What was particularly frustrating was that Clinton had pulled Joint Staffs Chairman Hugh Shelton and me aside after the Cabinet Room meeting, saying to the former Special Forces commander, "Hugh, what I think would scare the shit out of these al Qaeda guys, more than any cruise missile . . . would be the sight of U.S. commandoes, Ninja guys in black suits, jumping out of helicopters into their camps, spraying machine guns. Even if we don't get the big guys, it will have a good effect." Shelton looked pained. He explained that the camps were a long way away from anywhere we could launch a helicopter raid. Nonetheless, America's top military officer agreed to "look into it." (Clarke, Against All Enemies, pp. 189-190)
Still frustrated, President Clinton tried to get the Pentagon to think about a Special Forces operation. In late 1999, he suggested to [Joint Chiefs Chairman Hugh] Shelton, "You know, it would scare the shit out of al Qaeda if suddenly a bunch of black ninjas rappelled out of helicopters into the middle of their camp. It would get us enormous deterrence and show those guys we're not afraid." But Shelton "blanched": The generals subsequently argued to the NSC that a small operation was too risky: "The White House had little recourse; it would not work to order the military to undertake a mission it believed to be suicidal." (Blumenthal, The Clinton Wars, p. 661) Link
What do you all think about Clarke being the WH leak who outed Mrs. Joe Wilson? Clarke and Wilson both disdain GWB going into Iraq. Clarke leaks the info to make the WH look like they have to defend Iraq with devious measures, the whole lying montra starts then Clarke heads for the finish line with his attacks.