Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Speculation Over 28 Pages in 9/11 Report Doing More Harm Than Good


Steven Emerson, Executive Director
April 25, 2016

Speculation Over 28 Pages in 9/11 Report Doing More Harm Than Good

NewsmaxTV
April 22, 2016
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Clip of President Obama: Our belief that the prosperity and stability of the region depends on countries treating all their citizens fairly, and that sectarianism is an enemy of peace and prosperity.
JD Hayworth: President Obama speaking to reporters shortly before departing Saudi Arabia earlier this week. Tensions between our nation and the Saudis have increased following a 60 Minutes report alleging that 28 classified pages of the 9/11 Commission Report show a connection from Saudi Arabia to the 9/11 terrorists. The White House says the 28 pages were not brought up nor was the possibility of 9/11 victims being allowed to sue Saudi Arabia. Instead the trip was described as a "clearing of the air" between the two countries. But the question remains should those 28 pages be declassified. For more we're pleased to be joined by my former colleague on Capitol Hill, the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Pete Hoekstra. Pete now is Shillman Senior Fellow for the Investigative Project on Terrorism and author of the book "Architects of Disaster: the Destruction of Libya." Pete joins us tonight from Holland, Mich. Pete, I understand you've seen those classified materials and those 28 pages. Do you believe those pages should be declassified?
Pete Hoekstra: Well JD, this is a debate that happened in Congress years ago, almost 13 years ago. And I remember because this was a congressional report that came from a joint committee from the House and Senate Intelligence Committees investigating 9/11. We put the report together, you give it to the executive branch, they come back and tell you what's classified and what's not classified. Back then there was already disagreement between Congress and the White House. Many of us on the committees, part of that process, believed this information should have been made public at that time. The administration said no. I still believe, especially 13 years later, that this information needs to be made public. The families, the American people, we need to see what's in that information.
Hayworth: And quite obviously you are not Hillary Clinton so I don't think you're going to get slack from the Justice Department. You cannot detail what those pages include but can you comment on the press accounts? For example there's been talk not only of the Saudis but also the posture of the Iranians leading up to 9/11. What can you tell us in general terms?
Hoekstra: Well in general terms I can tell you, that there's been a tremendous amount of speculation what's in these 28 pages and that's why I think it's actually doing more damage than good. Put it out there. Could it be talking about Saudi, could it be talking about Iran? Absolutely. Because remember the Congress vs. the executive branch, we've got different equities. Why would a Bush Administration want to keep this information secret? Why would an Obama Administration? You'd think that their reasons would be very, very different, unless perhaps, and this is speculation from what I've seen in press accounts, what you've seen in press accounts. Does it indict more than one country and highlight connections between more than one country and the 9/11 hijackers?
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