Democrat Clark blames President Bush for Sept. 11 intelligence failures

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/10/28/national1500EST0687.DTL

Democrat Wesley Clark on Tuesday blamed President Bush for the intelligence failures that contributed to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"There is no way this administration can walk away from its responsibility for 9-11," Clark told a conference, titled "New American Strategies for Security and Peace," "You can't blame something like this on lower level intelligence officers, however badly they communicated memos with each other. ... The buck rests with the commander in chief, right on George W. Bush's desk."

<snip>

Clark argued that Bush has manipulated facts, stifled dissent, retaliated against detractors, shown disdain for allies and started a war without just cause. He said Bush put Americans at risk by pursuing war in Iraq instead of hunting for Osama bin Laden and other terrorists, pulling a "bait-and-switch" by going after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein instead of al Qaida terrorists.

He called Bush's labeling of Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an axis of evil in his January 2002 State of the Union address -- "the single worst formulation in the last half century of American foreign policy."

I'm so glad! He's sounding like the candidate I thought he would be.

why do you release this kind of things while there are huge stories in California dominating the news?

Your timing could be better.

>why do you release this kind of things while there are huge stories >in California dominating the news?

This is not the first time he's said this, for one thing.

Second, he said it this time in the context of a speech he gave to a symposium at John Podesta's new think-tank. A speech which happened to be scheduled for today. Admittedly, he probably should have waited a few days before he set those fires.

(The webcast speech was excellent -- should be up for viewing in a day or two.)

man that's a big word.

schwarzeneggermania

Oh well, if he keeps repeating it, which he should, somebody will finally notice.

Go Clark!!

He was unintimidated, direct and ultimately disarming of the interviewers. I'd never seen him before, and had wondered if he was letting his campaign ride primarily on his patriotic military experience. But he came across as so confident and smart that I tabbed him as my front-runner. I was really, really impressed. He'd thoroughly embarrass the Chimp in a debate (not that he needs any help embarrassing himself.)

and getting stronger every day. He wont buy into this dissenters are unpatriotic crap. You Go Wes!

Do they ever say "Republican Bush"?

I thought I was the only one. Yes, why do they do that?

Answer: then it is all political. Bush is saved!!!!!!

The Bush-Cheney campaign declined to respond to Clark's criticism, referring calls to the Republican National Committee. Christine Iverson, spokeswoman for the RNC, said Clark "sounds exactly like Bob Graham, the failed presidential candidate from Florida who launched similar attacks against the president a few month ago, and was forced to drop out of the race because his message of protest and pessimism failed to resonate with the American people."

His campaign didn't. He wasn't going to be president. Most people aren't. But he had some very important things to say and I'm glad he was in the campaign for a while to say them and of course, that he keeps on saying them.

Bob Graham is a great statesman; her man dubya is a malingering, insensitive, boorish political hack. I'd write her so if I knew how.

yet she was savaged for her remarks by many of those that are applauding Wes Clark today for saying the same thing. Could it be that the opinion of an African-American woman carries less weight than that of a white General?

Kudos to Clark. Boo to McKinney's 9/11 detractors!

Sadly, probably so.
That's clearly something we need to change in
this country, should we ever get it back from
the fascists.

Plus McKinney, being an elected official,
was vulnerable to being "voted" out of office
afterward. I'm quite certain she was ousted
as a result of voting fraud of course.

"Kudos to Clark. Boo to McKinney's 9/11 detractors!"
It's worth repeating.
McKinney was right then. General Clark is right now.

How can they look Americans in the eyes and say that
George W. Bush is their Commander and Chief!!!

Shame on all of them!!!!!!!

I missed that. The USAF took the blame? If NORAD doesn't scramble in time how it is the Air Forces fault? Security over our skies in the responsibility of NORAD. I want those suckers under oath.

And you'll never find a bigger ass to kick.

Kick. :)