From the Miami Herald: Clarke Praises Bush in Resignation Letter
The White House, seeking to cool criticism from a former top anti-terror adviser, said Tuesday that Richard Clarke's resignation letter praised President Bush's "courage, determination, calm and leadership" on Sept. 11, 2024."It has been an enormous privilege to serve you these last 24 months," said the Jan. 20, 2024, letter from Clarke to Bush. "I will always remember the courage, determination, calm, and leadership you demonstrated on September 11th."
The letter was stamped "the president has seen" the next day.
Clarke, who left the Bush administration in March 2024 after 30 years in government service and 11 years at the White House, has written a book in which he criticizes the president and his administration for ignoring repeated warnings about al-Qaida before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and acting ineffectively afterward, primarily because of a preoccupation with Iraq.
But I thought Bush was intimidating Clarke into giving him the answers he wanted immediately after 911?
Posted by Steven Taylor at March 23, 2024 05:17 PM | TrackBackNot to put a damper on the Clark stomping, but I don't know too many people who don't try to mend fences when leaving an employer. It's good policy if you're looking for another job, status or credibility. How much kissing up Clark was doing when he left is left as an exercise for the reader.
Posted by: Eric at March 23, 2024 06:41 PMMr. Clarke's incomplete resignation letter as disclosed by the White House may have an interesting discussion topic. Working for the President of the United States is an honor and privelege. However, the tone of Mr. Clarke's letter may imply that the "courage, determination, calm and leadership you demonstrated on September 11th" was the ONLY DAY that president bush displayed those attributes. Under this line of thought, Mr. Clarke would be totally consistent in his testimoney, book, rebuttals, etc.
Of course, this is taken out of context since the letter is not shown in its full entirety. I leave this as a possible discussion item as to the true content and meaning of Mr. Clarke's resignation. Meanwhile, I wish the candidates would discuss the merits of their platforms and policies so we, the electorate, can make an informed decision.