NYT: President Asked Aide to Explore Iraq Link to 9/11

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, March 28 — The White House acknowledged Sunday that on the day after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush asked his top counterterrorism adviser, Richard A. Clarke, to find out whether Iraq was involved.

Mr. Bush wanted to know "did Iraq have anything to do with this? Were they complicit in it?" Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, recounted in an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes."

Mr. Bush was not trying to intimidate anyone to "produce information," she said. Rather, given the United States' "actively hostile relationship" with Iraq at the time, he was asking Mr. Clarke "a perfectly logical question," Ms. Rice said.

The conversation — which the White House suggested last week had never taken place — centers on perhaps the most volatile charge Mr. Clarke has made public in recent days: that the Bush White House became fixated on Iraq and Saddam Hussein at the expense of focusing on Al Qaeda.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/29/politics/29PANE.html?hp

[stevedeshazer]

1. Very interesting

Worth the long read, it sums things up pretty well.

[patricia92243]

2. Why Iraq? Why not N. Korea, Iran, Palastinians, etc. etc.

[yardwork]

3. She just contradicted the WH again!!!

[peacetalksforall]

4. You can use this as a perfect example of spinnig = people who

are too busy or who are only a little interested won't have the time to listen to the detail of Clarke's story. She captured one tiny spot in time and is trying to make it sound as if it were the entire story and adding spin about the innocence of it all. Despicable. Read the book, Condaleeza. Well, she has provided the talking points to Brit, the court jesters on all the networks, Tweety, Imus, Billy O'Reilly, and all the others. Condi, transparent, not clever. Try again.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Backtracking --

They first denied the Bush/Clarke Iraq conversation took place, denying that Bush was in the Situation Room. Which, as Jon Stewart points out, is pretty amazing -- if he wasn't in the Situation Room after 9/11, when did he plan on using that room???

Also, Ben-Veniste is great with the zingers: "Ms. Rice 'has appeared everywhere except my local Starbucks,' Richard Ben-Veniste, a member of the commission, said in an interview.' 'For the White House to continue to refuse to make her available simply does not make sense.'"

[mouse7]

7. I'd believe they'd keep Dubya out of the situation room

Can you imagine what it's like when he's in there?

"No, put that down, that's fragile.... No, you can't bring the dog in here... No, we can't get the Rangers' game on the TV.... Sir, my name is not 'Baldy'... Sir, they've just cooked up a big plate of cheeseburgers for you... They're ready for you in the dining room...That way, sir...

[DeepModem Mom]

8. LOL!

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. W and Cheney's wife

would have just fought over who got to hold the remote control for the TV.

[radfringe]

6. guess he just "forgot" where he was that day

amazing...

day after the the attack, people running aroundtrying to figure out what happened, who did it, what do next and this being his "defining moment" and he forgets where he was...

[R Hickey]

10. Monica knew more about national security than Condoleezza Rice

I don't mean to be rude, but I've noticed that President Bush and Miss Rice spend a lot of time alone together. Has anybody else noticed this?

Is it really national security advice that makes her so important to President Bush, or is she hiding a crusty blue dress in her closet?

[mediaman007]

11. Perhaps Ms. Rice is the President's sitter.

So far she's kept him off the Red Phone.

In the chaotic time after 9-11, he probably was able to move around and get away from her supervision. He probably stumbled into the Situation Room. (/sarcasm)

[Cooley Hurd]

12. Good morning kskiska

There's an existing LBN thread on this story. Please continue discussion here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=450417#450882

Thanks! :hi: