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Some biased reviews of "The Path to 9/11"

From that staunch supporter of the right, the New York Times:

The terrorists are ruthless and implacable. Some foreign informants and obscure civil servants turn out to be inspiringly tough-minded and smart: low profiles in courage. But “The Path to 9/11” is an unsparing, and at times hyperbolic, portrait of bureaucratic turf wars, buck passing and complacency. Senior managers at the F.B.I. and C.I.A. are overwhelmed and quicker to protect their own hides than national security. It’s always the enemy within that nettles the most.

From the Detroit Free Press, that bastion of conservatism:

But "The Path to 9/11" -- airing at 8-11 p.m. Sunday and 8-10 p.m. Monday on ABC -- intently avoids any shallow shock value sensationalism to dissect the roots of an almost unfathomable national catastrophe. And it does so with a fair amount of understated intelligence, while utilizing an often absorbing, richly detailed procedural style. On a simple quality drama level, it's the best network miniseries in several years.

Methinks that those who doth protest approximately six (6) minutes of a five (5) hour miniseries doth protest too much. And as I understand it from the reviews and comments, the film isn't exactly complimentary about Bush & Co., especially Condoleezza Rice. But the idiotarians don't complain about that, no, that would be too...consistent of them. Would evince some, er, integrity.

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