Linked at Instapundit: The chairman of a federal commission looking into the Sept. 11 attacks concludes "We have no evidence that anybody high in the Clinton administration or the Bush administration did anything wrong."

That's not to say that nobody expected 9/11, since FBI Deputy Director John O'Neill, had fought within the system for years trying to wake up the bureau to the threat, but encounter so much resistance and resentment that he resigned on August 11, 2001 and a month later died in the attacks on the WTC. How can we ever rid ourselves of the bureaucratic inertia that afflicts all branches of government, including the military, and leaves us surprised and unprepared when disasters happen? Is it even possible to expect any organization to be on alert continuously, or to protect us when so many elected officials and judges seem so determined to whittle away the powers they need to do the job?

I'm fully aware of the failures such as Ruby Ridge and Waco, although these were failures to deal with illegal activities in a measured way and prevent escalation into violence. Nevertheless, these cases are not grounds for disarming our security apparatus in a world where people celebrate over events like 9/11.