Did anyone read....

[Kikosexy2]

Yesterday's (3/30/04) Los Angeles Times editorial by former National Security Council staff of the Clinton Administration Daniel Benjamin??

Article: Voice In the Wilderness Are Turning into a Chorus (L.A. Times 3/30/04)

In the article Mr. Benjamin mentions from his book "The Age of Sacred Terror" (Random House 2002) interviews with former assistant secretary of Defense Brian Sheridan and a 3-start general and advisor Don Kerrick say the same things that Richard Clarke had testified to the 9/11 commission--the Bush administration did not take terrorism as an urgent matter.

These two individuals and others should be interviewed by the commission since Mr. Clarke has come under extreme credibility attacks and scrutiny by the Bushies and Repubes. And Mr. Clarke is definitely going to be attacked by Condi, Cheney and Georgie boy to discredit him once and for all. We need to take action in getting the word out about this book and the individuals who were interviewed for Mr. Benjamin's book. We need to write to commission let them about this soon. Go to LATimes.com to read the article.

[izzie]

1. It seems to me O'Neill and Woodard (sp) have said same as Clark

Heck I can recall them talking about Star wars or some type of space thing they wanted money for.I am sure their was a lot in the news about it as people were saying what would we need it for.

[SharonAnn]

2. I remember that. I was screaming at the TV "We need money

for anti-terrorism - not Star Wars! Whya ren't you paying attention to the real problem?" This was in May-June of 2001.

My husband thought I had gone nuts, but it turned out I was right.

[Kikosexy2]

3. Amazing...

it wasn't just Woodward and a few others but the fact there are other publications which document the Bushies' response to terrorism prior to 9/11 and that the commission should be interviewing all individuals involved in counter-terrorism from both Clinton and Bush administrations. Nothing should be overlooked. Maybe we the public need to bring this to the commission's attention.

[redqueen]

4. It couldn't hurt

I'd bring anything of that nature to their attention.

[Kikosexy2]

5. Then...

I urge this campaign to the commission, Moveon.org or any organization concerning 9/11--write them about this relevation from the L.A. Times editorial.

[Jai4WKC08]

6. After a while, ya start to wonder...

How many voices need to speak up before the voters start to listen?

I remember Wes Clark saying the same thing, based on "Pentagon sources"--it was in his book, before the campaign began. Could well have been Lt General Kerrick--they are quite close, and he matches the description given in the old Rolling Stone article.

Then, just yesterday, I read this article from a guy who used to work for Clarke and has since retired to MN:

Tom Maertens: Clarke's public service
Tom Maertens
March 28, 2004MAERTENS0328

<snip>
Clarke was a colleague of mine for 15 months in the White House, under both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Subsequently, I moved to the U.S. State Department as deputy coordinator for counterterrorism, and worked with him and his staff before and after 9/11.

My experience confirms what Clarke relates in his book. The Bush administration did ignore the threat of terrorism. It was focused on tax cuts, building a ballistic missile system, withdrawing from the ABM Treaty and rejecting the Kyoto Protocol.

Administration officials seemed to believe that the terrorist attacks on the United States in East Africa, and on the USS Cole, were due to Clinton's moral failings. Since they didn't share those weaknesses, and because President Bush had the blessing of Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Justice Antonin Scalia, we would be spared any serious attack. Moral superiority would triumph.

I personally believe that Clarke was one of the most effective government officials I have ever worked with -- most effective, but not the most loved. He has been described as a bureaucratic steamroller, and he no doubt ruffled some feathers, but who better to put in charge of counterterrorism? Unfortunately, he suffered the fate of Cassandra: He was able to foresee the future but not convince his leaders of the threat.

More (worth reading) at:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/4690189.html