During the attacks of 9/11/2001, pretty much the entire top of the U.S. military chain of command found more pressing things to do than to give their full attention to the attacks. This was a serious dereliction of duty, especially on the part of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, given the regulation (CJCSI 3610.01A, discussed in the comments on my post Why we need a new investigation of 9/11 – first draft of a leaflet) requiring the Secretary of Defense to approve any intervention involving use of lethal force.