[GOVT] Transcript: Kissinger Interview On The Formation Of A Commission To Probe 9-11
Note: Previous thread on the Kissinger appointment is at
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49589&highlight=Kissinger
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INVESTIGATING SEPTEMBER 11TH: A panel of experts and lawmakers discuss
the task ahead for an independent commission established to probe the
circumstances that led to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as well as the
appointment of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as its head.
Margaret Warner, PBS.
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NEWS HOUR WITH JIM LEHRER PBS TV
6:00 PM NOVEMBER 27, 2002
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Investigating September 11th
MARGARET WARNER: In naming Henry Kissinger to head the new commission
today, President Bush said further investigation into what led to
September 11 could help make America more secure.
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: In the war against terror, our goal is to
take every measure that is necessary, to gather all information that is
available, and gain every advantage that is possible. An aggressive
investigation into September 11, with a responsible concern for
sensitive information that will allow us to win the war on terror, will
contribute to the security of this country.
MARGARET WARNER: Afterwards, Kissinger spoke briefly with reporters.
HENRY KISSINGER: The effort will be conducted on a nonpartisan basis to
get at the circumstances that led to this tragedy. And to the extent
that this commission can make recommendations, we... and we are free to
make recommendations, and the president has said that he will take them
very seriously. To that extent, we... it will contribute to the safety
of America, to the future of America, and to the avoidance of any
future tragedies.
MARGARET WARNER: He was asked what obligation he felt to the families
of the 9/11 victims.
HENRY KISSINGER: We have a special responsibility to those who suffered
such terrible and, of course, totally unexpected losses. I have had an
opportunity to talk to many of those who were here. I have told them
that I would designate a staff member to be in daily contact with them.
I will meet with them monthly. I will have the first meeting with them,
tentatively planned for December 12, together with any other
commissioners that may have been appointed at that time. But the
families are an integral part of our process.
REPORTER: Dr. Kissinger, do you have any concerns about, once the
commission begins its work, if fingers point to valuable allies-- say,
Saudi Arabia, for example-- the implications, the policy implications
it could have for the United States, particularly at this delicate
time?
HENRY KISSINGER: I have been given every assurance by the president
that we should... that we should go where the facts lead us, and that
we're not restricted by any foreign policy considerations. I have had a
conversation with the Secretary of State, who will designate a liaison
person with us. And he has promised me, as one would expect, the
fullest cooperation. We are under no restriction. And we would accept
no restriction.
MARGARET WARNER: Separately, former Senate Majority Leader George
Mitchell, named by Democratic congressional leaders late today as the
commission's vice-chairman, said in a statement: "As the country
mobilizes to avert terrorist attacks in the future, we need a full
understanding of the circumstances that led up to September 11. I will
do all I can to ensure that the Commission's inquiry is thorough, fair,
and non-partisan."
MARGARET WARNER: For reaction to today's news, we turn to Republican
Congressman Christopher Shays of Connecticut, one of the chief backers
of the legislation creating the commission; Democratic Congresswoman
Jane Harman of California, a member of the House Intelligence Committee
and of the recently completed joint House-Senate inquiry into pre-9/11
intelligence failures; Stephen Push, cofounder of the Families of
September 11, which represents the families of about 1,200 victims. His
wife, Lisa Raines, died in the plane that struck the Pentagon. And
David Aaron, who served on the National Security Council staff under
Henry Kissinger in the early 1970s; he also was a staffer of the Church
Committee, which investigated the CIA in 1975, and he was deputy
national security advisor in the Carter Administration. Welcome to you
all.
Stephen Push, your reaction to today's announcement.
STEPHEN PUSH: Well, Dr. Kissinger was not on the list that we had
supplied to the White House of candidates that we preferred. However, I
think it's a good appointment. I think it shows that the administration
is taking this investigation very seriously, that they appointed
someone of Dr. Kissinger's caliber to lead it.
MARGARET WARNER: Congressman Shays, your view of both the Dr. Kissinger
choice and also what the George Mitchell choice adds to the mix.
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS: Well, the bill requires two... it requires
prominent members be selected. He couldn't have found... they couldn't
have found more prominent members than Henry Kissinger and George
Mitchell.
MARGARET WARNER: Do you want to expand on that a little?
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS: Well, they're both so experienced. They're very
capable. They know the ins and outs of Washington, and they're not
going to accept any stonewalling. I mean, both of these gentlemen have
their reputations on their line; they have their concern for their
country. And if anybody is going to get at the facts, it's going to be
these two individuals with the other eight that will be appointed; a
wonderful start -- eight more to go, but a wonderful start.
