10 Questions for Richard Clarke

[Paul McKenna]

In response to the 60minutes show with Richard Clarke where he stated that W has done a terrible job in the war on terror, Rush had the following 10 questions for him..

Question number 1: Mr. Clarke, the first time the Sudanese government offered bin Laden to the United States, exactly what advice did you give Bill Clinton?
Question number 2: Mr. Clarke, the second time the Sudanese government offered bin Laden to the United States, exactly what advice did you give Bill Clinton?
Question number 3: Mr. Clarke, the third time the Sudanese government offered bin Laden to the United States, exactly what advice did you give Bill Clinton?
Question number 4: When Al-Qaeda attacked our barracks in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Clarke, what exactly advice did you give Clinton for striking back at them?
Question number 5: Mr. Clarke, when Al-Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center in 1993, what advice did you give Clinton for striking back at them?


Question number 6: Mr. Clarke, when Al-Qaeda attacked the USS Cole in 2000, what advice did you give President Clinton for striking back at them?
Question number 7: Mr. Clarke, when Al-Qaeda attacked the two U.S. embassies in North Africa, weren't you one of the experts who advised Clinton to bomb the pharmaceutical factory in Sudan?
Question number 8: Mr. Clarke, when Clinton was slashing the defense budget in the face of these Al-Qaeda attacks, did you advise him against it?
Question number 9: Mr. Clarke, when Clinton undermined the CIA in the face of all these takers, did you advise him against doing that?
Question number 10: Mr. Clarke, isn't it true that you and your colleagues in the Clinton administration generally were complete and miserable failures in defending this nation for eight years, and isn't it a little weak of you to now come forward and say that what Bush didn't do in the first nine months of his term, is pathetic?

[Rufus BugleWeed]

Ex-admin people keep saying Bush had a stiffy for Iraq. Monday morning quarterbacking reveals the WMDs that posed a 45 minute imminent threat were nonexistant or have vanished. Treasury secretary Oneil sure looks to be more of a straight shooter to me than Dr. Condolezza Rice.
Post conflict sources have said that Hussein's regime did not believe the US would attack. Would this mindset call for the transfer of WMD to Syria as some in the administration have said was a possibility? Would Syria accept WMD and face world wrath?
Bush's military adventurism has been very expensive. The foregone alternatives to gulf war 2 are appealing. I would like the truth out of the administration before November.
I think we all understand the situation. When faced with fighting a furtive and elusive terrorist network, Bush choose low hanging fruit. He toppled Saddam Hussein.
The call is yours. Is that the proper response to US failure to properly secure the boarding process on airliners?

[John Smith]

PMcK: In response to the 60minutes show with Richard Clarke where he stated that W has done a terrible job in the war on terror, Rush had the following 10 questions for him.
I have 1 question for Rush: if the counter-terrorism advisor to the President says one thing, the President says another thing, should I listen to Rush who says one thing but does something else?

[Rufus BugleWeed]

I am going to get out my crystal ball again. I am afraid it's not spherical it is cynical. Bush's democracy-on-the-cheap, without as much UN participation as seems is needed, is going to fail. A new dictator, despot, war lord leader will emerge.
The new government will be US sympathetic. The new leader, and his followers, it will be allegded will have been to have been trained and funded by the CIA. People will call the new government a US puppet.
Certainly there are those on this board with a better grasp of history than I. Is not this the US pattern from the bannana republics? I remember The Maine. Will not the world public opinion further villify the US for being a bully?
[ March 22, 2004: Message edited by: Rufus BugleWeed ]

[Paul McKenna]

Originally posted by Eugene Kononov:
should I listen to Rush who says one thing but does something else?[/QB]

Elaborate...

[Paul Stevens]

Is this the same Clarke who during the Reagan administration decided to get Libya by causing sonic booms with SR71 and putting rafts on the beach?

[Jason Menard]

Interesting how Mr Clarke has a book that is about to come out. Actually the book's release date was pushed forward to coincide with Congressional testimony he is giving. When he was trying to get the job of assistant (deputy?) director of Homeland Security, he had nothing but positive things to say about Bush's war on terror. Now shortly before an election, with a book of his coming out, his story changes. Hmmm...
[ March 22, 2004: Message edited by: Jason Menard ]

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Paul Stevens:
Is this the same Clarke who during the Reagan administration decided to get Libya by causing sonic booms with SR71 and putting rafts on the beach?

