Tornado Alley (PROG)

[blackhawks]

I remember Condi's reply; we thought Bin Laden's statement was 'historical information'.

OK, is it not aspirational as well? IF determination waxes and wanes can we afford not to act, in light of all the chatter, that he's in wax mode and so too should not our vigilance be increasing, perhaps even to the extent of preemption?

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/terrorism-jan-june04-rice_04-08

Commissioner Richard Ben-Veniste, a Democrat, challenged Rice in particular on a briefing given to the president on Aug. 6, 2001, at which a document was presented entitled “Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.”

As members of the audience, including some family members of 9/11 victims applauded, Ben-Veniste demanded that the report be declassified.

Rice said it contained no specific threats explaining, “it did not warn of attacks inside the United States. It was historical information based on old reporting.”

During her opening statement, Rice read some of the “chatter” that the United States picked up during the spring and summer that raised alarms about a possible attack: “Unbelievable news in coming weeks.” “Big event … there will be a very, very, very, very big uproar.” “There will be attacks in the near future.”

“Troubling, yes,” Rice said. “But they don’t tell us when, they don’t tell us where, they don’t tell us who and they don’t tell us how.”