Republicans Anonymous

These people have no shame. They ignore all warnings of possible terrorist attacks before 9/11, and now claim that our safety can only be protected by becoming a totalitarian dictatorship where the executive branch can imprison anyone without charge and ignore any laws it finds inconvenient?

Cheney Says Eavesdropping Program Might Have Prevented 9/11

By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2006; 4:15 PM

Vice President Cheney today offered a staunch defense of a secret government eavesdropping program, saying it might have been able to thwart the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks if it had been in place at the time.

They already had the authority to bug the 9/11 terrorists, they just didn't feel like using it. As Richjard Clark observed:

In June and July, intelligence indicated an increased likelihood of a major al Qida attack against US targets, probably in Saudi Arabia or Israel. In response, the interagency Counter-terrorism Security Group agreed upon a series of steps including a series of warning notices that an attack could take place in the US. Notices were sent to federal agencies (Immigration, Customs, Coast Guard, FAA, FBI, DOD, and State), state and local police, airlines, and airports.

In retrospect, we know that there was information available to some in the FBI and CIA that al Qida operatives had entered the United States. That information was not shared with the senior FBI counter-terrorism official (Dale Watson) or with me, despite the heightened state of concern in the Counter-terrorism Security Group.
(Source: MSNBC Richard Clarke 9/11 prepared testimony, March 24, 2004.)