[kj] OT: Lou Dobbs on 9/11

[A. Madani]

Tried to have a look today and got a "this video is no longer available" 
message.  So for anyone else who might have missed out and was interested, 
here's the transcript from CNN's web site:

DOBBS: Tonight, we're one month away from the fifth anniversary of September 
11th. A shocking new book by the 9/11 Commission co- chairmen, Thomas Kean 
and Lee Hamilton, says Americans still don't know the whole truth about 
their government's initial response to those terrorist attacks that day.

Christine Romans has the report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two hours of chaos and 
confusion on September 11th, and months of government ineptitude at 
incorrect testimony. A new book by 9/11 commission co- chairmen Tom Kean and 
Lee Hamilton outlines repeated misstatements by the Pentagon and Federal 
Aviation Administration.

They write, "Fog of war could explain why some people were confused on the 
day of 9/11. But it could not explain why all of the after-action reports, 
accident investigations and public testimony by FAA and NORAD officials 
advanced an account of 9/11 that was untrue."

Untrue, the military's original timeline of United Flight 93. The military 
said FAA notified NORAD of a hijacked plane at 9:16 a.m., 47 minutes before 
the plane crashed in Pennsylvania. In fact, the military found out three 
minutes after the plane crashed. And equally untrue, the government's 
timeline for American Flight 77 and details about fighter jets scrambled to 
intercept it.

The book also alleges government officials weren't forthcoming with the 
investigation and it took interviews and subpoenas to shake loose valuable 
information.

A Pentagon audit declassified last year found "DOD did not accurately report 
to the 9/11 Commission on the response to the September 11th, 2001 
hijackings." Pentagon investigators blamed "insufficient forensic 
capabilities" and worse. Admits, "DOD might not be able to sufficiently 
capture and report on actions taken in response to a future significant air 
event."

Still, so far government investigators stopped short of calling all these 
inaccuracies lies.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Investigations are under way by the inspectors general of the 
Pentagon and the Department of Transportation to find out just why the FAA 
and NORAD didn't tell the truth.

Now, Kean and Hamilton say all the inaccuracies have fueled conspiracy 
theorists, they've stymied the investigation, and Lou, damaged the 
credibility of this government.

DOBBS: Well, this government doesn't deserve much credibility, does it? In 
point of fact, if all of the after-action reports are untrue, for whatever 
reason, that's a lie, because they were asserted as the truth by people who 
knew better or should have.

ROMANS: And really troubling, the Department of Defense's own inspector 
general report that was declassified showed that if the same thing happened 
again, you'd have the same chaos and the same misreporting or lies 
afterward.

DOBBS: Incompetence and ineptitude on the part of this government on 
September 11th and in the weeks and months leading up to it are established. 
The fact that the government would permit deception after a deception, 
whether honestly, if you can call it that, honestly intended or not. But the 
fact that they were continue and perpetuate the lie, suggests that we need a 
full investigation of what is going on and what is demonstrably an 
incompetent and at worst deceitful federal government.

Christine Romans, thank you very much. Incredible.