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| Ahmad Shah Massoud ( احمد شاه مسعود ); "Lion of Panjshir" (شیر پنجشیر) (1953–2001) |
Ahmad Shah Massoud was assassinated by a duo of suicide bombers who waited almost two weeks on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border, high in the Hindu Kush to meet with him.
The Algerian Muslims who killed him posed as Belgian journalists and brought with them two bombs; one packed inside their video camera and the other a suicide vest worn by the interviewer.
Having waited a fortnight to get into a room with their mark, the "interview" immediately took a hostile turn: "Why do you speak against Osama Bin Laden? Why do you say he is a killer?"
At least some of this appears to have been recorded on videotape (in spite of the exploding camera) before the assassin with the suicide belt ended Massood's illustrious military and political career.
He was the only Afghan Warlord to have survived and maintained the loyalty of his people from the pre-Soviet Invasion days of Afghanistan in 1979 to the 21 Century. This was the kind of Warlord Zbigniew Brzezinski had in mind to help out as the rump of the Afghan resistance when authoring the Carter Administration's National Security Finding of August 1979.
Now he was dead, and the second assassin fell to a hail of bullets from the troops of his loyal inner retinue, from whom he commanded much love and affection, just as he had even from his Soviet adversaries, who respected him as a warrior and a patriot, not beholden to the Great Powers.
The date was September 9th 2001.
Masud was easily the greatest captain seen in the Afghan civil war on either side, both in reputation and command skills. He joined the Islamic movement as an engineering student at Kabul University. During the Soviet war he created the strongest and most independent rebel force in Afghanistan with the least international help. He read widely about guerilla war, politics, and the world in general, and while an Islamic fighter, he was more moderate than Hekmatyar, Sayyaf, and Ismail Khan. Presently, Masud is worshipped as a martyr and a patriotic saint.
Masud was strategically important because he controlled the Panjishir Valley. The valley is 40 miles long, has many side valleys feeding into it, and is a natural fortress with 80,000 inhabitants. It was close enough to dominate the mountain road that brought fuel and grain to Kabul from the Soviet Union. Masud’s first attempt to spark revolt in the valley failed, and he fled with a leg wound. But after the Soviets entered the country, the people were ready to fight. Based in the valley, Masud raided the Kabul supply road, taking one in five truckloads as booty, either by ambush or in checkpoint holdups. To protect the road, the communists invaded Panjishir nine times, each time encountering a tactically skilled and brilliantly led militia which destroyed their vehicles, subverted conscripts from the Communist Afghan army, and shot Soviet soldiers from the cover of rough ground.
Unlike the other mujahideen commanders, Masud rooted his militia in the community by working with a council of tribal elders. However, this made him vulnerable to pressure by Soviet punitive attacks on civilians. As a result, he entered into periodic truces with the Soviets, angering the CIA and the ISI, who were only interested in Soviet blood, not the welfare of the peasantry. In 1984, Masud evacuated the entire civilian population of the Panjishir before the Soviets attacked.
After he defeated Najibullah, Masud found it impossible to cooperate with the distasteful CIA-ISI proxy, Hekmatyar, and failed to create a national government. Mullah Omardrove Masud back to the Panjishir in 1997, but could not finish him off. Masud wrote a battle plan to destroy the Taliban and waited for the United States to join him. Although Osama had Masud murdered on September 9, 2001, his battle plan survived to defeat Mullah Omar and reunite the nation under Karzai.
Committee on Foreign Relations
Hearing on Events in Afghanistan
October 8, 1998
Mr. Chairman, honorable representatives of the people of the United States of America,
I send this message to you today on behalf of the freedom and peace-loving people of Afghanistan, the Mujahedeen freedom fighters who resisted and defeated Soviet communism, the men and women who are still resisting oppression and foreign hegemony and, in the name of more than one and a half million Afghan martyrs who sacrificed their lives to uphold some of the same values and ideals shared by most Americans and Afghans alike. This is a crucial and unique moment in the history of Afghanistan and the world, a time when Afghanistan has crossed yet another threshold and is entering a new stage of struggle and resistance for its survival as a free nation and independent state.