MARGARET WARNER: David Aaron, you've worked with Henry Kissinger. Your
view.
DAVID AARON: Well, I think his basic values are oriented towards
American credibility, American power, American authority and
legitimacy. Now he's going to have to add to that a real concern for
transparency and accountability. This is an important challenge for
him. I think he is an excellent choice, but it's going to be a growing
experience for him.
MARGARET WARNER: Congresswoman Harman, you were on this joint inquiry
that's just concluded, and many of your members came to feel, as you
did, that a further inquiry was needed, that you needed an independent
commission. Why? What is the task before this independent commission
that you felt you all couldn't completely explore?
REP. JANE HARMAN: Well, let me start by saying I think we're doing
quite a good job. Our report is not yet out. In fact, the members
haven't reviewed it. We'll review it on December 10. But I think it
will show a good deal of the 9/11 plot, what went right, what went
wrong, what we need to do. The commission is designed to build on our
report, and only if it's inadequate, to investigate.
I must say, though, having heard the other three answers, that I'm much
more dubious about Dr. Kissinger to head this panel. I think he brings
a lot of baggage. He has a penchant for secrecy, which is not what's
needed here. There are questions about his role in Vietnam, as well in
the coup in Chile.
And I wish the White House had been less afraid of this commission and
had reached for someone who would clearly demonstrate on day one that
he is-- he/she-- unbiased, really nonpartisan, and will do whatever
needs to be done at this point. I must say that Stephen Push, in my
view, and the other families, are the reason this commission exists at
all, and I think they probably had a list of candidates who would have
been better choices than Dr. Kissinger.
MARGARET WARNER: Let me first go back to Congressman Shays. What about
that point that Henry Kissinger brings a lot of baggage?
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS: Well, I think almost anybody who is prominent
is going to bring some baggage. I mean, you have George Mitchell. I
don't know anyone more partisan in the Senate than George Mitchell. But
when he's asked to do a job and the kind of job he's asked to do, I
think he'll rise to the occasion, as I do think Henry Kissinger will as
well. I mean, you need people who know the system. You need people who
know the intelligence community. You need people who know when they're
not getting the answers. And I don't think you could find two stronger
candidates for that, and I think they both balance each other quite
well.
MARGARET WARNER: Stephen Push, back to you. So why did the families
push so hard for this independent commission? What do you want this
commission to do that the earlier inquiry hasn't?
STEPHEN PUSH: Well, actually I'm kind of concerned about one statement
that President Bush made at the signing this morning. He suggested that
the main purpose of this commission is to help him understand the
terrorists better, and that's not how we see it at all. We think that
the primary function of this commission is to investigate what the
United States government did wrong prior to 9/11 that made our country
so vulnerable, because we believe the only way the commission can make
sound recommendations for preventing future terrorist attacks is to
understand what went wrong prior to September 11.
MARGARET WARNER: And this commission, as I understand it, is going to
have a broader scope than the previous Congressional inquiry did in
terms of what branches of government it looks at, is that right?
STEPHEN PUSH: That's correct. The initial inquiry only looked at
intelligence, and it's not even going to be able to finish that
completely. We want this commission to take a much broader view, to not
only look at intelligence, but look at aviation security, immigration,
border control, diplomacy-- all of the various elements that played a
role in making us so vulnerable in 2001.
MARGARET WARNER: Congresswoman Harman...you probably didn't hear the
president speak, but would you share Steve Push's concern, or do you
agree with him that the focus of this commission should not... is not
really about the terrorists and why they did what they did, but is
about the failures of the U.S. Government?
REP. JANE HARMAN: I agree with that. I didn't hear what the president
said, but I think our goal is to look backward to look forward. What we
can do to honor the memories of those who died is to prevent this from
happening again, and the only way we do that is if we look back
clinically and objectively and make certain that whatever clues were
missed --. I don't think there's a smoking gun out there. I've studied
this very carefully -- but whatever clues were missed, whatever
information wasn't shared, whatever systems didn't exist, are now built
for the future.
And by the way, I was an early supporter of the Homeland Security
Department legislation. I'm glad it's finally enacted and the partisan
games are over. And I hope that Governor Ridge takes his vitamins, has
sharp elbows, and gets the job done for the future.
MARGARET WARNER: All right, David Aaron, you've been on this kind of a
commission. What are the big hurdles as they tackle... I mean, as we
just heard, it's not just the FBI and the CIA they have to look at, but
all these agencies of government.
