Rice Testifies, Kerrey Preaches (Julia)

The September 11 Commission was formed as a bipartisan way to understand the intelligence failures leading up to the attacks. It has officially turned into a three ring circus. I’m referring specifically to the Rice testimony. It’s obvious to me now why it would have been preferable for Dr. Rice to testify behind closed doors. Given the limited amount of time allotted to the procedure, no line of questioning will go deep enough to make Rice give any kind of shocking answers. But instead of relevant and truly helpful answers, we can get our fill of political grandstanding.

Bob Kerrey is the most egregious example. You have said that the President was ‘tired of swatting flies.’ What flies did he ever swat? How the hell could he be tired? He never even responded after the Cole. (That’s the best I can remember it, and I can’t seem to find the transcript yet)

Worse still, was his opening statement in which denounced the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq War. (again, paraphrasing) I supported the war in Iraq. But the military is being used in such a way that it’s going to cause a civil war in that country. Most of the soldiers are American. Most of the soldiers are Christian in a Muslim country. In the end it’s going to make it easier for Al Qaeda to recruit more terrorists. How on earth this is an appropriate topic for the 9/11 Commission, I don’t know. Maybe it’s too nuanced for my small understanding. Or maybe Bob Kerrey is a belligerent ass.