US plans to attack seven Muslim states

AlJazeera ^ | 9/22/03 | staff

[Mark Felton]

US plans to attack seven Muslim states

Monday 22 September 2003, 23:08 Makka Time, 20:08 GMT

Wesley Clark slams plot to attack seven Muslim states after 9/11

Presidential hopeful General Wesley Clark says the White House devised a five-year plan after the 9/11 strikes to attack seven majority-Muslim countries.

A former commander of NATO's forces in Europe, Clark claims he met a senior military officer in Washington in November 2001 who told him the Bush administration was planning to attack Iraq first before taking action against Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan.

The general’s allegations surface in a new book, The Clark Critique, excerpts from which appear in the latest edition of the US magazine Newsweek.

Clark says after the 11 September 2001 attacks, many Bush administration officials seemed determined to move against Iraq, invoking the idea of state sponsorship of terrorism, “even though there was no evidence of Iraqi sponsorship of 9/11 whatsoever”.

Ousting Saddam Hussein promised concrete, visible action, the general writes, dismissing it as a “Cold War approach”.

Clark criticises the plan to attack the seven states, saying it targeted the wrong countries, ignored the “real sources of terrorists”, and failed to achieve “the greater force of international law” that would bring wider global support.

"There was no evidence of Iraqi sponsorship of 9/11 whatsoever"

General Wesley Clark

He also condemns George Bush’s notorious Axis of Evil speech made during his 2002 State of the Union address. “There were no obvious connections between Iraq, Iran, and North Korea,” says Clark.

Clark’s culprits

The former NATO commander acknowledges Iranian and Syrian support for resistance groups such as Lebanon’s Hizb Allah and the Palestinian movement Hamas.

“But neither Hezbollah [sic] nor Hamas were targeting Americans,” he writes. “Why not build international power against Al Qaeda?”

Instead, Clark points the finger at what he calls “the real sources of terrorists - US allies in the region like Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia”.

Clark blames Egypt’s “repressive policies”, Pakistan’s “corruption and poverty, as well as Saudi Arabia’s “radical ideology and direct funding” for creating a pool of angry young men who became “terrorists”.

Clark with wife Gert after naming
himself a presidential candidate

The recent Democrat Party convert says Bush should have adopted a more preventive measures and targeted extremist leaders. “The way to beat terrorists was to take away their popular support,” adds Clark, though he offers little to suggest how this would be achieved.

But White House policy was quickly set in order to achieve particular goals, Clark writes, saying the US administration used the 9/11 attacks to address broader objectives in the Middle East.

Clark, who supervised NATO’s campaign to oust Serbia’s forces from Kosovo in 1999, also takes a swipe at the United States’ allies in Europe, which provided staging bases and planning headquarters for "radical" groups.

War record

The retired general last week declared his intention to win the Democrat nomination to challenge George Bush for the presidency in 2004.

Just days after entering the presidential race, Clark has raced ahead of the nine other Democratic contenders in the latest polls.

Many political observers have portrayed Clark as an anti-war candidate whose own war record – he was decorated after being shot and wounded while serving in Vietnam – means he cannot be accused of lacking courage or patriotism.

Clark has frequently criticised Washington’s policy towards Iraq.

He claimed previously that after the 9/11 attacks, he was pressed by the Bush administration to link the strikes directly to Iraq but refused - a claim the White House denies. However, once the war on Iraq began, he urged decisive action to achieve a rapid US victory.

Despite his anti-war stand on Iraq, the general has had a reputation for being belligerent. He was criticised during the Kosovo campaign for defending attacks on civilian Serbian targets, including the bombing of a television station that left about 20 journalists and other staff dead.

Aljazeera

[Mark Felton]

"[Montesquieu wrote in his Spirit of Laws, X,c.2:] 'The right of natural defense carries along with it sometimes the necessity of attacking; as, for instance, when one nation sees that a continuance of peace will enable another to destroy her, and that to attack that nation instantly is the only way to prevent her own destruction." --Thomas Jefferson: copied into his Commonplace Book.

[AdamSelene235]

Only seven? This is an outrage. At least 12 have it coming.

[Wneighbor]

Sounds like an acceptable starting place.

[Mark Felton]

He is the new poster boy for Al Jazeera. Move over Baghdad Bob!

[Phil V.]

Wesley needs an extended stay in Guantanamo.

