Richard A. Clarke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dick Clarke
10th Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs
In office August 8, 1989 – July 10, 1992
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	H. Allen Holmes
Succeeded by	Robert Gallucci
Personal details
Born	Richard Alan Clarke (1950-10-27) October 27, 1950 (age 74) Dorchester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of Pennsylvania (BA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MSM)

Richard Alan Clarke (born October 27, 1950) is an American expert in national security. He is also a novelist and used to work for the U.S. government. He was known as the "Counterterrorism Czar" from 1998 to 2003. This important job meant he was the main person in charge of protecting the United States from terrorism.

Clarke worked for several presidents, including Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. After leaving government, he became well-known for speaking out about how the government handled terrorism, especially before the September 11 attacks. He also focused on cybersecurity, which is about protecting computers and networks from attacks.

Early Life and Education

Richard Clarke was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1950. His father worked in a chocolate factory, and his mother was a nurse. He went to Boston Latin School and finished in 1968.

He then went to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1972. Later, he continued his studies and received a master's degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1978.

Working for the Government

Clarke started his career in the federal government in 1973. He worked in the Department of Defense and later in the State Department.

Helping Presidents with Security

From 1985 to 1992, Clarke held important roles in the State Department. He helped with diplomatic efforts during the Gulf War in 1990–1991.

In 1992, President George H. W. Bush asked him to lead the Counter-terrorism Security Group. This group focused on stopping terrorism. Clarke also joined the National Security Council, which advises the president on national security.

His Role in the Clinton Years

President Bill Clinton kept Clarke in his team. In 1998, Clinton gave him an even bigger role: National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counter-terrorism. This meant Clarke was the top adviser on fighting terrorism for the National Security Council. He had direct access to the president.

During the Rwandan genocide in 1994, Clarke was involved in discussions about the U.S. role. He advised against sending more U.N. troops, believing it was not in America's direct interest.

Clarke was also involved in the investigation of Ramzi Yousef, who was behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Yousef had ties to al-Qaeda, a terrorist group.

His Role in the Bush Years

When George W. Bush became president, Clarke continued as the counter-terrorism coordinator. However, his role was changed, and he no longer had direct access to the president. His advice had to go through other officials.

In 2001, he was named Special Advisor to the President on cybersecurity. This new role focused on protecting computer systems and networks from attacks. Clarke left the Bush administration in early 2003.

Here are some of the government jobs Clarke held:

• United States Department of State (1985–1992)
  • Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs (1989–1992)
  • Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence (1985–1988)
• United States National Security Council (1992–2003)
  • Special Advisor (2001–2003)
  • National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counter-terrorism (1998–2001)
  • Chairman of the Counter-terrorism Security Group (1992–2003)

Speaking Out After 9/11

Richard Clarke became widely known in March 2004. He published a book called Against All Enemies, which talked about his time in government. He also appeared on the TV show 60 Minutes and spoke before the 9/11 Commission.

In his book and testimony, Clarke strongly criticized the Bush administration. He said they did not take the threat of terrorism seriously enough before the September 11 attacks. He also disagreed with the decision to invade Iraq after 9/11, believing it was a distraction from fighting al-Qaeda.

Clarke apologized to the families of 9/11 victims during his testimony. He said, "Your government failed you. Those entrusted with protecting you failed you. And I failed you." He explained that he and others tried hard but ultimately failed to prevent the attacks.

He also stated that on September 12, 2001, President Bush asked him to find proof that Saddam Hussein (Iraq's leader) was connected to the 9/11 attacks. Clarke wrote a report saying there was no evidence of Iraq's involvement, and other agencies agreed.

Fighting Cyber Threats

As Special Advisor on Cybersecurity, Clarke worked to protect the United States from cyberattacks. He often spoke about the importance of cybersecurity. He famously said, "If you spend more on coffee than on IT security, then you will be hacked. What's more, you deserve to be hacked." This meant that companies and governments needed to invest more in protecting their computer systems.

After leaving government, Clarke continued to be an expert on cybersecurity. He wrote a book called Cyber War in 2010. He also advised the Obama administration on how to improve NSA spying programs after documents were released by Edward Snowden.

After Government Service

Today, Richard Clarke is the Chairman of Good Harbor Consulting. This company helps businesses plan for risks and manage security. He also works as a consultant for ABC News and writes for an online community about homeland security.

He teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School and is part of its Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Clarke has also written several novels, including The Scorpion's Gate (2005) and Breakpoint (2007).

In 2012, he supported Barack Obama's reelection as President of the United States. In 2021, Clarke joined the advisory board of Clearview AI, a company that uses facial recognition technology.

Books by Richard Clarke

• Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror—What Really Happened (2004) – A non-fiction book criticizing how the U.S. handled the war on terror.
• Defeating the Jihadists: A Blueprint for Action (2004) – A non-fiction book about how to have a better counterterrorism policy.
• The Scorpion's Gate (2005) – A novel.
• Breakpoint (2007) – A novel.
• Your Government Failed You: Breaking the Cycle of National Security Disasters (2008) – A non-fiction book.
• Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It (2010), with Robert K. Knake – A non-fiction book about cyber threats.
• Sting of the Drone (2014) – A novel.
• Pinnacle Event (2015) – A novel.
• Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes (2017), with R. P. Eddy – A non-fiction book.
• The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats (2019), with Robert K. Knake – A non-fiction book about cyber threats.

See also

In Spanish: Richard A. Clarke para niños

• Blue sky memo
• Ramzi Yousef