The more plausible/simpler explanation is that they took advantage of 9/11 after it happened. They took a terrible event and used it to push various agendas (some of which they had planned from the start, like invading Iraq), much to the detriment of our country.

Cheney was made head of the counter terrorism task force in January of 2001, but he didn't even hold a meeting until Sept. 4th of that year. You can argue that meeting was about 9/11, but I think these factoids just add to image of incompetence.

Not that they were completely incompetent, don't get me wrong. But in some ways they clearly were.