Sept. 11 inquiry asks Rice: “What went wrong?”
Two and a half years after the Twin Towers collapsed into rubble. Two wars later. Fast approaching a new highly partisan election. The commission investigating 9/11 is still asking the question: What went wrong?
Under public pressure, the Bush Administration agreed to let Condoleezza Rice, the White House National Security Advisor, testify before the 10-member bipartisan fact-finding “National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States” on April 8.
The commission’s goal is to find all relevant facts to the Sept. 11 tragedy and help suggest ways to defend against such attacks in the future.
The Bush Administration has also been facing a political firestorm with the recent testimony of Richard Clarke before the commission. Clarke, the former Chief of Counter-Terrorism made claims before the Commission that the Administration didn’t do enough to heed his warnings about al-Qaeda or to deal effectively with terrorism before 9/11.
“I think the thing that Mr. Clarke emphasized the most is a lack of attention by the Bush administration to the problem of terrorism,” said Thomas Kean, the commission’s chairman in a press conference.
“The most important outcome of these hearings is for we, as a country, to understand the breakdown in intelligence prior to 9/11,” said Ken Gilmore, chair of the Political Science department, “so we can have a better chance to prevent these tragedies in the future. It’s really disappointing the Bush administration is being so secretive.”
The White House had earlier refused to let Rice testify publicly, according to the New York Times. Recent charges by Clarke, the complaints of the Democratic Party, and public backlash has forced the administration change their decision. Rice had interviewed with the Commission earlier in closed, non-sworn sessions for almost four hours.
“I feel our government should be open and honest when possible,” said sophomore political science student Ali Stewart, “Clarke’s statements are a step in the positive direction, Rice’s are not.”
The Administration claimed it didn’t want to set up a precedent for the review of executive privilege.
“A President and his advisors, including his advisor for national security affairs, must be able to communicate freely and privately, without being compelled to reveal those communications to the legislative branch,” said Bush.
“I can understand the reasoning but I’m appalled by the Bush Administration,” said Gilmore. “It was sad they had to cut a deal.”
Last Monday, Commission Executive Director Philip Zelikow faxed a photo of FDR’s Chief of Staff William D. Leahy testifying before a commission investigating the attack on Pearl Harbor to the White House, according to CNN.com.
It was suggested that the 1945 testimony set a precedent for legislative review that the White House wishes to avoid with Rice’s testimony. The White House denies the photo was the reason for the turnabout.
According to the Washington Post, the White House released Rice to speak with the Commission as long as it didn’t set a precedent.
“The circumstances of this case are unique,” Bush said. “because the events of September the 11th, 2001, were unique.”
Clarke’s recently released book, Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror, discusses national security and the events leading up to the 9/11 attacks. He leveled accusations that led to the commission calling upon Rice to testify.
The commission also scheduled meetings with Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney,
“They asked to testify together, and we didn’t see how that compromised our investigation at all,” Kean said in his press conference. “We are going to ask the same questions and get the same answers.” The commission is scheduled to release its findings on July 26.

National News Briefs
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Mice with Breasts

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