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Guest Commentary: October 11, 2001
We Need a Formal Board of Inquiry to Investigate the September 11th Terrorist Attacks The Honorable Joseph Lieberman
Because the 19 hijackers are dead, we may never know all the facts.
And we may never have a complete answer.
This kind of attack may be something we can never fully defend against in a society that prizes freedom above all else.
But I think we have to try to find the truth the best we can -- not to find scapegoats, but to learn from what happened, so we do everything we can to prevent such another horrific tragedy and fully protect ourselves in the future.
This is what we have done in response to similar national tragedies that have stunned the nation and begged for explanation.
These investigations were not perfect models, but they do provide us with historical precedents and practical guidance on how to answer the critical questions the public is asking before we move on.
For starters, any commission we appoint must be given a mandate to find the facts and recommend corrective actions, and not simply to assign blame.
If there were serious failures on the part of individuals or institutions within the government or within the private sector, we should not shy from demanding accountability.
But that should not be the overriding purpose of the inquiry.
To work, this must be a learning exercise, not a witchhunt.
Note: The above commentary has been adpated from a speech Sen. Lieberman delivered before the Connecticut Broadcasters Association, October 11, 2001.
