The Origin of Robert Parry’s Consortium News

[Time for change]

About a week ago, some threads appeared on DU, by Octafish and others, speaking of the critical and urgent need to support Robert Parry’s ConsortiumNews, one of the best web sites for investigative journalism in existence. As Octafish noted, much of what we know today about the Bush Family’s ascendancy to and abuse of power is due to ConsortiumNews.

Perhaps partly as a result of those threads, ConsortiumNews is now reporting:

Thank you, dear readers!
Thanks to a surge in donations over the final days of our spring fund-raising drive, it appears we will hit and possibly exceed our goal of $10,000. Beyond our thanks for the necessary money, we also want to express our gratitude for the many kind comments that accompanied the donations….

I therefore thought it would be enlightening at this time to consider the origin of Parry’s website, as he describes it in one of his best known books, “Secrecy and Privilege – Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq”. That story has great relevance to the very precarious state that our nation finds itself in today, as it speaks of not only the circumstances that eventually led to the ascendancy to the U.S. Presidency of the worst President in our history, but more importantly (if that is possible), the woeful state of today’s national news media and the reluctance of our leaders to challenge power with truth.


The October Surprise Conspiracy and its “Debunking”

In a nutshell, the “October Surprise Conspiracy” was the allegation that the Reagan-Bush administration – before they were elected – conspired with Iranian leaders to prevent the release of American hostages prior to the 1980 U.S. Presidential election, for the purpose of damaging the re-election chances of President Carter and therefore paving the way to victory for the Reagan-Bush ticket.

Following an exhaustive investigation, Parry produced a documentary which featured more than two dozen witnesses who corroborated the truthfulness of the October Surprise allegations – thus leading to Congressional investigations into the matter.

Not surprisingly, that led to the gearing up of the Republican attack machine and two articles, one by The New Republic and one by Newsweek, which refuted the October Surprise allegations by purporting to establish an alibi for Reagan’s campaign chief, William Casey, involving a crucial meeting at which Parry’s sources had placed him. Those stories essentially killed the October Surprise Conspiracy story in “official” Washington circles, sending it into the realm of “conspiracy theories” – perhaps forever.

But Parry spoke with participants at the conference that had been established for Casey’s alibi, and they all agreed that Casey was not there, thus debunking the alibi.

But no problem. The House Task Force simply came up with another alibi for Casey’s whereabouts on the crucial date. And this was released in the House Task Force report of January 13, 1993, which purportedly debunked the October Surprise Conspiracy theory.


Parry tries to resurrect the October Surprise allegations

In a final attempt to investigate the issue, Parry obtained access to some of the House Task Force documents, which he examined in an abandoned ladies room in the Rayburn House Office Building. To Parry’s great surprise, he found among those documents material that had been classified “top secret”, and which supported the October Surprise allegations.

Parry wrote up a report on his findings and tried to get it published in a newspaper or magazine. But it was too late. The story had already been “debunked”, and anyhow, Washington journalism was much too busy with trying to nail Bill Clinton on a minor real estate deal to bother with anything so trivial as a plot to steal a Presidential election by extending the period of captivity of American hostages.

Thus was born ConsortiumNews, which went on to shed a great amount of light on major Bush family scandals such as Iran-Contra, which are essential to a proper understanding of the late 20th Century history of our country.

[lyonn]

1. Nothing has changed since the Reagan/Bush era

Lies to the public to win elections, start wars and break laws they find cumbersome and finally they blackball the journalist that speak the truth.

[sandnsea]

11. Rumsfeld/Cheney are Nixon era

And Nixon is a protege of Prescott. We've been fighting these bastards for 100 years.

[Time for change]

12. That's right - and largely because we haven't dealt with these issues yet

As Parry pointed out in his book, Clinton should have pursued the investigations of the Reagan-Bush scandals when he became President. But instead, he let them all fade away. I guess he didn't want to make waves - maybe he thought it would come back to bite him if he did. A lot of good that did him.

But he should have pursued it, not for vengeance or for political reasons, but because the American people need to know their history - i.e., what is done in our name.

