Rice 'danced around issues'

2004-04-08 21:30

Washington - Relatives of September 11 attacks victims said that testimony given by national security adviser Condoleezza Rice to an official commission on Thursday had failed to fully explain why the United States was caught offguard by al-Qaeda.

"I think she really danced around the issues," said Mary Fetchet, whose son Bradley, 24, perished when terrorists ploughed an aircraft into the second World Trade Centre tower on September 11, 2001.

"She gave very vague responses. Questions that she didn't want to answer, she didn't answer," said Fetchet.

Fetchet had also wanted Rice to follow the example of former counter-terrorism czar Richard Clarke who apologised to the families for the US government's failure to prevent the attacks. Clarke made the gesture when he appeared before the commission two weeks ago.

"She doesn't accept her part in this. She doesn't accept that she did not make good decisions, that she as national security adviser did not do what she was supposed to do," Fetchet said.

"For her to not accept responsibility for any of the failures I think is pretty incredible."

Spin

Rosemary Dillard said she felt the "utmost respect" for Rice's grace under fire on the witness stand, but was unconvinced by the testimony, saying much of what Rice - one of President George W Bush's most trusted aides - had to offer was "spin."

"She would go on and on, and by the time she finished nobobdy knew what the original question was."

"She appears to be a very good person. She also appears to be the person who's going to protect her boss," said Dillard, whose husband Eddie was a passenger on the airliner that slammed into the Pentagon in Washington.

"I think our government owes us some answers," Dillard continued.

"We need to know that I can get on an airplane and not have this happen, or I can get on a train.

"I need to know that the government agencies that are supposed to protect us, protect us."

- AFP