Wes Clark Claims Richard Clarke Allegations "not Political" (Today Show this-dog-won't-hunt alert)

[governsleastgovernsbest]

For once, let's start with the conclusion, then get to the facts. Conclusion: the allegations by Richard Clarke that the Bush administration was asleep at the switch when it came to fighting terror pre-9/11 will not have a significant negative impact on W's re-election prospects.

The Dems have given it their best shot, starting with last night's appearance by Richard Clarke on 60 Minutes, and continuing this morning with an appearance on the Today Show of Kerry surrogate Wesley Clark.

And the reliably liberal Norah O'Donnell, in her set-up piece before the interviews of Condi Rice and Wes Clark did her best to hide Richard Clarke's Clinton ties. She never mentioned that Clarke was in the Clinton administration. At very end of he piece she alluded to the fact that he was involved with anti-terror "for a decade" but didn't put that in the political context. You might say she mentioned the fact to build his credentials as an expert rather than to expose his political bias.

Here's the case against the political significance of Richard Clarke's statements: First, he presented them in blatantly political manner. The clip shown on Today this morning shows Clarke animatedly asserting that it is "outrageous" that W is running for re-election on the basis of strong leadership on national security, whereas he in fact did a poor job.

So Clarke himself immediately casts his allegations in a political context. Given that he was a long-time member of the Clinton admin who was a hold-over in the Bush administration, his bona fides as a neutral observer are very questionable.

Next, there is the Dems problem with people in glass houses not throwing stones. As Condi Rice pointed out in her interview with Matt Lauer, Richard Clarke was the anti-terror czar during the the first bombing of the WTC bombing, of the Khobar towers, the Cole, the US embassies in Africa and most of the advance planning for 9/11. Yet he and the Clinton administration did little or nothing to stop or react to any of them.

The deluded Wes Clark was interviewed by (the ditzy) Ann Curry. Clark tried to keep a straight face - and to give him credit, he certainly didn't blink ;-) - while claiming that Richard Clarke's charges were "not political."

But even the very liberal Curry clearly was not buying. She interrupted Clark on a number of occasions, repeating the charges that Condi had made to the effect that the Clinton administration shared the blame. Clark made a pitiful effort to change the subject, claiming that the Clinton admin's responsibility is "not the question."

Curry then asserted: "but you supported the war against Iraq."

A very agitated Clark shot back: "I never supported the war!" [Well, with the exception of that first statement I made on the first day of my presidential campaign when I said I did. But that was before Mary helped me.]

Curry: "But John Kerry supported the war. He voted for the resolution."

Clark: "He supported dealing with the problem, but not in the way the Bush administration did so."

[maica]

Sorry I don't remember the details - I was just waking up - but her difficulty in saying her piece was illustrative to me of her discomfort with the way the Clarke story was going.

[Peach]

Okay - here are just a FEW of the links between terrorism and AQ specifically and Iraq.

Read about what the press was saying in the 90's about the links between Iraq and AQ:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/946809/posts?page=1

Growing evidence of AQ/Iraq link:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/946997/posts

Saddam and Bin Laden vs. the World:http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,798270,00.html

Saddam link to bin Laden:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/866105/posts

The Al Qaeda connections:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/866105/posts

NYT - 1998 - OBL and Iraq agree to cooperate:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985906/posts

Document links AQ and Iraq:http://tennessean.com/nation-world/archives/03/06/34908297.shtml?Element_ID=34908297

Iraq and terrorism:http://www.nationalreview.com/robbins/robbins091903.asp

WSJ - Iraq and AQ: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/987129/posts

Iraq and Iran contact AQ: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/981055/posts

Proof Saddam worked with AQ: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F04%2F27%2Fwalq27.xml

Saddam's AQ Connection:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/969032/posts

Terrorist killed in Iraq after refusing to train Al Qaeda terrorists:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/08/25/wnidal25.xml

Osama's Best Friend: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1007969/posts

Case Closed - OBL and Iraq agree to work together:http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/378fmxyz.asp

Terrorist behind 9/11 trained in Iraq:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1039898/posts?page=154

The Clinton view of Iraq/AQ ties: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/527uwabl.asp

Saddam's ties to terror: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1005579/posts

NYT - tape shows Wesley Clark tying AQ and Iraq: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1056113/posts

[RottiBiz]

