Why the West Isn't Winning the War on Terror
■"A Fine Rendition: The C.I.A. was right to ship terror suspects abroad," op-ed by Michael Scheuer, New York Times, 11 March 2005, p. A23.
Oh-oh. Michael Scheuer wants to both take credit for the rendition program of sending terrorist suspects to states we know will torture them and blame any problems all on White House-types like Sandy Berger and Richard Clarke. Scheuer originated the program at the request of the Clinton administration and ran it in its first, formative 40 months.
Man, didn't both Clarke and Scheuer singlehandedly win the global war on al Qaeda before penning their best sellers describing their stunning exploits and victories? If they start turning on one another, then where will we be?
Scheuer doesn't want any hounding of CIA personnel over the program. Why? First, the politicians called all the shots. Second, the program was/is a huge success. I mean, it stopped al Qaeda in its tracks and prevented 9/11, right? Third, the CIA was/is only following orders.
If there's any blame, give it to Clarke, Berger and Clinton, or the current crew, but the CIA is blameless. Take it from Scheuer, because he's the guy who so successfully ran the agency's counter-terrorism effort across the 1990s.