[lyonn]

48. If we (dems.) ever get control of any part of this country again

we must have hearings to get to the bottom of this totally corrupt govt. Parry is right, we have no journalist working for the msm that will do the research and investigation of the bushies. It will be up to Congress if it is ever going to happen. This coming election is so damn scary.

[Time for change]

50. Absolutely - When it comes to crimes like this the attitude of

"let bygones be bygones" is ridiculous.

People have to know about these things.

[laststeamtrain]

2. ...and if Dems could get a Presidential candidate with intimate insider...

...knowledge of the IRAN/CONTRA investigation...hey wait a minute, never mind...

(...then again, maybe it's not too late. Don't want to be totally negative, BUT WHY DIDN'T KERRY TALK ABOUT IRAN/CONTRA!)

:kick:

[Gabi Hayes]

4. that's EASY: decades-old, politically embarrassing stories are only

significant if the object of scrutiny is a traitorous democrat

you should know that by now

[laststeamtrain]

5. Oh yeah, that's right...

...when do the JFK/Marilyn Monroe stories start to run on TV?
It's one way to tell it's a election year.
:grr:

[Gabi Hayes]

3. thanks for this.....best reporter, bar none

Here's the update on his book, Trick Or Treason, which my sister gave me when it first came out ten years ago, or so

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/russianreport1980.html

don't forget, Parry was one of only a SMALL handful or reporters who did ANYTHING about Iran/Contra (he was the first to interview Ollie North, before anybody knew who that skunk was), and he lost TWO jobs because he wouldn't stop reporting


BUY HIS BOOKS!

http://www.consortiumnews.com/books.html

[glitch]

6. second this. I have last two but not trick or treason. time to order! nt

[Time for change]

26. Another excellent book by Parry is "Lost history"

Perhaps the best book available on the Iran-Contra scandal:
http://www.brightsurf.com/item/1893517004/Lost_History_Contras_Cocaine_the_Press_Project_Truth.html

[glitch]

33. I have that one and completely agree.

the discovery channel had a special on the iran hostages last week. I didn't watch it because I knew they wouldn't report the october surprise.
I would be so happy and amazed if I found out I had misjudged them.

[Time for change]

9. Yes, his books are excellent

And not just because of the importance of the content. He writes in a way that is very easy to read and very exciting at the same time.

[itzamirakul]

13. When I read info such as the OP and also the post to which I am

replying, I can't help but think there ought to be some secret time capsules into which we place books and articles such as those by Parry because this may be the ONLY way that future generations hear the truth about what happened in the second half of the 20th century and the first few decades of the 21st century.

More and more colleges and universities are being taken over by rw forces and history is being rewritten and revamped everyday. It is only by reading material such as that by Parry and others who write the truth that will show future generations that there was dissent and there were other perceptions than that presented by Bushco and the GOP.

Why is there no outrage among parents that history is no longer taught in elementary and junior high school? What kind of intelligent community can be had without a knowledge of what has gone before?

[Time for change]

14. That is so true

Parry himself makes the point in the introduction to his book that a major motivation for his founding of ConsortiumNews and his investigation of these issues in general was his fear that these issues will be lost to history.

Of course it has been the case throughout the history of the world that leaders have supressed those aspects of history that they believed jeopardized their power. In some cases those events have been lost forever, and in other cases they have been rediscovered centuries later, by enterprising historians willing to do exhaustive searches.

My belief is that with today's internet and other means of communications it is going to be extremely difficult for anyone to supress these issues forever. As long as journalists like Parry are around these things will be recorded, with the potential for wider publication once we restore our democracy and elect decent leaders. I certainly hope that happens in my life time.

But I think that the lack of outrage is due to the fact that, so far, most people in this country are really in the dark about what is going on, due to our lazy, incompetent, and corrupt national news media. But also there is a big element of denial. Most Americans, as with most people of other nationalities, don't want to hear bad things about their counry.