[AdamSelene235]

Instead, Clark points the finger at what he calls “the real sources of terrorists - US allies in the region like Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia”.

Well, he got that right. I swear if we get some gun hating perfumed socialist Klintonoid prince for president because of the current administrations unwillingness to name our attackers I'm going to start digging trenches around my home.

[DoughtyOne]

If this man is revealing foreign policy secrets, he's a nitwit!

[God luvs America]

"There was no evidence of Iraqi sponsorship of 9/11 whatsoever"

Its' almost like this guy is defending Iraq!!

[Mark Felton]

This man is soliciting campaign contributions from Saudi Arabia et al...

[aynrandfreak]

Clark's candidacy is now in serious trouble.

[ntnychik]

Re Poster Boy: Just in time for the Iraq governing council to ban AlJazeera. If it weren't for bad luck, he'd have no luck at all.

[NRA2BFree]

Nothing like making more terrorists want to attack America! God save us from this moron.

[Mark Felton]

His job was only to take the wind out of Dean's sails. Mission accomplished already.

The Clintons cannot have any single Democrat rise to national prominence before Hillary! gets her shot.

[zacyak]

Instead, Clark points the finger at what he calls “the real sources of terrorists - US allies in the region like Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia”. Clark blames Egypt’s “repressive policies”, Pakistan’s “corruption and poverty, as well as Saudi Arabia’s “radical ideology and direct funding” for creating a pool of angry young men who became “terrorists”.

Well I'll have to agree with him on this point at least.

[DoughtyOne]

Sounds like a guy hand picked by Billary, eminating from Arkansas doesn't it.

[Johnbalaya]

the US always plays around with war plans for attacking countries...not a big deal

[shaggy eel]

,,, I think this is downright wrong! Libya and Somalia should be first on the list.

[CurlyDave]

If this man is revealing foreign policy secrets, he's a nitwit!

Sounds more like a traitor to me.

[Mark Felton]

Yep. Clark will be Hillary!'s running mate.

By announcing now, he accomplishes 2 things. 1) He takes the wind out of Deans sails and prevents him from establishing an unsurmountable lead; and 2)He begins putting together THE national campaign organization that must be in place for Hillary! to run later, if she chooses.

In 4 months+ if Bush looks vulnerable, Clark will turn over the keys to the Campaign organization and the Saudi inflated bank vault to Hillary! and he'll be her VP running mate.


[you heard it here first]

[ex-Texan]

I agree.

[AdamSelene235]

#2 or #7 ??

[thoughtomator]

Darn it's just Hitlery'sClark's propaganda. I had my hopes up there a minute!

[DoughtyOne]

With these folks I don't think anything close to this is far fetched.

[DoughtyOne]

If this is a policy that he heard in his official capacity, I'd think he would be in trouble. What a comment to come up with in public...

[Centurion2000]

White House devised a five-year plan after the 9/11 strikes to attack seven majority-Muslim countries.

Seven ? It should be 22 plus china and north korea ....

This guy reminds me WAY TOO much of Hitler.

[TheOtherOne]

Bush administration was planning to attack Iraq first before taking action against Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan.

If only it were true.

[FastCoyote]

"His job was only to take the wind out of Dean's sails. Mission accomplished already. "

I think you are right. Pretty amazing how calculating the Clintons are.

[genghis]

either the dumbs are in trouble, or america is in trouble.

[swilhelm73]

A former commander of NATO's forces in Europe, Clark claims he met a senior military officer in Washington in November 2001 who told him the Bush administration was planning to attack Iraq first before taking action against Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan.

I wonder if this is the same administration official who called him to pressure him to make claims about Iraq before the war...that Clark later said was actually an independent think tank in Canada...that after a little investigating appears to not exist...

This guy Clark truly is a fool. Crap like this will kill him in the general election if he gets that far. He is trying to lie like Clinton...but can't seem to pull it off...fortunately for the country I suppose.

If his statement is true, which I severely doubt, well, he is committing treason it seems to me.

That's the modern Democrat party. A lying would be traitor is the moderate candidate...though I guess, as unlike Dean, he hasn't personally killed an unborn child he won't be extreme enough for the party as a whole...

[isom35]

why do we have to stretch it out over 5 years? lets's speed
this puppy up.

[Dec31,1999]

Note to Bush Administration: Don't forget Yemen.

