The lack of perception to tell the difference between clinton's deliberate policy of doing as little as possible to deal with Osama, and the failure of the system to perceive a specific plan Osama was making.
The difference is profound.
It is the difference between Neville Chamberalin deliberately avoiding delaing with Hitler when he had the chance and FDR's Administration not figuring out that the Japanese might attack Pearl Harbor. clinton clearly had the policy of Chamberlin. Bush clearly maed the mistake of FDR.
clinton, confronted with attacks by Osama for eight years deliberately chose to do nothing much.
Bush, realizing that there had in fact been a huge breakdown in not detecting a long-term enemy's festering war effort, acted decisvely.
Accidents, even tragic ones like 911 happen. It was happens after the accident that is important. Deliberate policy, carried out over years, is much more significant.
Understanding the hubris and arrogance of that policy will tell us much more about how a tiny group of dedicated terrorists were able to build a globalnetwork over eight years and attack us than will the shallow, venal blame game some in Washington think they want to play.
Ed