Ex-CIA director: White House ignored months of warnings about 9/11 to avoid leaving ‘paper trail’ of

[yurbud]

Source: Raw Story

In an explosive revelation during an interview with Politico, the former CIA director during President George W. Bush’s administration claims his department informed White house officials over impending Al Qaeda attacks months before the president received the infamous “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” presidential briefing.

***

Beginning in May of 2001, Tenet and Black launched an initiative called “the Blue Sky paper” and pitched it to Bush’s national security team. The CIA called for a joint CIA and military campaign to end the Al Qaeda threat by “getting into the Afghan sanctuary, launching a paramilitary operation, creating a bridge with Uzbekistan.”

According to Tenet, the Bush administration said they wanted to back-burner the plan.

“And the word back,” claims Tenet, “‘was ‘we’re not quite ready to consider this. We don’t want the clock to start ticking,’” meaning they didn’t want a paper trail.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/ex-cia-director-bush-ignored-months-of-warnings-about-911-to-avoid-leaving-paper-trail-of-culpability/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rawstory

---

Why do Democrats leave it to Donald Trump to bring this stuff into the political debate?

Republicans will get away with calling Democrats wimps, and the only response will be the Hillary variety of "I like to kill people too!" instead of calling bullshit on Republicans as incompetent or worse.

[villager]

1. We could have kept Congress, and maybe our liberties, if Democrats were less appallingly chickenshit

...about what was obviously going on.

But our "leaders" were shock n' awed along with everybody else.

Which may have been one intention of ignoring the warnings.

[Jesus Malverde]

34. Don't forget congress itself was shut down in the anthrax attacks

They play for keeps.

[villager]

35. They have been since 1963, at least. Many here cling to illusions that it's otherwise, however

n/t

[patsimp]

2. Because those of us Democrats that speak up get posts hidden because we use

politically incorrect terms.

we are wimps.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. "Why do Democrats leave it to Donald Trump to bring this stuff into the political debate?"

Sometimes I think that many of our Democratic leaders are incapable of reaching agreement on anything until they reach across the aisle.

Obama had the right idea in his last two years of his presidency. Just bucket. Do it because it's the right thing to do.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

6. " Do it because it's the right thing to do. "

That's Bernie all the way!

[Hortensis]

58. Because all investment in attacks on the GOP is

time, energy, and voter capital taken away from things we want to accomplish.

That's not the only reason, but it's a huge one. It is a basic difference between those who believe in using government as a tool to create progress and those who see government as a threat to individual (usually business) freedom.

That's why today's GOP is constantly attacking -- to fill up legislature time and satisfy conservative demand for "action"; they want to accomplish very little beyond the dismantling all social programs and the tweaking of laws to benefit business.

[yurbud]

62. that's because half or more of Democrats are corporate first, Democrat second

So even when Dems have a majority in either or both chambers of Congress, corporations have a de facto majority, seemingly filibuster proof too.

[Baitball Blogger]

64. +1

[captainarizona]

4. corporate democrats were told not to or they wouldn't be able to vote for iraq war

Democrats in congress are WIMPS! Birnie sanders could demand an investigation and when republicans refuse democrats could call them unpatriotic and traitors. Will they ? Don't hold your breath.

[global1]

5. The Bush Administration = War Criminals.......

Didn't want a paper trail - my ass. The neocons wanted some sort of calamity like a 911 because they they could put into operation their PNAC plan. LIHOP!!!!! No wonder that the Patriot Act was written and ready to go. No wonder that the ME is in complete shambles because of them.

I have a question - why is Tenet talking like this now? What motivated him to say this and why now? Is there anything brewing in the background that is causing him to put out an excuse for himself?

[asjr]

9. Tenet could have stopped all of it if only

he had spoken of it before we invaded Iraq. Too many people, I am afraid, knew of this before the invasion. Colin Powell is another one that knew and kept his mouth shut.

[wiggs]

12. Good question. Rule number 1 when considering admissions by GWB administration: if they ever

admit to anything at all it's because the misdeeds are actually much deeper and worse than they say.

[Demeter]

15. Or there's a book to flog, or terminal cancer....

ethics just doesn't enter into it, and never did.

[homegirl]

59. Deeper and worse

The biggest mistake of the Obama administration was not investigating, trying and convicting these murdering criminals, starting with George W., Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and the rest of the war profiteers !

