Open Letter to NY Post John Podhoretz

An Open Letter to Columnist John Podhoretz in defense of Chairman Kean and his Commission's request for "highly sensitive" but "highly material" documents now being withheld by the Bush Administration.

Update: NY POST continues to attack and insult Tom Kean:
"Tom Kean runs Amok" (11/02)

Update: More letters to the NY POST

Update: NY POST released Protest Letters by Jason Marrs and Allan Duncan (10/30)

October 29, 2003

Dear Mr. Podhoretz,

In your New York Post piece of October 28, "Kean Mutiny" you accuse 9/11 Commission Chair and former Governor Thomas Kean of grandstanding by calling for the White House to release key 9/11 documents.

I don't believe that Gov. Kean is a "grandstander" and you do him a disservice by characterizing him in this manner. As long as he acts decisively to ferret out the truth about 9/11 he should be suppported not unfairly attacked.

I've attended several of the public hearings held by the commission and I've met the man and where you see arrogance and belligerence I see a mild mannered moderate public servant, who happens to be a Republican and who clearly, judging by his recent statements, may not be willing to put his name to a final 'definitive account' of 9/11 that might go down in history as a hollow $12 million dollar exercise passed off as an investigation --plagued by accusations of having gone soft, leaving 'stones unturned' and trails gone cold.

There is compelling basis here to see that the White House be forced to break with precedent and turn over 'highly material' 9/11 related documents. 3000 lives were snuffed out -- an unprecedented mass murder -- which clearly could have been mitigated had NORAD air defense responded appropriately; especially having forewarnings about hijackings.

On September 11th 2001, "the world changed forever," not only for those who lost loved ones, but also for the whole globe. Draconian laws have since been passed that threaten the very freedoms we Americans (and the Brits) say we are fighting for; and the world, that once cried with us, now looks askance as innocent young men and women, our soldiers, march into battle where some die or are maimed as they are called upon to kill many more thousands of innocents in a war our leaders (the same ones who hide the truth) say "won't end in our lifetime." This unprecedented event now precipitating unprecedented changes in our world demands unprecedented steps if the truth, whatever it is, be told.

We still don't have answers to basic questions surrounding 9/11. Exactly how much did this Administration know prior to 9/11? And if they were warned, as they were by 11 nations, what was done with these warnings?

Condaleeza Rice said that no one could have imagined "planes used as weapons," yet the Joint Inquiry determined that in fact there was widespread awareness of just such a threat with several such schemes having been identified, foiled and in the case of the G-8 in Genoa, Italy, guarded against. Did this intelligence reach the President's desk? Did it reach the National Security Council? If not, why not? Only by the White House turning over the documents requested by the Commission will the President be able to assure the nation that indeed there was nothing more he or his administration could have done in the weeks and months prior to September 11, 2001; that there was indeed no reason to take action given the intelligence assessments now at issue. Only then will he be able to put the matter behind him and only then should the Commission and the American people be satisfied that mandate to investigate 9/11 is fulfilled all the way to the top.

The fact that our leaders failed to prevent the attack or take action that might have mitigated loss of life and have not been held accountable is a travesty and perhaps treasonous. It's also dangerous. Would you trust the wheel of your car to a man who, having ignored warnings, already crashed your car, killing your husband or wife, sister or brother?

If as many suspect, including 9/11 Commissioner Cleland, that the President or the National Security Council knew much more that they have revealed, than these officials, whoever they are, should be held directly accountable. If on the other hand, they have nothing to hide then let the Commissioners, granted top secret clearance in order to sit on the Commission, review the documents and clear their names and quell the raising chorus that you suggest is only adding to 'ugly divisiveness' by demanding disclosure.

Putting unnamed 'conspiracy theorists' aside, let's simply answer the questions the victim families and many others have about what happened on 9/11. The fact remains that, no matter how often strident voices might whine about hyped up imagined threats posed by sceptical 'conspiracy theorists or 'arrogant' 'grandstanding' Commissioners, or the release of Presidential Daily Briefings and other documents, as long as questions persist in the minds of average Americans, in those of thousands of victim family members and survivors, there will be grave concern about the current and future security of this nation. Only with the truth, transparency and re-application of genuine accountability can this nation re-build and respond appropriately to exigencies of the day.

Bush and his administration are Constitutionally charged with providing for the public safety. They failed on 9/11...on this there can be no dispute. Now is the time for a complete accounting and for those who failed us, to be held directly accountable. If that means the White House being forced to break precedent in service of the truth and accountability then so be it. It is time to end the insidious culture that denies both.

9/11 was an extraordinarily tragic and world changing event -- it should come to no surprise that getting answers to long held questions hanging over this administration will require extraordinary and unprecedented action as just taken by courageous public servants like Chairman Kean. Grandstanding, you say? I call it standing up for investigative rigor. Arrogance?

