I'm absolutely certain GWB would have prevented WTC if he could have.

It's also looking as if there was information there which could have been better used. NO ONE, not Clinton, not Bush the First, or Reagan would have done any differently than GWB.

Now, what is to be hurt by figuring out who knew what and how it could have been used?

AND, I'm aware that sometimes the Bushies aren't particularly forthcoming, they hide things when they have something to hide. For instance, I believe the only reason for Cheney hiding the energy policy stuff is that he was busy caving in to Enron, et al. (And even that couldn't keep Enron afloat.) When there's nothing to hide, nothing is hidden.

I would think Ridge would have done 99% of the evaluation folks are looking for already. If he hasn't, he should be fired! How the dickens does he think the vaunted clearinghouse run by Homeland Security will prevent the next one?

Dead serious about that - if he hasn't thoroughly investigated who knew what and when, and how that might have been better handled, if indeed, enough were known, the country needs for him to be gone and someone who will do the job in place.

This is a bigger issue than Bush or his presidency. It's the country. It's national security. Bush, Cheney, Dashle, you, me, none of us matter that much in the bigger picture.

And if the Bushies keep resisting, keep screaming "politics", I'm going to once again have to conclude they are hiding something. And not for "national security" reasons.

What other conclusion could you draw?

Arf