Hawkish Tom Clancy promotes new book, criticizes Iraq war

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=67609

NEW YORK - A brand name author with many admirers in the military criticized the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, citing it as proof that "good men make mistakes."

That same writer said he almost "came to blows" with a leading war supporter, former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle. The author is Tom Clancy.

The hawkish master of such million-selling thrillers as "Patriot Games" and "The Hunt for Red October" now finds himself adding to the criticism of the Iraq war, and not only through his own comments.

His latest book, "Battle Ready," is a collaboration with another war critic, retired Marine Gen. Anthony C. Zinni. "Battle Ready" looks at Zinni's long military career, dating back to the Vietnam War, and includes harsh remarks by Zinni about the current conflict.

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[Don_G]

1. Tom Clancy Is A Theoretical Hawk

However, I find it funny that a former Insurance Salesman (a) knows enough about the military, CIA and NSA to successfully write about them for 10+ years, and (b) Hannity was stupid enough not to read a book hosting an intelligent known RW author to answer simple questions.

I guess Rove is spread pretty thin these days.

[j1607760]

2. Let Clancy talk, it help us and demoralizes the neocons

Clancy is as right-wing as it gets. Keep in mind he came to national prominence because of a blurb he received from Ronald Regan for his novel, Red Storm Rising. All of his early books, up until the fall of communism, were right-wing screeds in which the Soviets were pure evil and America (i.e. Jack Ryan) was pure good. For him of all people to criticize Bush's handling of the war, and to nearly "come to blows" with Perle (one of the masterminds of this quagmire) is HUGE!! As writers go, Clancy is a big name with a reputation for supporting the right (his novels, Executive Orders and The Bear and the Dragon were blatant, undisguised right wing propaganda in which Jack Ryan as president runs the world according to Regan -and of course all his right wing policies are correct) such a long-time right-wing soldier can't be easily dismissed by administration defenders. Sean Hannity was helpless to criticize him, all he could do was throw insults. Far as I'm concerned, this is a great thing. It shows that even well-known right-wingers are openly criticizing Dubya. We should encourage and applaud right-wingers (no matter who they are) to dump on Bush, even if they don't support Kerry. Once people start jumping ship it usually doesn't stop. Clancy is a bullet-proof critic, let him talk!

[mot78]

3. COuldn't agree more

Clnacy is definately a juxtapositon of military and pop culture, and his opposition to the war helps us.

[damnraddem]

4. Clancy writes interesting books with bad politics.

I read all I can get my hands on.

I'm not surprised that he doesn't support the Iraq War. It doesn't fit his fantasy of the wars the U.S. should fight -- that is, he and Dubya have non-matching fantasies.