Res Ipsa Loquitur

I have a problem with the fictionalizing of things surrounding Clinton, bin Laden, etc. There is enough of a fascinating and infuriating story involving GHWB, Clinton, GWB, Tenet, etc., that it seems very disingenuous to include things that didn't happen. This could have been a very good and very informative piece if it had stuck to the known facts, rather than use fiction and innuendo.

I doubt that's the only fictionalization in the movie. For sure, there's plenty enough blame to go around for everyone....all the way back to Carter, whose refusal to crush Iran during the hostage crisis set the stage for what's happening now.

Clinton couldn't keep his pants on long enough to do anything effective, much like when he was governor. And I think he, like the others, underestimated how far Bin Laden would go.

And I know it's easy to say 'shoulda woulda coulda', but if Bush Sr. had taken out Saddam during the first Gulf war, a lot of this would never have happened. I remember saying at the time we were going to pay dearly for that mistake down the road. I also remember being terrified at the time that my son would end up being caught up in it all.

And so here we are.

It shouldn't be so surprising that they didn't believe diplomacy wouldn't work with Bin Laden, et al. Not nearly enough people understand that even today.

The cold, hard fact of the matter is you can't negotiate with a fanatic. You can only kill him before he kills you.