Posted on 07/07/2004 9:34:43 AM PDT by Spackidagoosh
Clarke Calls Iraq War 'An Enormous Mistake' Ex-Terrorism Czar Says U.S. Credibility Undermined
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Former White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke called the invasion of Iraq an "enormous mistake," costing untold lives, strengthening al-Qaida and breeding a new generation of terrorists.
The invasion of Iraq was an "enormous mistake" that is costing untold lives, strengthening al-Qaida and breeding a new generation of terrorists, former White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke said Saturday.
Clarke gave the keynote address at the American Library Association's annual convention in Orlando Saturday.
"We did exactly what al Qaida said we would do -- invade and occupy an oil-rich Arab country that wasn't threatening us in any way. The hatred that has been engendered by this invasion will last for generations," he said.
Clarke, who wrote "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror" earlier this year, said the United States will lose the war on terrorism if it loses the battle of ideas against extremists in the Middle East.
Clarke said the United States' ideological credibility has been undermined by revelations of the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison and the release of documents that showed U.S. government attorneys conducted a legal analysis of what constituted torture.
He took issue with some elements of documentary-maker Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 911," which depicts how the Bush administration allowed Saudi nationals and members of Osama bin Laden's family to leave the United States days after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Clarke said the Saudi nationals were not allowed to leave until the FBI cleared them of posing any danger or having any knowledge of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts.
Hey Dick, it's called vision and leadership. Get some.
What a great picture to caption!
Are they referring to Bin Laden Family Tour Director Richard Clarke?
I can't resist.
CLARKE: "I'm telling you it was a mistake or my penis is not this big."
The American LIBRARY Association????
"I crush your head,"
Obscure Kids in the hall reference.
DFU calls the failure of Richard Clarke's father to pull out on time an enormous mistake.
Didn't he read David Kay's report, from which one sentence (now disproven by new discoveries, in fact) is always all the liberals ever quote? Didn't he hear the president's speeches about our not being able to wait until a threat is imminent? Doesn't he know that the British still stand by their uranium report? Hasn't he seen all the reports of links between Saddam and terror? DOESN'T HE READ???
This forthcoming presidential election has made crazed idiots out of the other side. All they care about is winning the gd election, to the point where they are undermining the commander in chief and putting us all in danger.
"breeding a new generation of terrorists"
Perhaps, but the good news is they are going to Iraq where we can kill them. It's all good.
Looks like we got another left-wing group on our hands.
The American Library Association is a collection of weenies who try to act tough by pretending the Bush Admonistration is no different than the Nazis. A group of pimple-assed dainty boys and overeducated frumps who like to sniff one another.
Librarians are the biggest lefties around. Maybe second to university professors.
One can only be appalled at the likes of Clark working where
he did.
As of now, Al-Quida has been forced to react to our decisions instead of vice versa, they may be growing stronger, but they would have anyway particularly in
the face of the kind of wimpy response offered by Clinton
and Clark.
Frankly Clark should be on trial for inept and criminal
actions resulting in American deaths.
Chad Fairbanks calls Clarke an "Enormous Mistake"
FMCDH(BITS)
Liberating Iraqis doesn't cause terrorism, Dick, islam causes terrorism.
In his own words let me put his 9-11 actions in perspective. the pentagon is on fire a few miles from the whitehouse, an airliner is down just outside of pittsburg, the world trade center has been hit by two airliners, collapsed and still on fire, the casualty estimates are running as high as 10,000. the President comes to him and asks him to look into possible connections between Iraq and Alqueida, and his response? I don't want to do that because someone else has already done that? Isn't it clear that someone somewhere missed something? Correct me if I'm wrong but at a time like this the President shouldn't have to ask a govt official THREE TIMES to do a job .
Apparently the Democratics don't agree with Clarke. They just selected two Senators (Kerry and Edwards) for their Presidential/ Vice-presidential nominees, both of whom voted in favor of the Iraq war while in the Senate.
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