Clarke calls American Treatment of Prisoners a "War Crime" Richard Clarke is calling attention to the depth of the prison abuse scandal. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Former White House terrorism czar Richard Clarke called the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib a "war crime" and again blasted the Bush administration for actions that he said are intensifying the threat of terrorism. "We have a major problem and we have not improved it over the last three years," Clarke said Thursday at the annual conference of the American Civil Liberties Union. "It, in fact, has gotten worse." An unlikely medley of speakers, including former Republican congressman Bob Barr and FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley, joined Clarke to talk about the increasing tension between civil liberties and national security. Later Thursday, Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a Republican, debated former Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean on the same issue. I wonder if some of the abusers will write some tell-all books?