EXCLUSIVE: Former 9/11 Commission Chief Philip Zelikow on Allegations He Secretly Allowed Karl Rove & White House to Influence 9/11 Probe
Earlier in the week, we spoke to Philip Shenon, author of “The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation.” Shenon suggested that Philip Zelikow–the executive director of the 9/11 Commission–sought to minimize the Bush administration’s responsibility for failing to prevent the September 11th attacks. Shenon also revealed that Karl Rove repeatedly called Zelikow during the probe. Today Zelikow responds in his first broadcast interview since the publication of Shenon’s book.
Philip Zelikow, served as executive director of the 9/11 Commission. He is now Professor of History and Director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.
Related Democracy Now! Stories:
New Book Alleges 9/11 Commissioner Philip Zelikow Minimized Scrutiny of Bush Admin Failure to Prevent al-Qaeda Attack (2/5/2008)
February 07, 2008
DemocracyNow.org
The 9/11 Commission & Torture: How Information Gained Through Waterboarding
& Harsh Interrogations Form Major Part of 9/11 Commission Report
A new analysis by NBC News reveals that more than a quarter of all footnotes in the 9/11 Commission report refer to controversial interrogation techniques. Yet, Commission staffers did not question the CIA about its techniques. They even ordered a second round of interrogations in early 2004 to get more information from the detainees.
CIA Director Michael Hayden acknowledged Tuesday that the Agency had used the interrogation technique known as waterboarding on three individuals since the attacks of September 11th. Hayden also claimed the CIA has practiced what he called “enhanced interrogation techniques” on one-third of the around one hundred prisoners he says have been detained. Hayden made the admission in testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
All three men that Hayden admitted had been subjected to waterboarding are named in the final 9/11 Commission report. The commission relied on information obtained from a number of suspected Al Qaeda members in US captivity, only ten of whom are mentioned by name. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in particular emerges in the report as the “principal architect of the 9/11 attacks.”
An NBC investigation released last week alleges that the Commission had long suspected the information used for its report was the product of harsh interrogations. The NBC analysis shows that more than a quarter of all footnotes in the 9/11 Commission report refer to controversial interrogation techniques. Yet, Commission staffers did not question the CIA about its techniques. They even ordered a second round of interrogations in early 2004 to get more information from the detainees.
Philip Zelikow, served as Executive Director of the 9/11 Commission. He is now Professor of History and Director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.
Robert Windrem, NBC News Investigative Reporter who co-authored the analysis of the 9/11 Commission Report
Michael Ratner, the President of the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Related Links
* NBC News: 9/11 Commission controversy
Philip Zelikow had lasting ties to both Bush administrations
