The Lessons of 9/11

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Richard A. Clarke writes: "We invaded a country, Iraq, that had nothing to do with the attack on us, but had everything to do with the preconceived plans of a cabal in and out of our government. In the process, we killed 100,000, wounded many times more, and threw millions out of their homes. More Americans suffered violent deaths in Iraq than did on 9/11, and multiples more were scarred for life. Americans, including our troops, were lied to about Iraq's role in 9/11 and some marched to their death motivated by those lies."

President George W. Bush signs the Homeland Security Act of 2002, 11/25/02. (photo: Stephen Jaffe/Getty Images)

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+11 # fredboy 2011-09-08 08:52

The greatest lesson for me from 9/11 was the people on Flight 93 had the courage to fight evil. Every one of us should recognize that if the good unite--at work, in our localities, and throughout our nation--we can oppose evil. Yes, it often takes sacrifice, and in their case supreme sacrifice. But they will be long remembered as the ones who acted with remarkable courage.

+15 # Glen 2011-09-08 09:17

And yet, fredboy, there was no evidence of that plane actually crashing. No normal debris. Only a hole in the ground similar to the one in the Pentagon. No bodies reported on, same as the Pentagon.

That does not, of course, detract from what you say about courage and unification. A shame there wasn't such cohesiveness and courage against the Bush administration.

+5 # Peacedragon 2011-09-08 08:58

This sounds like sanity to me.

+8 # MidwestTom 2011-09-08 09:30

Clark for PRESIDENT. I could not agree more with his analysis, but I hardly count, and I do not believe that those who do count will even bother to read his comments, let alone act on them. Almost everything he suggests takes power away from the NYC and Washington crowd. Of the national candidates only Ron Paul has suggested the elimination of the TSA; and now non-candidate Clark. TSA jobs are the highest paid low skill jobs in this country; a country where I recently read that your odds of encountering a terrorist attack are 1 in 3,500,000, without the TSA. You are more likely to be hit by lightening, than be injured by a terrorist.

+3 # propsguy 2011-09-08 11:01

since the TSA agents ARE terrorists, our odds of being attacked by terrorists (on our own payroll) have increased exponentially

+20 # howardb4 2011-09-08 09:59

One quite glaring major fact not seen in this article and in my opinion that it's absence makes the article less than. Is that the Bush administration, mainly Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld knowingly lied to this country and the world, broke American law, international law and were completely responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of innocents, the forced moving of millions of Iraqi citizens, the destruction of the infra structure of Iraq, the deaths and maiming of thousands of American military who were told it was their duty to protect America's national security. These three men have committed
heinous crimes and should in prison for the rest of their lives instead of living out their years in luxury.
But Obama has refused to prosecute such mass murderers, which in my mind makes him complicit and the justice system in this country more of a farce now then it ever was.

+12 # doneasley 2011-09-08 14:23

Your comment HOWARDB4 that "These three men have committed heinous crimes and should be in prison for the rest of their lives instead of living out their years in luxury" is right on point. We know that Bush is living in luxury, but most people don't know that Cheney and Rumsfeld live in adjoining $2.5 Million estates in Anne Arundel County, MD - in the lap of luxury. We don't often see the face of evil in our government, but when you look at Dick Cheney you're looking at the Devil himself. The Democrats in Congress were so afraid of the Bush/Cheney gang that they rolled over and voted for anything the thugs wanted. And the Democrats are still afraid! Mr. Clark is one of the few who has been speaking out over the years. And we saw what happened to Joe Wilson when he opposed them on the "16 words" speech (Saddam seeking uranium in Africa). They exposed his wife, Valerie Plame, as a CIA operative, bringing her career to an end. We know that Cheney was behind this treasonous act, but instead of being behind bars, Lucifer is on a book signing tour with his many slobbering sycophants.

What a shame - how obscene.

+5 # Erdajean 2011-09-08 17:37

Amen and Amen to all of the above. Since that almost unbearably stunning day, anyone who questions the Ugly Fairy tale slopped out to "explain" 9/11 is labelled "unpatriotic" or a "conspiracy nut." Well, The Unpatriotic Nut still wants to know why we can't waterboard Dick Cheney, and clap Little George's sacred butt in Guantanamo till we get some answers. Of all the vile insults (TSA et al) heaped on the American people by the perps of this event, the assumption of our mass stupidity is the most disgusting. And then, to have Obama playing on their team -- well -- When will it just be too much?

+5 # tm7devils 2011-09-08 20:48

If anyone wants to get a "little" clearer picture of what actually happened in Iraq during the first year, read Naomi Klein's - "The Shock Doctrine - The Rise of Disaster Capitalism", specifically Chapter 16. If you're a truly moral person make sure you have a bottle of Tums next to you.

I posit: If your government commits a terrorist act and you believe: "my country, right or wrong"; say the pledge of allegiance; have an "I (heart) America" on your bumper; and/or, announce to all how patriotic you are - are you not, by this abetting of your governments actions - also a terrorist... by legal definition?

0 # gtl1 2011-09-11 12:08

Our thanks to you Richard Clarke for your courage and action to uphold truth and honesty now becoming rare in our country.

0 # amye 2011-09-12 09:42

Yes, Richard Clarke for President! And yes, thank you for your courage and honesty! Its sooo refreshing Mr. Clarke!
Also, I'd like to comment on Erdajeans' comment. First, I see your revelation of hypocrisy on both sides! However, when laws are broken, then those law breakers must be punished according to our laws. To not punish those especially at the top is to allow a country to fall into chaos. Thus, we have exorbitant chaos at the top because no on was punished for the crimes committed!

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