HIS GUILT CONTROLS HIS ACTIONS

From the article above:

"Cheney is always in Bush's ear, whispering `terrorism, terrorism, terrorism.' He's obsessed."

There’s been many stories about Cheney being more than a little concerned about terrorism...Paranoid being a better way to describe it. Maybe because the greatest terror attack in US history happened on his watch? Maybe he’s fearful of new attacks putting us all at risk? I say that’s possible, but it’s more than that. In the days and weeks after 9/11, Cheney went into hiding. Protective hiding. His whereabouts and presence has been little known and little felt in the 2 years after the attacks.

IT’S THE GUILT

You see, towards the end of the Clinton administration, after the attacks on the U.S.S. Cole, a counter terrorism plan was hatched. It was a major undertaking that was drawn up but not implemented (supposedly) because it would have been dumping a major offensive operation into the lap of an incoming administration. The plans were, however left for Bush and they were ignored. The plans were placed in the corner with no alternative vision implemented. In part I think this was because of the ‘anything but Clinton’ attitude. Over time they finally came around to reviewing the plans and deciding what parts to use themselves. This was the week of 9/11.

Now I’m not saying that they should have known, and I’m not saying that Clinton had the problem solved and 9/11 is all the GOP’s fault. What I am saying is that there was a plan out there and it was ignored. Nothing was done in its stead and then we get 9/11. No matter what, Cheney knows what he didn’t do. He knows that the administration was asleep at the wheel, regardless if he could have changed the outcome of events. For this, he feels guilt. The guilt has transformed into both a paranoia and a zealotry. His paranoid fear of being unprepared has directed him in almost every way since 9/11, but his zealotry in the matter has blinded him to a sensible way about it. As recently as the last 30 days, we have seen him AGAIN connect 9/11 and Saddam. AFTER bush admits there’s no proof. Cheney finds some perverse comfort in this lie–to us and to himself.

He is like a man in shock, curled in the fetal position, rocking back and forth, murmuring to himself some story that brings comfort (even if it’s not reality). This, I believe, is the bitter result for a man that had the responsibility of a nation dumped upon him by an incompetent President and an unconcerned Svengali (Karl Rove). He knew he could beat Iraq. He knew there was money in it. He knew he had to win at something. So we won the war...ignoring the one we need to fight.

New reports show that vital resources were taken from the war on the Al Qaida and aimed at Iraq. The Taliban are now stronger, and its our own fault.