[Raster]

22. Daddy Bush* broke the WDC Bro code and started dishing on cheney* and rumsferatu*.

I would NOT be surprised if there are even more shoes about to drop, so to speak. 9/11 was LIHOP and all the cheney*/bush* shitheads are war criminals.

[villager]

37. Definitely LIHOP. Wonder if there's going to be a scramble for "immunity" at some point, if justice

..finally shambles its way after these zombies. We can only hope.

[Raster]

38. I predicted years ago in the Truther Dungeon that eventually items would come out....

...that would substantiate LIHOP, at the very least. I do believe I am correct. We saw Daddy Bush* fire the first salvo.

[global1]

54. Help Me Here - Why Would Daddy Bush Fire The First Salvo?.....

Is he trying to get the blame pointed away from his son or is something else going on? I'm kinda thinking by jumping on Cheney and Rumsfeld - he's actually implicating Dubya along with them. After all Dubya was the pResident and the buck stops there.

[Raster]

70. Poppy is MOST DEFINITELY trying to shift the blame.

Poppy never believed his n'er-do-well first born had the stones for greatness. JEB* was Poppy's choice for POTUS, NOT W*.

I think that Poppy believes that there is more to be revealed, more damaging information that will even further implicate W* and his merry band of New Centurions. W* was NEVER in charge, he was managed, on personal side by his harem: Laura, Condi and Karen. He was managed on the military side by cheney*, powell* and rumsferatu*.

[yurbud]

49. I think that's the point of this and Papa Bush spanking Cheney/Rumsfeld--they know the lid's about

to come off something.

[global1]

53. What Does WDC Translate Into?.....nt

[Kingofalldems]

7. Major investigation needed--maybe even criminal.

[Stuart G]

8. Yes you are correct...Criminal Investigation....read this from the article...This is Incrdible!!!!!!

"That morning of July 10, the head of the agency’s Al Qaeda unit, Richard Blee, burst into Black’s office. “And he says, ‘Chief, this is it. Roof's fallen in,’” recounts Black. “The information that we had compiled was absolutely compelling. It was multiple-sourced. And it was sort of the last straw.” Black and his deputy rushed to the director’s office to brief Tenet. All agreed an urgent meeting at the White House was needed. Tenet picked up the white phone to Bush’s National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. “I said, ‘Condi, I have to come see you,’” Tenet remembers. “It was one of the rare times in my seven years as director where I said, ‘I have to come see you. We're comin' right now. We have to get there.’”

Tenet vividly recalls the White House meeting with Rice and her team. (George W. Bush was on a trip to Boston.) “Rich [Blee] started by saying, ‘There will be significant terrorist attacks against the United States in the coming weeks or months. The attacks will be spectacular. They may be multiple. Al Qaeda's intention is the destruction of the United States.’" [Condi said:] ‘What do you think we need to do?’ Black responded by slamming his fist on the table, and saying, ‘We need to go on a wartime footing now!’”"


Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/11/cia-directors-documentary-911-bush-213353#ixzz3rP0DHqRM

[louis-t]

10. This goes to Tenet's characterization as

"Hair on fire".

[UpInArms]

19. flashback to - CBS News - July 26, 2001 -

Ashcroft Flying High

Fishing rod in hand, Attorney General John Ashcroft left on a weekend trip to Missouri Thursday afternoon aboard a chartered government jet, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart.

In response to inquiries from CBS News over why Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines, the Justice Department cited what it called a "threat assessment" by the FBI, and said Ashcroft has been advised to travel only by private jet for the remainder of his term.

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines," an FBI spokesman said. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department, however, would identify what the threat was, when it was detected or who made it.

[YOHABLO]

45. Maybe?

[GoneFishin]

11. Just more evidence that the official government story regarding 9/11 is bullshit.

[LiberalElite]

47. My instant reaction to 9/11 (I'm in NYC)

was that it couldn't have happened without help, as in an 'inside job", which I never told anyone since it would be ridiculed. Now I know my hunch was true in a sense - it wasn't a typical "inside job" but it was in that THEY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND DID NOTHING TO STOP IT.

[GoneFishin]

48. Once you understand that they would trade American citizen's lives for political gain there is

no moral difference between letting it happen and making it happen. Anyone who would conspire to let innocent people die for political gain could just as easily help the process along to maximize the result.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

13. And we still relegate 9/11 to the crazy portion of the website.

It was wrong when the admins of this site origianally did this, and it's still wrong, as evidenced by the news that keeps coming out.

