Zelikow

Declassified: 9/11 Commission Interviews with Bush and Cheney

The declassification and release today (November 9, 2022) of the interview with President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney conducted by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission) follows recommendations long advocated by the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB). The release of the transcript addresses one of the Boards mandates, to release records and materials of extraordinary public interest.

The declassified transcript of the interview is now available at: https://www.archives.gov/files/declassification/iscap/pdf/2012-163-doc-1-release-material.pdf.

“The release of this historical record regarding then President Bush and Vice President Cheney’s actions in the period leading up to and immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attack is an important step towards additional public transparency. The Board thanks all members of the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP), who diligently participated in the declassification review and made it possible for this important historical record to be released to the public. We hope that in the coming months additional records regarding the 9/11 terrorist attacks will be declassified, consistent with President Biden’s September 2021 order. The resource intensive process required to release this record highlights the need to reform and streamline the entire declassification process,” said Chair Ezra Cohen.

Source: https://transforming-classification.blogs.archives.gov/2022/11/09/declassified-9-11-commission-interviews-with-bush-and-ch...

Long hidden 9/11 Commission interview with Saudi Prince Bandar released; Intel chief Prince Turki’s withheld

By Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan, FloridaBulldog.org

Full article
https://www.floridabulldog.org/2019/09/long-hidden-9-11-commission-interview-with-saudi-prince-bandar-released/

“In Saudi Arabia they chose not to see these radical fundamentalists….We allow them to flourish, and have no reason to believe that their way of life would do anyone harm.”

That is an astounding statement. It came from the lips of Saudi Ambassador to Washington Prince Bandar bin Sultan, in a long-hidden interview with the 9/11 Commission. Osama bin Laden was born in Saudi Arabia, and fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers were Saudi citizens.

Commission staff, it appears, did not question Bandar further on his statement that radical fundamentalists would not do anyone any harm.

Zelikow Appointed to Obama's Intelligence Advisory Board

Zelikow Appointed to Obama's Intelligence Advisory Board

September 7, 2011 — President Obama appointed Philip Zelikow, associate dean for graduate academic programs in the University of Virginia's Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, to serve on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, the White House announced Tuesday.

Zelikow, White Burkett Miller Professor of History, will remain with the University while serving on the board, which serves as an independent source of advice to the president on the intelligence community's effectiveness in meeting the nation's intelligence needs, and on the vigor and insight with which the community plans for the future.

"Philip is a valued colleague, exceptional scholar and highly skilled administrator with a distinguished record of service in government and academia," said Meredith Jung-En Woo, dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. "This appointment reflects his and the University's longstanding commitment to education and public service. We're pleased that he will be able to serve the president and our country in this important role while continuing to oversee the College's graduate academic programs as well as our international initiatives and partnerships. His experience on the president's advisory board will only deepen and enrich his work on behalf of the College."

Zelikow will serve with 13 others, including former U.S. Senators David Boren and Chuck Hagel, who co-chair the board.

"I'm glad to do what I can to help," he said.

Zelikow began his career as a trial and appellate lawyer in Texas, and is a former career diplomat whose posts overseas and in Washington include service on the National Security Council staff of President George H.W. Bush.

His books include "Germany Unified and Europe Transformed" (written with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice), "The Kennedy Tapes" (with Ernest May), and "Essence of Decision" (with Graham Allison).

In recent years, Zelikow has taken two public service leaves from academia to return full time to government service: in 2003-04 to direct the 9/11 Commission, and in 2005-07 as counselor of the Department of State, a deputy to Rice. He also advises the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's program in global development and is a consultant to the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

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