Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
Was that a pre-emptive strike, knowing that Clarke was a holdover Clinton guy who got demoted by Bush and Rice, and explained on 60 Minutes that he was super-pissed at the time, but not quite pissed enough to quit? (Probably wanted to wait for book day, huh?)
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No, not a preemptive strike. I had in mind the fact that Clarke "came up" through the ranks in the Reagan and Bush I White Houses.
Given how well our national security planning process has gone for the past few years, I'm not so sure him being demoted reflects poorly on him.
I have no desire to discuss these issues here because: (a) none of us have read the book yet, (b) any news reports will be incomplete and selective, (c) any critics of Bush will see Clarke as a vindication of all their criticisms, (d) supporters of Bush will find reason to dismiss everything Clarke says without acknowledging any substance or merit; and (e) none of our discussion of these issues will be particularly new or enlightening.
I'm just expressing the hope that Bush and his people will have to focus on this (or, per Hank, go after Jimmy Carter, for gosh sakes) and thus damage his campaign.
S_A_M
