Monday, September 11, 2006

Remembering a failure of intelligence.

Country music guy Darryl Worley asks in his famous post 9/11 song, "Have You Forgotten?"

Well, Sparky, I haven't forgotten. I haven't forgotten how George Bush failed this country five years ago. I haven't forgotten how his administration dismissed dozens of warnings about an Al Qaeda terrorist attack inside the US, including a Presidential Daily Briefing of August sixth.

I haven't forgotten that Condi Rice, then head of National Freakin' Security dismissed Richard Clarke's appeal to have a cabinet-level briefing on Osama bin Laden and the threat he posed to the US. I haven't forgotten that these people took terrorism off its list of priorities before the attack. I haven't forgotten that Cheney was put in charge of counter-terrorism and couldn't find the time to meet more than once before September, but he did have plenty of time to meet secretly with the heads of oil companies to craft an energy policy.

I haven't forgotten.

I haven't forgotten what our war president did on that day after being told the nation was under attack and how he hid in Louisiana and Nebraska for ten hours, an act of cowardice so craven that Rove had to concoct a lie to protect Bush's reputation.

If you want a full account of Bush's day, go here.

Yes, I remember. I wish more Americans did.

3 comments:

LA Burton said...

I just wanted to say thank you for serving. You're right to be mad in your post.

Beneath the Carolina Moon said...

Yup, I remember.

Anonymous said...

Now, Uncle David...as I am having a day off--is there such a thing--I thought I would venture onto my favorite angry liberal but still one of the funniest people I know's web site, when I read the "angry blog". Oh, Uncle David, Uncle David, Uncle David....what can I say?

People as of late have asked me if I have forgotten, also. I find this very amusing, in between deciding wether to stab them in the neck with my nifty army issued gel pen--since this is the only weapon I can take to an airport--and explaining to them that NO, I have not forgotten you fucking retard. Like my last airport experience, when I simply went to retrieve my luggage, and the luggage of the 3 year old little girl I was on orders to escort to her 26 year old father's funeral who had just been killed by an IED in Iraq. All I asked the nice lady behind the counter at BWI was "can you tell me where the rental car booths are?" I couldn't find them, they were there the last time I was in BWI in 2003, but now they were not. A simple question requiring a simple answer, but NO...this rocket scientist decided to try to impose upon me her opinion of my lack of awareness that there was a new phenomenon called Homeland Security. She says, "They have been moved to a different location. HELLLLOOOOO, a little thing called HOMELAND SECURITY, have you heard of it? Where have you been?" This is the part where I was considering stabbing her in the face, having just left Iraq myself a few weeks before, I was still in "stab you in the face" mindset--but I held my breath, walked away in my $120 Steve Madden shoes that made me feel more like a vixen than a Soldier--I have to wear them sometimes to remind myself that deep down I am a woman--somewhere, and I did a couple of laps around the baggage area collecting myself, pondering my course of action, deciding my fate. Jail or no jail? What was it worth in terms of my life? But it occured to me that I just couldn't let this woman, in her nice pressed suit, perfect nails, no brain $6.50 an hour job, in her air conditioned little kiosk where her toughest challenge was to wear the pink or red lipstick to work that day, with no apparent worry in life other then when she can have her break to go and powder her little nose just go on about her day. NOPE! Not me, I just do not have the capacity to let people think they are so smart, I find enjoyment at times in maintaining my composure, as good officers do, while simultaneously informing them that they are not worth the iraqi crepe paper I wipe my ass with sitting in a porta potty that on a cool day tops a temperature of 130 degrees. I simply went back to the counter and said, "excuse me, Ma'am, I don't know if your intention was to be rude to me, but that is the way I interpreted it. Yes, I do know what Homeland Security is, and I didn't know they had moved the rental car booths, because for the last two out of three years, I've been overseas implementing this Homeland Security gig. And as a matter of fact, if you look over there at that three year old little girl, she ALSO knows what Homeland Security is, because we are here to bury her father who was just killed in Iraq. SO, if you could just answer the questions that are asked of you, and not embark your personal wisdoms or remarks about what you think people do or do not know, that would be fantastic. Because if I were not an officer, and one of my Soldiers would have asked you the same question--they would be handcuffed and being escorted out of the building by TSA, because they may not have taken it as well as I did.".......Yes, she was standing there with her mouth in the floor, then I felt bad....Then I wanted to pat her on the back and make her a sandwhich, and tell her it was ok, her lipstick was Great!!! PTSD is a bitch, let me tell you.

SO, Uncle David, I love you to death. I know you have not forgotten. I hate that song by the way. I hate that people capitalize off of 9/11---like possibly Haliburton, KBR, those types. I feel you. I see them over there, and I just want to kick them in the head. They are making six figures doing less than my $17,000 a year Joe's are making, and I am left to explain to my youngin's why and how this is possible. I had these contracted mechanics, they showed up, they wanted to talk schedules and job descriptions, and how to incorporate them into "my shops". That went over like a hole in the head...I told them very plainly--if you are here to free up my mechanics and technicians so that they can be tasked to go and be the gun bunny on a humvee, you are sadly mistaken. They will never be short of work. They will always be swamped, and I hope we have an understanding. Anyway...I could talk about it all day, and I won't get into it, because "The Man" is watching.

Write to me. OH, by the way, I ordered your book....starting to read it. :)