"whether 911 could have been prevented is past history"

And wouldn't they love it if we just put it behind us and moved on.
Sorry, not going to happen. I have said before that "the buck stops here" and that's what should be said. If he really believes that he and his staff had no inkling that 9/11 was in the works then he should have no problem saying exactly that. We're all human, even him, despite what some people think(LOL), and we all make mistakes.

He is running for re-election as a "War President" (his own words).
Since tht is his "claim to fame" and the reason to re-elect him then we, as good citizens of the USA involved in our democracy, need to examine how the war is going. It's good points, bad points, reasons for going, reasons for staying, etc.

He is running for re-election on the "strengths" that he has as compared to the strengths of his opponent on the issue of security. Once again it behooves us to examine the who, what, where, why and hows of the attack and the strategies employed afterward for combatting terrorism in this country.

True patriots and truly good military personnel do not just blindly follow orders and ignore what they are seeing around them or what they know to be true.

I stand by my assesment of the strategy to blame the previous administration. Wag the dog, wag the dog, wag the dog. That is all we heard from the loyal opposition. And with the intelligence that netted us 1 milk factory and a Chinese Embassy (as well as an empty terrorist camp), I don't think Clinton can be held responsible for not "Killing him when he had the chance".

Strick, I like to read the brief and hear the brief. I to like to look in the eyes of the person briefing me. Unfortunately when you have seen a prediliction in your boss not to want to hear views that oppose his (and Bush has fired quite a few that weren't wearing their prescribed rose colored glasses)and you like your job and need the money to pay for things, like the rest of us, you tell him what he wants to hear.

As far as the current administration paying strong attention to terrorism prior to 9/11, the Pres. made it perfectly clear that his priority was for the "Star Wars" missile defense system. Something that had lain rather dormant after the fall of the Soviet Union. Last time I checked no terrorist organization has ever used a missile (of the type that this system would detect and defend against) in any terrorist attacks.

I myself, upon hearing that Al Quiada was looking to hit a target in NY City and/or Washington would have imediately thought of the World Trade Center that an attempt had already been made on.

Again, there is enough blame to go round, but it happened on HIS watch, and up until that time and since, this administration has been more secretive than any I have previously experienced. Is it any wonder why the FBI/CIA/ etc. would play it the same way and not talk to each other?