Some striking things when you read the October 6th briefing to the President, the one that says Osama wants to attack in the United States. It clearly predicts hi-jackings, it clearly talks about action that may occur in New York. It also clearly states that

"The F.B.I. is conducting approximately 70 full field investigations throughout the U.S. that it considers bin Laden-related. C.I.A. and the F.B.I. are investigating a call to our embassy in the U.A.E. in May saying that a group of bin Laden supporters was in the U.S. planning attacks with explosives."

The President reads this and thinks two things (a) the FBI was on top of things and (b) the CIA and the FBI are coordinating their efforts. These things turned out to be untrue.

The issue remains, as always, the attempted cover-up. The issue remains the assumption of several American administrations that the people of the United States would be unprepared to fight any war under any circumstance. The lesson that politicians are supposed to draw from that is not to go to war without clearly explaining your goals to the American people. The lesson that the Bushies draw is to try to convince people that war is cost-free.