9/11 intelligence

Cannonfire's compilation of articles about what we did know before September 11, 2001 is breathtaking.

Mark Bingham - May 22, 1970 - September 11, 2001 - "This is ridiculous, let's kick their asses."

American Hero, Mark Bingham: Bingham was a champion rugby player who helped the Golden Bears to earn national titles in 1991 and 1993. He remained a life-long Bear Backer, a fanatic sports enthusiast, a devoted alumnus, and a proud gay man. On September 11, 2001 Bingham, along with a few other passengers on flight 93, rushed the hijackers - preventing further destruction and loss of life in Washington D.C. Though passenger Todd Beemer said the more famous "Let's Roll." Bingham is heard on tape saying:

"This is ridiculous, let's kick their asses"

From Wiki: Bingham was survived by his former boyfriend of six years, Paul Holm, who says this was not the first time Bingham risked his life to protect the lives of others. He had twice successfully protected Holm from attempted muggings, one of which was at gunpoint. Holm describes Bingham as a brave, competitive man, saying, "He hated to lose-at anything." He was even known to proudly display a scar he received after being gored at the running of the bulls in Pamplona.

The text of Senator McCain's remarks at the funeral of Mark Bingham:

I love my country, and I take pride in serving her. But I cannot say that I love her more or as well as Mark Bingham did, or the other heroes on United Flight 93 who gave their lives to prevent our enemies from inflicting an even greater injury on our country. It has been my fate to witness great courage and sacrifice for America's sake, but none greater than the selfless sacrifice of Mark Bingham and those good men who grasped the gravity of the moment, understood the threat, and decided to fight back at the cost of their lives...It is now believed that the terrorists on Flight 93 intended to crash the airplane into the United States Capitol where I work, the great house of democracy where I was that day. It is very possible that I would have been in the building, with a great many other people, when that fateful, terrible moment occurred, and a beautiful symbol of our freedom was destroyed along with hundreds if not thousands of lives. I may very well owe my life to Mark and the others who summoned the enormous courage and love necessary to deny those depraved, hateful men their terrible triumph. Such a debt you incur for life.... I never knew Mark Bingham. But I wish I had. I know he was a good son and friend, a good rugby player, a good American, and an extraordinary human being. He supported me, and his support now ranks among the greatest honors of my life. I wish I had known before September 11 just how great an honor his trust in me was. I wish I could have thanked him for it more profusely than time and circumstances allowed. But I know it now. And I thank him with the only means I possess, by being as good an American as he was.

Holder plays a hand.

The news of Eric Holder's possible investigation into Cheney era/CIA excesses is getting much attention.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is leaning toward appointing a criminal prosecutor to investigate whether CIA personnel tortured terrorism suspects after Sept. 11, 2001...

Here's my quick take: This is a very large trial balloon. My hunch is that Holder knows enough to be deeply disturbed by what went on. He also knows an investigation would fly in the face of his boss's stated goal of "moving forward."

Many House Democrats would welcome a prosecutor investigating possible criminality. As would the Left wing of the Democratic Party. Almost no one else would. Not Obama. Not many powerful Democrats in the Senate who fear a major agenda derailment would result. And certainly no Republicans want to see Bush era advisers deposed. Politically an investigation would be a trap for Obama as much as it is a blow to Bush/Cheney adminstration figures and the CIA. Obama would be in the strikingly difficult position of being in opposition to his own Justice Department, the CIA and much of his base. Further, if malfeasance is uncovered and made public the President would be hounded by a question this POTUS does not want to answer:

Would you do the same thing if we were attacked again?

The answer - whatever it is - will enrage someone. Either the Left who wants Cheney punished. Or the Right who will tag Obama as a wimp. (A tag that would stick and have staying power.)

Also, don't think Cheney and his supporters won't fight fire with conflagration. The former VP has made it abundantly clear that he brooks no quarter. He'll come out guns blazin. Cheney won the first round. I see no reason to believe he wouldn't win the second. In order for Cheney to "lose" any information would have to offend our sensibilities to the point of horror - which would in turn inflame the country's enemies which would, in turn, land on the White House's front porch. Whether an investigation is right or wrong is not the point here. The point IS whether Obama/Axelrod could possibly tolerate one. As far as I can tell the answer is NO.

The CIA won't take kindly to an investigation either. Obama can ill afford to aggravate the men and women in Langley.

Holder may truly feel an investigation is warranted. Or he may be flexing some muscle and attempting to carve out some independence from Obama. Or both.

If a prosecutor is actually named I will be amazed. I suspect Obama will quash this one way or another. Even if it means sending his friend/Attorney General to the dog house. Obama is a political animal down to his bone marrow. There is not enough of a political upside to an investigation. Actually, since the Left is now essentially moot anyway - there is NO upside.