I have been followed this thread off and on and trying to resist the temptation to jump in. Now I am at my own peril.

I think Larry is essentially correct. I have a great deal of respect for his experience and training.

As far as 9/11 goes, I think the Bush administration was basically drifting that first summer, sort of finding their "sea-legs" so to speak. I do remember reading right after 9/11 that the CIA had provided some sort of warning in the President's Dailey Briefings. Of course, they had no way to know specifics at the time, but they did have some idea that something was coming down. These warnings, whether they were too vague or not, have not been talked about too much since. We may not have been able to have prevented 9/11, but maybe, we could have tried.

I think this administration used the event of 9/11 to push an agenda and policy that probably would not have had much of a chance otherwise. I believe they used 9/11 as a vehicle to ride into a second term, that, without 9/11, would have been very "iffy." Even very recently, the Vice President is still trying to force the linkage of 9/11 and justification for doing Iraq.

Where I believe this administration has failed themselves miserably is in leading us as a nation into war. Congress voted to give the President authorization to use force, if necessary, to enforce the UN resolutions with regard to Iraq. From that point on, this administration was determined to have a war with Iraq. From what I have read, they were probably determined to do this before Congress' authorization, but now they had the green light. I think, a case could be made that we have enforced the UN resolutions so maybe, we should leave Iraq.

I would have thought after Viet Nam, we would have learned about getting the American people involved in the support of a war. This has never happened. Tax policy was structured so we would not feel the effects of the cost of the war. The media was controlled so we would not see the caskets and body bags being flown home. This administration is using war as a tool for policy and never convinced us that it was necessary.

Congress is given the power to declare war according to our Constitution. This has not happened since WWII. Military engagements that we have experienced since WWII have generally lost the support of the American people if they were of any duration. Presidents can do Grenadas and Panamas because they were able to have quick success, but without our support, uses of the military for geo-political purposes that ran into long durations have lost the support of the American people. What amazes me is that this administration seemed to believe that they were exempt from the lessons of history. So many people with beautiful educations, but just too full of themselves to have any common sense.

Time and history will judge the Iraq War, but it is fair to judge the leadership we have received right now. I think it has been terribly lacking, more a function of egos and stubbornness than good sense.

Ok, I am now fair game. Have a go at me fellas.

Ed Pirie
West Topsham, Vermont