Posted on 04/15/2006 6:51:41 PM PDT by wagglebee
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. conflict with Iran could be even more damaging to America's interests than the war with Iraq, former White House counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke wrote in Sunday's New York Times.
In an op-ed article co-authored with Steven Simon, a former State Department official who also worked for the National Security Council, Clarke wrote reports that the Bush administration is contemplating bombing nuclear sites in Iran raised concerns that "would simply begin a multi-move, escalatory process."
Iran's likely response would be to "use its terrorist network to strike American targets around the world, including inside the United States," Clarke and Simon warned.
"Iran has forces as its command far superior to anything Al Qaeda was ever able to field," they said, citing Iran's links with the militant group Hezbollah.
Iran could also make things much worse in Iraq, they wrote, adding "there is every reason to believe that Iran has such a retaliatory shock wave planned and ready."
President George W. Bush might then sanction more bombing, Clarke and Simon said, hoping Iranians would overthrow the Tehran government. But "more likely, the American war against Iran would guarantee the regime decades more of control."
The authors concluded by warning that "the parallels to the run-up to the war with Iraq are all too striking: remember that in May 2002 President Bush declared that there was 'No war plan on my desk' despite having actually spent months working on detailed plans for the Iraq invasion."
Congress "must not permit the administration to launch another war whose outcome cannot be known, or worse, known all too well," they said.
Our enemies see this and think we are weak...and won't fight. This is getting very dangerous.
Dear Mr. Clarke: Please shut up. Your years as counter-terrorism expert were a total failure. The end result of your labors was the 9/11 attacks. Please be quiet, we no longer need or want your advice.
Clarke is salivating over a nuclear-armed Iran.
I think we should form an imaginary organization called the Neville Chamberlain Memorial Society. Richard Clarke can be its charter member.
If we keep listening to this IDIOT!!! We'll be hit by 9/11 after 9/11... Can this IDIOt shut up for a change?
OpinionJournal - Leisure & Arts
A year ago, I thought Richard A. Clarke, President Clinton's counterterror czar, was a hero ... He left the White House almost a month before the war began. ...
www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110004893 - 47k - Cached -
Also, I wonder how many more copies of his book are going to get sold with this suppportive write-up.
Hey Clarke...quite a track record you and your bent boss have...NOT.
Why the media continues to listen to this"has been" is beyond me. We'll let the present administration make the required decisions to defend this country.
The former president was to busy playing doctor in the white house that's how 9-1-1 came to pass. Mr. Clark is as responsible for that disaster as the former president.So he should hide in his cave somewhere.
Clarke is salivating over a nuclear-armed Iran.<<<
And a cabinet post under Hitlery or John Fraud Kerry.
"more likely, the American war against Iran would guarantee the regime decades more of control."
Not if we just kill em all....
Richard who?
Please exit stage left. Your 15 minutes are up.
It is people like Clarke and the Treasonous Six that will eventually cause the implosion that destroys our great nation.
Clark and Maddie Halfbright...what a dynamic duo.
It clearly seems to be their desire just as was a nuclear North Korea. America subject and repentant -- humiliated before the world is their goal. Noam Chomsky Takes the lead for these "intellectuals".
In many nations, Clarke would have been imprisoned and possibly executed for his incompetence.
He's just overflowing with credibility.
/s
Smile a lot, maybe they'll go away.
I was thinking that bombing Iran with videos and the personages of both Clarke and J. Wilson would cause a great victory (here at home).
Is that Imam Clarke, or the one otherwise anxious to have his throat cut?
We can defeat the Persians militarily, nobody denies that. The problem comes when we go back in to clean up and rebuild. So just attack them, and let them clean up the mess themselves.
"In many nations, Clarke would have been imprisoned and possibly executed for his incompetence..."Unfortunately in this country, this IDIOT is being celebrated for his incompetency!!!
How about air drop leaflets to Iranian military forces. Photos of Helen Thomas, Rosanne Barr and Madeline Halfbright in thong underwear...as just three of the beautiful virgins waiting for then when they give their life in jihad.
This reminds me of a caller on Laura Ingraham... I'll call this guy "Osama bin Clark"
Clarke:More doom and gloom from a proven loser.The tone of the article would lead the(uninformed)reader to think military action against Iran would cost us more than it's worth.More MSM disinformation.
"Our enemies see this and think we are weak...and won't fight."
And in the case of Richard Clarke, Sandy Berger, Bill Clinton, and many other Democrats, our enemies are absolutely correct.
Why don't we just STFU and do it?
This crap should have stopped in 1978!
***A U.S. conflict with Iran could be even more damaging to America's interests than the war with Iraq***
And Iran with a Nuclear bomb wouldnt be damaging???
Or, for that matter, Hillary lecturing on the positive aspects of Conservative values.
A true Clockwork Orange.
Something mechanical masquerading as something organic and real.
"He's just overflowing with credibility."
I don't think it's credibility he's overflowing with.
I have no doubt that you are correct, but that is one of the craziest things I can think of. The man is literally out of his mind.
Liberals would rather score political points than keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists. What's a few million dead when there are political points to be made? The ironic thing is, if terrorists do sneak a nuke into one of our cities, it will kill mainly big city Liberals.
And the fact that these liberals would be among the first to be beheaded as infidel nonbelievers.
Good point. And Clarke's answer to the problem of a nuclear Iran is?
AmadHandJob forgets... he pumps oil everyday ONLY with our blessing!!! we can shut down his oil production any time we like.
The Clark(e) twins, Wesley and Richard.
Exactly right - R. Clarke is a complete fool. The man never provided one piece of actionable Intel in his whole damn career (and that is what his job was!).
He is a chicken little...always was, always will be (which is exactly why the dying MSM love him).
How terrorists did Osama put through his camps while we were tied up flying 300,000 flights over Iraq during the 90's?
Dick doesn't like it. Outstanding! Let's get it done.
Exactly right. These appeasers and traitors are doing nothing more than putting us all in greater danger. What the hell is Iran supposed to think when high profile Americans like this turd bucket are all over the news telling anyone who will listen how any action we take will result in our destruction?
Seriously, when is this crap going to stop? These so called American's words and actions are putting us in more and more danger each and every day. I guess we are not serious about dealing with our enemies abroad, because we sure as hell aren't serious about our enemies within.
Wasn't he the 'counter-terrorism expert' during the USS Cole attack, African Embassy bombings, etc, etc? Nuff said. Wake me when we find a real expert.
I guess this is a preemptive strike to them.
Don't forget to nod and pat them on the back as well.
Dick Clarke: American Grandstand
--Iran's likely response would be to "use its terrorist network to strike American targets around the world, including inside the United States," Clarke and Simon warned.--
Ah, so they have terrorists and will likely use them, but they won't if we cower in fear?...pst, maybe we should fight them where they are!!
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