The report states categorically that bin Laden was hiding in Tora Bora when the U.S. had the means to mount a rapid assault with several thousand troops at least. It says that a review of existing literature, unclassified government records and interviews with central participants "removes any lingering doubts and makes it clear that Osama bin Laden was within our grasp at Tora Bora."
So eight years later, we now know for sure bin Laden was there. And of course, President Bush is blamed for not acting on intelligence that only now is certain. The urge to blame Bush is still strong for some.
Does anybody really think that if Bush had known in 2001 that bin Laden was at Tora Bora we wouldn't have sent whatever troops we needed to get him? I imagine Bush would have been just as eager as President Clinton would have been had Clinton known his chance to nail bin Laden in the 1990s might have prevented 9/11.
Stuff happens in war. Sometimes it doesn't. And only Senators have the luxury of determining a fact long after it is actionable. Now that their man is in charge of the war, they shouldn't be so eager to demand perfection in waging war.