[itzamirakul]

17. I apologize for going in to a cynical mode, but I don't think that we

will EVER restore our democracy to anything near what we have been used to. The elasticity of our government has been stretched through loopholes beyond belief or recognition and it can never go back to its original shape and form again. Thus...publications by truthtellers such as Parry can and will be suppressed because our leaders, regardless of party are more concerned with power than facts.

In fact, this net neutrality thing that I somehow understand just a bit is just a toehold in gaining control over what we can and cannot access on our computers. As time goes on, these wire controllers (the telecoms) will charge us (the consumers) more and more to gain certain info, while making the connections slower and slower or non-existent.

As far as outrage is concerned, everyday on the news I see parents interviewed who are outraged about one thing or another (always important issues but seldom relating to any subject their children are studying.) You would think that parents would KNOW what subjects their children are taking by just checking their report cards or their homework assignment. It would seem that at least those most conscientious parents would go ballistic.

[Time for change]

24. But we can't give up on trying to restore our democracy

Once we do that, we've already lost.

World history is full of examples of dictatorships being overthrown or eventually evolving into democracies. The main barrier to that process is citizen apathy. People in this country right now are just too apathetic, they're in denial, and they don't see what's happening. Those of us who do see it need to try to get others to see it as well. If we become apathetic, we've lost the battle.

[blm]

29. What you just stated is SO IMPORTANT.

I get some derision here at DU because I think the HISTORIC RECORD matters, and even if there is no satisfying outcome of ANY inquiry, Conyers' hearings or Alito filibuster come to mind, the HISTORIC RECORD is still more complete because of the effort.

[Time for change]

36. Derision for thinking that the historical record matters?

I hadn't noticed that. I do notice that whenever I post something historical it gets a lot less attention than when I post something obviously relevant to current day circumstances. But I haven't actually seen derision.

That's really too bad. I think that lack of familiarity with our history by too many American citizens is at the root of many of our current day problems.

[blm]

37. Unfortunately, it's true.

There have been a number of folks who believe that IranContra and BCCI are ancient history and that they never amounted to anything like impeachment so they don't matter in the long run.

The reply I use most often is that even though they didn't result in impeachment, the historic record was preserved, and almost everything we even know about the layers of criminality involved with BushInc has come from those investigations.

[glitch]

34. this is weird but after selection 2000 I became compulsive about saving

articles and buying books that exposed their corruption. I read that a lot of other people started doing that too, independently and for the same reasons.

[Time for change]

38. Me too

I've read maybe one to two hundred books on those issues since the 2000 election, including several on the 2000 and 2004 elections themselves. I didn't think of it as a way of preserving the historical record, but rather of trying to understand it much better than I did.

[blm]

52. That's the problem for most citizens - they are mostly UNAWARE of the

depth of the corruption and how the blowback actually effects our lives like on 9-11.

I also blame the Clinton side of the Dem party for not allowing the discussion to go any further. I understand that the Dem pundits and DNC spokespeople in 2004 downplayed that aspect of Kerry because they didn't want the subject scrutinized.

I hope Kerry shakes off ALL those people and puts together a team to ADDRESS the issue and educate the public if he decides to run again. Somebody has gOT to connect the dots for the people. I think Dean's DNC will be happy to support an "expose government corruption" campaign that Terry Mac's DNC recoiled from.

[CanSocDem]

53. I appreciate yours and the OP's....

..commitment in fighting fascism. I really do hope that is as simple as replacing the Repugs with Democrats.

Becoming aware of the depth of the corruption in the RNC has been an eye-opener for many (even ol' tinfoilers like me) but I can't help but think that it will take the same world run by the DNC to really open America's eyes to the depth of corruption. I just can't see the power structure developed over the last 6 or 7 years (40-50 years), suddenly dissolving if Democrats win an election.

[Time for change]

54. Well, it would certainly be a great start though

[bleever]

7. K&R.

Thank you Tfc.

[BeachBuckeye]

8. Robert was our guest on The Guy James Show this past week

Terrific guy! One of the very best reporters in the business.

