9/11 panel: Administration fails

Even four years after the strikes in New York and Washington DC, the Bush administration and the Congress have failed to take adequate measu...

Even four years after the strikes in New York and Washington DC, the Bush administration and the Congress have failed to take adequate measures to ward off another attack, the former September 11 Commission said. The panel accused the duo for 8216;8216;moving at a crawl8217;8217; against terrorists.

8216;8216;We believe that the terrorists will strike again. So does every responsible expert that we have talked to,8217;8217; said Thomas Kean, Chairman of the Commission.

Issuing its last report card reviewing how the Commission8217;s 41 recommendations have been implemented, the former members have given five 8216;8216;failing8217;8217; grades or 8216;8216;F8217;8217; to the government including one on not providing adequate emergency communications.

In the category of counter-terrorist financing, the Bush administration received a minus A. Kean charged that airline passengers were not being screened against a watchlist and funding for homeland security was more along 8216;8216;pork barrel politics8217;8217; than risks.

However, the White House quickly defended the administration8217;s track record in protecting American people. 8216;8216;We have taken significant steps to better protect the American people at home. There is more to do. This is the resident8217;s highest responsibility,8217;8217; spokesman Scot Mcclellan said.

8216;8216;I think we8217;ve too quickly forgotten the lesson of 9/11 and I think the odds are very good that we8217;re going to pay a terrible price for forgetting that lesson,8217;8217; said Republican Commissioner James Thompson, also a former Illinois Governor.

Meanwhile, the Democrats wasted no time in attacking the administration and seizing the opportunity presented by the National Commission.

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8216;8216;When will our government wake up to this challenge?8217;8217; Democratic Commissioner Timothy Roemer remarked. 8216;8216; Al Qaeda is quickly changing and we are not8230; We are skating on thin ice. That ice is getting thinner and about to crack,8217;8217; he said.