Wednesday, May 12, 2004

 

This Fish Rots From The Head Down

From page 24 of Richard Clarke's book, Against All Enemies (emphases mine). This exchange reportedly took place on the evening of September 11, 2001, just after Bush's address to the nation stating that "[w]e will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." Here, Clarke quotes Bush directly, at a meeting of his National Security staff:

"I want you all to understand that we are at war and we will stay at war until this is done. Nothing else matters. Everything is available for the pursuit of this war. Any barriers in your way, they're gone. Any money you need, you have it. This is our only agenda." The President asked me to focus on identifying what the next attack might be and preventing it.

When, later in the discussion, Secretary Rumsfeld noted that international law allowed the use of force only to prevent future attacks and not for retribution, Bush nearly bit his head off. "No," the President yelled in the narrow conference room, "I don't care what the international lawyers say, we are going to kick some ass."

Now, read this and tell me if the "torture-'em-till-they-talk" orders didn't come directly from the Oval Office.

posted by Michael 11:12 AM