[ohmage]

Clark, who supervised NATO’s campaign to oust Serbia’s forces from Kosovo in 1999, also takes a swipe at the United States’ allies in Europe, which provided staging bases and planning headquarters for "radical" groups.

What goes on inside that 'brilliant' mind? Was he not a driving force behind crinton's Serbian bombing strategy? A strategy that supported the KLA, another muslim narco-terrorist organisation with ties to Al-Queda?

I wonder what his idea of "radical" groups is???

[DoctorZIn]

Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread | DoctorZin

Click on the link above!

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[Frank_2001]

Attacking seven islamic states infested with terrorist savages? Sounds like a good plan to me!

[Taiwan Bocks]

Let's give General Clark the Al Jezeera vote.

Birds of a feather...

[MattAMiller]

This is most odd. Is Clark really going to run on an invade Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia plank? Even if he's just proposing publicly putting these countries on the poopy list he's walking into a pretty sticky thicket.

All these countries call for a more nuanced policy than Iran, North Korea, and Iraq. Are we going to be upgrading our opinion of Iran and North Korea or are we going to start isolating these other countries. How exactly does he get the help of Pakistan in tracking down terrorists?

Weird.

[MJY1288]

All Wesley Clark needs to do is nominate Scott Ritter as his potential running mate and he will win the democratic nomination.

As far as I'm concerned, If Clark made the statement that the White House is planning to invade 7 Muslim nations, he should be arrested and taken to GITMO

[Mike Darancette]

Weasely Cluck is really helping in the War on Terror.

[The South Texan]

Looks like Aljezzera is supporting Clark.

[Delphinium]

We Republicans need to learn the warfare of politics.

This is going to be a very ugly political season.

[Bobby777]

ah, that light of truth, Al Jazeera bringing knowledge to all ...

just like The Guardian ...

[MissAmericanPie]

"A former commander of NATO's forces in Europe, Clark claims he met a senior military officer in Washington in November 2001 who told him the Bush administration was planning to attack Iraq first before taking action against Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan."

Sounds like a great plan to me.

[monkeyshine]

They are throwing everything at Bush. Shooting their wad. What will stick?
Are we witnessing Teflon-2?

[P-Marlowe]

Does Bush have the power to strip this guy of his rank even if he is retired? If so, he should be reduced to private and his pension revoked.

[roadcat]

"why do we have to stretch it out over 5 years? lets's speed this puppy up."

5 years because we have to go before the United Nations for each case. If not, then maybe 1 or 2 years would do it. Come to think of it, maybe we should first attack the United Nations and put our own people in charge.

[lainde]

Sounds like a plan...

[Robert_Paulson2]

arnold and mcc was a dry run for next election. The dems were testing their "divide and conquer" mode... knowing that bush is indefeatable from the middle... only from extreme left and right can he be dragged down to lose in a plurality election.

this is "demcraptic plurality elecitoneering" at it's best. We have just seen it in californicatia... and the righty tighties like tom mcc were suckered in for a few bucks from an indian mafiosa conglomerate.

Keyes will challenge bush from the right... perhaps another "big namer" as well... and then the dems will consolidate with a hillary/clark ticket.

With their willing accomplices in the terror industry, we will see an upswing in attacks, perhaps some succesful ones, just prior to the election, to try and bring down the economy, and give bush the blame for letting terror strike again.

YES, I do believe bill clinton did more than just IGNORE the terror threat. I think he KNEW about the plot... and his people still in place in the fbi, cia, dia and nsa all looked the other way, in hopes that the disaster would collapse a faltering economy an cripple a conservative president.

EXPECT the "true believers" to go into full attack mode on president bush on ABORTION even though he has done more to deal with ending it, than any other president in our recent history... Expect another group to go after Bush over homeland security... not being enough... and another group, the libertarians to go after him for civil liberties problems that they have with the same Homeland Security and patriot act...

Expect the jewish conservatives and evangelicals to go after him for NOT doing enough to protect and support Israel...

and expect hillary to be drafted into the run... for presidentress or veep, as a result of some campaign disaster on the dem side of the aisle... remember paul wellstone?

EXPECT IT... cuz it's on the way.
President Hillary... get used to it.
I personally think she is a very well groomed ....
ANTICHRIST!

[Robert_Paulson2]

They will try to pick off president bush from the right...
judge moore and alan keyes types... the religious conservatives.

wait and see.