Diogenesis' List

PARTIAL LIST OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES

1968 Robert Kennedy assassinated
1972 Munich Olympic Massacure Sep-5,1972 (Black September)
1976 Entebbe Hostage Crisis, June 27, 1976
1979 Iran Hostage Crisis, Nov. 4, 1979 444 days
1979 Grand Mosque Seizure, Nov 20,1979
1981 Assassination of Egyptian President, Oct 6,1981
1982 Assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister, Sept 14, 1982
1983 Bombing of US Embassy in Beirut6, April 18,1983
1983 Bombing of Maring Barricks, Beruit, Oct 23,1983
1984 Hizballah Restaurant Bombing, April 12,1984
1985 Egyptian Airliner Hijacking, Nov 23,1985
1985 Rome Airport murders
1985 TWA Flight 847 hijacked, U.S. Navy diver murdered
1985 Achille Lauro hijacking, Homacidal maniac lived in saddams Iraq
1986 Aircraft Bombing in Greece, March 30, 1986
1988 Pan Am 747 Flight 103 Bombing, Lockerbie, 100's murdered
1988 Berlin Discoteque Bombing, Dec 21,1988
1992 Bombing in Israeli Embassy in Argentina, March 17,1992
1993 Attempted Assassination of Pres. Bush Sr., April 14,1993
1993 First World Trade Center bombing, February 26th, 7 Killed, Hundreds injured, Billions
1994 Air France Hijacking, Dec 24,1994
1995 Attack on US Diplomats in Pakistan, Mar 8,1995
1995 Saudi Military Installation Attack, Nov 13, 1995
1995 Kashmiri Hostage taking, July 4,1995
1996 Khobar Towers attack
1996 Sudanese Missionarys Kidnapping, Aug 17,1996
1996 Paris Subway Explosion, Dec 3,1996
1997 Israeli Shopping Mall Bombing, Sept 4, 1997
1997 Yemeni Kidnappings, Oct 30,1997
1998 Somali Hostage taking crisis, April 15,1998
1998 U.S. Embassy Bombing in Peru, Jan 15, 1998
1998 U.S. Kenya Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1998 U.S. Tanzania Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1999 Plot to blow up Space Needle (thwarted)
2000 USS Cole attacked, many U.S. Navy sailors murdered
2000-2003 Intifada against Israel - 100's dead and injured
2000 Manila Bombing, Dec 30,2000
2001 4 Commercial airliners hijacked, 250+ murdered
2001 World Trade Center attacked, 2800+ murdered
2001 Flight 93 murders
2001 Pentagon attacked, 180+ murdered
2002 Reporter Daniel Pearl, kidnapped and murdered
2002 Philippines American missionary, Filipino nurse killed
2002 July 4, El Al attack Los Angeles LAX, several murdered
2002 Bali bombing - 200 dead, 300 injured
2002 Yemen, French Oil Tanker attacked
2002 Marines attacked / murdered in Kuwait
2002 Washington D.C. sniper
2002 Russian Theater attacked, 100+ dead
2002 Nigerian riots against Miss World Pageant, 200 dead, dozens injured
2002 Mombasa Hotel Attacked, 12 dead, dozens injured
2002 Israeli Boeing 757 attacked by missiles, fortunately no one injured
2002 August Hotel bombing in Jakarta, Indonesia. 12 dead, dozens injured.
2003 Rusian concert bombing
2003 Phillipines airport and market bombing
2003 Foiled SAM plot in the USA
2003 UN Baghdad HQ Bombing
2

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2 posted on 03/05/2004 5:54:30 AM CST by Diogenesis (If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us)

[capydick]

All the spin and attempts to rewrite history just won't work.

It's like they are trying to change yesterdays lottery numbers. They are fools, all of them.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[TomGuy]

Mansoor Ijaz, FoxNews analyst, was on Tony Snow's radio program a little while ago.

Mansoor said the same thing: This book my Clarke is an attempt to rewrite history.

You notice that every few months another smattering of Clintonites come out with books or remarks, etc. They are still trying to rewrite the Clinton legacy. Trouble is, that legacy is set in stone. But they keep trying. Simultaneously, their attempts to rewrite history are also supposed to discredit the GWBush Administration. Few of their attempts have been successful, so far. But more will come during the next few months before the election.

[blackie]

Lying lunatic left ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[MeekOneGOP]

[verity]

That pathetic bunch is in dire need of a group *itch slap!

[capydick]

But more will come during the next few months before the election.