DAVID AARON: The biggest thing is to get information. I mean, with all
the best will in the world on the part of the cabinet or the president,
there are lots of people in the woodwork who have to be able to... and
have to be willing to turn over the information in a timely way.
One of the very good things about Dr. Kissinger in this regard is that
he has a rather deep skepticism of the bureaucracy. And I think this is
going to stand him in very good stead as he presses for information.
You notice the president, one of the things he said right off the bat
was, "Well, we're going to have to be very careful about this
information." Well, if you can't share the information with Dr.
Kissinger and form Senator Mitchell, I don't know who you can share it
with.
MARGARET WARNER: So Congressman Shays, how broad are the powers of this
commission to get at the information?
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS: The powers are broad. This legislation was
written so well. The purposes of the commission are well delineated.
The president, I think, was very clear. He said, "Follow all the facts
wherever they lead." But this commission is going to be guided by the
mandate of the law, and the law is clear.
It can look at any facts, uncover any information. It has subpoena
power. The commission... just the chairman and the vice chairman can
issue subpoenas. A majority of six can issue subpoenas. This is a
powerful commission; prominent people will be on it. And it has the
ability to look at September 11 before, after, and, you know, clearly
what we're doing now.
MARGARET WARNER: But doesn't David Aaron raise a point about it still
depends on the willingness of the keepers of the information to
surrender that? I mean, didn't the prior committee complain that they
felt there was a little foot- dragging?
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS: Right, but that's the key. I mean, you know,
are you going to say no to George Mitchell and Henry Kissinger? If you
do, you do it at your own peril. I mean, the key to this commission,
besides how well it's written, and the pushing that's gone by the
families and the fact they're going to oversee this, the key is who is
appointed to it? And we already have two outstanding individuals, and
we got eight to go. And when you bring them all together as a group, I
think this is going to be powerful.
MARGARET WARNER: What else are you looking for, Stephen Push, in terms
of appointees?
STEPHEN PUSH: Appointees? Well, we have some specific recommendations
in mind. We would like to see Warren Rudman and Tim Rohmer be on the
commission.
MARGARET WARNER: Former Senator and a Congressman.
STEPHEN PUSH: Congressman Tim Rohmer, this is his last year in
Congress, so he will be a former Congressman soon, and he was one of
the chief proponents of the commission.
MARGARET WARNER: Why were you all, though, the families, so insistent
that it be an independent commission? That is, as I understand in the
legislation, it can't be anybody who is now in government.
STEPHEN PUSH: That's correct, because we believe that this should take
a hard look at the current administration, prior administrations,
congressional oversight, so anyone who is currently serving in
government would have a conflict in one of those areas.
MARGARET WARNER: Do you think, David Aaron, that the fact that it is an
independent commission has an added benefit somehow, I mean, either in
their own willingness to push or in the willingness of the bureaucracy
to cooperate, or does it make it harder?
DAVID AARON: Well, I think it's... it doesn't make it any harder. I
think it may actually make it a little easier in the sense that clearly
this commission is not playing to the grandstands. This is not a
political exercise really. And so I think in that sense there's perhaps
a little less anxiety in the administration, in the bureaucracy, about
this.
But one of their real tough jobs is we're looking at something that
didn't happen. We're looking at perhaps errors of omission, not errors
of commission. And those are the hardest. You can only get at that when
people really come forth and tell you what the problem is.
MARGARET WARNER: Finally, Congresswoman Harman and Congressman Shays,
before we go, both Henry Kissinger and George Mitchell in his statement
said they wanted this to be nonpartisan-- not bipartisan, nonpartisan.
What does that mean to you, and do you think it's possible,
Congresswoman?
REP. JANE HARMAN: I hope it means that it is above politics. This is
what we do need. It's important to remember, Margaret, that while this
will be going on and while the joint inquiry is going on-- it's still
not concluded, as I said-- hardworking patriots are in our intelligence
agencies trying to prevent the next attack, which may well come. And we
can't be undermining them while we do this exercise.
What we have to do is find out precisely what happened so we can learn
from it. We can't undo what happened and prevent the next attack.
That's how we honor the memory of those who died. And that's what I'm
going to be urging, as I hope... suggest people who can fill the other
eight slots. They have to be excellent people, and they have to be
nonpartisan, too, if this is going to work.
MARGARET WARNER: And, Congressman Shays, briefly, your view of what it
means to be nonpartisan.
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS: Well, I think Jane answered it. In a way, this
commission has to be a family of ten people who don't think of
themselves as Democrats or Republicans, but think of themselves as
Americans first.
MARGARET WARNER: All right. Thank you all four very much.