I call it courage to go where it's the hardest to look. Chairman Kean's statements should be applauded and they should be followed by concerted action and support from the Congress, regardless of party. It is polemics such as yours, Mr. Podheretz, that are belligerent, not the bold statements of Chairman Kean in search of the simple truth of the historical record.

Sincerely,

Kyle F. Hence 9/11 CitizensWatch

Open Up

Newsday -October 29, 2003

In promoting the Patriot Act, which gave the government sweeping new criminal justice powers to fight terrorism, the White House argued that the frightening new threat the nation faced demanded unprecedented measures. That same logic should govern the administration's response to the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks: Determining how such a horrendous event could happen is so essential that the White House should find a way to give the commission the materials it seeks, short of data classified to protect intelligence operations. However important the preservation of executive privilege may be under normal circumstances, it is not sacrosanct.

The Bush administration first tried to avoid creation of the commission, then bowed to the momentum created by the families of those killed in the 9/11 attacks. Even then, the White House demanded an absurdly tight May 27 deadline for the 10-member bipartisan commission's final report, a date conveniently distant from the presidential election.

The sluggishness of the Federal Aviation Administration has already moved the commission to rethink its policy of trying to avoid using its subpoena power. In a statement Oct. 15, the commission announced that it had voted to issue a subpoena to the FAA.

Now the commission's chairman,former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean, a Republican, has made it clear that, if the White House doesn't produce the needed documents, the commission may subpoena them. The panel is hopeful for a deal. At a press conference yesterday, President George W. Bush didn't say he would turn over presidential daily briefs, but he did say his staff is working with the commission.

These documents are sensitive. So some mechanism may have to be created to evaluate independently what should be turned over and what withheld. But if the commission has to issue a subpoena, its Latin roots, "under pain," would become clear to Bush: It could provoke a nasty court struggle that would emphasize his penchant for secrecy. If Bush wants to avoid that, he must strike a deal to give the commission the documents it seeks - soon.

More letters to the NY POST

Letter from Lois Ann Battuello

With reference to "Kean Mutiny," arguments are made by its author that merit correction. Readers must wonder why Mr. Podhoretz fears the President's own cousin knowing the truth about what the White House may have known before the attack. Thomas Kean is not one to tattle.

Simply put, when the President says it's okay, it's okay. Congress and the President granted authority to Mr. Kean and the National Commission for precisely what they seek.

My question is, why is President Bush changing his mind after signing Public Law 107-306 when it comes to provision of some of the most vital information?

Please take a few minutes to read Public Law 107-306 available at 9-11Commission.gov (select "About The Commission).

Letter from Sander Hicks

To the Editor:

"Kean Mutiny" by John Podhoretz was an irresponsible piece of bullying that the American People won't be cowed by. Podhoretz attacks National Commission on Terrorist Acts (a.k.a. the 9/11 Investigation) Chairman, Governor Thomas Kean, for requesting documents that will explain the gross intelligence failures that lead to 9/11. I personally attended the Committee's first hearing in New York City, and interviewed 9/11 Comissioners for Free Speech TV and Sanderhicks.com. I was struck at how moderate Kean and his committee are. But these days, it's interesting to see how agitated they are becoming by the White House's refusal to provide necessary documents.

The Administration's stonewalling is making skeptics and critics of those who were once polite government insiders. Pohoretz got the story backwards. We shouldn't be censuring the Committee, we should be calling on the White House to cooperate, and release the August 6th briefing memo, as well as all other documents that will provide insight into America's worst domestic atrocity.

Sincerely, Sander Hicks
CEO
Drench Kiss Media Corporation
drenchkiss.com

Letter from Jason Marrs

Re: KEAN MUTINY, 10/28/03

Dear Editor:
September the 11th was the worst intelligence failure in our nation's history. With that in mind surely John Podhoretz understands that if we want to know how and why 9/11 happened, the 911 commission must investigate the intelligence that was available, who had it and how it was used. Without doing that and without following the evidence "wherever it may lead", the commission will be just another waste of taxpayer dollars. Perhaps Mr. Podhertz doesn't mind having his tax dollars wasted, but the rest of us do.

Thank you for your consideration,
Jason Marrs

Letter from Allan Duncan

In regards to Kean Mutiny by John Podhoretz I'd like to make a few comments.

First of all, President Bush himself appointed Thomas Kean to head the 9-11 Commission so that unanswered questions about 9-11 could be answered by a bipartisan group of people.

Since President Bush was Commander In Chief of our military on 9-11, the commission needs to examine documents about what the President knew and when he knew it so that they can figure out how and why our entire national security system failed to protect the American public on 9-11.

