Richard Clarke and the Psychology of Betrayal

Dexter Ala's Commentary ^ | 3/28.2004 | Dexter Ala

[dala]

Richard Clarke and the Psychology of Betrayal

Not enough people are asking question of these sorts: “What is it that makes Richard Clarke tick? What are the reasons behind his book, its timing, and the unnerving inconsistency of his statements of years (and even only months) past compared with those of today?

Since I am not a psychologist I hesitated a bit before using the word ‘psychology’ in the title of this article. Nor, I must admit, am I any sort of expert at profiling of the likes of certain of the brighter stars in the law enforcement firmament. Like Richard Clarke’s, however, my history has some background in the intelligence community, as I served for more than a decade in military intelligence. My service in the intelligence community was very minor and now very obsolete. But during the course of service I did have the opportunity to sit in on counter-intelligence briefings on an annual basis, and it is one of the topics of those briefings that is related, in a tangential way, to l’affaire Clarke.

Counter-intelligence briefings include, among other things, case studies of betrayal in the form of espionage, sabotage and the like, describing the acts and motivations of intelligence community insiders like CIA traitor Aldrich Ames, Navy Petty Officer John Walker, or NSA analyst Ronald Pelton, and earlier historical traitors like Briton Kim Philby, or the little-known Russian who gave Kennedy the upper hand during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Oleg Penkovskij.

Richard Clarke, unlike the individuals I’ve listed, is not a traitor to a nation-state in the same sense as any of these listed. But the extraordinary turn-about by a man who lauded the Bush administration upon his retirement, and prior to that in press briefings, and even, if reports are correct, in sworn testimony before the Senate, is hard to explain, but I suggest that the case studies from counter-intelligence may help shed some light on Clarke’s betrayal.

When an intelligence insider goes bad and turns over to the Dark Side (we are the good guys, after all) there is usually one or more motivations at work, or so say case studies of betrayal.

First, there is the ideological traitor, who has adopted the ideology of the enemy. Such was the case with Penkovskij, who saw the banality and raw evil of the Soviet System and the ethical superiority of Western Democracy. If the transcendent norms to which we once appealed on our side are correct (and I believe they are,) then Penkovskij is not a traitor, but a hero.

Next there is the narcissist, the vanity traitor, the guy who doesn’t feel he’s receiving the recognition he deserves. He’s going to settle the score and have is moment in the limelight, even if it’s with the other side. Kim Philby had a bit of the ideological in him but even more of the narcissist. Poor Kim. Russia didn’t recognize his genius any more than the West did, though they did recognize his eccentricities (chudachestva, for those who speak Russian.)

Further, we see greed as the motive for betrayal, the traitor who just wants the enemy to show him the money. This seems to have been the primary motive of Ames , Walker , and Pelton.

Again we should underscore that Richard Clarke did not betray his country in the same sense as the infamous spies listed, but I think we ought to look at the nature of his betrayal of the Bush Administration to see what’s behind his moment in the sun.

[Asclepius]

Next there is the narcissist, the vanity traitor, the guy who doesn?t feel he?s receiving the recognition he deserves.

This would be Clarke.

[nopardons]

btt

[trek]

"Further, we see greed as the motive for betrayal, the traitor who just wants the enemy to show him the money"

Or as I posted earlier, perhaps Soros money is in play here.

[MaggiesDad]

This guy Clark, is a real piece of work.

[leadpenny]

Interesting piece. There is something about him that is very troubling. I posted the following on another thread this morning:
________________

Ya know, like others, I take pride in my ability to read someone's demeanor, body language, and even their personal ticks. When I was much younger I did not trust my intuition when it came to the messages we get from observing another's behavior in various settings. It's probably one of the most frustrating things about posting on FR and elsewhere - we don't get to take in the whole person from post to post.

After watching and listening to Clarke during the hearings he strikes me as a very insecure, petty twit. As a government bureaucrat he was fortunate enough to find his niche which allowed him to rub shoulders with real experts. His government service allowed him to rise to the Pin Stripe Suit level of the government without ever being appointed to an Ambassadorship or being elected to anything. He secretly despises those who have. His resentment has grown to a point where he has started to believe his own BS and, in turn, allowed him to be used by those who would try to unseat a sitting president.

[MaggiesDad]

I hope Clarke goes down hard but, the media just will not let it happen.

[BenLurkin]

There has been talk for decades of a possible mole high in the American intelligence community. This type of profile could be useful in identifying the person. I am NOT saying it was Clarke.

[Authentic Patriot]

Seems to me that the timing of Clarke's book and his actions would lead me to consider "greed" as one of the top picks for his turnabout actions.

[alrea]

hope Clarke goes down hard but, the media just will not let it happen.

Media outlets are demanding that any criticism of republicans remain front page, even when discredited. The media is the problem.

Does anyone know who owns Reuters? They are being played like a drum with every minor charge or suggestion that comes along.

[hoosiermama]

Think you may be on to something.....Don't forget to add that when Bush took over Clarke had to report to Dr. Rice... a woman of African American origin.....

The fact that he didn't bother to show up for her staff meetings until she emailed him twrice to be there; plus his comment that he had to "inform" her about the enemy says a lot about his attitude toward her........latent racial/gender problems? Possibly!

[ReleaseTheHounds]

I agree with your praise for this article and with your and the author's "assessments" of Clarke.

Maybe Clarke is just flipping for the book sales -- but I wonder if he wasn't given encouragement from someone like Soros to turn his book into the screed it became.

This guy may (and should) face real consequences for his perjury in these various under oath testimonies. Watch who comes to his aid on the legal front. That may be telling.

[oldironsides]

I believe Clarke is working with the DNC and Kerry camapign. This is the very same group that had a woman take video tapes of GW Bush's debate practice tapes and send them to the appropriate people that denied knowing anything about it. You think this Joe Wilson and Richard Clarke double teaming is by accident? Like heck it is. It is a well planned Democrat election move. Watch for the next weasel soon. They are out to dismantle the Bush whitehouse with attacks from all sides. Unless Bush Cheney want to toss in the towel, they had better get moving with similiar efforts. There is nothing the Dems will not do to get back into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

[ijcr]

More distraction from the mandarins at Foggy Bottom....blame the psychology of the man not his puppet masters.

[leadpenny]

The masters have deniability

[Authentic Patriot]

"Reuters"
A little History of Reuters. British National and Provincial Press took over it during WW2. During the war The British government and Reuters didn't have a very good relationship. As to their relationship now, I'm unsure of it.

[CathyRyan]

IMHO that would be my guess.

[leadpenny]

On "Capitol Gang" Robert Novak just brought up the subject of Clarke's deep resentment of Condi Rice. He said that Clarke considered her a "lightweight."

There is going to be more and more things coming out that will show Clarke for the snake that he is. I just hope that when he comes before congress, someone uses the line, "Have you no shame?"

[Endeavor]

The irony is that Clarke has betrayed his country in that he has cast the most effective fighter of terror (George W. Bush and his administration) as a bumbling idiot, giving heart to terrorists everywhere, and perhaps eroding the popularity of Bush to the point where Kerry wins.

I'd call that traitorous behavior, because we know that a Kerry administration will never be as tenacious as a Bush admin in taking the fight directly to the terrorists and the states that sponsor terrorists.

[Endeavor]

Yep, I just heard Novak say that. I watch Capital Gang every week, although I sometimes wonder why. Only Kate O'Beirne consistantly stands up for what I believe in. There are times I want to shake Bob. And Margaret Carlson is an idiot.