Another former collegue comes to Clarke's defense.

[scarletwoman]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/4690189.html

Clarke's public service
Tom Maertens
March 28, 2004

<snip>

Clarke was a colleague of mine for 15 months in the White House, under both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Subsequently, I moved to the U.S. State Department as deputy coordinator for counterterrorism, and worked with him and his staff before and after 9/11.

My experience confirms what Clarke relates in his book. The Bush administration did ignore the threat of terrorism. It was focused on tax cuts, building a ballistic missile system, withdrawing from the ABM Treaty and rejecting the Kyoto Protocol.

Administration officials seemed to believe that the terrorist attacks on the United States in East Africa, and on the USS Cole, were due to Clinton’s moral failings. Since they didn’t share those weaknesses, and because President Bush had the blessing of Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Justice Antonin Scalia, we would be spared any serious attack. Moral superiority would triumph.

I personally believe that Clarke was one of the most effective government officials I have ever worked with — most effective, but not the most loved. He has been described as a bureaucratic steamroller, and he no doubt ruffled some feathers, but who better to put in charge of counterterrorism? Unfortunately, he suffered the fate of Cassandra: He was able to foresee the future but not convince his leaders of the threat.

<MUCH more at link...>

DO take the time to read the whole article, some really good stuff!

sw

[IronLionZion]

1. Moral superiority would triumph.

what a bunch of pathetic ass-clowns

[scarletwoman]

3. Good line, eh?

I love how this guy writes, he obviously holds the bushies in total contempt.

Another good bit:

Clarke’s gutsy insider recounting of events related to 9/11 is an important public service. From my perspective, the Bush administration has practiced the most cynical, opportunistic form of politics I witnessed in my 28 years in government: hijacking legitimate American outrage and patriotism over 9/11 to conduct a pre-ordained war against Saddam Hussein.

And a great final graph:

As Clarke has observed, the real war is against Al-Qaida. Instead, the Bush administration has involved us in a breath-takingly cynical, unprovoked war against Iraq, under false pretenses, which it now uses to justify the reelection of a president who has violated the public trust.

sw

[koopie57]

4. how many people have died

cuz this administration's delusions? I wonder why they think they are morally superior anyway? What specific traits do they base it on?

[scarletwoman]

5. "What specific traits do they base it on?"

I don't know... Maybe that they never have oral sex? :evilgrin:

sw

[IronLionZion]

7. Do you think being delusional is grounds for impeachment?

because lying to enter a war is apparently not. And being a religous fanatic seems ok as long as the religion is Christianity. You have to love the American Taliban.

[Miss Authoritiva]

11. Oh I like that thought!

Excellent point -- and I often wondered about Reagan's Alzheimer-y behavior during his second term. What would the protocols be? Who initiates the medical and psych exams? Interesting, very interesting.

[indepat]

9. What a bunch of sanctimonious, reichous, duplicitous, mendacious,

devious lying pathetic a**-c****s.

[daveskilt]

2. great article!

thanks

[OneBlueSky]

6. ya know, there's one very undeniable fact that supports . . .

BushCo's neglect of OBL and terrorism prior to 9/11 . . . and that fact is . . .

9/11 happened . . .

[kaitykaity]

8. Good to hear it.

:thumbsup: Clarke seems like a really strong guy, but it's good that he's got character witnesses lined up.

[scarletwoman]

10. There was another thread yesterday, with another former collegue

speaking up in Clarke's defense. I should have linked it here. I'll see if I can find it...

sw

[grannylib]

12. And this guy was quite the Reaganite, from what I understand from

personal friends of his; I don't know the guy myself but have a couple friends who do, and they were really disappointed in the guy back in the 80s when he went to work for Rayguns, so they were very glad to see him speaking out so strongly on this issue now.