You know the rest; ‘and when did we know it’. After the dust had settled around the Twin Towers, this was the rallying call of the media hoping to prove that President Bush was incompetent or complicit in 9/11. I firmly believe that we will be hearing those words again in the not too distant future. When a large scale and highly successful terror attack hits a major US city, people will again ask the question.
Let’s take this a step further and consider what would happen if there were a string of well coordinated and simultaneous attacks that emanated from terror bases south of the border. Due to the nature of the attacks, an entire city was isolated from immediate assistance from outside responders, and the city’s first responders were victims of the initial wave of attacks.
Then, as help from the outside started to arrive, a similar attack hits another city, in another state. The entire country would be sent into a state of panic as every city wondered if they were next. In addition to the death and destruction within the originally targeted cities, the true success of the attacks is the nationwide terror that has been created. Signs of an emerging economic recovery are shattered as the Nation is once again aware of the fragile state of our security.
Let’s assume that it is entirely within the realm of possibility that a scenario similar to the one above can happen. It would probably be carried out by Iranian backed Hezbollah fighters that have established themselves within our country over the past five to ten years, supported by terrorists that have more recently crossed into our country and sympathetic followers from radicalized mosques.
This is not an exercise designed to scare you, but a way to focus attention on the information currently available about the threats our homeland faces. The info is out there, but most Americans do not take the time to find it. Or, because the national media only reports on the subject periodically, Americans do not understand the severity of the risk.
But, those of you in congress who receive regular briefings; you know the truth but do not share it with your fellow citizens. We understand the reasons for secure briefings and we do not want to know all the details. However, the citizens desire, and deserve to know the reality of the threats we face so that we can prepare ourselves accordingly.
Do you not believe the warnings? Have you been requested not to share any details? Is political correctness too powerful of a force to resist? Or, are you complicit with the forces that ally themselves against our country? There has to be a reason why the majority of you and your fellow lawmakers pretend publicly that we face only minor or far-off threats.
Whatever the reasons for your silence, here is how your future will play out. When we are attacked, the questions will start before the dust settles this time. 9/11 was an awakening and a warning to America about the evils of terrorism. You were warned and still you allowed us to fall back into our false sense of security; and the media, fueled by a scared and angry nation, will not treat you kindly.
How will you respond when you are asked the question “what did you know, and when did you know it”? With very little effort, I could quickly provide 100 links to stories about our lax border security, weapon smuggling, Hezbollah using the Cartels to move fighters and other assets into the country, the increase in apprehension of illegal immigrants from terror supporting countries, and the smuggling of unusual weapons through our ports. And this is just what is available to me, a random, but observant news watcher. Can you imagine when all of the details become available or have been leaked to the press?
When hearings are scheduled to examine what information was available to you, and how well you dealt with the issue in the defense of your country, how will you answer? It is only my guess, but I expect to see a lot of early retirements from Congress announced at that point.
Congress will pay a price for their lack of courage in dealing with these threats, but our fellow citizens will pay an even greater price. There is enough public information available to make all of us concerned if we have the courage to ask some simple questions.
What do you know, and when will you find out?
By Jack Woodward 2/19/12