All of the members of the commission have security clearances so it doesn't make sense that they not be allowed to examine classified documents that may be key to understanding what went wrong on 9-11.

The American public deserves to know the truth about what happened on 9-11, and if the White House continues to play games by refusing to reveal what the President knew prior to 9-11, We the People can only assume that a cover-up is taking place to protect the Commander In Chief from criticism for his role in failing to protect the public on that horrible day.

KEAN NEEDS WHITE HOUSE HELP TO DO HIS JOB

NY Post -October 30, 2003

The events of 9/11 constituted the worst intelligence failure in our nation's history. With that in mind, surely John Podhoretz understands that if the American public wants to know how and why 9/11 happened, the 9/11 Commission must investigate the intelligence that was available, who had it and how it was used ("Kean Mutiny," Opinion, Oct. 28). Without doing that and without following the evidence "wherever it may lead," the commission will be just another waste of taxpayer dollars. Perhaps Podhoretz doesn't mind having his tax dollars wasted.

Jason Marrs
Ossining

President Bush himself appointed Thomas Kean to head the 9/11 Commission, so unanswered questions about 9/11 could be answered by a bipartisan group. Since President Bush was commander in chief on 9/11, the commission needs to examine documents about what the president knew and when he knew it so that it can figure out how and why our national security system failed to protect the American public. All of the members of the commission have security clearances, so it doesn't make sense that they not be allowed to examine classified documents that may be key to understanding what went wrong on 9/11.

Allan Duncan
New Hope, Pa.

I find it rather perplexing and very disturbing that President Bush has been stonewalling the investigators of the 9/11 attacks all this time. I would think this administration would do everything in his power to get to the bottom of the most devastating terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

Jennifer Graham
Manhattan

How dare John Podhoretz speak of Thomas Kean's efforts to obtain information from the White House as "grandstanding"? He is the one doing such. The 9/11 Commission is representative of all of us who deserve the whole truth about what happened on and before 9/11. People like Podhoretz have no right to tell the rest of us what information we are entitled to.

Bill Douglas
Overland Park, Kan.

NY POST continues to attack and insult Tom Kean

Tom Kean runs amok

NY POST -November 2, 2003 --

What has gotten into Tom Kean? Specifically, why has the former New Jersey governor - who now chairs the federal 9/11 commission - started playing to the peanut gallery by waging war on the Bush administration?

In fact, Kean's arrogantly confrontational behavior only lends credence to growing suspicions that what started as an independent investigation into the intelligence and policy failures that led to the 9/11 attacks has become a blatantly partisan probe that is rapidly drawing a target - with George W. Bush in the bull's-eye.

In an interview with The New York Times last week, Kean accused the administration of stonewalling his commission. Declaring that he "will not stand for it," Kean vowed to "use every tool at our command to get hold of every document."

What's particularly bizarre about Kean's outburst is that just one month ago, he and his co-chairman, former Indiana Rep. Lee Hamilton, agreed that "almost every agency has been more responsive" and had provided "massive amounts" of information.

The materials still being sought, said Hamilton at the time, amounted only to "a handful of documents."

Of course, that evaluation didn't sit well with some of the commission's more openly partisan members - especially former Sen. Max Cleland, who blames the White House for costing him his seat in 2002, and who has already endorsed Sen. John Kerry to replace Bush.

Cleland, in fact, has been increasingly vocal in his denunciation of the president, charging that "this government knew a whole lot more about these terrorists before Sept. 11th than it has ever admitted" - even while the supposed investigation is still under way.

The president on Tuesday insisted the White House was cooperating with the commission - and even offered to release more material.

But he noted that Kean is demanding documents which even the former governor himself conceded are normally available to "only two or three people."

In fact, admits Kean, "to make those available to an outside group is something that no other president has done in our history."

Still, he insists, "anything that has to do with 9/11, we have to see it."

So.

Who made Tom Kean emperor?

He seems to have forgotten that this nation is at war - and for that reason alone, the White House is justified in refusing to turn over the most super-secret intelligence estimates over to a multi-member commission simply because Tom Kean says he wants them.

The administration is even more justified given the increasingly political nature of this investigation - and Kean's determination to court public opinion and that of the 9/11 families, who have already declared that they will "not stand for some broad, sweeping historical account" from the commission.

We supported the creation of this commission, believing - as we still do - that the intelligence and policy failures that culminated in 9/11 stretch back a quarter-century and encompass administrations of both political parties.

But the panel, with its run-amok chairman and deliberate confrontation with the White House, doesn't look like it's prepared to deliver an honest evaluation.

This is looking less like a genuine investigation and more like a search for a political scapegoat.

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printed from Open Letter to NY Post John Podhoretz on 2004-03-08 10:58:17