We need letters from patriots to keep media focused on lack of terror prep

[papau]

by Bush

-Here is text of August 6 PDB declassified brief to President Bush: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2285-2004Apr10.html and a comment by Buzzflash on Rice's testimony: "Message to Osama bin Laden from BuzzFlash: Next time you fly airplanes into American buildings, Bush wants you to draw him a map."

WE CAN NOT ASSUME THE PRESS WILL DO MUCH WITH THIS - the title of this PDB, IN FACT, was out in the press as early as May of 2002, as is evidenced by this article** - but when was the last time you heard NBC, CNN, The WaPo, The New York Times discuss it in the last year as the Bush administration has strutted its anti-terrorism stuff?  These folks, it appears, have not been doing their job -

Aug. Memo Focused On Attacks in U.S.,  By Bob Woodward and Dan Eggen  *** written MAY 19 2002*** http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35744-2002May17.html?referrer=emailarticle

ACTION suggested by Dean for America folks:

Consider writing a letter to your local paper underscoring your concern with Rice's evasive filabuster and with what it appears the administration knew before 9/11 and did not appear to act on.  Find
the address here  http://www.capwiz.com/lwv/dbq/media/ **We may need to help the press stay focused on this information**   Keep your letter NON-PARTISAN - we are patriots here, not democrats

Some important info from the report that should have at least suggested a few meetings of the "principles"should occur:

**The Title:  "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States."
**"Bin Ladin was planning to exploit the operative's access to the US to mount a terrorist strike."
**"Al-Qa'ida members -- including some who are US citizens -- have resided in or traveled to the US for years, and the group apparently maintains a support structure that could aid attacks."
**"A clandestine source said in 1998 that a Bin Ladin cell in New York was recruiting Muslim-American youth for attacks. "
***"The FBI indicates patterns of suspicious activity in the United States consistent with preparations for hijacking or other types of attacks." (hmm "hijacking" - not really "frustratingly vague" -
Rice's words)

It is NOT and has NEVER BEEN the truth that the Bush administration has been anxious to make this memo public, the 24/7 White House spin since Rice testified, regurgitated ad nauseum the past few days by the press without touching on all the facts that totally contradict this newfound concern with sharing.   It is just another in a long string of lies being pumped out of 1600 Pennsylvania these days -

The Clinton administration may well prove to have responsibility for failures here also, but we're not trying to decide whether they should be re-elected (because they're so strong on terrorism)

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Here are some major outlets you may wish to write with your concerns:

ABC World News Tonight: [e-mail]
CNN:  [e-mail]
MSNBC and NBC:  [e-mail]
CBS - see "contact us" link at the bottom of this page 
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/04/16/utility/main506327.shtml
Time  [e-mail]
Newsweek   [e-mail]
letters@washpost
letters@nytimes
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

We need to keep making noise. . . .

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Six out of 10 Americans say the
Bush administration underestimated the threat of
terrorism prior to Sept. 11, 2001, and nearly two out
of three are at least somewhat concerned Iraq could
become another Vietnam, according to a Newsweek Poll
released on Saturday.

Bush Was Warned of Possible Attack in U.S., Official Says By ERIC LICHTBLAU and DAVID E. SANGER President Bush was told on Aug. 6, 2001, that supporters of Osama bin Laden planned an attack within
the U.S. and wanted to hijack airplanes. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/10/politics/10PANE.html?th

Letter Tells Soldiers Their Tour May Extend By THOM SHANKER
A letter to troops deployed in and around Baghdad warned that some of them might be required to stay in Iraq for an additional 90 days. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/10/politics/10LETT.html?th

The Empty Room,  By BOB HERBERT When you open the door to get a look at the Bush policy on Iraq, you find yourself staring into an
empty room. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/09/opinion/09HERB.html?ex=1082603700&ei=1&en=8e5bc023fe400042 [e-mail]

__________________
General e-mail addresses for the media: A great link to email addresses (very thorough list) for letter writers in these states: http://www.webblies.com/Dean/  - AZ, CT, DE, DC, IA, MA, ME, MI,  MO, ND, NH, NM, NC, OK,  SC, SD, TN, VA, WA, WI If you're writing to a paper in another state, find your address here: 
http://www.capwiz.com/lwv/dbq/media/
____________________________________________
Take Back the Media has a weekly radio show http://www.takebackthemedia.com/radio.shtml
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NARAL has a sobering flash movie at this site:
http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/leftinthedark3

[papau]

1. Condoleezza Rice May 2002 news conference left the impression

national security adviser Condoleezza Rice starting with a May 2002 news conference left the impression that the document focused on historical information and that any current threats mostly involved overseas targets.

Rice first outlined the then-classified memo's contents at a news conference in May 2002. The "overwhelming bulk of the evidence" before Sept. 11, she declared, was that any terrorist attack "was likely to take place overseas."

The 500-word document mentioned two current threats: suspected al-Qaida operatives might have cased federal buildings in New York and that, according to a phone call to an American embassy in the Middle East, a group of supporters of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was in the United States to plan attacks with explosives.