Louis Freeh said on national TV that actionable intelligence could have allowed us to stop the hijackings.

Curt Weldon’s quote, "Louis Freeh said on national TV that actionable intelligence could have allowed us to stop the hijackings," refers to an important comment made by Louis Freeh, the former FBI Director, regarding the 9/11 attacks. Weldon is emphasizing that, according to Freeh, the intelligence available before the attacks was actionable, meaning it could have been used to prevent the hijackings if it had been properly acted upon. This statement highlights the ongoing frustration and scrutiny surrounding the intelligence community’s ability to prevent the tragedy, despite the fact that critical information might have been available.

The origin of this quote comes from the period following the September 11, 2001 attacks when many public officials and lawmakers, including Weldon, were critical of the failures in intelligence and counterterrorism efforts. In the aftermath of 9/11, there was an investigation into whether intelligence gathered before the attacks could have prevented them. Weldon is referencing Freeh’s remarks in an effort to highlight the failure of agencies to act on intelligence that might have prevented the hijackings.

Weldon’s words suggest that there was a gap in coordination and response within the intelligence community, which ultimately allowed the terrorist attacks to take place. By using the term "actionable intelligence," he implies that the information was not only available but also could have been used to take steps to thwart the attacks if it had been acted upon more swiftly or decisively.

Ultimately, this quote highlights the critical issue of intelligence failure and the importance of actionable intelligence in preventing national security threats. Weldon’s statement serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities in intelligence-sharing and decision-making processes that allowed the 9/11 attacks to happen, despite the availability of information that could have potentially stopped the hijackings.