The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> QUICK FINISHER br> On September 11's "Late Night with David Letterman," former President Bill Clinton declared that if the U.S. went after Iraq, it would take no more than three weeks for the whole operation, from two weeks of bombing to one week of ground operations. /p>

In fact, during his own time in the White House, Clinton was told by his military advisers that an Iraq operation would take far longer from start to finish. "It might be that the actual heavy bombing and military action could take three weeks, but we're talking about being in Iraq, possibly fighting skirmishes for several months," says a former Clinton staffer. "He knows it would take longer than three weeks."

So why be so misleading?

"If he says he could have done it in three weeks, and it takes longer, he makes the Bush people look bad. We've reached that level of pettiness. Also, the Democrats on the campaign trail down the road can say, 'See, Bush I did it in a month, Clinton could have done it in a month. Bush II can't get it right.'"

p> THE BIG SULK br> So much for leadership: Sen. Bob Smith of New Hampshire, who lost the Republican primary to Rep. John Sununu

topics:
Bill Clinton, Business, Military, Iraq, United Nations