I'm currently reading Bush at War by Bob Woodward of Watergate fame (All the President's Men ).
A lot of questions have been asked about the extent of Bush's knowledge regarding a 9/11 conspiracy.
Was in he in the know or just the perfect presidential stooge?
In his book; Bush at War, Bob Woodward was granted over 100 source interviews and and several hours of direct interviews with Bush himself.
While obviously Bush and his government were not going to reveal anything that would cast themslves in an unpleasant light, Bush himself isn't so cunning as to be able to completely neutralize his comments.
I've selected a few of these quotes from the first week following 9/11 because I feel they reveal how little George, like the general public, knew about what actually occurred. I believe Bush believed himself to be in charge and never realized that he was being 'controlled' by those who were supposed to exist in advisory-only positions.
It is interesting to note that while the events of 9/11 were occuring, Colin Powell was conveniently out of the way (read: couldn't interfere with command decisions) on assignment in Lima, Peru. According to Woodward's findings, Karl Rove, senior presidential advisor, felt Powell was beyond political control and operating out of a sense of entitlement. Quoting Rove who's quoting Powell; "It's constantly, you know, 'I'm in charge, and this is all politics and I'm going to win the internecine political game,' " Rove said privately. Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage would joke that Powell had been put in the "icebox" or the "refrigerator"- to be used only when needed.
Bush appeared to be also kept 'out of the Loop'. At the time of the attacks on the WTC towers, Bush was reading to second grade readers at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. He was informed by Karl Rove of the attack on WTC1. Later in Bush's reading, his Chief of Staff, Andrew Card informed him of the second attack, on WTC2. In spite of standard Secret Service policy to immediately move the president out of harm's way, the president was allowed to remain reading 45 minutes after the first attack, Bush was still at the Booker school, when at 9:30 a.m., he made a brief statement to the TV cameras.
Bush later commenting about that TV statement said; "What you saw was my gut reaction coming out."
At 9:39 a.m. the pentagon was struck. George had been kept out of the action long enough for the attacks to be completed without presidential interference. At 9:44 a.m. Bush first contacted Cheney who had previously been 'whisked' out of harm's way from his West Wing office by the Secret Service to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. Soon after Cheney called Bush back requesting the president authorize shooting down any additional hijacked commercial airliners, which Bush agreed to. At 10:30 a.m. Cheney called back (Bush was aboard Air Force 1 on route to Washington) advising the president to avoid coming to Washington due to continued terrorist threats, stating a flood of received of reports that indicated the terrorists planned to de-capitate the government by killing all it's leaders. By continuing to warn Bush that the "dust hadn't settled", and that the Secret Service felt it unsafe for him to return, Cheney maintained control while he kept Bush hopping from one airforce base to another. At 3:30 p.m. Bush finally convened his first meeting of the National Security Council from OFFUTT AIR Force Base in Nebraska.
Referring to Saturday, 9/15 2001 meetings with his national security advisers;
"One way you're not impulsive is to make sure you listen to an experienced group of national security advisers." "If I have any genius of smarts, it's the ability to recognize talent, ask them to serve and work with them as a team." "When they give advice, I trust their judgment. Now sometimes the advice isn't always the same, in which case my job- the job is to grind through these problems, and grind through scenarios, and hopefully reach a concensus of six or seven smart people, which makes my job easy."
"I also had the responsibility to show resolve. I had to show the American people the resolve of a commander in chief that was going to do wharever it took to win. No yielding. No equivocation. No, you know, lawyering this thing to death, that we're after 'em. And that was not only for domestic, for the people at home to see. It was also vitally important for the rest of the world to watch. These guys were watching my every move. And it's very important for them to come in this Oval Office, which they do, on a regular basis, and me look them in the eye and say, 'You're either with us or you're against us.' "
"We will direct every resource at our command, every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence, and every necessary weapon of war, to the disruption and to the defeat of the global terror network. Americans should not expect one battle but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success."
During a televised speech to the nation;
"When I really realized the extent to which America wanted to be led was when they stopped the hockey game in Philadelphia. It was unbelievable," the fans, " they didn't want the game to go on. They wanted to hear what the commander in chief, the president of the United States, had to say during this moment. I have never felt more comfortable in my life."
Meanwhile George W Bush's key advisors continue to give him expert advice making his decisions EASY.
MM
Woodward is a shill. He was basically taking dictation on the books he's written about the Iraq war. Yeah, so bush is an idiot. Nothing new.
I thought I should refer readers to
Agent Orange's excellent coverage of how George Bush occupied 9/11.
http://s15.invisionfree.com/Loose_Change_F...?showtopic=2094Yes Cary, Carl Woodward's credibility is in question.
I was more interested in the spin he was being fed by those in the know and hearing Bush's comments. Since Bush has a habit of speaking without thinking, I really doubt they would trust him with 9/11 foreknowledge, or feel it was necessary, given how easy it appears to be to manipulate him and his actions.
MM