What will be the result of the 9/11 Commission?

[worldgonekrazy]

I suppose this poll is really three separate but interrelated questions. To reach your conclusion you must ask yourself:

(a) what is the level of the Bush Administrations guilt with regard to 9/11 (ie negligence, criminal negligence, complicity, etc.)

(b) how far is the commission willing to push things?

(c) how far will the Bush Administration let the commission go before giving in?

You could tell yesterday with Mr. Armitage's testimony following Clarke's statements that a handful of the commissioners were hoping the Bush Administration would roll over and call it quits right there. It is quite clear that the commission has a lot more that it could put out there (references to the Bin Laden family flight and NORAD in the past few days were pointed warnings, IMO). I personally believe the commission will push things exactly as far as it must, and would prefer not to go nearly as far as I think it could. But I digress. What say you, DUers?

Edited for grammar

[whistle]

1. I believe that Condi Rice will be the fall-guy...

...but others will follow.:tinfoilhat:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Err you mean the fall girl, don't you

:-)

[MarianJack]

9. Isn't it Actually...

...the fall b*tch?

[Minstrel Boy]

3. Afraid I'm of the "no harm" school,

though it's conceivable a warm body or two may be tossed overboard.

[worldgonekrazy]

5. I think you need to have more faith

The commission has been investigating this for a year and to that extent they must be fairly certain of precisely what occured on that day (even if it was a LIHOP/MIHOP scenario). With that in mind, I just can't believe that the entire commission would go along with allowing the Bush Administration to get away with a slap on the wrist. All it takes is a few people to ask the right questions and I think there are at least three on the commission willing to do that to a certain extent. No, I don't think the full truth will ever come out, but I honestly believe they will not let the Bushes get away with this massive crime unscathed.

[klook]

4. Chances at winning compromised

I don't think there will be any actual prosecutions or impeachment proceedings as a result of the commission's work. But I do think it's hurting them, and will continue to hurt them, in the court of public opinion.

[starroute]

6. I think they're calculating their impact very finely

I agree without you completely about the commission. I believe they're aiming for a Watergate-style outcome: the embarrassment that is the Bush administration gone, everybody congratulating themselves about how well the system works, and the fundamental issues swept under the rug.

The only real question is whether the Bushies will have the sense to go quietly when their time is up, or whether their arrogance and stubbornness will provoke a constitutional crisis that might bring some of the real dirty linen out into the open.

I'm watching with interest.

[worldgonekrazy]

7. We are of exactly the same mind, it appears

I too am extremely interested here. It seems to me that the belligerence of the Bush Administration will correlate exactly with just how much information comes out. The commission (or at least enough members of it) want to push it only exactly as far as they must. Because if they let the entire truth come out (and I suppose this depends on how culpable you believe the Bush Admin. really is) it could completely destroy any confidence the citizenry has left in its government.

Of course, my argument would be that they MUST let the full truth come out because of PRECISELY HOW HORRIFIC IT WILL BE. If they don't, it will just be one of those things like the Kennedy assassination that floats around out there, continuously eating away at the legitimacy of the government. What they must do, and what I really fear they won't, is completely let everything out in the open, manage the crisis as best as possible, and then get down to business with HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS NEVER, EVER HAPPENS AGAIN. Only then can the people really feel secure in the outcome of this.

[worldgonekrazy]

8. Have you people no faith at all???

Jeez! Its early in the response cycle yet (hopefully), but so far the "no harm" option is winning by a landslide! I find this absolutely impossible to believe and I'll tell you why:

(a) the commission must have at least a very good idea of exactly what happened as they have been investigating for a year and a half now and have had lots of access to extremely sensitive material (albeit after a LOT of stonewalling)

(b) it will only take a couple members of the administration to keep pushing this thing as far as they want to

(c) given that this is the GREATEST ATTACK EVER AGAINST AMERICANS, and the government is at least negligable and perhaps complicit, I just don't see anyway that all ten members of the committee could push this aside and opt for a complete coverup.

Mind you, I'm not saying the whole truth will come out. But I am absolutely certain that enough damage will be done to take down the Bush Administration, AT LEAST for certain in the election but I believe probably even before then.

Why am I wrong? Convincing arguments not welcome. ;)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. Bush's chances will be improved

because it was all Clinton's fault. :) ( I in fact picked response #2- SOME damage).