On November 24th, 2008 at 5:39 pm, Digshot said:

The Presidential Daily Briefing that George Bush saw on Aug. 6th, 2001. Jesus, I linked to it for you, what more do you want?

How many more times do I need to state that the threat warning didn’t mention anything specific???? It merely stated that OBL wanted to hit the US. Everyone already knew that. Merely mentioning it again is meaningless.

Do you really not get this?

On November 24th, 2008 at 5:35 pm, Digshot said:

It also says that they alerted security at other airports along the eastern seaboard.

Exactly. “other” means not the ones that would have mattered. Because you have to admit that it would have been specifically mentioned otherwise.

So this is it? This is the great action you’re talking about? Boosting security at airports which might or might not be the right airports, and boosting security to levels that might or not might have preempted the attackers?? Genius.

WHICH MEMO???!?!??!

Are you referring to Richard Clarke’s efforts during the Clinton administration?

Honestly, I doubt anyone can follow your incoherent ramblings.

The Presidential Daily Briefing that George Bush saw on Aug. 6th, 2001. Jesus, I linked to it for you, what more do you want?

We do have airports for a reason, you know.

Was this statement supposed to mean anything?

Yes.

Please tell me that you also realize that boosting security at New York City area airports during Sept 11, 2001 wouldn’t have done anything to stop hijackers in Portland, Boston, or Washington. Please tell me that you’re smart enough to understand that. Please tell me that you have more than this.

It also says that they alerted security at other airports along the eastern seaboard.

On November 24th, 2008 at 3:41 pm, Digshot said:

Please tell me that you also realize that boosting security at New York City area airports during Sept 11, 2001 wouldn’t have done anything to stop hijackers in Portland, Boston, or Washington. Please tell me that you’re smart enough to understand that. Please tell me that you have more than this.

On November 24th, 2008 at 3:41 pm, Digshot said:

If you want to know what Bush should have done from that memo, I think that would be a good place to start.

WHICH MEMO???!?!??!

Are you referring to Richard Clarke’s efforts during the Clinton administration?

Honestly, I doubt anyone can follow your incoherent ramblings.

We do have airports for a reason, you know.

Was this statement supposed to mean anything?

Here’s an idea. Reread your own link and try to figure out what your talking about. Are you keying in on the 1998 report? That’s the the only one mentioning the use of aircraft. Wouldn’t that have come across Clinton’s desk?

BTW, OBL wanting to hit the US was a staple of security briefings for years.

Figure out your point and get back to me.

I’m keying in on the memo itself. It cites the ’98 report, yes. And immediately after 9-11, before anyone knew anything about George Bush and before he’d ruined everything he touched, that this could be explained away as being too vague or not particularly interesting might have been plausible.

Now we do know about George Bush. He’s not on top of things. At all. In fact, if he is actually working at all, he tends to be doing counter-productive, stupid things. He wasn’t doing anything about Osama bin Laden as President, like he wasn’t doing so many things he should have been doing. This is how things went in the Clinton administration when there was a similar PDB that warned of an Osama threat:

The same day, [Counterterrorism Czar Richard] Clarke convened a meeting of his CSG [Counterterrorism Security Group] to discuss both the hijacking concern and the antiaircraft missile threat. To address the hijacking warning, the group agreed that New York airports should go to maximum security starting that weekend. They agreed to boost security at other East coast airports. The CIA agreed to distribute versions of the report to the FBI and FAA to pass to the New York Police Department and the airlines. The FAA issued a security directive on December 8, with specific requirements for more intensive air carrier screening of passengers and more oversight of the screening process, at all three New York area airports. [pg. 128-30]

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/26/rice-clinton-terrorism/

If you want to know what Bush should have done from that memo, I think that would be a good place to start. What’s so hard about that? We do have airports for a reason, you know. We have security at airports for a reason. Call some people, give them the heads up, what is there to lose? Better to err on the side of caution, isn’t it?

On November 24th, 2008 at 2:32 pm, corkie said:

Good point. I’m guessing the answer would be something along the lines of: “anything Gore would have done.” Yeah, I think that about covers it.

On November 24th, 2008 at 1:58 pm, 30 pcs of silver said:

…you can determine that the POTUS had actionable intelligence that could have prevented September 11, 2001.

Ya know. If Digshot thinks that there was action to take based on the intelligence, then shouldn’t Digshot be capable of telling us exactly what actions should have been taken?

Are we missing something here?

On November 24th, 2008 at 1:50 pm, Digshot said:

I think we’re talking about different memos.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/10/august6.memo/

Here’s an idea. Reread your own link and try to figure out what your talking about. Are you keying in on the 1998 report? That’s the the only one mentioning the use of aircraft. Wouldn’t that have come across Clinton’s desk?

BTW, OBL wanting to hit the US was a staple of security briefings for years.

Figure out your point and get back to me.

On November 24th, 2008 at 2:02 pm, 30 pcs of silver said:
PB,

I have to be.

Roger that.

I have to be.

Bush didn’t see it coming because he wasn’t looking for it. But he did get actionable intelligence in my opinion, you aren’t the sole arbiter of what that terms means, and I certainly see enough in the PDB that I would call it actionable.

And your qualifications stack up, how, exactly? I can’t use the term actionable intelligence; however, you can determine that the POTUS had actionable intelligence that could have prevented September 11, 2001. Am I the only who sees something wrong with this picture?

I know what I would have done in that position if that memo came across my desk. I can’t speak to why Bush saw it another way, but from what we’ve learned about the man since 9-11, it probably had a lot to do with his aloofness and permeating stupidity.

I guess that “aloofness” and “permeating stupidity” has been just the right mix to prevent another attack on US soil since then.

Bush is leaving but that doesn’t mean we’ve learned all the lessons we need to from his administration.

Right. I don’t think anyone is extolling that you can’t criticize him… you seem to be getting hung up on that. The issue is simple – we disagree with your assessment. Additionally, maybe next time you can try and hold your e-tonuge long enough to wait until there is a thread dedicated to him where a full blown episode of BDS is much more appropriate.

There is something wrong with if you if you can recognize all of the problems that Bush has put us in, but then insist we have to just forgive and forget and focus on the future.

You show me where any one has said anything remotely close to this?

If you don’t learn from your mistakes you’re doomed to repeat them.

The soul-fixer doesn’t make mistakes.

Giving credit to George Bush for stopping all terror attacks since 9-11 but excusing him from any responsibility for 9-11 is one such mistake.

Let’s just agree to disagree, shall we?