Bush under pressure over terrorism inquiry

Embarrassed by the abrupt departure of Henry Kissinger as chairman of the commission investigating the 11 September attacks on America, the Bush administration came under mounting pressure yesterday to appoint an investigator with real teeth to ensure what one victims' spokesman described as a "pure, transparent and purely independent" inquiry.

The name consistently touted by the victims' families is Warren Rudman, a former Republican Senator and co-author of a report which warned months before 11 September of the risk of an attack on US soil. The White House has so far resisted his appointment, leading to suspicion that President Bush is not interested in an investigation that risks embarrassing his administration.

Mr Kissinger, the one-time supremo of US foreign policy, resigned on Friday, just two weeks after his controversial appointment. He said he was not willing to publicise the names of his international consulting firm's clients – something the Senate Ethics Committee had insisted on to avoid any possible conflict of interest.

His departure left the commission in disarray, not least because the former Democratic Senator George Mitchell, slated to serve as his deputy, withdrew two days before him, also citing conflicts with his private-sector career.

The administration has promised it will move quickly to replace Mr Kissinger, though probably not before today's nominal deadline for filling all 10 commission posts. In the meantime, it is facing criticism – for its reluctance to establish a commission at all, for its appointment of so polarising a figure as Mr Kissinger and for its apparent efforts to protect the confidentiality of Mr Kissinger's client list.

"The pressure put on the Ethics Committee by the White House was untoward," the Democratic Senate whip Harry Reid told the New York Times. "They were berating our staff, saying he didn't have to file because he worked for the executive. I mean, come on. What were they trying to hide?"

Stephen Push of Families of Sept. 11th said he found the back-to-back resignations of Mr Mitchell and Mr Kissinger "disturbing". But he said the situation gave the president "a second chance to appoint someone who will be a thorough investigator".