Failure to Implement 9/11 Commission Report Causes Bush to Imperil Los Angeles

This is Library Tower (recently renamed US Bank Tower) in downtown Los Angeles. It's an elegant 73-story, 15 year old building located in the central business district. It's the tallest building in the United States west of the Mississippi River.

I've been in Library Tower many times, and always felt safe. Earthquakes are our main concern here in Southern California, and this majestic building was designed to withstand an earthquake of 8.3 on the Richter Scale.

I've always felt safe in Library Tower...until today. Turns out earthquakes aren't our only concern anymore. The federal Homeland Security, established by the Bush Administration, is also an obstacle to our security and safety in Los Angeles.

Yesterday, in a speech given to bolster public support for his warrantless spying program, President Bush boasted that secret surveillance had thwarted a 2002 terrorist plot to fly airliners into Library Tower.

Reported AP, "...the hijackers were to use shoe bombs to blow open the cockpit door of a commercial jetliner, take control of the plane and crash it into the Library Tower in Los Angeles, a 73-story building since renamed the US Bank Tower. In his remarks, Bush inadvertently referred to the site as 'Liberty Tower.'" Bush reported that this plan was hatched starting in October 2001.

A deadly, frightening plan, no doubt....., but that's not my biggest concern now in 2006. It seems that neither the Bush Administration, nor anyone else in the federal government, ever told Los Angeles officials about this alleged plot.

In four years, not one word was communicated to Los Angeles about it. Police, fire and emergency first-responders were never informed of the plot. The mayor and city council were left in the dark. Even the building owner, Maguire Properties, wasn't told to fortify the building in case of 9/11-style attack.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, previously part of the California Assembly and LA City Council,, said to AP that he was "blindsided" by President Bush's announcement of a purported 2002 hijacking plot aimed at a downtown skyscraper, and described communication with the White House as "nonexistent."

"I'm amazed that the president would make this (announcement) on national TV and not inform us of these details through the appropriate channels," said Villaraigosa on Thursday. "I don't expect a call from the president — but somebody."
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But I, and we, shouldn't be surprised by Bush Administration neglect and failure of communication to secure American citizens from possible terrorist attack.

In its final report issued on December 5, 2005, the bipartisan 9/11 Commission told us that such failures had happened, and would happen again, unless the Bush Administration made drastic systemic changes. The 9/11 Commission's Final Report on Recommendations detailed the performance of the Bush Administration and Congress in implementing its 41 broad recommendations.

In a nutshell, the Republican-led federal government has failed to effectively safeguard the American public to shield it from another 9/11-style catastrophic attack. The commission also issued a quick-reading report card, which I included here for your convenience, The 41 Grades of the Failing Report Card on 9/11 Commission Recommendations.

The report card is shocking....15 D's and F's, 9 C's and two areas too incomplete or unclear for reporting. Despite $8 billion spent by Bush Administration on "homeland security," the bipartisan 9/11 Commission concluded that we are no safer today than we were on September 10, 2001.
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Next time I visit Library Tower or any other skyscraper, I'll feel newly insecure, knowing that the Bush Administration doesn't give a damn if local officials and first responders know a terrorist attack may be in the offing.

That is, if I visit Library Towers again during the reckless and inept Bush tenure in the White House.....Remember Katrina?
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-- The 41 Grades on the Failing US Report Card on 9/11 Commission Recommendations
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