You're right, he is smart. That's why he held his position for so long, was trusted by 4 different presidents, and is a known expert in his field.

He's also refuted and defended every accusation by Bush & Co. of his lacking credibility. Matter of fact, a memo from the White House dated April 2001 states that Bush felt too much attention was paid to bin Laden.

The timing of his book being released is really a White House ploy. Every book written by an ex-administration employee must be reviewed by the White House for matters of national security. Clarke submitted the book last year for review. The White House didn't release it until only recently. The White House timed it to look like a political ploy, not Clarke.