'I Want to Know the Ugly Truth'
Monica Gabrielle - Los Angeles Times - April 29, 2004
Monica Gabrielle is a member of the Family Steering Committee. Website: www.911IndependentCommission.org
President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney will sit down this morning with
the entire 9/11 Independent Commission to give their account of events leading
up to Sept. 11 — a day that took the life of my husband, along with 3,000
other innocent people.
Bush and Cheney will appear together because they refuse to appear separately.
It will be behind closed doors because they don't want to speak publicly. There
will be a "note taker," no recorded transcript.
But I want to know the whole ugly truth. My husband, Richard Gabrielle, died on
the 103rd floor of Tower 2 that day; I want to know what was done beforehand to
prevent it from happening, and I want to know what we're doing to prevent it from
happening again. My great fear is that their answers will never find their way
to the public.
I can't be at the meeting. I'm not allowed in. But if I were, this is what I would
ask.
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For President Bush:
1. Why was our nation so utterly unprepared for an attack on our own soil?
2. On the morning of 9/11, who was in charge while you were away from the National
Military Command Center? Were you informed or consulted about all decisions made
in your absence?
3. At what time were you made aware that other planes were hijacked in addition
to Flight 11 and Flight 175? What was your course of action?
4. Beginning with the transition period between the Clinton administration and
your own, and ending on 9/11/01, specifically what information about terrorists,
possible attacks and targets did you receive?
5. Please explain why no one in our government has yet been held accountable for
the failures leading up to and on 9/11.
6. From May 1 until Sept. 11, 2001, did you receive any information from any intelligence
agency official that Osama bin Laden was planning to attack this nation on its
own soil? That terrorists were planning to use airplanes as weapons? That New
York City landmarks were being targeted?
7. What defensive measures did you take in response to pre- 9/11 warnings and/or
threats from 11 nations about a terrorist attack, many of which cited an attack
in the continental U.S.?
8. From May 1, 2001, until Sept. 11, 2001, did you or any agent of the U.S. government
carry out any negotiations or talks with Bin Laden, an agent of Bin Laden or Al
Qaeda?
For Vice President Cheney:
1. On Sept. 11, when did you first become aware that the U.S. was under attack?
2. The Hart-Rudman report, released in January 2001, predicted a terrorist attack
within the U.S. Yet the White House set aside report recommendations and announced
in May that you would study the issue of domestic terrorism. Apparently, responsibility
was then passed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency director. Congress
had been willing to support the recommendations. What happened?
3. Besides ensuring the succession to the presidency, is there a defense protocol
in the event our nation is attacked? What is it and was it followed?
4. What subsequent actions did you take to defend our nation?
a. Did you have open lines with the Secret Service, NORAD, the Federal Aviation
Administration and the Department of Defense?
b. Who was in the Situation Room with you?
c. Was Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld or anyone at the Pentagon informed
that we were under attack? If so, at what time was the Pentagon informed? If not
Rumsfeld, who?
d. Why wasn't the Pentagon defended?
e. Did you consult with President Bush about all decisions?
5. Please describe any discussions/negotiations between the Taliban and either
public or private agents before Sept. 11 regarding Bin Laden and/or rights to
pass a pipeline through Afghanistan, or any other subject pertaining to Afghanistan.
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Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times