President Asked Aide to Explore Iraq Link to 9/11

NY Times ^ | March 29, 2004 | ERIC LICHTBLAU

[FairOpinion]

And the problem with that is....????

Clarke seems to try to present that it was totally unreasonable for Bush to want to get at the facts, all of them, after 9-11.

And Clinton's State Department in 2000 (when it released the 1999 report, linked Iraq to terrorism, so why is it unreasonable for Bush to even ask the question?!

Patterns of Global Terrorism 1999

Iraq continued to plan and sponsor international terrorism in 1999. Although Baghdad focused primarily on the anti-regime opposition both at home and abroad, it continued to provide safehaven and support to various terrorist groups.

[JennysCool]

Gee. The day after 9-11, President Bush wanted to know who did it.

Shocking, positively shocking!

[af_vet_1981]

Mr. Clarke was incredulous, he said in the book. "But, Mr. President, Al Qaeda did this," he said he responded.

Clarke is incompetent. For most of his watch the war against alQaeda was a failure. It was only when President Bush went to war that it became successful and he is trying to sabotage the country.

[risk]

Clarke, too, might have a problem with his imagination?

[ladyinred]

SO what? I believe this is in the book, Bush At War by Woodward, and he, hardly a Pubbie, didn't seem to have a problem with that. Of course he asked that, maybe because the President knows things we don't huh?

[FairOpinion]

Also, Clarke made his statement without any real evidence, just a suspicion.

Can you imagine, if Bush took action on that kind of statement, without it being backed up by some real investigation?

I agree with you Clarke is incompetent. Apparently he was arguing with Bush, when Bush told him to go find out who did it and explore all possibilities.

[cookcounty]

"And Clinton's State Department in 2000 (when it released the 1999 report, linked Iraq to terrorism, so why is it unreasonable for Bush to even ask the question?!

For crying out loud, Saddam publicly linked HIMSELF to terrorism, frequently boasting about the aid and help he had given them, particularly the Islamist (not secularist) suicide-bombing freaks of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

[marron]

It was entirely reasonable to ask if there were any links between Iraq and 9/11; Iraq was involved in the '93 attack on the World Trade Center, obvious enough to anyone paying attention, and it would be reasonable to ask if they had come back to finish the job.

And while the Administration claims no knowledge of links to the 9/11 attacks, at least not publicly, there are numerous connections between Iraq and Al Qaeda, which are publicly known to anyone paying attention. So, again, the surprise is not that Bush asked Clarke to look into it, the surprise is that Clarke was so bereft of wit as to think it odd.

[Williams]

If anyone has a problem with the President of the United States demanding information 24 hours after our nation was attacked, they are a fool or worse. And the day after the attack, Clarke tells the President don't bother investigating this because I know who did it??? Clarke should be ashamed to write about his behavior that day. Absolutely bizarre.

[Dr. Frank fan]

Bush would have been derelict and irresponsible not to have asked.

Clarke's reaction says more about Clarke than it does about Bush. Clarke was saying on 9/12/2001, a whole day after the attacks, that because "Al Qaeda did this" it was not worth investigating any further.

Clarke was evidnetly a dangerously incompetent boob.

[Dr. Frank fan]

Clarke should be ashamed to write about his behavior that day. Absolutely bizarre.

Bingo. That is the most pathetic aspect of this sorry episode. Clarke doesn't actually seem to realize that his little anecdote reflects poorly on HIM, not on Bush.

I'm actually quite pissed about Clarke's revelation myself. Pissed at Clarke. What the f**k was he doing standing there on 9/12/2001 saying he had the case all wrapped up and no need to investigate any further? Arrogant bastard.

[Williams]

I'm reminded from the picture that's up on Drudge, did you see Clarke with Russert today, and Clarke held up that pathetic sloppily written goodbye postcard he got from President Bush which said nothing considering the guy had worked at the White House forever, and Clarke declares "This is not the ordinary goodbye letter you get from the President, this was the President saying it was an honor to have worked with me ..... blah blah blah.

He should have been embarrassed to display that thing, it was as if the President had noted Clarke's passing on a post-it note.

[KellyAdmirer]

Mr. Clarke was incredulous, he said in the book. "But, Mr. President, Al Qaeda did this," he said he responded.

I'm surprised he was just demoted then. I would have fired him outright. I wouldn't want people working for me who have closed minds who think they have all the answers before all the facts are in.

This guy is a real piece of work, a know-it-all who has more axes to grind than Paul Bunyan. But at least he is doing a service for us by keeping Kerry off the front pages

[thoughtomator]

Given that they're still trying to track down the real source of the Madrid bombings, I'd say certainty about who was responsible for 9/11, one day after the event, is not something one can reasonably demand (especially given that AQ links to several nations were already known at that time).

[FairOpinion]

And just imagine with all the things Bush had to pay attention to at that time, he had to content with an obstinate, irresponsible subordinate, who stands there arguing, instead of going to investigate, as the president requested.

I think it speaks extremely well of Bush that he didn't just pick Clarke up and throw him out a window.

[Sacajaweau]

Clarke should have been looking to see if Iraq was involved "WITHOUT BEING TOLD". I'm still wondering why the Prez had to ask for this clarification?

If you had three thugs in your neighborhood and they had all been in jail for assault and you were assaulted, who would you check out first? ALL OF THEM!!!!

[Sacajaweau]

Remind Mr. Clarke that two of the bad guys from Yemeni who bombed the Cole were also involved in the Embassy Bombings.

[FairOpinion]

" "There is absolutely no evidence that Iraq was supporting al Qaeda ever," Clarke declared March 21 on CBS' 60 Minutes. Because Baathist Iraq and al Qaeda colluded less than, say, Iceland and the Cosa Nostra, the theory goes, President Bush squandered American time, treasure, and blood by hunting Saddam Hussein rather than Osama bin Laden.

This view totally overlooks extensive connections between Baghdad and bin Laden. Just ask Richard Clarke.

On Wednesday, he told the September 11 Commission about Abdul Rahman Yasin, the al Qaeda operative indicted who federal prosecutors indicted for mixing the chemicals in the bomb that rocked the World Trade Center, killed six, and injured 1,042 people on February 26, 1993.

"He was an Iraqi," Clarke observed. "Therefore, when the explosion took place, and he fled the United States, he went back to Iraq." While Clarke believes Baghdad did not orchestrate that attack, he concedes that Hussein embraced this assassin.

"The Iraqi government," Clarke continued, "didn't cooperate in turning him over and gave him sanctuary, as it did give sanctuary to other terrorists."

http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock.asp

Clarke is more of a liar, than Clinton and not as good at it.

[Risor]

Clarke has confused Iraq with Mexico.

[FairOpinion]

Clarke also confused Bush with Clinton.

It was Clinton who didn't do anything in his entire 8 years.