Greens cite reasons for a new, independent 9/11 probe

More investigation needed: Bush conflicts of interest; who paid for the 9/11 hijackings; the role of US foreign policy; exploitation of 9/11 to justify war on Iraq.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Leaders of the Green Party called the results of the 9/11 Commission a valuable first step in the probe of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., but called for more far-reaching investigation into the failure to discover and prevent the attacks and into the White House's response to the attacks.

"Instead of merely extending the current commission, which Sen. Kerry favors, we need to see a new, independent Commission to continue to the investigation into the 9/11 attacks, with family members of 9/11 victims given a prominent role," said Patrick Driscoll, Green candidate for Congress in California (5th District).

Greens note that, contrary to President Bush's claims that Americans are now safer, the U.S. response to 9/11 has increased the risk of terrorism throughout the world. At home, the response has included curtailment of civil liberties, including the detention of thousands of Americans without being charged with any crime.

"There has been little discussion of how U.S. policy in the Middle East may have motivated the attacks and may lead to possible future terrorism," said Peggy Lewis, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. "These policies include Bush's support for Sharon's occupation of Palestine and apartheid in Israel, as well as the the invasion of Iraq based on fraudulent claims that Saddam Hussein was an immediate threat to the U.S. These policies are turning Arabs and Muslims against the U.S. Bush rhetoric about 'evil-doers' acting on their own blind hatred of the West has aggravated, not clarified, the causes of terrorism."

The 9/11 Commission's report documented the failure of intelligence, incompetency of the Bush White House in responding to warnings, and role of both the Clinton and Bush administrations in failing to take threats seriously. But Greens cite a list of other points that have not been adequately investigated:

-- The role played by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan: as John O'Neill, the FBI's former top bin Laden investigator, said shortly before his death in the World Trade Center, "All the answers, everything needed to dismantle Osama bin Laden's organization can be found in Saudi Arabia"; O'Neill also said that America's failure to stop bin Laden could be traced to oil

-- How and why Bush officials exploited 9/11 to justify invasion of Iraq, which, as the 9/11 Commission noted, had no participation in the attacks and only marginal contact with al-Qaeda

-- The influence of the Saudi ruling family on U.S. policy: the House of Saud has been a major source of funding for both terrorists and for Bush family investments ($1.4 billion); both the Clinton and Bush administration impeded FBI investigations into Saudi Arabia

-- The role of the Pakistani Intelligence Service: why did Mahmood Ahmed, Director of Pakistan's secret service, order $100,000 to be wired to lead hijacker Momahmed Atta?

-- How the CIA trained and armed al-Qaeda and other terrorists before 9/11, especially in the Afghan war against the Soviet Union; how Pakistan and the U.S. enabled the Taliban, a totalitarian theocracy, to come to power

-- Details of negotiations that took place between the US government and the Taliban before 9/11 relating to the construction of a pipeline through Afghanistan

-- The extent of FBI and CIA surveillance on the hijackers before 9/11: Several were apparently closely monitored, especially Mohammed Atta

-- Which organizations, governments, or individuals financed and supported the hijackings: pinning the attacks on 'bin Laden' is as vague as calling 'the Mob' responsible for organized crime, especially given the role of Atta, an Egyptian citizen, in planning the attacks.