Feeling Bush-whacked

Washington, DC, Apr. 30 (UPI) -- President George Bush told the panel investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks a security memo he got warning of attacks lacked a date or place.

In the closed-door interview alongside Vice President Dick Cheney in the Oval Office Thursday, a commission member who asked not to be identified told the Washington Times Bush was questioned repeatedly about the Aug. 6, 2001, memo titled, "Bin Ladin determined to strike in U.S."

Bush said if his administration had known more, it would have taken every action to thwart the al-Qaida terrorists. (source)

Well, apparently the information was good enough to take us into war. I understand that no one wants to admit error here, but everything that I've heard points to indications that something was going to happen. I'll give the administration credit for the fact that there were no specifics on when, how, or where. However, the administration has also admitted that the chatter went up significantly in August, 2001. Yet, nothing was done. The President continued his vacation in Texas. The airports were not alerted. The Coast Guard was not alerted. Nothing.

Wouldn't it just be easier if someone actually said the words, "we screwed up". I would have more respect for that. At least then, we could put this behind us and move on. Now, there's a lot of finger pointing, and guess what? We still are not any safer today than we were two and a half years ago!

It's a false sense of security. People are screened more thoroughly (at least that's what we think) and carry-on baggage is screened, as it always has been. What's different is now some people are being asked to take off their shoes. Oh yeah, that makes me feel so much safer!

The baggage that is loaded into the baggage area underneath the plane is not searched. The airlines ask for the necessary paper work to ship packages, but that can be easily forged with a little up-front intelligence work.

There are a lot of things that are shipped via passenger airlines. People don't understand this. When we get on a plane, we think the only thing traveling with us are the bags that we couldn't fit under our seats or in the overhead. The bulk of what goes into the baggage area underneath are parcels from third-party shippers. NONE OF THAT IS INSPECTED!

I'm frankly surprised that another terrorist attack hasn't happened before now. And when it does, who will be blamed? Will the administration be able to avoid the blame for that, or will it happen on the next watch, assuming that Bush is not re-elected? And, will we act swiftly and decisively in dealing with the problem by establishing yet another commission on that incident (more finger pointing, without anyone assuming responsibility)?

Okay... I'm rambling... but my point is this: What will it take for us to stop all the bureaucracy and really deal with the problem of security in this country? Are we even capable of doing that, or are we just too big a target?

Our own security agencies (FBI, CIA) can't even talk to each other to share information (it boggles the mind), and even within the FBI, apparently there were FBI field offices who were trying to get FBI Headquarters to look at their security warnings, all of which were ignored (perhaps some egos need to be adjusted?).