurt. We also had a deep sense of purpose. We knew what we had to do, as a nation, to respond. And we did. [AB-1] But on that September day we were unprepared. We did not grasp the magnitude of a threat that had been gathering over time. As we detail in our report, this was a failure of policy, management, capability, and -- above all -- a failure of imagination. [AB-2]
by Douglas Brown Findings We recognize that we have the benefit of hindsight. And, since the plotters were flexible and resourceful, we cannot know whether any single step or series of steps would have defeated them. What we can say with confidence is that none of the measures adopted by the U.S. government before 9/11 disturbed or even delayed the progress of the al Qaeda plot. There were several unexploited opportunities.
These examples make up part of a broader national security picture, where the government failed to protect the American people. The United States government was simply not active enough in combating the terrorist threat before 9/11. 1
Our failure took place over many years and Administrations. There is no single individual who is responsible for this failure. Yet individuals and institutions are not absolved of responsibility. Any person in a senior position within our government during this time bears some element of responsibility for the government's actions. It is not our purpose to assign blame. As we said at the outset, we look back so that we can look forward. Our goal is to prevent future attacks. [AB-3] Every expert with whom we spoke told us that an attack of even greater magnitude is now possible -- and even probable. We do not have the luxury of time. We must prepare and we must act. The al Qaeda network and its affiliates are sophisticated, patient, disciplined, and lethal. Usama Bin Ladin built an infrastructure and organization that was able to attract, train and use recruits against ever more ambitious targets. He rallied new zealots with each demonstration of al Qaeda's capability. His message and hate-filled ideology have instructed and inspired untold recruits and imitators. He and al Qaeda:
Put simply, the United States is presented with one of the great security challenges in our history. We have struck blows against the terrorists since 9/11. We have prevented attacks on the homeland. We believe we are safer today than we were on 9/11 -- but we are not safe. 2 Because al Qaeda represents an ideology -- not a finite group of people -- we should not expect the danger to recede for years to come. No matter whom we kill or capture -- including Usama Bin Ladin -- there will still be those who plot against us. Bin Ladin has inspired affiliates and imitators. The societies they prey on are vulnerable; the terrorist ideology is potent; and the means for inflicting harm are readily available. We cannot let our guard down. Recommendations -- A Global Strategy This Commission does not have all the answers. But we have thought about what to do -- a global strategy-- and how to do it -- a different way of organizing our government. But, based on our thorough review of the government's performance, and our examination of the enemy, we recommend the following elements for a counterterrorism strategy. This strategy must be balanced. It must integrate all the elements of national power: diplomacy, intelligence, covert action, law-enforcement, economic policy, foreign aid, homeland defense, and military strength. There is no silver bullet or decisive blow that can defeat Islamist terrorism. It will take unity of effort and sustained and effective use of every tool at our disposal:
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Recommendations -- Organizing Government We recommend significant changes in the organization of the government. We know that the quality of the people is more important than the quality of the wiring diagrams. Good people can overcome bad structures. They should not have to. Day and night, dedicated public servants are waging the struggle to combat terrorists and protect the homeland. We need to ensure that our government maximizes their efforts through information sharing; coordinated effort; and clear authority. A critical theme that emerged throughout our inquiry was the difficulty of answering the question: Who is in charge? Who ensures that agencies pool resources, avoid duplication, and plan jointly? Who oversees the massive integration and unity of effort necessary to keep America safe? Too often the answer is: "no one." Thus we are recommending:
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These, and other, recommendations are spelled out in great detail in our report. We have made a limited number of recommendations, focusing on the areas we believe most critical. We are acutely sensitive to the need to vigorously protect our liberties as we guard our security. We endorse many of the actions taken in the wake of 9/11 to facilitate government action and information sharing. But we stress that these measures need to be accompanied by a commitment to our open society and the principle of review -- safeguards that are built into the process, and vigorous oversight. We must, after all is said and done, preserve the liberties that we are fighting for. Concluding Thoughts Before we close, we offer a few more thoughts. We approached our task with a deep respect for the place of September 11th in our nation's history. Some have compared the shock we felt to Pearl Harbor, others to the Kennedy assassination. There are no comparisons. This was a moment unique in our long history . As every four years in this democracy, we are in the midst of a presidential campaign. Our two great parties will disagree, and that is right and proper. But at the same time we must unite to make our country safer. Republicans and Democrats must unite in this cause. [AB-7] The American people must be prepared for a long and difficult struggle. We face a determined enemy who sees this as a war of attrition -- indeed, as an epochal struggle. We expect further attacks. Against such an enemy, there can be no complacency. This is the challenge of our generation. As Americans we must step forward to accept that challenge. We have reviewed 2.5 million pages of documents, and interviewed over 1,200 individuals -- including experts and officials, past and present. [AB-8] Our work has been assisted by a superb staff. Each one of these professionals has provided dedication and expertise that has exceeded our highest expectations. We also had the high honor of working with an extraordinary group of Commissioners. Each has shown skill, determination, and collegiality. We close by thanking the families who lost loved ones on 9/11. You demanded the creation of this Commission. You have encouraged us every step of the way as partners, and as witnesses. From your grief, we have drawn strength. We are determined to do everything possible to prevent other families from suffering your tragedy. 5 On that beautiful September day, we felt deep hurt, but we believed and acted as one nation. We united as Americans have always united in the face of a common foe. Five Republicans and five Democrats have come together today with that same unity of purpose. We file no additional views. We have no dissents. We have each decided that we will play no active role in the fall presidential campaign. We will, instead, work together in support of the recommendations in this report. We believe that in acting together, we can make a difference. We can make our nation safer and more secure. We would be happy to take your questions. 6 _______________ [1] Speak for yourself. I knew it was the Bush Gang who did it from day one. [2] Yeah, I got it -- imagination is the theme of this report. Imagining that things are completely different than the real honest-to-God truth. [3] If you don't assign blame, then there will be no reason behind your future actions. [4] Pure, unadulterated, disgusting, hate-propaganda. [5] "DO NOT KILL" -- the 6th Commandment. Also, The One Teaching of Maitreya Buddha. [6] In a democracy, we do not have to have unity; we are allowed to have diversity. There is no way in the world I am going to get behind anyone's killer-paranoid-racist agenda. IT IS AGAINST MY RELIGION, ASSHOLE! [7] No! That we absolutely must not do! Then, who will be thinking outside of the box, imagining more wholesome scenarios? [8] And not learned one damn thing, or addressed any of the important questions. Why did the WTC come down like a controlled demolition? What about all those bombs people heard as they were running down the stairs? What about the fact that steel melts at 1500 degrees Celsius, and there's no way a Boeing 767 could have carried enough fuel to heat the 200,000 tons of steel in that building? Why did the plane completely disappear at the Pentagon? Why were there seismic reports that recorded a 2.1 quake during the collapse of the south tower, and a 2.3 quake during the collapse of the north tower? Why didn't the FAA scramble those airplanes? Why did Bush sit in that classroom reading "My Pet Goat"? Why did people purchase an extraordinary number of put options on United Air Lines a few days before the attack? If it was totally innocuous, as you say, then why didn't they cash in on their options? What about all of the warnings that came from numerous governments? What about the warnings by those school children that the WTC wouldn't be there next week? Why was Building 7 pulled? What about all that gold in the basement of the WTC? What about the report S.F. Mayor Willie Brown got not to fly on September 11? What about that Mosque in the Bronx that warned everyone to stay out of Manhattan on 9/11? Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. |
