‘[Zelikow] had laid the groundwork for much of went wrong at the White House in the weeks and months before September 11,’ states the book. New Book Exposes 9/11 Commission ChairmanBy Cliff Montgomery – Feb. 21st, 2008A very interesting book entitled, The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation, by New York Times reporter Philip Shenon hit the book shelves on February 5th.In it, Shenon releases what for many may be a potential bombshell: The 9/11 Commission’s executive director, Philip Zelikow, on numerous occasions exchanged ‘surreptitious’ communications with George W. Bush spin doctor Karl Rove and other White House administrators during the panel’s 20-month investigation of the 9/11 attacks.”In a work of history that will make headlines,” states the book description, “New York Times reporter Philip Shenon investigates the investigation of 9/11 and tells the inside story of the most important federal commission since the the Warren Commission.”Shenon uncovers startling new information about the inner workings of the 9/11 Commission and its relationship with the Bush White House,” adds the description.We should never breathe too much into the claims of advertising copy, but this is not a book to be ignored. In fact, many in and out of Washington have known much of this “new information” for years.The Commission’s primary “revelation” is the obvious conflicts of interest with the 9/11 panel’s Executive Director, Philip Zelikow.Mr. Zelikow had worked as Director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs and as a White Burkett Miller Professor of History at the University of Virginia prior to his service as the 9/11 Commission’s executive director.He also had worked for the incoming George W. Bush Administration prior to the events of 9/11.Zelikow specifically had worked on Condoleeza Rice’s National Security Council (NSC) transition crew in 2000-01. In fact, Mr. Zelikow apparently had been the “architect” who personally demoted Richard Clarke’s counter-terrorism unit within the NSC.The principal tasks of Clarke’s team were to hunt down Osama bin Laden and eliminate al-Qaeda.As Shenon succinctly writes:
- “[Zelikow] had laid the groundwork for much of went wrong at the White House in the weeks and months before September 11. Would he want people to know that?”
But the website AntiWar.com published an article in 2004 stating the clear problems in appointing Zelikow as Executive Director of the 9/11 Commission, and added:
- “Though he has no vote, (Zelikow) arguably has more sway than any member, including the chairman. Zelikow picks the areas of investigation, the briefing materials, the topics for hearings, the witnesses, and the lines of questioning for witnesses…In effect, he sets the agenda and runs the investigation.”
Shenon’s book in fact is a withering account of Zelikow’s “leadership” of the 9/11 Commission, and a tacit criticism of panel members for putting Zelikow in charge to begin with, then keeping him there even after Zelikow acknowledged numerous conflicts-of-interest under oath.A book is only as good as its author, and those hoping to spin Shenon as a ‘crackpot seeing patterns where none exist’ will be disappointed.The book provides an impressive description of its author:”Philip Shenon is an investigative reporter with The New York Times, based in Washington,” said the description.”[Shenon] was the lead reporter on the…September 11 Commission and has held several of the most important assignments of the Washington Bureau,” continued the note, “including chief Defense Department correspondent, diplomatic correspondent, Congressional correspondent and Justice Department Correspondent.”He was one of two Times reporters embedded with American grounds troops during the invasion of Iraq,” and he has “worked in pre-war Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran for Times foreign staff,” according to the description.But regardless of the newness of these ‘revelations’, they carry a much-added weight when coming from such a proven reporter. By that measure, the final effects of Shenon’s new work, The Commission, may be enormous.Like what you’re reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of thee-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
