Further Explanation of Clark's comments on Bush's responsibility for 9/11

[StephNW4Clark]

MARGARET WARNER: Let me ask you about something you said Tuesday on another foreign policy issue in the speech. You said there's no way this administration can walk away from its responsibility for 9/11. What are you saying there? Are you saying the president could have prevented the September 11 attacks and somehow failed in his responsibility to do so?

WESLEY CLARK: What I'm saying is the president is the commander in chief. He's the highest authority in the United States of America. When something goes wrong, he has an obligation to lead and participate actively in the investigation of what went wrong, not to stonewall it. He needs to provide that information in the presidential commission.

One more thing, Margaret: When you look at this, every military commander in the aftermath of a military operation, whether it's a success or failure, we all do what we call after-action reviews. And the commander participates in it. He's not exempt. He doesn't say, well, my intelligence officer didn't do this. He actually lays it out. They say, what happened exactly? And why did it happen? And everybody fesses up.

Now we don't know exactly what happened in this administration but what we do know is that the threat of Osama bin Laden was well known and recognized on the 21st of January in 2001. What we also know is that in September on the 10th of September, there was still no plan for dealing with Osama bin Laden.We don't really know what happened. We don't know whether that was normal, whether it was abnormal but here is what I think the American people need to know.

I think they need to know that the President of the United States believes that the buck stops on his desk, not on the desk of FBI official in Arizona or somebody in Minnesota who didn't communicate a memo and so forth and that everything was okay because no one told him.

When you're the commander in chief, it's your obligation to know, to set the command climate as we would say in the military -- the intensity of your effort. You do your homework. You work the issues. Your highest obligation as the President of the United States next to upholding the Constitution is to assure the security of the United States of America.


http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec03/clark_10-30.html

[Sliverofhope]

1. Delicious

Of course it should be common knowledge 9-11 could have been prevented. So many clues were just obviously there. Turn up the heat, Clark, and you'll win my support.

[MoonAndSun]

2. Every other candidate needs to be doing the same thing that Clark

is doing about 9-11. We should never let a day go by without some Dem slamming bush* for blocking the 9-11 investigation.

[Sliverofhope]

3. Amen

I'm a bit concerned that there's a potential for backfire. I've become ultra-cautious these days. But hopefully this will catch on. There's no reason for Bush to block an investigation unless there's something really embarrassing or damning.

[Tyler Durden]

4. ASSAULTO!

Attack! Attack!

"Never get out of the boat, unless you're going all the way."

CAPT Willard, Apocalypse Now.

[KC21304]

5. Way to go Wes !

[retyred]

6. While this is what needs to be said

I don't think any of the other candidates will follow suit, this is a very touchy subject that the repugs want buried and just like the war itself will be labled as unpatriotic to further blame "flightsuit" when most Americans now think it was the FBI and CIA that didn't do enough.

The 9/11 investigation is going no where, bush's stonewalling will be made to look as if he doesn't want to lay any more blame on the intelligence whith a promise to not let it happen again and that it is an internal problem.

Nice job General, but your on a very slippery slope right now.



Retyred In Fla
So I Read This Book

[returnable]

9. Perhaps...

...but maybe the General is actually hoping to goad the Administration into challenging his patriotism.

Having the president (or his puppetmasters) respond directly to a candidate who hasn't even won his party's nomination yet would be a strategic coup.

[FrenchieCat]

10. Actually, the slippery Slope is where Wes is most at home....

His question to Bush today: Will you be playing dress up again and wearing your little flight suit for Halloween?

read his actual words:

Happy Halloween! I hope you are enjoying yourself on this lighthearted
holiday.

But even as we celebrate, I can't help but recall a recent example of "dressing up" that still galls me. When George W. Bush had the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln -- an aircraft carrier with a full crew onboard -- waste time and money turning circles off of San Diego so he could put a flight suit on for a "photo op," I realized just how far off track this administration has taken us. - Wes Clark

[MoonAndSun]

13. It takes a brave soul to be on that slippery slope....

and I respect Clark for his statements.

[retyred]

17. No one respects Clark more

than I do for standing up and saying what needs to be said.

I just don't want him to be hung out to dry by the other candidates on this issue for fear of looking to politicise 9/11 ultimately being the fault of bush with partisan politics and the fear of being labled unpatriotic for pointing the finger yet again at bush.

Clark's statement is right on, but if he's the only one of the candidates saying it, then bush gets yet another pass and Clark gets painted as desperate to win at any cost by dredging up what most Americans see as a dead horse.

This needs to be shouted from the rooftops by all the candidates at every opportunity so people wake up and see that bush is stonewalling the investigation and America needs to demand why. And it needs to be shouted not just by the new guy on the block.


Retyred In Fla
So I Read This Book

[Dr Fate]

7. Oustanding!!!

Clark gets better as he goes- I am rally starting to hope he is on the ticket...

[shance]

8. I like the fact that we have great candidates representing us

I hope we can have everyone of them in power in some capacity.

(Why not have ten presidents?!**)

They all have strengths. I think we need them all speaking out and telling the truth.

[leftofthedial]

11. Clark just moved up on my list of candidate preferences.

Where are the other candidates on this issue?

[Brian Sweat]

12. This is why I supported Clark

I knew he would take it to Bush in a way that no one else could get away with. I think that this is just a taste of things to come.

[Kool Kitty]

14. Yep, and that's why

they are scared to death of him. Go, Wes!!!

[maggrwaggr]

15. awesome. Go Clark!

saying what needs to be said. Thank God.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

16. Clark is starting a slow burn

and when it sparks Bush is going to get burned. Hmm, that was a rather clumsy turn of phrase, but still, go Clark!