Shattered Unity
Richard Clarke the author of “Against All Enemies” has recently expressed views, which hopefully will restore national unity. He points out that the 9/11 attacks united America as a nation, but the unity has gradually eroded. To reclaim that national unity, he believes we need to understand why the erosion occurred.
Clarke believes the invasion and continued occupation of Iraq was the single most important event, which eroded our national unity. The deceitful attempts to link Iraq with the al Qaeda attacks destroyed the Bush regime’s credibility. That trust was undermined again, when the National Intelligence Estimate confirmed that the sacrifices our military has made did not weakened the terrorist movement, but instead made it stronger.
A broad consensus in America on Iraq appears to be impossible. Clarke suggests that Bush should admitted there is a serious problem with the current strategy and take advice of respected experts and concentrates on protecting our national interests by preventing Iraq from continuing to be a failed state where terrorists can train.
The phrase “national interests” is an interesting choice of words by Clarke. I’m concerned that it’s real meaning is control of Iraqi oil. If our troops remain in Iraq we will continue to trade blood for oil by providing terrorist with on the job training.
Clarke submits that the Bush regime continues to used 9/11 as an excuse to strengthen presidential power and erode fundamental civil liberties. The most obvious violations are the National Security Agency’s illegal wiretapping of phones in the United States without a warrant, and the abandoning of our treaty obligations under the Geneva Conventions by engaging in “alternative interrogation techniques” at the C.I.A.’s secret prisons.
Clarke insists a system can be devised, which permits needed surveillance of the vast traffic in voice and e-mail messages, but also requires judicial involvement before information is disseminated and periodic congressional oversight to prevent abuse.
If we are going to defeat the enemy, we must learn to discuss our differences about Iraq and terrorism in civil and analytical terms, and reject the use of fear and terrorism to divide America for political advantage.
Clarke believes the invasion and continued occupation of Iraq was the single most important event, which eroded our national unity. The deceitful attempts to link Iraq with the al Qaeda attacks destroyed the Bush regime’s credibility. That trust was undermined again, when the National Intelligence Estimate confirmed that the sacrifices our military has made did not weakened the terrorist movement, but instead made it stronger.
A broad consensus in America on Iraq appears to be impossible. Clarke suggests that Bush should admitted there is a serious problem with the current strategy and take advice of respected experts and concentrates on protecting our national interests by preventing Iraq from continuing to be a failed state where terrorists can train.
The phrase “national interests” is an interesting choice of words by Clarke. I’m concerned that it’s real meaning is control of Iraqi oil. If our troops remain in Iraq we will continue to trade blood for oil by providing terrorist with on the job training.
Clarke submits that the Bush regime continues to used 9/11 as an excuse to strengthen presidential power and erode fundamental civil liberties. The most obvious violations are the National Security Agency’s illegal wiretapping of phones in the United States without a warrant, and the abandoning of our treaty obligations under the Geneva Conventions by engaging in “alternative interrogation techniques” at the C.I.A.’s secret prisons.
Clarke insists a system can be devised, which permits needed surveillance of the vast traffic in voice and e-mail messages, but also requires judicial involvement before information is disseminated and periodic congressional oversight to prevent abuse.
If we are going to defeat the enemy, we must learn to discuss our differences about Iraq and terrorism in civil and analytical terms, and reject the use of fear and terrorism to divide America for political advantage.
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