Clarke part XXI

Fair fight. Fair Fight. I want a Fair Fight

As a citizen, I realise that this is not a game.

This is not a slam down of Clarke Kent vs the Deserter

(technically AWOL I mean technically technically not where he was ordered to be but not technically Technically technically AWL).

Still the Clarke - Bush administration debate is not as fun as it would be if the debaters were more evenly matched.

On one side we have a bald former civil servant who is ambushed by off the record interviews which go on the record and classified e-mails which are declassified who is cross examined under oath.

On the other, we have Condoleezza Rice.

Condoleezza Rice refuses to testify under oath, wants a chance to rebut Clarke before the 9/11 committee while maintining her right to lie and ha the authority to declassify whatever she pleases. Rice is able, not only to controll what she says but also to control what her opponent Clarke "said" by declassifying only those statements which help her case. Clarke is not free to rebut because he can not quote his own classified statements. Rice demands freedom to speak for herself, lying if she chooses, *and* freedom to speak for Clarke.

But Rice is not debating Clarke single handedly. She is being assisted by all of the top Foreign policy officials except for George Tenet who seems to be refusing to discuss Clarke's claims unless he is subpoenad.

This is no fair at all.

Rice has the right to lie (free speach and all that) but her lies are constantly contradicted by the contrasting lies of other Bush administration officials. Clarke, is required to tell the truth (or risk jail) but, since his supporters are either other interested in the truth or were totally totally out of the loop or both (like me) we don't contradict him.

Just for fun, I want a fair debate in which the winner in doubt. I think a rule that would make the debate intereting is the following

Clarke is not allowed to use any words containing the letter e.

He'd still cream Rice but at least it would be interesting.

By the way Mr Clarke, sorry to mention the fact that you are follicularly challenged (TM andrew Sullivan and urgent cc to nemisis). Remember, the symbol of our country and its ideals is the Bald Eagle.