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December 1, 2009

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Letter: Clarke not the only insider who smells a rat

Friday, April 2, 2004 | 9:45 a.m.

The distraction of the Bush administration was the dual mania with reversing anything Clinton and getting Saddam, even if they had to lie about WMD and ties to al-Qaida. Ignoring the Clinton warnings about al-Qaida led to disaster. Then the unnecessary war on Iraq diverted our energies from the real threat to our country and helped to recruit for the terrorists.

The efforts of the Republicans to deflect responsibility for what happened on their watch have been to blame Clinton (of course) and to attack their accusers by outing a CIA agent in one case and by character assassinations in all cases. Richard Clarke's book says little that we did not already know or suspect, but the Bushies think the leak must be plugged by calling Clarke a liar.

Yet what will they say about Paul O'Neill and all the other insiders who support what Clarke has said? If the American people value their security and want peace in the world, they cannot afford to continue with an administration that has such a narrow vision and so little regard for human life.

JERRY BITTS

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