[Ezlivin]

32. Yep

There is an official story and it is not to be veered from.

[Jesus Malverde]

36. It wasn't wrong just cynical

Google page rank would suffer from 911 talk.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

39. I think there's a big difference between "Bush knew" and "no plane hit the Pentagon"

Sure, there are some whacked-out conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11, but there are also conspiracy theories surrounding the moon landing, and we can still talk about that here. Anyway, you bring up a good point about page rankings. That really is cynical, and it rings true to my ear.

[hollowdweller]

14. Nothing happened to Bush. Reminds me of this song about him.

[secondwind]

16. Dubya and his crew were FOCUSED ON IRAQ. that is what happened...

[yurbud]

61. even so, not punishing our pals the Saudis for bankrolling and giving logistical support to 9/11

hijackers is the most disturbing dog that didn't bark.

[Jerry442]

17. Looks to me like Tenet did everything but tattoo "LIHOP" on his forehead. nt

[raindaddy]

18. I wonder if Dubya is going to ask for his Medal of Freedom back?

[EndElectoral]

20. Something tells me this is just the tip of the iceberg on this.

[pandora nm]

21. LIHOP

at the very least.

[whatchamacallit]

23. Someday I won't be a pariah on DU

Truth will out.

[KansDem]

24. Just release the 28 redacted pages of the 9/11 Commission Report!

It will clear up a lot of misconceptions about what happened.

Just f*cking do it already!!!

[Babel_17]

25. The article is shocking (nt)

[hibbing]

26. What is with the timing of all this stuff?

The senior Bush book, now thread after thread about the Iraq war, just who does the establishment want to get the nomination, because all this certainly can't be good for !, who I still think somehow will rise from the ashes to win the nomination.

Peace

[Justice]

27. Timing to to release of documentary on Showtime this month about the CIA

Interviews with all living CIA directors.

[hibbing]

29. Interesting..

I thought it was for political reasons, not commercial, although those are always intertwined. I have Showtime, I'll have to look for that. Thanks for the heads up on it.

Peace

[reddread]

42. they are establishing a new backdrop for Jeb's narrative.

duh.
does anyone think Poppy will blow the lid off 9-11-01?
right after he clears up that Bay of Pigs thing, I spose?

[Dont call me Shirley]

28. Is someone getting to close to launching a war criminal investigation? Lots of "It wasn't me" going

around lately.

[The_Casual_Observer]

30. Tthe whole bunch, particularly condi rice and bush were completely inept

After 911, I don't think anyone in government had the guts to blame them, particularly after they intentionally started in the next day
with that wave the flag, war on terror shit. The plan was to make it unpatriotic to do so.

[ladjf]

51. They were worse than inept. nt

[ChisolmTrailDem]

63. "Inept" my ass. They pulled off the biggest crime in history. That can't be characterized...

...by ineptness.

[apnu]

31. To answer your question...

... because Democrats were bullied and became cowards back then, and they still are as an opposition party from that time.

They are cowards today because they don't want to have to answer questions like: "why did you roll over for a ginned up war of convenience?" Dems today want to look and sound tough and gung-ho about military deployment and bringing up 9/11 and what we did and how we did it is too uncomfortable for everybody in government to talk about.

Also, these questions lead, inevitably to, who's responsible and who gets the blame today for that cockup. We all know politicians, nearly universally, avoid responsibility and blame at all costs.

It pisses me off, honestly.

You're right. The GOP gets away being blustery bullies and the Dems just roll over and say "aw shucks, that's us"

They don't stand up for what they believe in. They don't take pride in liberal principles. They should, but they're too afraid of Republican Attack Poodles saying mean things about them.

The Democrats biggest problem has been showing backbone. And when someone does, Dr. Dean for example, they get drummed out of the party.

Pathetic.

[Jesus Malverde]

33. Looking forward...,

If the real facts were known the wars we are still fighting and the reasons we are fighting then would be questioned.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and other allies would be smoking craters.

[chapdrum]

40. Oh. So. What.

This is very old news, and so interesting that it re-emerges every few years.

Response of the MSM (and the average American):

[Gregorian]

41. Here's a second source saying the same thing-

From 2012.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/opinion/the-bush-white-house-was-deaf-to-9-11-warnings.html?_r=0

From that article "In other words, the Aug. 6 document, for all of the controversy it provoked, is not nearly as shocking as the briefs that came before it."

