BoB Kerrey: The Search for Answers (Richard Clarke is wrong about Iraq)

Opinion Journal ^ | 04/08/04 | BOB KERREY

[Pokey78]

The 9/11 Commission's objective is to answer the following question: How--at the end of a summer of high terrorist threat--did 19 men with a few hundred thousand dollars manage to utterly defeat every single defensive mechanism we had in place that September morning and murder 3,000 innocents on American soil?

[Jim_Curtis]

The 9/11 Commission's objective is to answer the following question: How--at the end of a summer of high terrorist threat--did 19 men with a few hundred thousand dollars manage to utterly defeat every single defensive mechanism we had in place that September morning and murder 3,000 innocents on American soil?

---
Because billions of dollars were spent on anti-terror measures and not a dime of it was spent on anything that would stop legally boarded passengers with a few box cutters from hijacking airplanes and flying them into buildings.

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[JmyBryan]

I hope we see more of this type of clear-headed thinking from the Democrats and other Americans.

Bravo Senator Kerrey.

[Shermy]

Because billions of dollars were spent on anti-terror measures and not a dime of it was spent on anything that would stop legally boarded passengers with a few box cutters from hijacking airplanes and flying them into buildings.

A few weeks ago I heard an interview of some Peaceful Tomorrows activists. Not the ones trotted out by Kerry a while back.

They were good. And sharp. They somewhat supported Clarke. They liked his apology, but he "still had questions to answer." They focused a lot on the INS failures and communications between bureaucracies. They weren't happy the INS and such were being overlooked in the newly politicized battle.

[Bobber58]

it was as much the restraints put on sharing info between fbi and cia,
probable cause civil liberties extended to non-citizens (couldn't look at Moussau's puter), and not allowing "shady characters" to become spies for us....

[Auntie Dem]

I hope we see more of this type of clear-headed thinking from the Democrats and other Americans.

Clear-headed thinking...from a democrat? Shirley, you jest!!! democrats don't think--they emote.

Secondly, "...from other Americans.", implies democrats are also Americans. I think the behavior of many, if not most, of them indicates they are NOT Americans, but anti-Americans.

If Kerrey were truly honest he would not pussy-foot around clarke's LYING, and call a liar a liar--not try to be polite about a "difference of opinion".

[wardaddy]

Kerrey is a hydra.

He speaks out of all sides of his mouth.

Two weeks ago he was an embarrassingly partisan hack and now he actually makes one or two lucid points in this article.

[JmyBryan]

I generally agree with you. However, and not to be sanctimonious, I believe that the media campaign against Bush is literally giving emotional strength to the terrorists and indirectly causing the death of our soldiers (My heart goes out to them and their families).

The Dims have to wake up to this fact and IMHO, Kerrey, at least in this case, makes the case against the terrorists, who are, as any clear-headed thinker knows, the cause of 9/11. (Sen Kennedy - please take note)

[Just mythoughts]

"Today's appearance of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will test the commission's resilience to the partisan pressures which threaten to collapse the goodwill needed to achieve consensus. Among the most dangerous forces is the tendency in politics to become personal and question motives instead of confronting the substance of the argument made by any individual. If we yield to this tendency, all hope for an honest and constructive report is lost. We will most certainly fail."



In my opinion this "The Commission" has already failed. Seems a tad toooooo late for Democrat Bob Kerrey to be worried about "partisan pressures".

[McGavin999]

He's right, but I don't expect the report will be an honest assessment. It will be political. As far as I am concerned, the greatest reason for the failure was due to the law that forbid the FBI and the CIA from working together. The second reason was the failure to provide sufficient funds to the CIA to allow for human intelligence, and the third reason was the silly rule that would not allow the CIA to have total freedom in their selection of informers.

There! How's that? And I didn't need months of work and silly hearings to come to that conclusion.

Now let's put this all behind us and get on with the fight.

[hobson]

I see bright pink pigs flying by my window.

[Bommer]

The 9/11 Commission's objective is to answer the following question: How--at the end of a summer of high terrorist threat--did 19 men with a few hundred thousand dollars manage to utterly defeat every single defensive mechanism we had in place that September morning and murder 3,000 innocents on American soil?

The answer is because Al Gore decided to take campaign donations from The big Airlines to NOT impliment higher saftey checks and because 8 years of Clinton political correctness made it impossible to profile Muslims with 1 way tickets and no luggage. Theres also a question of why security from Boston, Kennedy and Kerrys state, had such lacked security.

[WOSG]

It is my view that a political victory for terrorism in Iraq is a much greater danger to us than whether or not we succeed in capturing Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Victory in Iraq will embolden radical Islamists as much as our failure to recognize the original danger of their declaration of war against us.

It is someone encouraging to see that not all Democrats put partisanship above patriotism. Kerrey is right of course, and Clarke is wrong. The terrorists are in Iraq fighting the coalition because they know it's the whole ball of wax. We win there and the terrorist world-view soon thereafter be on the ash-heap of history.

[MNJohnnie]

OHHHHH The 9-11 Comission must REALLY be feeling the heat from the Public about their Clarke lead Show trial. Way too go all you Freepers who gave them an earful! Now let's see what happens with Condi to see if they mean it.

[Steven W.]

This guy is not getting prime time seating at DNC in NY this year! Remember Salman Pak

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

If Kerrey were truly honest he would not pussy-foot around clarke's LYING, and call a liar a liar--not try to be polite about a "difference of opinion".

Please forgive me, but i have to call you on that statement. Bob Kerrey is a retired Navy SEAL who traded a leg for a Medal of Honor in Vietnam. Unlike the "other" Kerry, he truly is a hero, who, again, unlike the "other" Kerry, earned his Purple Heart. i'd say that he knows the military, and he knows terror, having seen both first hand, and not just from a boathouse like the "other" Kerry.

While i may question his politics, i find it difficult to question his character. He doesn't have to answer to anyone about that.

[AuntB]

"it was as much the restraints put on sharing info between fbi and cia,"

Why isn't anyone bringing up Janet Reno in all this? If I remember, Janet and Freeh were both too busy covering Clinton's butt and Reno kept everything secret. Congress subpeoned her and she still refused to show up with requested documents,etc. They found her in contempt of Congress..nothin'! The climate of information sharing was destroyed with that reign.

[Prince Charles]

It is my view that a political victory for terrorism in Iraq is a much greater danger to us than whether or not we succeed in capturing Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Victory in Iraq will embolden radical Islamists as much as our failure to recognize the original danger of their declaration of war against us.

There's the pull quote.

[maica]

I agree with you about the 'pull quote,' but this nest sentence also lept out at me.

More importantly, I believe this commission must try to provide a foundation for bipartisan agreement on what should be done in Iraq and the broader war against radical Islamists who use terror as a tactic to destroy our will.

Who gave this commission authority to make American policy? Have I missed this authorization? I thought they were supposed to "find out what caused the events of Sept 11, 2001."