Condi keeps saying there was no silver bullet -- no one simple action -- that would have prevented 9/11. I find this arrogant and condescending. She assumes we untutored, simple peasants believe there might have been one simple action that would have prevented 9/11.
But nobody asked for a silver bullet. On the other hand, there are a number of actions that, taken together, might have stopped at least some of the hijackers. (Be sure to read or watch "9/11 Widows React to Condi.")
If you strip away the extraneous verbiage from Condi's testimony, what's left is this:
- Before 9/11 the intelligence agencies were adrift because the White House wasn't doing its job of overseeing and coordinating them.
- Although the Bush Administration was given copious warning of an impending terrorist attack, it didn't occur to them to take any actions that might have prevented it.
Condi's excuse is that the warnings weren't specific. Was she expecting a silver bullet?