Six years ago today

On this date in 2001, a classified intelligence memo, the top of which is shown above, was laid on the desk of President Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Bush wrapped up his official work early that day and spent the afternoon fishing. Five weeks and one day later, America was attacked. Eighteen months after that, Bush went to war against Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with the attacks and had no significant involvement with Osama bin Laden or his al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Now, in the fifth year of that war in Iraq, Bin Laden remains at large, and al-Qaeda is bigger than ever.