[Spitfire of ATJ]

43. This fits with what I've said all along....

The Republicans really believed Clinton was exaggerating the threat of Middle Eastern terrorism to distract the country from Monica, Monica, Monica. The movie "Wag The Dog" was taken as factual.

They thought everyone issuing warnings was nothing more than crap from former Clinton loyalists trying to make their old boss look good. This is also why there was the famous quote, "Okay, you've covered your ass."

These bastards don't take ANYTHING seriously.

[billhicks76]

44. Inside Job

[IHateTheGOP]

46. Imagine if this had been a democratic administration. LIBERAL FUCKING MEDIA MY ASS.

[rhett o rick]

50. "Why do Democrats leave it to Donald Trump to bring this stuff into the political debate?"

Because the Democratic Party Elite answer to the same billionaires as did George Bush.

[ladjf]

52. You have stated a very painful truth. Too many Dems are also on the take. nt

[yardwork]

55. Kick

[steve2470]

56. kick & rec nt

[Jesus Malverde]

57. K&R..

This actually is the biggest news of the day.

[Enthusiast]

60. Kicked and recommended! This post should have a bazillion recommendations.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

65. LIHOP

old news - glad it is getting a new look

[Kingofalldems]

66. Kick this right back to the top.

[yurbud]

67. kind of ironic that this came out days before the Paris attacks

[burrowowl]

68. K&R!!!!!!

[Octafish]

69. Like Poppy, Like Dim Son

George Bush Takes Charge: The Uses of ‘Counter-Terrorism’

By Christopher Simpson
Covert Action Quarterly 58

A paper trail of declassified documents from the Reagan‑Bush era yields valuable information on how counter‑terrorism provided a powerful mechanism for solidifying Bush's power base and launching a broad range of national security initiatives.

During the Reagan years, George Bush used "crisis management" and "counter‑terrorism" as vehicles for running key parts of the clandestine side of the US government.

Bush proved especially adept at plausible denial. Some measure of his skill in avoiding responsibility can be taken from the fact that even after the Iran‑Contra affair blew the Reagan administration apart, Bush went on to become the "foreign policy president," while CIA Director William Casey, by then conveniently dead, took most of the blame for a number of covert foreign policy debacles that Bush had set in motion.

The trail of National Security Decision Directives (NSDDS) left by the Reagan administration begins to tell the story. True, much remains classified, and still more was never committed to paper in the first place. Even so, the main picture is clear: As vice president, George Bush was at the center of secret wars, political murders, and America's convoluted oil politics in the Middle East.

SNIP...

Reagan and the NSC also used NSDDs to settle conflicts among security agencies over bureaucratic turf and lines of command. It is through that prism that we see the first glimmers of Vice President Bush's role in clandestine operations during the 1980s.

SNIP...

NSDD 159. MANAGEMENT OF U.S. COVERT OPERATIONS, (TOP SECRET/VEIL‑SENSITIVE), JAN. 18,1985

The Reagan administration's commitment to significantly expand covert operations had been clear since before the 1980 election. How such operations were actually to be managed from day to day, however, was considerably less certain. The management problem became particularly knotty owing to legal requirements to notify congressional intelligence oversight committees of covert operations, on the one hand, and the tacitly accepted presidential mandate to deceive those same committees concerning sensitive operations such as the Contra war in Nicaragua, on the other.

[font color="green"]The solution attempted in NSDD 159 was to establish a small coordinating committee headed by Vice President George Bush through which all information concerning US covert operations was to be funneled. The order also established a category of top secret information known as Veil, to be used exclusively for managing records pertaining to covert operations.

The system was designed to keep circulation of written records to an absolute minimum while at the same time ensuring that the vice president retained the ability to coordinate US covert operations with the administration's overt diplomacy and propaganda.

Only eight copies of NSDD 159 were created. The existence of the vice president's committee was itself highly classified.[/font color] The directive became public as a result of the criminal prosecutions of Oliver North, John Poindexter, and others involved in the Iran‑Contra affair, hence the designation "Exhibit A" running up the left side of the document.

CONTINUED...

CovertAction Quarterly no 58 Fall 1996 pp31-40.

[yurbud]

71. I hope this and Papa Bush's hand wringing is because the lid's about to come off something

And they want to distance themselves

[bobthedrummer]

72. K&R + Blackwater Director Let 9/11 Hijackers into US, then Killed, Tortured the Remaining Witnesses

(leveymg 8-21-09 DU thread)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=125x265254

LIHOP at least.

[bobthedrummer]

73. K n/t