Clark Lays Responsibility for 9/11 at Bush's Feet

[maha]

(Today's New York Times)

DURHAM, N.H., Oct. 28 — In a blistering review of President Bush's national security policy, Gen. Wesley K. Clark said on Tuesday that the administration could not "walk away from its responsibilities for 9/11."

"You can't blame something like this on lower-level intelligence officers, however badly they communicated in memos with each other," said the retired general, the latest entrant in the Democratic presidential field. "It goes back to what our great president Harry Truman said with the sign on his desk: `The buck stops here.' And it sure is clear to me that when it comes to our nation's national security, the buck rests with the commander in chief, right on George W. Bush's desk."

"And," he added, "we've got to say again and again and again, until the American people understand: strong rhetoric in the aftermath is no substitute for wise leadership."

General Clark's remarks were his most scathing of the campaign to date and went further than those of a number of other Democratic candidates in laying blame on the administration for intelligence failures.

(Read remainder)

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/29/politics/campaigns/29CLAR.html

[StephNW4Clark]

1. If you want to listen to the entire speech, go to ...

http://www.newamericanstrategies.org/

The archived webcast will be available soon (they said Thursday, but I'm not 100% positive it'll be there).

[GainesT1958]

2. That speech yesterday, combined with his complete UPBRADING of Dub...

Over the "Mission Accomplished" press conference lies, was a terrific 1-2 punch from the General. If Dub actually HAD a spine, I'd say he lost a few vertebrae yesterday!

:kick:

B-)

[Wickerman]

3. I've read a lot of crap about Clark on DU

but I really do appreciate the things he says. Here he isn't blaming the administration, he is blaming bush* There has been a lot of parsing and little holding Bush* accountable - glad to see Wes cut through the Rovian camouflage and go after the man who is paid to be responsible.

"strong rhetoric in the aftermath is no substitute for wise leadership."

[Cha]

4. Good! I'm glad Clark is doing this because

bushmurderinc was asleep at the wheel on 9/11 and should be charged with negligent mass homicide if nothing else. It was Gross Derilection of Duty.

[madfloridian]

5. Good for Clark.

It is good to hear that.
:hi:

[FrenchieCat]

6. I am so glad this is being said

by someone that is taken seriously by the world. I believe his sentiments has been those of many for far too long. I guess that dissent and debate are bbbbbaaaaacccccckkkkkkk!

General Clark is a brilliant strategist. The final goal is to remove
Bush/Cheney from the Oval office. Four more years of this
administration will be very harmful to the US. There's no need for me to explain why, we all know the reasons.

When General Clark plans a *war* he plans 2 parallel tracks ...so if
there is a fork in the road he has a plan for either choice.

Way back in the early summer, Wes Jr. posted to Kos's site. "His
father knows he can beat Bush in the general election, but wasn't
sure if he could win the Dem nomination.

There are a few reasons why the General will not "beat up" on his
fellow Dems, but the most important one is that they are all on the
same "team". Why do the GOP's work for them and try to destroy a
fellow democrat who *may* go on to win the nomination, when the end
goal is to remove Bush from office.(Joe Lieberman does not understand this, but then Joe's only reason for running is for "ego")

Don't misunderstand, the General is out to Win the nomination and
general election - as he has said before he has never lost anything
that he has put his mind to to win. His reasons for winning is NOT
because of ego, but because Clark took an oath many years ago - to defend this nation from all enemies, domestic or abroad (that would be George Bush). Bush is on a path to destroy all the goodwill and foreign policy that every President for the last 50 years have been building,....Bush/Cheny foreign polices have the potential to be very dangerous for the US and the world as a whole, plus he's slowly destroying many domestic policies here at home.

Should the General fail to get the nomination, at least he has
mortally wounded Bush in the area that only a 4 star General has the credentials to do.........leaving a weakened opponent for the
Democratic nominee for the general election.

If the General wins the nomination (which feel he will, with all his supporters'help) he has the potential to be one of the Best Presidents in our history. General Clark is the candidate running who's motivation is dedication to public service and betterment of America and her citizens. Many other top tier candidates have similar a noble goal but some will try and claw their way to the top.