Bush and Culpability

Since I'm writing a lot about the White House and 9/11, it only seems fair that I spell out my specific take on the above-referenced topic.

I still don't side with the conspiracy theorists who actually believe Bush or people close to him actually helped orchestrate 9/11 as part of the way to redefine our country in the neocon image. The very first time I heard this theory put forth, I was completely incredulous. No one could possibly do this, I thought except that, of course, as time wore on (and the shock began to wear off), it was clear someone did but exactly whom and exactly under what circumstances and motivation we can still only guess).

However, while I'm far more willing to believe that these people are willing to do great evil than I was three years ago (when I didn't like them and thought they would be bad for the country but... what the heck.. I figured we could survive four years somehow), I'm not ready to believe Bush or his people seriously and directly orchestrated the horror even as I've seen them inflict horror and grievous harm throughout our country and our world since then.

But something went wrong on 9/11. Not just what happened but that not just one mistake in the system that allowed more than one plane to be hijacked and crashed into significant landmarks. A whole long series of errors had to occur to allow the massive damage that occurred. The damage should have STOPPED at least by the time the second plane struck.

Think about it. These are just a scant few of the facts we know for certain:

Bush continued to sit in that classroom in a school in Florida for a long time after he was informed that planes had struck.

The World Trade Center may have been designated just because of the frailty of its design.

Why was Rumsfeld just sitting at his desk as normal when the plane struck there well after the two struck in NY?

How can Condi Rice even claim she hadn't heard of Al Qaeda when the rest of the world had? This would seem like gross imcompetence. If a then apolitical tech writer way up in the boonies knew the name and rep of this organization pretty well for at least two years before 9/11, why didn't the head of the National Security (ahem) Agency?

Why was no protection afforded the Pentagon once they knew planes hit in NY?

Many different former employees substantiate the claim that Iraq was sought as a target immediately, well before 9/11 and certainly immediately thereafter.

We are still not sure of the actual identities of the hijackers on those planes on 9/11. I know names get used, but several of the names issued have been discounted.

This White House has done everything possible to block a full and complete investigation into 9/11. Why?