Entries from April 2004 ↓

With the declassification and release Saturday night of the “President’s Daily Brief” from August 6, 2001, the Bush administration has sought to stave off rising criticism that they could have acted to prevent the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

This unprecedented peek at a top secret document prepared by the CIA for President Bush’s eyes only was in response to tough questioning faced by National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice during testimony Thursday before the bipartisan commission investigating the attacks, wherein Rice claimed that any knowledge of an al-Qaeda threat was “historical” in nature, and that the White House had little reason to suspect an attack inside the United States.

As Rice maintained, and the document corroborates, intelligence information at that time did not specifically indicate where, when or how an attack might take place, but spoke in general terms. Nevertheless questions raised before the Rice testimony as to what the President knew, when he knew it, what he did in response and whether he could have done more, remain.

While the PDB may not have provided the “silver bullet” Rice suggested was needed to stop the terrorist acts in New York and Washington, it does suggest US intelligence was monitoring activities and aware of plans against this country dating back to 1998.

The report states: “After US missile strikes on his base in Afghanistan in 1998, [Usama] Bin Ladin told followers he wanted to retaliate in Washington, according to a [classified intelligence] service.”

“Although Bin Ladin has not succeeded, his attacks against the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 demonstrate that he prepares operations years in advance…”

We now know the 9/11 hijackers were in this country for at least a year prior, training as pilots and living quietly in communities around the country. The document goes on, “Al-Qa’ida members–including some who are US citizens–have resided in or traveled to the US for years, and the group apparently maintains a support structure that could aid attacks” adding, “A clandestine source said in 1998 that a Bin Ladin cell in New York was recruiting Muslim-American youth for attacks.”

The page and a quarter briefing paper concludes with the most shocking evidence in light of what we now know: “We have not been able to corroborate some of the more sensational threat reporting such as that from a [classified intelligence] service in 1998 saying Bin Ladin wanted to hijack a US aircraft to gain the release of “Blind Shaykh” ‘Umar’ Abd al-Rahman and other US-held extremists.

Al-Rahman was the mastermind behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

“Nevertheless, FBI information since that time indicates patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks, including recent surveillance of federal buildings in New York.”

In his book Against All Enemies, Richard Clarke, former anti-terrorism czar under President’s Clinton and Bush, claims the Clinton administration was taking foreign terrorist threats seriously by 1994. Yet Clarke says after the 2000 election, he made numerous attempts to meet with Bush to discuss terrorism but was unable to get a meeting until just a week before 9/11. He had been able to meet however with Rice, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The opportunity for the White House to act was there, even without specific threats. It was well known that the nation’s air transportation system was a sitting target. Low-wage, contracted airport security screeners, federalized after the fact, were the weakest link. Better background checks on baggage handlers and airline staff with access to planes could have been undertaken. After 9/11, security checks found box cutters like those used during the hijackings, stashed away on other grounded aircraft.

The federal air marshall service was a program on the brink of elimination prior to 9/11. Warnings of possible hijackings should have called for a reevaluation of those plans. Again, that all happened after the fact.

The biggest step President Bush should have taken was to cause the FBI and CIA to share information better. Those two agencies have a long history of infighting, and openly debated whether terrorism was a law enforcement or an intelligence matter. Guidance from the National Security Advisor should have clarified that.

Whether 9/11 could have been prevented will continue to be the subject of debate. However an easier case can be made against the invasion of Iraq. As Clarke says in his book, the Bush administration immediately began planning an attack against Saddam Hussein despite intelligence reports that Iraq was unconnected to the bombings.

Now yet another book critical of White House handling of the situation, Disarming Iraq, by former United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix, likens the search for weapons of mass destruction to a witch hunt. Armed with no hard evidence of their existence or whereabouts, Washington continued to assert they were there. Calls for more time to inspect were ignored, opportunities to employ diplomacy and broad international support were lost, a war was started, and a year later it is escalating with no end in sight.

What did President Bush know about 9/11 and when did he know it? What did they do to prevent it? What have they done in response? How effective has that response been? With no WMD or a connection to 9/11, why was Iraq even invaded? When will there be stability and peace there? At what cost? What happened to the search for Usama bin Laden? Has al-Qaeda been weakened or strengthened? Are there now new terrorist threats in addition to al-Qaeda? Is the world a safer place?

Questions, but few clear answers.

Every day a million and a half people walk its streets, enough to make it one of the largest cities in America. Five hundred thousand people brave the cold every New Year’s Eve to watch the ball drop there. It is corporate home to 1,500 businesses including MTV, Morgan Stanley, The Shubert Organization and the company for which it is named, The New York Times.

One hundred years ago, it was called Long Acre Square, the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. Then as now it was a busy commercial district, but it was also one of the city’s fancier neighborhoods and home to more than a few brothels.

In 1903, the Times decided to build its headquarters there and on April 8, 1904 convinced the city to change the area’s name to Times Square. In December of that year the building officially opened and played host to the first New Year’s Eve celebration, a tradition that continues to this day.

The official Times Square area stretches from West 40th Street to West 53rd Street, just west of Sixth Avenue to both sides of 8th Avenue and all the way to Ninth Avenue on West 46th Street. Inside its borders are the largest concentration of live theaters–40, including all 22 landmark Broadway theaters–50 supersigns, including a large NBC tv screen, stock and news tickers and the Coca-Cola sign at Two Times Square.

