How to Prevent Another 9/11
If our nation had been focused on working together on important issues of substance, rather than on manufacturing political scandals and facilitating jockeying for political power, together we could have addressed the red flags left by militant extremists, formulated a more effective strategy against attack, taken appropriate measures in a timely fashion, and even possibly prevented the sequence of events that eventually culminated in 9/11.
Manufactured Political Scandal
In America, the season of manufactured political scandal is a predictable recurring theme. It involves those whose only concern is merely a perpetual political campaign and the aforementioned scandal. There will be problems, but if everything rises to the level of scandal, then nothing gets prioritized. Politicians should not only be required to have a set but limited period of time in which to campaign, they should also have an adequate period of time in which to govern; leaving campaigning behind completely.
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In the past, I wrote about proactive measures and one vital but missed opportunity to have prevented 9/11. Here, with a brief outline of how it works, I address another part of the equation ...manufactured political scandals:
1) Clinton: obstruction --> lame duck session --> investigation --> impeachment
[font color="red"]PROBLEM_1:[/font] Newt Gingrich led the charge to impeach Clinton for cheating on his wife, while doing the same thing himself!
[font color="blue"]LESSON_#1:[/font] When politicians are allowed to jockey for power, rather than required to resolve important issues amicably, we have a predictable pattern of dysfunction, distraction and detriment, leading to manufactured political scandals. The distraction provided by the jockeying for political power which leads to manufactured political scandal is a major reason that the first attack on the twin towers did not receive the attention it required.
2) Bush: nonexistent proactive 9/11 strategy, lost track of Bin Laden, unprepared for M.E. sectarian violence
[font color="red"]PROBLEM_2:[/font] (POSTED: 01-07-2013) Defense Budget Accountability
What if, instead of ignoring the August 6, 2001 presidential daily briefing titled:
'Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States'
which had contained very important proactive information provided by the FBI:
"...parallel activities tracked by the FBI consistent with preparations for hijacking..."
What if...someone had suggested the president take one very simple step: get on TV and make the case for increased airport security screening?
Instead, a network of expanded presidential powers and agencies consistent with Imperial Militarism have been created: growing the Military-Industrial Complex, the Pentagon, and the CIA. They have created: the Patriot Act, the National Defense Authorization Act, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba, indefinite detention wo/trial, torturing, spying, preemptive war, invasion, occupation, drone strikes, etc...
[font color="blue"]LESSON_#2:[/font] As a result of a series of manufactured political scandals, as well as the subsequent and costly investigations that followed -- and despite the red flags left by militant extremists -- our nation was left distracted and unprepared to understand let alone effectively deal with the events that would finally lead to 9/11.
3) Obama: obstruction --> lame duck session --> investigation --> impeachment?
[font color="red"]PROBLEM_3:[/font] (POSTED: 06-21-2012) Don't Miss The Obvious
[font color="blue"]LESSON_#3:[/font] You can't claim 9/11 changed everything, create an expanded network of presidential powers, then expect a president NOT to use those powers in the name of national security; and call it a scandal when those powers are used.
With the above brief outline, I hope people will see how a predictable pattern of detrimental consequences results for our nation from focusing on manufactured political scandals instead of requiring real problems to be addressed amicably.
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