Several of the new additions to the 9/11 Timeline this week concern the 9/11 Commission, in particular its executive director Philip Zelikow, who played a significant role in shaping the commission's take on assistance allegedly provided to the 9/11 hijackers by elements linked to the Saudi government. First, he blocked+requests+for+interviews by commission investigators researching the allegations, then he denied them access to a key document, the 28+redacted+pages+from+the+Congressional+Inquiry, and finally he fired+one+of+the+investigators. Other entries about Zelikow cover his interview of former Clinton Attorney General Janet Reno, with which a staffer was appalled, and an interview of his close associate National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice; she+was+not+put+under+oath+and+no+transcript+was+made.

Other entries about the 9/11 Commission point out that its chairman Tom Kean was repeatedly+contacted+by+the+White+House over the selection of the commission's lawyer, that the length of the extension it requested was determined+by+political+considerations, and that some commissioners thought that opposition to the extension from House Republicans was+orchestrated+by+Vice+President+Dick+Cheney.

There are also a number of new entries about Neoconservatives, such as their push+to+invade+Iraq+starting+in+January+2001, their hiring+by+the+White+House, and a July 2001 claim Iraq+had+nuclear+weapons. Entries on two of the most famous neocon pieces in the immediate aftermath of the attacks have also been added: Michael Leeden's connecting the attacks to the decision+not+to+overthrow+Saddam+Hussein+in+1991, which was published on the day of the attacks itself, and Ann Coulter's call for carpet-bombing+of+Muslim+countries a couple of days later. Leeden followed up by demanding the Bush administration scourge the Middle East until US rage was "sated", and the charge for regime+change in Iraq was led by Bill+Kristol and included Republican Senator George+Allen. Finally, in mid-2003 leading Neocon author Laurie Mylroie claimed the CIA and State Department were hiding+connections+between+Iraq+and+9/11.

Regarding associates of the 9/11 hijackers, an Arab man in Texas claimed he was offered+money+by+Marwan+Alshehhi to take flying lessons, a Somali immigrant possibly linked to the Flight 77 hijackers was detained a couple of weeks after the attacks, and a Saudi who knew Hani Hanjour was convicted of lying+to+the+FBI in 2002.

Miscellaneous entries point out that security at US chemical facilities was poor before 9/11, which was highlighted by a think+tank+study in 1999 and the US+surgeon+general+in+late+September+2001. Finally, an end times website indicated the+apocalypse+was+upon+us shortly after the attacks, although it has presumably been delayed, and former counterterrorism "tsar" Richard Clarke held+something+back from the 9/11 Congressional Inquiry.

Originally posted here. If you can spare a dollar or two, please remember that every donation helps.