I have spent the past 20 years, most of my youth and adult life, alongside my compatriots, at the service of the Afghan nation, fighting an uphill battle to preserve our freedom, independence, right to self-determination and dignity. Afghans fought for God and country, sometime alone, at other times with the support of the international community. Against all odds, we, meaning the free world and Afghans, halted and checkmated Soviet expansionism a decade ago. But the embattled people of my country did not savor the fruits of victory. Instead they were thrust in a whirlwind of foreign intrigue, deception, great-gamesmanship and internal strife. Our country and our noble people were brutalized, the victims of misplaced greed, hegemonic designs and ignorance. We Afghans erred too. Our shortcomings were as a result of political innocence, inexperience, vulnerability, victimization, bickering and inflated egos. But by no means does this justify what some of our so-called Cold War allies did to undermine this just victory and unleash their diabolical plans to destroy and subjugate Afghanistan.
Today, the world clearly sees and feels the results of such misguided and evil deeds. South-Central Asia is in turmoil, some countries on the brink of war. Illegal drug production, terrorist activities and planning are on the rise. Ethnic and religiously-motivated mass murders and forced displacements are taking place, and the most basic human and women�s rights are shamelessly violated. The country has gradually been occupied by fanatics, extremists, terrorists, mercenaries, drug Mafias and professional murderers. One faction, the Taliban, which by no means rightly represents Islam, Afghanistan or our centuries-old cultural heritage, has with direct foreign assistance exacerbated this explosive situation. They are unyielding and unwilling to talk or reach a compromise with any other Afghan side.
Unfortunately, this dark accomplishment could not have materialized without the direct support and involvement of influential governmental and non-governmental circles in Pakistan. Aside from receiving military logistics, fuel and arms from Pakistan, our intelligence reports indicate that more than 28,000 Pakistani citizens, including paramilitary personnel and military advisers are part of the Taliban occupation forces in various parts of Afghanistan. We currently hold more than 500 Pakistani citizens including military personnel in our POW camps. Three major concerns - namely terrorism, drugs and human rights - originate from Taliban-held areas but are instigated from Pakistan, thus forming the inter-connecting angles of an evil triangle. For many Afghans, regardless of ethnicity or religion, Afghanistan, for the second time in one decade, is once again an occupied country.
Let me correct a few fallacies that are propagated by Taliban backers and their lobbies around the world. This situation over the short and long-run, even in case of total control by the Taliban, will not be to anyone�s interest. It will not result in stability, peace and prosperity in the region. The people of Afghanistan will not accept such a repressive regime. Regional countries will never feel secure and safe. Resistance will not end in Afghanistan, but will take on a new national dimension, encompassing all Afghan ethnic and social strata.
The goal is clear. Afghans want to regain their right to self-determination through a democratic or traditional mechanism acceptable to our people. No one group, faction or individual has the right to dictate or impose its will by force or proxy on others. But first, the obstacles have to be overcome, the war has to end, just peace established and a transitional administration set up to move us toward a representative government.
We are willing to move toward this noble goal. We consider this as part of our duty to defend humanity against the scourge of intolerance, violence and fanaticism. But the international community and the democracies of the world should not waste any valuable time, and instead play their critical role to assist in any way possible the valiant people of Afghanistan overcome the obstacles that exist on the path to freedom, peace, stability and prosperity. Effective pressure should be exerted on those countries who stand against the aspirations of the people of Afghanistan. I urge you to engage in constructive and substantive discussions with our representatives and all Afghans who can and want to be part of a broad consensus for peace and freedom for Afghanistan.
With all due respect and my best wishes for the government and people of the United States,
Ahmad Shah Massoud.
Masood to Bush: Help bring peace to Afghanistan, else the U.S. and other nations will face dire consequences Islamic world's inaction over Afghan tragedy is unfortunate
Concluded from our two previous issues: In continuation of Omaid Weekly's coverage of the early April European tour of Ahmad Shah Masood, generalissimo of Afghanistan's national resistance force, the following is a summarized translation from the original Dari-Persian text, as compiled by our senior correspondent Wais Nassery, of our transcript from the April 4 press conference, held at 11:30 a.m. in Paris.
Q: Have your talks with French officials focused on bringing pressure on Pakistan to end its interference in Afghanistan? � Can you confirm recent military aid from Iran to the United Front?
A: As I have repeated many times, a major way in which other countries and the international community can help to establish peace in Afghanistan and end the fighting and bloodshed is to bring adequate pressure on Pakistan. This has been mentioned in talks with the French Foreign Ministry, and it will also be mentioned in talks with others. It is then up to these officials to make a decision.
Concerning your second question, we have good and friendly relations with not only Iran, but also other neighboring and Central Asian countries. But recent and previous rumors of military assistance are false.
Q: What is your opinion on terrorist actions in the name of Islam in Algeria? What information do you have on the involvement of Osama bin Laden's organization in this region, and are you in contact with Algerian political forces opposing the terrorists?
A: We are against any sort of [so-called] "Islamic" terrorist actions and "non-Islamic" terrorist actions, and we consider terrorism to be against Islam and against the interests of humanity.
Of course bin Laden has groups elsewhere besides Afghanistan. We have [extensive] information about [bin Laden's group] inside Afghanistan, and to varying degrees in other regions.
There are governmental relations with political groups in Algeria, but unfortunately I have no direct personal contacts in this regard.
Q: There is a new administration in Washington, however there is still no visible sign of a distinct U.S. policy on Afghanistan. What do you expect from the new U.S. administration and what is your message to President Bush?
A: As you have said, hitherto the Americans have no clear or distinct policy. My message to Mr. Bush is that if attention is not given to bringing peace in Afghanistan, and the people of Afghanistan are not assisted on the road toward achieving peace, then verily this crisis will continue to plague not just the people of Afghanistan, but also spread to America and other countries.
Q: What is your view of the activities of Zaher Shah and the Loya Jirga initiative?
A: First, this depends on his own decision and what he decides to do in the future. In my opinion, the former King has the ability to play a major and axial role in bringing peace to Afghanistan. But it is up to him as to the extent of his activities. With regard to his future role, that is for the people to decide � it depends on the will and mandate of the people.
Q: How do you make sense of the Islamic world's silence on the un-Islamic actions of the Taliban?
A: It is regretful that Islamic countries are not taking requisite measures with regard to the tragic situation in Afghanistan.
We were hopeful that Islamic countries working through the Organization of the Islamic Conference would serve to help bring peace to Afghanistan � unfortunately, hitherto no appropriate steps have been taken.
Unfortunately, in the past, some Islamic countries, like Saudi Arabia, without considering dangerous future consequences, not only did not oppose the Taliban, but took part in creating them, gave them money, and encouraged them.
Now that the Taliban's face has been completely exposed, we are hopeful that Islamic countries will take responsibility with regard to Afghanistan, and take steps toward establishing peace in Afghanistan.
Q: Do you believe that Afghans will continue to support you if you receive aid from Russia?
A: We have very good and friendly relations with regional countries, and it is Pakistan that wants to incite the people's opinion against us through propaganda.
But from another standpoint, when there is a blatant invasion, such as Pakistan's current ongoing incursion into Afghanistan and its [Regular Army] troop presence [in Afghanistan], I give myself the right to seek assistance from anywhere in defense of my homeland, my people's honor, and my country's independence. (Passionate and intense reaction from approving audience.)
Q: You have severely chastised Pakistan...What about Saudi Arabia, the Taliban's bankrollers?
A: It is Pakistan that has a strategic plan for Afghanistan and Central Asia. It is Pakistan that seeks "strategic depth" and "Islamic depth" in Afghanistan and Central Asia. It is Pakistan that, in the past, deceived and used the Saudis and other countries to further its own goals.
Masood: Democracy and the people's vote is only way to go, we oppose extremism, terrorism, and drug trafficking
Continuing Omaid Weekly's coverage of the early April European tour of Ahmad Shah Masood, generalissimo of Afghanistan's national resistance force, the following is a summarized translation from the original Dari-Persian, as compiled by our senior correspondent Wais Nassery, of the transcription from the April 4 press conference, held at 11:30 a.m. in Paris.
(Ahmad Shah Masood) In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. I appreciate and thank all the ladies and gentlemen for coming. I am prepared to answer questions that relate to Afghanistan and the region.
Q: What organization or entity do you represent? ...
A: I have come to France as a representative of the Islamic State of Afghanistan and as a representative of the United National and Islamic Front of Afghanistan.
I represent an independent and free State with [an ancient] and continuing history in Asia. Throughout history, this State has preserved its independence, existing with its own unique culture, its own unique traditions, and its own civilization. And it shall continue to exist as an independent State, with its own unique culture, traditions, and customs.
Q: Are your forces adequate to [continue to] resist the Taliban and prevent their advancement?
A: Alhamdulillah [hallelujah or "Praise be to God"], compared to previous years, our forces are in better condition. And undoubtedly, if it were not for the Pakistani intervention, Pakistan Army soldiers, other foreign elements like Osama [bin Laden] and Pakistani taliban [fighting in Afghanistan], there would be no need for our forces. I am certain that the nation of Afghanistan itself, the people of Qandahar, and ethnic Pashtoons are themselves sufficient to defeat the Taliban.
All things considered, similar to the era of jihad against the Soviet Union, in no way will the Taliban, Osama bin Laden, along with the Pakistanis be victorious in this war in Afghanistan. And sooner or later, there will be a general [nationwide] uprising by the people of Afghanistan, culminating in the decisive and final defeat of the Pakistanis, Osama and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
I should also like to mention that the Taliban are not just in conflict with our military forces. In fact, today the Taliban have been distanced from the people, and these foreign forces along with the Taliban are in conflict with the people of Afghanistan, which is why their military victory is impossible.
Q: �What political agenda does the United Front have? That is, what type of government is desired after the inevitable fall of the Taliban? What differences do you have with the Taliban as regards women's rights�?
A: We believe that the future government should be formed by means of general elections, via the people's ballot, through the vote of both women and men. The only form of government able to ensure social justice and equality between Afghanistan's various ethnic groups is democracy and the people's vote.
Our future government and the Taliban will be incomparably different. We have always opposed and continue to oppose any kind of extremist or radical movements, even if they claim to be Islamic, and we do not believe they are good for Afghanistan, the region, or the world. As I have repeated earlier, we believe in elections with the participation of both women and men.
We fully respect human rights, we support it, we will protect it.
We prescribe against the cultivation and trafficking of illegal narcotics; we believe they are haram [forbidden by Islam], and they are detrimental to all humankind, and destructive to our own country.
As during the jihad, we fully oppose terrorism and terrorist activities. No one had ever witnessed a terrorist attack by the mujahideen, even when the Russians were in Afghanistan. Terrorism is wrong and we are against it.
We not only support women's education, women working, and women's participation in society, but we encourage it. Women can play an instrumental role in rebuilding the country after these many years of war. (Applause)
Q: What do you expect from Europe, and what is your opinion about the West's general position on Afghanistan?
A: We expect Europe to play a critical role in establishing peace in Afghanistan. In my opinion, the sacrifice of the people of Afghanistan against communism makes it obligatory for the world to help and assist the people of Afghanistan to achieve peace in their country.
Our major request is humanitarian assistance to the refugees, including helping to provide education and health care.
AFGHANISTAN: Opposition leader calls for European aid
Afghan opposition leader Ahmad Shah Masud, during his first visit to the West, appealed on Wednesday to Europe for "aid of any kind" to help end his country's rule by the hardline Taliban religious militia, AP reported.
Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Masud said foreign aid had thus far been insignificant. Using a translator, the ousted Afghan defence minister who, with other opposition leaders, controls 5 percent of the country, said his movement was pro-human rights, in contrast with the ruling Taliban. It also favoured allowing women to work, in direct conflict with the Taliban's imposition of its harsh brand of Islam, which banned women from working and education, and forced them to wear head-to-toe coverings.
Masud also called on European leaders to take action against Pakistan: "We have always said that the route to peace is for the international community to put strong pressure on Pakistan."
The veteran commander urged the the Bush administration to forge a clearer policy on Afghanistan.
"My message to President Bush is the following: If he isn't interested in peace in Afghanistan, if he doesn't help the Afghan people to arrive at their objective of peace, the Americans and the rest of the world will have to face the problems."
Masud was due to travel to Strasbourg, eastern France, on Thursday at the invitation of the president of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, AP reported.
AHMAD SHAH MASOUD WARN PAKISTAN AGAINST THE AFGHANS WRATH
By Safa Haeri, IPS Editor
PARIS 4 Apr. 2001(IPS) Veteran Afghan warrior Commandant Ahmad Shah Mas�ud bluntly warned Wednesday Pakistan to get out of Afghanistan or face the same humiliation the Afghan people dealt to the British and Russian occupiers.
Speaking to a pack press conference in Paris, Mr. Mas�ud, who is in France on his first ever visit to the West, said he could check and defeat the Taleban if it were not for the "full military, logistic, financial and physical" assistance the hard-line Islamist militants receive from Pakistan.
"We ended the British colonialism and defeated the Red Army. Pakistan is not stronger. Sooner than latter, they too, will suffer the same humiliation", he assured, calling on both Europe and the United States help restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan by putting pressure on Islamabad to evacuate Afghanistan.
The Afghan leader met with Mr. Hubert Vedrine, the French socialist Foreign Minister and presidents of the National assembly and the Senate, to whom he briefed about the situation in his war-torn nation and called on them to take a bolder role in Afghanistan, particularly in stopping Pakistan�s deadly interference in Afghanistan�s internal affairs.
According to the charismatic warrior, by destructing the giant Buddhas of Bamiyan he described as "Afghan�s most valuable cultural heritage", the Taleban tore off the mask from their ugly face. "Now that the people have seen the real visage of the Taleban, they would fight them to the end", Mr. Mas�ud told French and international journalists.
He said, without explaining though, that he expect the dominantly Pashtun population of the Kunar Province near Pakistani border up rise against the Taleban, adding that once this happens, it would be followed by similar movements in Kabul, Qandahar, where resides Taleban�s supreme leader Mollah Mohammad Omar, as well as in other major cities,.
Though the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan controls more than 90 per cent of the Afghan territory, yet it is not recognised but by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf.
Asked by Iran Press Service why he all the time accuses Pakistan but has no word about Saudi Arabia, another main supporter of the Taleban that is reported to be behind a scheme for the destruction of all Shi�a mosques and monuments, Mr. Mas�ud again lambasted the Pakistani whom, he explained, were "associating" the Saudis in their strategy for Afghanistan.
Pakistan is the only country that has a clear-cut strategy for Afghanistan, that is to transform it into its backyard, Afghan sources said.
Heading a seven-member delegation that includes some commanders as well as the Foreign Minister of the Borhaneddin Rabbani government that was ousted from power by the Taleban in September 1996, Mr. Mas�ud is due to address the European Parliament Thursday in the French city of Strasbourg, near the German border.
The invitation to the "vice-President and defence Minister" of the Islamic Government of Afghanistan to address Europe-deputies came from Mrs. Nicole Fontaine, the French Speaker of the European Parliament him after the Taleban destroyed Buddha�s statues, arousing dismay and anger among the international opinion.
Mas�ud, a former second degree student at the French College of Kabul, described as "positive" the sanctions imposed by the United Nations on the Taleban, but regretted that because of "general negligence", the Pakistanis were able to bypass and ignore it "in full violation of the UN recommendations".
He dismissed as "Pakistan�s propaganda" reported rifts and dissensions among commanders and members of the Northern Coalition, observing that the anti-Taleban opposition was formed from personalities belonging to different ethnics and branches of Islam dedicated to put an end to the dark ages imposed by the Taleban.
Asked if it was not against his interests to get arms from Russia, a country that himself fought against for more than a decade, Mr. Mas�ud said immediately that he considers as his "most natural right" to get help from any source in order to "liberate my occupied nation and free my people".
He said the future regime of Afghanistan must be decided by the Afghan people in free and fair elections with the participation of all Afghans, including women, observing that "only democracy" can preserve and guarantee social justice, peace and equality for all Afghans, regardless of their ethnic, religious or cultural backgrounds.
Rejecting all forms of terrorism under any name and ideology, Mr. Mas�ud said Mr. Osama Ben Laden, the Saudi anti-American, anti-Western millionaire crusader the American accuses of terrorist activities, is in "symbiosis" with the Taleban ideology.
According to some information, Mr. Ben Laden has formed an army of his own in Afghanistan and enjoys paramount influence over afghan senior clerics around Mr. Omar.
Mr. Bin Laden is sought by the American Justice for the twin bombing of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
He regretted that the new US Administration had not a clear policy for Afghanistan and warned that in case Washington and other peace loving nations do nothing for the restoration of peace in Afghanistan, "they will bear the consequences".
Mr. Masoud says former Afghan King Mohammad Zaher Shah can play a positive role in restoring peace in Afghanistan and lauded efforts the Rome-based Monarch is deploying to this end by trying to convene a Loya Jirga, or the traditional Elders Grand Assembly.
ENDS MASUD PARIS 4401
Epilogue: The Evening After - September 10th, 2001
Courtesy of Webster Tarpley (
Courtesy of Webster Tarpley (
On the evening of September 10, Zainlabdeen Omer, a Sudanese national who was a local resident, reported an assassination threat against Bush to the Secret Service. Omer reported that a person he knew had made violent threats against Bush and was now in town, so Omer was worried about Bush's safety. Omer said the person in question was named Ghandi. The next day, 9/11, the Secret Service searched a Sarasota apartment in connection with this report. Three Sudanese men were questioned for about ten hours. The Secret Service also raided a Sarasota beauty supply store, whose owner, identified as "Hakim," told the agents that "Ghandi" was a member of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army, a group fighting against the fundamentalist Muslim government in Sudan. (Hopsicker, July 22, 2002) The SPLA, led by US agent John Garang, is an asset of the CIA and the Mossad. It is not possible to determine whether this story represents the danger about which the local ABC station said Bush was warned.
It was at Longboat Key that Bush was the target of a possible assassination attempt. As Bush was preparing for his morning run, a van carrying several Middle Eastern men pulled up to the security post at the Colony's entrance. The men claimed to be a television news crew with a scheduled poolside interview with the president. They asked for a certain Secret Service agent by name. The message was relayed to a Secret Service agent inside the resort, who hadn't heard of the agent mentioned or of plans for an interview. He told the men to contact the president's public relations office in Washington, DC, and had the van turned away. (Longboat Observer, September 26, 2001; Hopsicker 2004 39-48)
This technique may have been the same one used to eliminate General Ahmed Shah Massoud two days earlier. Here a television camera crew composed of suicide bombers had gained access to the legendary anti-Soviet fighter and leader of the Afghan Northern Alliance. After setting up their equipment, a bomb inside their camera had detonated, killing Massoud and others. The official version sees this event as a preparation for 9/11, through attempting to cripple the Northern Alliance which the CIA was sure to use against the Taliban regime. But there is a more cogent view; Massoud was a proud nationalist who would not have taken orders from the CIA and UNOCAL, so it was urgent for the CIA to eliminate him. In the latter case, Bush may have come close to joining Massoud as the victim of the same rogue network of US intelligence which planned 9/11. In any case, the fact that a likely assassination attempt had been foiled would normally have been the basis for canceling the rest of Bush's schedule for the day and for quickly hurrying him back to Washington or some other secure destination. But on 9/11, the most minimal precautions were flaunted. Was it security stripping?
Bush's publicity event at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, on September 11, 2001, had been in the planning phase since August, but was only publicly announced on the morning of September 7. (White House, September 7, 2001) Later that same day of September 7, alleged 9/11 hijackers Mohamed Atta and Marwan al Shehhi had traveled to Sarasota for drinks and dinner at a Holiday Inn located two miles down the beach from where Bush was scheduled to stay during his Sarasota visit. (Longboat Observer, November 21, 2001, Washington Post, January 27, 2002) Was this a coincidence, or did it have something to do with a possible assassination attempt on Bush?
On the surface, Bush's security arrangements at the Colony appeared elaborate. Surface-to-air missiles were placed on the roof of the resort (Sarasota Herald-Tribune, September 10, 2002), and an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) plane circled high overhead. (Sammon 25) Did this represent an enhanced level of protection for Bush in comparison to the usual norm?
At about 8;50 AM (when reports of the first World Trade Center crash were first broadcast), while standing on the Sarasota bay front waiting for the presidential motorcade to pass by, a passerby observed two Middle Eastern men in a dilapidated van "screaming out the windows 'Down with Bush' and raising their fists in the air." The FBl supposedly questioned the source of this report, but it is not clear if this was the same van that had appeared at the Colony security checkpoint. (Longboat Observer, September 26, 2001)
When did Bush learn that American flight 11 had hit the North Tower? There are several reports that Bush was told of the first crash before he arrived at the Booker school. The initial flashes of American 11's crash into the World Trade Center began around 8:48 AM, two minutes after the crash happened. (New York Times, September 15, 2001) Nevertheless, at 9:03 AM, fifteen minutes after a grave emergency was obvious, Bush sat down with a classroom of second-graders and begin a 20-minute photo opportunity? Part of the answer to this may lie in Bush's mental inertia and weak hold on external reality. But it may also be that Bush was being subjected to some form of security stripping by the networks who were carrying out the 9/11 attacks. It should be recalled that the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas was greatly facilitated by the absence of many of the redundant layers of security that usually envelop a traveling president. The many lapses in Bush's personal security on 9/11 suggest that the Secret Service was anything but immune to the rogue network operating behind the scenes.
