American investigators were given the name of a man who turned out to be the mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks two and one-half years before they flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. According to the New York Times, American investigators failed to pursue the lead aggressively.
Let’s see, two and one-half years before 9/11 would have been the middle of 1998, which was the middle of Bill Clinton’s second term.
Clinton’s failure to address this very real threat to the country and his preoccupation with sexual indiscretion and fighting his own impeachment put his country in jeopardy.
German intelligence authorities have told the investigating panel that after turning over the first name and telephone number of a man linked to al Qaeda in Hamburg, the Germans never heard from the CIA. Not until after the attack were they contacted to follow-up on the man, according to the newspaper.
It is good that the independent commission is finding these facts. And those responsible for ignoring them should be held accountable.
I’m Cal Thomas in Washington.
