Richard Clarke, former counterterrorism chief and alumnus of the past three administrations, as well as author of the bombshell Against All Enemies, had some things to say to America's librarians yesterday.
It saddens me that Clarke was forced to refuse a possible position in the forthcoming Kerry administration by those who said his actions and writings were politically motivated. He knows of what he speaks, and would be an incredible and necessary asset to the next president, left to clean up the staggering global mess created by the current gang of oligarchs. Clarke understands the problem we face, and understands how it has been exacerbated by Bush's folly:
The invasion of Iraq was an "enormous mistake" that is costing untold lives, strengthening al-Qaida and breeding a new generation of terrorists, former White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke said.
"We did exactly what al-Qaida said we would do — invade and occupy an oil-rich Arab country that wasn't threatening us in any way," Clarke said Saturday before giving the keynote address at the American Library Association's annual convention in Orlando. "The hatred that has been engendered by this invasion will last for generations."
More here.
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June 27, 2004 7:36 PM
I find it interesting that Clarke's reversed his previous statements on the Saudis leaving the country. While before he claimed that they'd not been interrogated at all, now he claims that the FBI got everything it needed to out of them. Never mind that the claims of fears of vigilanteism were ludicrous - these people were very nearly better-protected than the pResident! Looks like the Bush admin "pursuaded" him to do more of a 180 than I thought.
June 28, 2004 9:50 AM
I think, and this is purely opinion on my part, that it's a CYA type of affair with CLarke on this issue. I think that, leaglly speaking, he's responsible for those flights ultimately having been approved (on the FBI's ok, yes), and he's got an interest in playing down the importance of their having been ushered out of the country.
I do agree that the "vigilantiesm" suggestion is baseless. Unless of course, you count American law enforcement or FBI questioning as the act of vigilantes. There's complexities to the whole affair, intricate pieces that we're still not privvy to. But yes, ultimately, boiling it down, Clarke backed off and we can only wonder "Why?"