Former Counterterrorism Adviser Richard A. Clarke Unleashes Scathing Indictment of Bush Administration

Richard Clarke, the former top counterterrorism adviser to President Bush, has published a memoir that undermines the administration's key stance on the war on terror. In his book, "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror," Clarke argues that President Bush failed to grasp the threat of Al Qaeda in the months before the 9/11 attacks and then proceeded to launch an "unnecessary and costly war in Iraq" that strengthened radical Islamic terrorist movements worldwide. This timing is particularly damaging for the Bush administration, which has made the war on terror a central part of its re-election campaign.

Key Takeaways:

• Richard Clarke, the former top counterterrorism adviser to President Bush, argues that Bush failed to grasp the threat of Al Qaeda in the months before the 9/11 attacks.
• Clarke claims that Bush's decision to invade Iraq was a critical failure in the war on terror, as it allowed Al Qaeda to regenerate and enabled them to carry out subsequent attacks in countries like Indonesia, Morocco, and Spain.
• Clarke notes that he was asked by Bush to investigate possible Iraqi involvement in the 9/11 attacks, despite the fact that there was no evidence to suggest this, and that he was pressured to provide a specific answer, which he refused to do.
• Clarke's accusations have been corroborated by Senator Bob Graham, a former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Morton I. Abramowitz, a former ambassador to Turkey.
• Clarke's critique of the Bush administration is not motivated by partisan politics, given his long history of service under three presidents and his registered Republican status.
• The White House has dismissed Clarke's accusations as "20-20 hindsight" and "sour grapes," but his insider status and credibility give weight to his claims.

Statistics:

• Over 2 years after the start of operations in Iraq, polls showed that large pluralities (and in some cases, a majority) of Americans believed that Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the 9/11 attacks. (Source: Various polls)
• As of 2004, ample evidence (including US government findings) suggests that Saddam Hussein had no direct or indirect involvement in the 9/11 attacks. (Source: US government reports)
• Since the start of the war in Iraq, several polls have found that a bare majority of Americans now believe the war was not worth the loss of lives and other costs. (Source: Polling data)
• As of the writing of the article, no chemical or biological weapons had been found in Iraq. (Source: Media reports and government statements)

Sources:

• Richard A. Clarke, "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror" (memoir)
• CBS "60 Minutes" interview with Richard A. Clarke (quote and context)
• Senator Bob Graham, Democrat of Florida, former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee (quote and context)
• Morton I. Abramowitz, former ambassador to Turkey (quote and context)
• Various polls and US government reports (statistics and data)