Yep, same guy.

[Paul McKenna]

Originally posted by Jason Menard:
Interesting how Mr Clarke has a book that is about to come out. Actually the book's release date was pushed forward to coincide with Congressional testimony he is giving.

Jason, dont you know that CBS is in cahoots with this guy? ViaCom, CBS's parent company has a big stake in the publishing house of Clarke's book. If anyone still has any doubts about the media bias.. this should put it to rest!

[Rufus BugleWeed]

Now shortly before an election, with a book of his coming out, his story changes. Hmmm...

It has been said that the publication of the book had been delayed by the Whitehouse on the basis of a security/secrecy check. When you say pushed forward, which way in time is that?
The 9/11 commission seems to be asking questions, and putting on a public show. I wonder why the FBI has not been invited to testify. I hear a lot about how Afghanistan was a difficult issue. IIRC the terrorist were operating in S. Florida, Minnesota, and S. California.
Can you envision Ashcroft before the commision testifying that his hands were tied, the patriot act had not yet been enacted, and needs to be strengthend?
Is the 9/11 commission a white wash?

[Jason Menard]

Originally posted by Rufus BugleWeed:
It has been said that the publication of the book had been delayed by the Whitehouse on the basis of a security/secrecy check. When you say pushed forward, which way in time is that?

The book was supposed to come out at a later date, but the release date has been moved up, meaning the book will be released sooner than originally intended.

[Jeroen Wenting]

Clark is as untrustworthy as he appears to be.
Yes, for 8 years under Clinton he advised to do nothing against Al Qaeda, whether out of ignorance of the threat, support for their cause, or a misguided idea that not taking action against them would make them go away doesn't matter at this point.
He's probably not happy with the current administration for having had the guts to do what he should have advised Clinton to do but didn't and is blaming them now for failing to achieve the ultimate goal of destroying Al Qaeda quickly which may have been possible had he himself acted timely.
A good offense is often the best defense. Had he not attacked the president he himself might have come under fire for his failings during the Clinton era and he can't have that as it might reflect poorly on mr. Kerry who is his current sponsor and master...

[Don Stadler]

A good offense is often the best defense. Had he not attacked the president he himself might have come under fire for his failings during the Clinton era and he can't have that as it might reflect poorly on mr. Kerry who is his current sponsor and master...

I'm not sure I see enough evidence to support this statement. Clarke appears to have friendships with people working for Kerry. My feeling is that Clarke seems a little unhinged perhaps by the experience of being demoted after possibly being right on calling the 9/11 thing. He seems intent on doing as much damage as he can to Bush. But I'm not at all sure he's doing it at Kerry's behest. Vengeance would seem enough of a motive to explain his actions.

[Rufus BugleWeed]

I watched Clarke on Meet the Press this morning. I liked how he said a time or two ( paraphrasing ) Let me answer your question. He even called for the testimony to be unclassified. Will Rush call for that too? Will Rush have some questions for Dr. Rice's public testimony.
It's clear who is answering questions and who is throwing mud.

[Paul Stevens]

Originally posted by Rufus BugleWeed:

It's clear who is answering questions and who is throwing mud.

Totally clear:
From the Washington Post article on Clarke's SWORN testimony before the 9/11 commission:
"Under questioning by Republican members of the commission, Clarke, who said he voted Republican in 2000, rebutted charges by the White House that he was engaged in a partisan political attack."
From today's Meet the Press transcript:
MR. RUSSERT: And we're back. Did you vote for George Bush in 2000? MR. CLARKE: No, I did not. MR. RUSSERT: You voted for Al Gore. MR. CLARKE: Yes, I did.
Your hero has a truth problem.

[Kishore Dandu]

why bother; Bush is gonna retire this december anyway.
I heard that he hired local handymans to get the crawford ranch setup properly for retirement.
Got bless rephubhlikhans
[ March 28, 2004: Message edited by: Kishore Dandu ]

[Billy Tsai]

isn't he too young for retirement

[Kishore Dandu]

Some times people's votes decide "age of retirement".
[ March 29, 2004: Message edited by: Kishore Dandu ]