Clarke Challenges Rice To Reveal Secret Emails

The Guardian (UK) ^ | Suzanne Goldenberg/Chris McGreal

[blam]

Clarke challenges Rice to reveal secret emails

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington and Chris McGreal in Jerusalem
Monday March 29, 2004
The Guardian (UK)

Richard Clarke, the former terrorism adviser whose revelations threaten to torpedo George Bush's re-election strategy, launched a counterattack yesterday at a White House that he said was determined to destroy him. In a riveting television performance, Mr Clarke called on his principal critic and former employer, the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, to release the entire record of their emails in the months up to the September 11 terror attacks to prove his contention that the White House did not then take the threat of al-Qaida seriously.

He also agreed to Republican demands to declassify testimony he gave to the Senate two years ago - to "prove" there were no inconsistencies. "Let's take all of my emails and all the memos I sent to the national security adviser and her deputy from January 20 to September 11 and let's declassify all of them," Mr Clarke told NBC television.

Mr Clarke's bravura presentation surprised the Bush administration. The decision to stand his ground could also be destructive to Ms Rice. She has been under intense scrutiny for a week - largely for being the focus of Mr Clarke's charges that the Bush government did not see al-Qaida as a priority before September 11, but also because she refused to testify before the commission.

Yesterday, the commission's chairman, Thomas Kean, called for Ms Rice to testify in public. "We recognise there are arguments having to do with separation of powers. We think in a tragedy of this magnitude that those kind of legal arguments are probably overridden," he said. But he said he would not force the issue with a court order.

Even leading Republican figures are criticising Ms Rice's refusal to appear, saying it looked as if she had something to hide. "I think she'd be wise to testify," said Richard Perle, a former Pentagon adviser.

Further damage was inflicted yesterday in a Los Angeles Times report discrediting a prewar claim by the Bush administration that Saddam Hussein had trucks capable of dispersing dangerous substances such as anthrax. The report claimed the information came from a single discredited source and reached US intelligence agents third-hand.

In Israel, meanwhile, a parliamentary committee investigating exaggerated prewar claims over Iraqi weapons of mass destruction concluded that western agencies had dealt in speculation not facts.

The committee said claims that Saddam was expanding his armoury were based on evaluations shared among intelligence agencies in Israel, the US, Britain and elsewhere, that reinforced "dubious interpretations" of the few facts available.

But the report released yesterday by the foreign affairs and defence committee said that while there was a "serious intelligence failure" there was no evidence of deliberate deception to build a false case.

[jwalsh07]

Clarke knows that there is classified information in those emails that can never be released.

This is just further evidence that he is a politcal operative. And he's no better at that than he was at counter terrorism as evidenced by the fact that in all his years as the "Czar" not one high level jihadist operative met his maker.

And the only plot of significance that was disrupted was because of the dedication and excellence of one border guard, not anything that Diminutive Dick Clarke did.

[BikerNYC]

She should call his bluff and release the e-mails. That would put him in his place.

[FRgal4u]

you can safely assume this snake -Clarke - has all the emails saved in his own archives..

a lesson to be learned, never ever trust any holdovers from another administration, never! When we change administrations, we need massive firings, totally clean house, clean out these bastids...

[faithincowboys]

This guy is tough. This thing is so funny. There will now be a clamor for the Bushies to release all the e-mails. Meanwhile the Clinton people never had to release jack. This thing is getting totally out of control. I just hope the Bushies play their cards well.

[Dolphy]

that the White House did not then take the threat of al-Qaida seriously.

More likely is that the White House didn't take Clarke seriously...which I find to be a tribute to their good sense.

[facedown]

If this doesn't prove that Clarke is a DNC/Kerry operative, nothing will.

He knows perfectly well that there is sensitive info in those emails that Condy can't release so the hue and cry will be...

What does she have to hide?

[jla]

The WH should call his bluff. How dare he try to impute Dr. Rice over 9-11.
I don't believe there is any doubt as to who holds their country in higher regard.

[WhiteyAppleseed]

Watching him, I'm reminded of Dr. Zachary Smith, "never fear, Smith is here," of the Lost in Space television show.

[JimSEA]

This thing is getting totally out of control.

It is indeed. Meanwhile Kerry has a free shot at Bush while he is reoccupied. The Bible reading condemnation of Bush from the pulpit by Kerry today was amazing.

[dracos]

I do not get why Bush and his group are acting so concerned about Clarke and his blather. So what if Bush was intent on going to Iraq before 9-11. Apparently he was right about the terrorism that existed over there. Also, who cares that just a few thousand were sent to Afganistan. It was more than enough to take care of the Taliban. The Dems are a curious group -- They would have us Nuke the mountains between Afganistan and Pakinstan. Either the Republicans are not doing enough, or they are doing too much. Odd, eh?

Also, Condi should not bow to pressure to testify publically. I think it is a ploy to have her questioned by the Dems. Bush and his team have nothing to hide and they are above reproach. Although some dems have testified in the past, that is because they DID have some explaining to do.

[Cosmo]

This guy reminds me more and more of Joseph Wilson everyday.I don't think that's a coincidence, either

[oceanview]

they can be redacted.

if clark is in possession of his own email archives with classified information, that is a crime.

[cynicom]

Pearle looking for a job????

[oceanview]

I don't think the iraq stuff is of concern.

the big issue from this is trying to pin the blame for 9/11 on Rice and Bush.

[Az Joe]

The public already sees this as a partisan, personal, political attack by Clarke on the White House. (Newsweek poll: 50% agree with that statement)

In two weeks it will be 70% and it is all over.

[chadsworth]

Right - tell all the terrorists what our information level is. That would be dumber than stupid, but what would you expect from an Ex Clintoon administration worker. >

[jwalsh07]

they can be redacted.

Which, by definition means they won't be totally released and the redactions will become whatever the mediaidiots want them to become.

No, his Congressional Testimony should and can be released with redactions as well as his tetimony to the 9/11 COmmission.

His emails as a Czar in charge of not killing any Al Qa'ida terrorists should not be fully released.

[adam_az]

"This guy reminds me more and more of Joseph Wilson everyday.I don't think that's a coincidence, either"

Both of their scripts are written by the same 'rats, thats why.

[Parley Baer]

Sounds like Clarke is getting a "little testy". These new revelations must be getting to him. Hehehe. I say make the Klintoon administration emails public too if we are going to go that far. Parley