Clark supports "9/11 Incompetence Theory"

Clark does not agree with Dean's "Bush Knew" -remarks

White House lapses led to 9/11, Clark says

Boston Globe -12/10/2003

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- Retired Army General Wesley K. Clark yesterday suggested that President Bush bears some responsibility for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying the administration had been warned about the threat of Osama bin Laden but did not act quickly enough to prevent the tragedy.

"Now, we know who did 9/11," Clark told a roomful of business people at a law firm in Portsmouth, saying the Bush administration should be investigated for its actions prior to the attacks. Bush, he said, is "responsible for our preparation, our defense, and that's the issue. . . . This was a president who was in charge in this country for almost nine months, and failed" to defend the country. "

...Clark elaborated on his 9/11 criticism, saying that President Clinton's former national security adviser, Samuel R. Berger, had warned the Bush administration about the dangers of bin Laden but that Bush spent his first nine months in office focusing on Russia rather than the Al Qaeda leader. "What he should have done is put the priority on dealing with the threat that was facing America," Clark said. "Apparently, he didn't."

But Clark said he did not agree with his rival, former Vermont governor Howard Dean, for citing rumors that Saudi Arabia might have warned Bush about the attacks in advance. "I think it's highly unlikely that that would have happened," he said.

...He also suggested that Republicans consider Dean an easy target in the general election.

"There's a reason why Karl Rove is supporting my friend, the former governor of Vermont," Clark said.  

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printed from Clark supports "9/11 Incompetence Theory" on 2004-05-06 09:13:55