Why We Must Fight -- Both Terrorists & Misinformation

Here are eyewitness accounts from September 11. It's important to read them.

That's because it's important to remember exactly what happened, and why. Mercifully blessed by almost four years without another terrorist attack on American soil, it becomes easier to be tempted by the siren song of so many on the left to view America and our actions as "the problem."

Pretty soon, that kind of thinking becomes conventional wisdom, and becomes a tool with which enemies of President Bush's Middle East policy can attack its supporters. A big example: Liberals have had more than a year to play up the findings of the 9/11 Commission that (1) intelligence failures (under the Bush Administration's watch, mind you) were responsible for the 9/11 debacle and (2) that there were no "operational links" between Iraq and Al Qaeda.

But now, news reports suggest that the 9/11 Commission may have had a pretty big "intelligence failure" of its own. It seems that the Commission has covered up evidence that, if true, is highly embarassing to the Clinton Administration -- suggesting that it might not have been faulty intelligence, but rather faulty policy (i.e. "the wall") that kept the 9/11 attacks from being prevented.

Moreover, (as Captain Ed reports), it looks like the Commission may have either ignored or overlooked evidence that may well open the question of whether the Commission was right to dismiss the possibility of Iraq/Al Qaeda ties so definitively.

It's bracing (though upsetting) to really take a look back at 9/11. It helps us understand what is at stake in making sure that we know what really happened . . . lest it happen again, or its causes and conspirators remain inaccurately identified for the historical record.