NYT: 9/11 Commission Says U.S. Agencies Slow Its Inquiry

[tarheel]

I thought that the following few paragraphs of this article were very telling. Wasn't one of the things that * complained about during the UN weapons inspections, prior to the invasion of Iraq, the fact that Saddam would not allow scientists and government workers to be interviewed privately by the inspectors ? Did they not insist on these persons being taken out of the country in order to get them to freely discuss what they knew ? It looks like * and company have taken a page right out of ole Saddam's playbook if you ask me !


<snip>

9/11 Commission Says U.S. Agencies Slow Its Inquiry
By PHILIP SHENON


ASHINGTON, July 8 — The federal commission investigating the Sept. 11 terror attacks said today that its work was being hampered by the failure of executive branch agencies, especially the Pentagon and the Justice Department, to respond quickly to requests for documents and testimony.

The panel also said the failure of the Bush administration to allow officials to be interviewed without the presence of government colleagues could impede its investigation, with the commission's chairman suggesting today that the situation amounted to "intimidation" of the witnesses

<snip>



<snip>

Mr. Kean and Mr. Hamilton suggested that the Justice Department was behind a directive barring intelligence officials from being interviewed by the panel without the presence of agency colleagues.

At a news conference, Mr. Kean described the presence of "minders" at the interviews as a form of intimidation. "I think the commission feels unanimously that it's some intimidation to have somebody sitting behind you all the time who you either work for or works for your agency," he said. "You might get less testimony than you would."

"We would rather interview these people without minders or without agency people there," he said.

<snip>



(edited to provide link)


http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/08/politics/08CND-TERR.html?ex=1058328000&en=9e034091002cddd2&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[Cassandra]

1. You beat me to it!

So I'll point out that this is page 1 at the top.
and here's another good piece:
" In their statement, Mr. Kean and Mr. Hamilton said that the "problems that have arisen so far with the Department of Defense are becoming particularly serious." They noted that the Pentagon had not responded to a series of requests for evidence from several Defense Department agencies, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which is responsible for guarding American airspace from terrorist attack."

???

[UTUSN]

2. Aren't KEAN-HAMILTON Too Tired to Do the Job?

Besides KEAN also WANTING to cover?

KEAN, who we here skewered when he was named as a wingnut flunky, DOES a sheepish grin like he IS going to let things slide. HAMILTON acts like he IS going to put a little effort into things, but it's like TOOBIN wrote of Henry HYDE in "A Vast Conspiracy" that he was over the hill and his glory days were behind him, not up to the task.

But they have been out there spilling about the Mal-admin's STALLING in providing requested information.

But the BOMBSHELL was that the Mal-admin is not allowing private interviews with staff, is sending MINDERS---you know, like the Shrubbites were complaining about Iraqi MINDERS with the scientists?

This morning the dynamic duo, KEAN-HAMILTON, ran down a list in public of which agencies were cooperating by school grades: Transportation Dept - good; I&NS - so-so; -----------with Homeland Security getting the worst grade - slow.

As always with everybody covering for the Shrubbites, the Dynamics said that they were NOT saying the Mal-admin was NOT cooperating, just pointing out that the bureaucratic infrastructure makes it slow going. The other thing was whether this report would be released BEFORE the Election or safely buried until afterward. They wanly said they would TRY as hard as hard can be to TRY to get it done "on schedule" (which would be BEFORE the election).

[Cassandra]

5. Kean said recently...

that he went to a lot of funerals after 9/11. (Many of the dead lived in NJ and probably moved in his social circles)

[tarheel]

4. Yeah and which

two agencies does it state are stonewalling the commision ? Defense and Justice. Imagine that ! Dumbsfeld and Asscrack, what a surprise !

[Punkingal]

3. I noticed they single out.....

the Department of Defense and the Justice Department, particularly. Rummy and Ashcroft, acting like the Nazis they are. The whole idea that they have to be so careful of "national security" with these panel members is absurd...if they don't have the integrity to protect confidentiality, why are they on the panel to begin with? This administration is so transparent with its lies!

[Robb]

7. Anyone who was watching

the last set of hearings would've read this headline with a "Well, duh" on their lips. NORAD's reps, Mineta, everyone -- they all came as if they had no idea there would be a meeting that morning! "I'll have to check on that, let me get back to you, I don't have that information in front of me" etc. etc. etc....

Sort of reminded me of Reagan. I had to pour a strong drink after the first half hour to combat my 80's flashbacks....

[Zero Gravitas]

6. Bush* Regime Incompetence

They want to block the truth about their incompetence from coming out until after the election. They may be the worst Administration possible for dealing with security issues (or civil rights, or the economy or everything else) but thay are masters at apin control and taking advantage of the docile poodle press.

[drscm]

8. I can not help but think...

if this were Clinton's administration (god forgive me), could you imagine the hue and cry by the non-political repugs and the liberal media?

[VolcanoJen]

9. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion by posting in the original, earliest thread, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2487&mesg_id=2487&listing_type=search

Thanks,
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator