Lee Hamilton vs. David Ray Griffin

Here are some relevant quotes from David Ray Griffin that mention Mr. Hamilton. These quotes are from Griffin's The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions (Olive Branch Press, 2005).

By the way, Lee Hamilton, in case you didn't know, was Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission (the Chairman was Thomas Kean).

"With regard to thoroughness in what should have been the most important sense, however, the Commission failed disgracefully. The Commission's mandate, as Kean and Hamilton pointed out, was to investigate 'facts and circumstances relating to the terrorist attacks of September 11' and then to provide 'the fullest possible account' of those facts and circumstances. What the Commission actually did, however, was only to provide a fairly full account of those facts and circumstances that are consistent with the official conspiracy theory about 9/11. Every fact inconsistent with this theory is either distorted or entirely omitted." (Griffin, p. 14)

"How can we believe that the Commission 's report was based on 'exacting investigative work,' as we were told by Kean and Hamilton in the Preface, if the staff did not even learn, from sources such as the Associated Press, the Telegraph, and the BBC, that six of the men originally identified as the hijackers were still alive?" (Griffin, p. 20)

"In the same statement in which they announced their aim 'to provide the fullest possible account' of the 'facts and circumstances' relating to 9/11, Kean and Hamilton made no mention of one of the seemingly most inexplicable facts about 9/11 - that after the biggest terrorist attack ever suffered by the United States, the president wanted no investigation, seemingly did everything in his power to delay and obstruct it. Is it not mysterious that the 9/11 Commission would, in its final report, make no reference to these facts?" (Griffin, p. 285)

Okay, this is me, Andy, again. Did you notice how Hamilton, in his article, said "our task is to turn tragedy into opportunity?" Remember when Bush and his people said that? Did you think of 9/11 as an opportunity, Mr. Hamilton? He also says, "the impact of 9/11 is incalculable, and will unfold over many years and decades...." This is the kind of talk these guys use in order to drill into our heads the idea that "everything is different now," and we just have to get used to perpetual war, fear, and uncertainty.

Again, as with Jack Colwell's opinion piece, the facts are being ignored, and the 9/11 mythology is being played up. The title says it all - "Everything changed after 9/11." That's the big message they want you to remember. Why? Because it justifies whatever decisions the Bush administration makes, and at the same time, it lets everyone else off the hook. 9/11 is the only answer they need to give, and it's the only excuse you need to not think about what they're doing!

"We need to attack Iran and Syria."
"Well, why do we need to do that? That seems like a bad idea to me."
"Because everything changed after 9/11."
"Oh, yeah. Okay, sounds good to me! Go for it. God Bless America..."

"We need you to take your shoes off, put your hands on your head, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, put a patriotic bumper sticker on your Hummer and join the Army!"
"Well, why do I have to do all that shit? I'm just flying to Cleveland."
"Because everything changed after 9/11."
"Oh, yeah. Okay, sounds good to me! See you in Baghdad! No, wait...I won't see you in Baghdad, or anywhere else, because I'm probably coming home in a coffin, and you probably aren't coming to my funeral."

Yeah, sign me up, because "everything changed after 9/11." That's probably what military recruiters say to all those high school kids.