Kissinger's role as chair of 9/11 panel troubling

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's refusal to make public the client list of his high-powered consulting firm prompts this question: Is such secrecy acceptable in light of Kissinger's appointment as chairman of the independent commission that will investigate the terrorists attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, on America's mainland?
We believe full disclosure is necessary for two reasons: first, it would reassure those who still question President Bush's commitment to this investigation that his naming of Kissinger as chairman of the panel was done without ulterior motive; second, it would signal that the former secretary of state under Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford is being sincere when he says "We will follow the facts where they lead."
"If they lead in the direction of the need for looking into the actions of foreign countries or what foreign countries knew, my personal recommendation will be to explore that," the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize winner told CNN's "Late Edition" after the president announced the appointment.
But it is because of the very real possibility of foreign government involvement that Kissinger and the other members of the commission -- five Republicans and five Democrats -- should disclose any links they may have to governments or companies abroad.
Saudi Arabia
Global terrorism cannot be defined by geographic boundaries or even religious beliefs, even though the 9/11 terrorists were Islamic extremists directed by Osama bin Laden, a Saudi Arabia identified as the leader of the Al-Qaida terrorist organization.
President Bush, who has said that the United States will go after terrorists and their sponsors wherever they may be, contends that there are Al-Qaida cells in at least 60 countries. Indeed, there are credible reports that even though bin Laden is persona non grata in Saudi Arabia, some members of the ruling family sympathize with his worldview. Bin Laden has named the United States as his No. 1 target.
It is common practice for foreign governments and foreign companies to hire American consulting firms, especially those with high-profile former government officials such as Kissinger on their payrolls as lobbyists. Thus, Kissinger, former Senate majority leader George J. Mitchell, a Democrat, and any other commission member with business ties abroad should be required to publicly disclose the identity of such clients.
The work of the commission is too important to be conducted under a cloud of suspicion. The Bush White House agreed to an independent investigation of the 9/11 attacks only after Republicans and Democrats in Congress who have been pushing this issue for months agreed to certain conditions. One was that the president would name the chairman.
Well, Bush has -- and now it is up to Kissinger to prove that he has outgrown the penchant for secrecy and political intrigue that he displayed during his tenure as this nation's top diplomat.