The Bush administration has surpassed the sophistry of the sophists and the causitry of the Jesuits in their attempt to argue that over 7 months of discussion were well spent improving Richard Clarke's Jan 25 memo to the September fourth draft NSPD. They have a problem with the title of appendix A of the memo. From the 8 April heariing

KERREY: …
"In fact, since we're in the mood to declassify stuff, there was – he [Clarke] included in his January 25th memo two appendices -- Appendix A: "Strategy for the elimination of the jihadist threat of al Qaeda," Appendix B: "Political military plan for al Qaeda." "

So Clarke claimed it was a strategy not a list and least of all a laundry list More to the point the aim was "elimination" not "roll-back", "containment" or "law enforcement."

The draft NSPD's aim was also discussed on Thursday

GORELICK: ...
"I was struck by your characterization of the NSPD,…, as having the goal of the elimination of al Qaeda.
Because as I look at it -- …-- it doesn't call for the elimination of al Qaeda.
And it may be a semantic difference, but I don't think so. It calls for the elimination of the al Qaeda threat. "

Under oath but fearless Rice stuck to the party line when answering Gov Thompson's first question

RICE:" …I said, "Dick, take the ideas …, put it together into a strategy, not to roll back al Qaeda" -- which had been the goal of the Clinton -- of what Dick Clarke wrote to us -- "but rather to eliminate this threat." "

I wonder how Clarke responded to the suggestion that his "Strategy for the elimination of the jihadist threat of al Qaeda," should be modified in to something "to eliminate this threat" ?

I think the Bush administration are down to the distinction between
“the elimination of the jihadist threat of al Qaeda” – Clarke 1/25/01
and
“the elimination of the al Qaeda threat” -draft NSPD 9/4/01
Clarke only wanted to eliminate the jihadist threat. After 7 months of discussion they decided to eliminate all the other al Qaeda threats such as …