You're right. It's laughable that we continue to see Sandy Berger, Mad Albright, Cohen, Robert Reichhhhha, and all these other Xlinton vermin get trotted out by the mainstream media and continue to try and spin history. They are lying fools and, their accomplices in the media are even bigger fools.

Another point of interest - I dont remember the fair and balanced talking heads trotting out any Bush/Reagan administration officials DAILY to comment on the Xlinton administration, do you? They are pathetic and, I honestly believe, bad for this country.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Katie's been away for several days - back tomorrow. I'll be keeping an eye on her for the benefit of my fellow FReepers!

[Shermy]

Wes VP watch.

[MEG33]

Bump

[speekinout]

Clarke was a career civil service employee. They need to have 30 yrs. service in order to collect a full pension. When the Bush admin. took over, Clarke had about 28 yrs. seniority. It is typical for a "compassionate" admin. to move aside (or demote) someone with that much seniority instead of firing them (which could take 2 years under gov't rules).

I think it's more than just an interesting coincidence that Clarke didn't bring any of these issues to light until after he had served his 30 years and qualified for pension.
He's collecting his pension, now he has book royalties, and who knows - maybe a good job in a Kerry admin.
I don't think his primary concern is bin Laden, Iraq, or any other terrorist camp.

[buffman]

You know, both of them Clarks suck pretty bad. If my name was Clark, after watching those 2 clowns, I would go for a name change.

[Mo1]

Hmmm .. possible

But I still have my doubts about that .. in a Kerry Admin yes ... but VP? .. I'm not so sure

[Red Barr]

Who is the terrorist in this article?

After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six and injured 1,000; President Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 1995 bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed five U.S. military personnel; President Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 and injured 200 U.S. military personnel; President Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in Africa, which killed 224 and injured 5,000; President Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 and injured 39 U.S. sailors; President Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

Maybe if President Clinton had kept his promises, an estimated 3,000 people in New York and Washington, D.C. that are now dead would be alive today.

There are two men, both extremely wealthy. One develops relatively cheap software and gives billions of dollars to charity. The other sponsors terrorism.

Why was it that the Clinton Administration spent more time and money chasing down Bill Gates during his eight years than he spent chasing down Osama bin Laden?

[PhilDragoo]

Richard Clarke describes the meeting to author Miniter on pages 222-229.

Clarke says he wanted to attack bin Laden, but Clinton, Albright, Berger, Cohen, Freeh, and Reno would not.

The prescient quote is on page 227:

"What's it going to take to get them to hit al Qaeda in Afghanistan? Does al Qaeda have to attack the Pentagon?"³⁷

Michael Sheehan, State Department coordinator for counterterrorism, made this remark to Clarke, and confirmed it to the author.

Miniter relates accounts of Mansoor Ijaz relaying offers from Sudan to deliver bin Laden, which were not accepted.

Now Ijaz challenges Clarke to meet him face to face, stating Clarke is disingenuous to the point of outright lying.

Ijaz was a donor and fundraiser for Clinton, so does not fit the template of the Republican attack machine.

The incestuous relationship between Clarke and Beers and Kerry (oh my), as well as that between Simon & Schuster, CBS and Viacom, sours the partisan smear of Bush's leadership.

After all, the Clinton administration, with Clarke as a foot soldier, failed from its first year, for eight years, to take advantage of the (dozen) opportunities to kill or capture bin Laden.

Tonight on O'Reilly, Gerald Posner indicts Tony Lake and Warren Christopher for criminal negligence.

It will be remembered that CIA case officer Robert Baer, See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism, was close to netting the mastermind behind the 1983 Beirut Embassy bombing which killed over sixty, when he was put under investigation by the FBI by Tony Lake for allegedly plotting to assassinate Saddam Hussein.

So if Wesley Clark, who provided the iron to incinerate the Davidians, and bravely obliterated the Kosovo refugee tractor convoys--even while almost touching off WWIII over Pristina--says Clarke's not a political hack, why, you can take to the bank--

Of course, they'll look at Saddam's picture on the bills and laugh.

[mrtysmm]

Thank you for a great post. It appears that this "clarke" thing may just backfire on the dems especially in light of the Klintooon record of "do nothing" when it came to terrorism.

[mrtysmm]

Clark's book is being promoted by CBS which belongs to Viacom...which owns the publishing company that published the book. I smell a rat here....a "democ....RAT"!