21.3.04
Holy Friggin' Crap
Okay, so without a doubt it's a good thing that all of this is coming to light. But really, it's starting to scare the poop out of me just how COMPLETELY INCOMPETENT this administration has been in fighting terrorism - since 9/11, definitely, but even more markedly before 9/11. This report (via Atrios) is, um, really really fucking scary. 'Best' passage:
[Former National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism Richard] Clarke finally got his meeting about al Qaeda in April [2001], three months after his urgent request. But it wasn't with the president or cabinet. It was with the second-in-command in each relevant department.
For the Pentagon, it was Paul Wolfowitz.
Clarke relates, "I began saying, 'We have to deal with bin Laden; we have to deal with al Qaeda.' Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, said, 'No, no, no. We don't have to deal with al Qaeda. Why are we talking about that little guy? We have to talk about Iraqi terrorism against the United States.'
"And I said, 'Paul, there hasn't been any Iraqi terrorism against the United States in eight years!' And I turned to the deputy director of the CIA and said, 'Isn't that right?' And he said, 'Yeah, that's right. There is no Iraqi terrorism against the United States."
Okay, seriously, these people need to be stopped.
[Former National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism Richard] Clarke finally got his meeting about al Qaeda in April [2001], three months after his urgent request. But it wasn't with the president or cabinet. It was with the second-in-command in each relevant department.
For the Pentagon, it was Paul Wolfowitz.
Clarke relates, "I began saying, 'We have to deal with bin Laden; we have to deal with al Qaeda.' Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, said, 'No, no, no. We don't have to deal with al Qaeda. Why are we talking about that little guy? We have to talk about Iraqi terrorism against the United States.'
"And I said, 'Paul, there hasn't been any Iraqi terrorism against the United States in eight years!' And I turned to the deputy director of the CIA and said, 'Isn't that right?' And he said, 'Yeah, that's right. There is no Iraqi terrorism against the United States."
Okay, seriously, these people need to be stopped.
perma-linky posted by jkd : 21:00