The New York Times actually moved its offices to W. 43rd Street, but the designation remains.

Over the years, its bright lights have always held a certain sex appeal, and sex has been one of its major trades. Prostitution has always found a home there since the beginning, along with burlesque houses, porno shops and peep shows. That image of the edgy, drug and hooker-infested Times Square, particularly during New York’s financial troubles in the 1970’s, became a symbol of all that was wrong with big cities.

I can remember as a kid, when my parents would bring us into the city to see the circus or a play or a ball game, if we passed through the area, our eyes would widen at the sight of all those X-rated movie marquees. Even today, with a cleaner, safer, more tourist-friendly Times Square, the popular perception of the neighborhood as a place to find action remains.

Personally, I avoid the place whenever possible now. Especially on the weekends. I think most New Yorkers do. There are just too many tourists, all walking with their mouths open and their heads up gawking at the bright lights, to make navigating the streets easy.

But despite my feelings, Times Square is a true symbol of what makes this city special. It is the crossroads of the country. Even in the worst of times, you can easily go there and get a lift just people watching, taking the pulse of the crowd and admiring all the lights.

Happy anniversary Times Square!

Got a favorite memory or story to tell about Times Square? Leave a comment.

………………………………

My favorite radio station, the greatest jazz radio station in the country, WBGO 88.3 FM celebrates its 25th anniversary on Friday, April 9. It is one of a small handful of full-time jazz stations left, and without them I couldn’t get up in the morning.

As much as I like to think of myself as an independent thinker, I couldn’t resist what a bunch of other folks have already done. Sue me.

1. Your name spelled backwards. Dranreb or Einreb
2. Where were your parents born? Dallas and New Orleans
3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? I dunno, prolly sum nekkid pichurs
4. What’s your favorite restaurant? I live in NYC. I have LOTS of favorite restaurants. Da Rosita on W. 46 is a nice Italian Place.
5. Last time you swam in a pool? A couple of years ago, on vacation.
6. Have you ever been in a school play? Only in kindergarten. I later did Off Broadway though.
7. How many kids do you want? Two or three.
8. Type of music you dislike most? Most Hip Hop leaves me cold.
9. Are you registered to vote? Please. Since I was 18.
10. Do you have cable? 250 channels of digital cable, thank you.
11. Have you ever ridden on a moped? Nope.
12. Ever prank call anybody? I’ve even successfully prank called family members.
13. Ever get a parking ticket? And, a speeding ticket.
14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? Bungee, no. I’ve been sky diving and plan to do it again.
15. Furthest place you ever traveled? Which is further away from New York, California or the Bahamas?
16. Do you have a garden? I live in an apartment in a six story walkup. What do you think?
17. What’s your favorite comic strip? Don’t really read any. I used to like Alley Oop, but now I’m dating myself.
18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem? U.S. and Canadian, just in case.
19. Bath or Shower, morning or night? Morning shower, unless its that muggy July/August weather, in which case its showers several times a day.
20. Best movie you’ve seen in the past month? Haven’t really seen anything in the past month.
21. Favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni
22. Chips or popcorn? Chips.
23. What color lipstick do you usually wear? My natural color, with a hint of Chapstick.
24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells? No, but I’ve whipped cream.
25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? No.
26. Orange Juice or apple? Orange.
27. Who was the last person you went out to dinner with and where did you dine? Nguru, some forgetable place in the Village.
28. Favorite type chocolate bar? Almond Joy or $100,000 Bar
29. When was the last time you voted at the polls? Democratic primaries a few months back.
30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato? Well, duh! I don’t have a garden, silly.
31. Have you ever won a trophy? No.
32. Are you a good cook? Yes, and I also bake.
33. Do you know how to pump your own gas? Well if I can get parking and speeding tickets, don’t you think I’d know how to gas up?
34. Ever order an article from an infomercial? Nope, don’t even watch that junk.
35. Sprite or 7-up? Same difference.
36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work? “To” work, no. “At” work, yes, my NYPD uni.
37. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy? Twine.
38. Ever throw up in public? No, but I’ve been close.
39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love? Give me a million and I’ll buy true love.
40. Do you believe in love at first sight? Absolutely not.
41. Ever call a 1-900 number? Yes.
42. Can exes be friends? Up until recently, almost all of mine were. Then I moved to NYC.
43. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital? My father.
44. Did you have a lot of hair when you were a baby? Yes.
45. What message is on your answering machine? “Hi, I’m not here to take your call, so at the tone please leave your name, telephone number and a brief message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” In my best broadcast voice.
46. What’s your all time favorite Saturday Night Live Character? Chico Escuela. “Beisbol ben berry berry good to me!”
47. What was the name of your first pet? We always had pets growing up, but the first one I brought home was Teddi the cat.
48. What is in your purse? I carry a male purse, otherwise known as a briefcase. An umbrella, cell phone recharger, CDs, the book, “Against All Enemies” by Richard Clarke. Other miscellaneous junk.
49. Favorite thing to do before bedtime? See Nova’s answer.
50. What is one thing you are grateful for today? Life itself.

Came home Tuesday, a week after it left, exactly on schedule. In perfect working order and no loss of data or documents.

Whenever I called to check on it (which was daily) they gave me prompt, thorough information and answered all my questions in a courteous manner. It was a difficult week not having a computer at home, but I couldn’t be happier with the way it all got resolved.

My recommendation, always get the AppleCare Protection Plan.