An alert security detail would have taken Bush out of the Booker school at the first news that American 11 had hit the North Tower. A local reporter commented: "[Bush] could and arguably should have left Emma E. Booker Elementary School immediately, gotten onto Air Force One and left Sarasota without a moment's delay But he didn't." (Sarasota Herald-Tribune, September 12, 2001)
Months later, Bush offered his famous garbled and impossible account of how he learned of the first plane impacting the WTC. On December 4, 2001, Bush was asked: "How did you feel when you heard about the terrorist attack?" Bush answered, "1 was sitting outside the classroom waiting to go in, and I saw an airplane hit the tower -- the TV was obviously on. And I used to fly, myself, and I said, well, there's one terrible pilot. I said, it must have been a horrible accident. But I was whisked off there, I didn't have much time to think about it." (White House, 12/4/01) Many commentators have noted that the only known film of American 11 hitting the North Tower, the Naudet video, was not broadcast until many hours later. Some have verged into real nonsense, imagining that a secret camera had filmed the first impact and transmitted the pictures to a special television screen set up in the school, all for the edification of Bush. This vastly overestimates the importance of Bush, who was after all just another puppet president. More likely, this garbled version is simply another index of Bush's well-known mental impairment.
The children were opening their books to read a story together when Bush's White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card entered the room and whispered to Bush: " A second plane hit the second tower. America is under attack." (San Francisco Chronicle, September 11, 2002) Bush did not respond. He did not ask questions. He wanted no further information. He gave no orders or directives. He tasked no bureaucracies. He did literally nothing. Bush had run for president with the admission that he was a person of limited mental ability, but one who would hire the best advisers available. This moment showed the fatal weakness of that formula, of the oligarchical presidency. Now there was no time for options to be prepared; quick action, crisp orders were required -- orders to mobilize all air defenses, to evacuate key sites, to investigate what was happening. Bush had never been qualified for the presidency, and at this moment he proved it: he froze. As Dr. Franks has pointed out, Bush clings obsessively to his routine as a means of preventing the public disintegration of his personality. On 9/11, Bush clung to a routine with a vengeance, even as the world was crumbling around him. And when a head of state and a head of government fumbles, the goal line is wide open behind him. This was the defining moment of the Bush 43 presidency: the raging infantile id paralyzed by fear and dread. And this was Bush's pattern: When an American EP-3E spy plane had been forced down on the coast of China in the spring of 2001, "neither Bush nor Rice seemed anxious about the situation's deteriorating into a hostage crisis .... Bush went to bed around his usual time, before midnight .... In the White House, it was mostly business as usual. Bush came back from Camp David early on Sunday, not because of the crisis, but because bad weather interfered with his outdoor recreation." (Newsweek April 16, 2001)
"MY PET GOAT"
Bush's defense, as summarized by the 9/11 commission was that "the President felt he should project strength and calm until he could better understand what was happening." (9/11 commission report 38) This is exactly the ceremonial conception of the weak presidency, which sees the office as an object of popular emotional cathexis and symbolism, rather than as a policy-making post oriented toward action in the real world. It was left to the foreign press to ask the obvious question: whatever Bush's animadversions might have been, why was he not picked up and carried out? A Canadian reporter noted that "for some reason, Secret Service agents (did) not bustle him away." (Globe and Mail, September 12, 2001) There had in fact been one attempt. A member of Bush's entourage, variously identified as a Secret Service agent or as a Marine from the communications detail, had said, "We're out of here. Can you get everyone ready?" (Sarasota Herald-Tribune, September 10, 2002) But nothing happened. What strange process was at work behind the scenes to leave Bush as a sitting duck in a highly publicized location at a time of gravest danger? Was security stripping going on in the background? This lackadaisical response of Bush's Secret Service detail contrasts sharply with the aggressive manhandling of Cheney, who was lifted up by main force and carried toward the PEOC, the White House bunker, by Secret Service agents.
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