Clarke Publishes a 9/11 Salvo

Re “Perfect Timing Elevates Clarke’s Book to the Top,” April 1: Many newscasters and commentators have noted that polls indicate that the public’s perception is that the release of Richard Clarke’s book was politically motivated and probably done for revenge. What a surprise! What person having a strong moral background and honest personal principles, learning that his employer had lied and manipulated and had betrayed his country and his trust, causing the death of about 600 of his country’s troops and countless thousands of innocents, would not have done his utmost to inform an apparently unconcerned, disengaged public?

This is revenge on behalf of those who died or lost loved ones, or whose lives have been destroyed by a lying president whose only apparent motivations were a lust for power, hegemony and gratitude to corporate contributors. Clarke should be given a medal for his courage and honesty.

Ben Adams

Los Angeles

*

While most Americans agree with Clarke (Times Poll, April 1) that Bush was obsessed with Iraq and did not do enough to deal with terrorism before 9/11, they still feel the president has made Americans safer. Obviously, they are not in Iraq.

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster

*

Very clever. Your poll question asks whether Bush “was more focused on attacking Iraq than dealing with terrorism.” Who says they are different?

Editorial arguments belong on the editorial page, not inside poll questions. If the U.S. succeeds in helping Iraq create a democratic nation, we will have drained part of the swamp that breeds terrorists. And I thought you liberals liked treating “root causes.”

Jim Bass

Thousand Oaks

*

If only the Bush administration went to “battle stations” against Al Qaeda with the same level of ferocity that it went to battle stations against Clarke.

Tom Nykiel

Beverly Hills