[blm]

21. Did he mention DU's help and notice what ENORMOUS RESPECT that many of

us have for his work?

[JHB]

10. About that abandoned ladies room...

...just to clarify an odd detail there, the "abandoned ladies room" mentioned had been converted to a storage area, and the papers were stored there. It's a commentary on how far in the back the papers were buried, not on any odd proclivities on where to read things. ;)

[KharmaTrain]

15. Consortium News Is Very Worthy Of Support

This was one of the lone sites in the dark days of 2001-2003 one could go to and find the article and reporting that shed the first light on many of the scandals and corruption that exists today...and all done by Perry with little fanfare or promotion. Those who found him at that time are still grateful and he continues to put out a quality report every day with stories you won't find on other website...or if you do, it's later.

[blm]

20. Exactly - to learn about what REALLY happened then gives you GREATER

understanding and insight into everything happening today, because it really is crimes built on and connected to each other - architects known.

[annabanana]

16. It was Octafish's endorsement that did it for me.

Depth and breadth, my friends, depth and breadth.

[blm]

46. Heh - that's why I asked Octafish to post a thread on it - - he really has

a reach that goes beyond some of us mere mortals.

And besides, he better DAMN WELL support Parry since he uses most of Parry's work. ;)))))

[IndyOp]

18. As Iran-Contra came to light Casey "had a massive stroke" and

had 'emergency' brain surgery that removed the part of the brain that allows speech - the temporal lobe.


Between 1981 and 1987, he served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), where he was responsible for an aggressive expansion of clandestine activities. He was one of the central figures in the complex sequence of covert activities known as the Iran-contra affair. On Dec. 15, 1986, shortly after the affair became public, Casey suffered a serious stroke. He died of brain cancer the next year without revealing the details of his involvement in the events.
http://www.answers.com/topic/william-j-casey


On 12th December, 1986, Daniel Sheehan submitted to the court an affidavit detailing the Irangate scandal. He also claimed that Thomas G. Clines and Ted Shackley were running a private assassination program that had evolved from projects they ran while working for the CIA. Others named as being part of this assassination team included Rafael Quintero, Richard Secord, Felix Rodriguez and Albert Hakim. It later emerged that Gene Wheaton and Carl E. Jenkins were the two main sources for this affidavit.

Six days after the publication of Sheehan's affidavit, William Casey underwent an operation for a "brain tumor". As a result of the operation, Casey lost the power of speech and died, literally without ever talking. On 9th February, Robert McFarlane, another person involved in the Iran-Contra Scandal, took an overdose of drugs.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKgreggD.htm

[Gabi Hayes]

19. want some BAD memories?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=felix+rodriguez+george+h.+w.+bush

then try this:

google ''felix rodriguez+guevara''

[Time for change]

22. Thank you IndiOp

Another good source for the Iran Contra scandal is Robert McFarlane's book, "Special Trust":
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1569778809/102-2628822-7343347?v=glance&n=283155

The good thing about this book is that McFarlane was about as intimately involved in this affair as anyone. The weakness of the book is that it may be somewhat self-serving.

But I think that in general, McFarlane is pretty straight forward about it. He implicates Admiral John Poindexter, who replaced McFarlane as National Security Advisor, and he even directly implicates Reagan. Though in implicating Reagan he makes it clear that Reagan approved the plan only out of the goodness of his heart (he felt so sorry for our hostages that he would do anything to get them released - despite his repeated rhetoric that he would never deal with terrorists). I don't buy the good intentions that he imputes to Reagan, but I think that McFarlane was sincere in that opinion.

Anyhow, Walsh, the special prosecutor, continued to investigate even after Reagan's presidency ended. But he couldn't get any information out of Reagan because Reagan seemed to be losing his mind by that time. So Walsh gave up on interrogating Reagan, apparently at least partly out of pity. My own opinion on that is that lying had become such an intricate part of Reagan's persona that he could convince himself of anything and believe it was the truth. So when he repeatedly implied a failing memory to all of Walsh's questions I think that that was just part and parcel of his habitual lying, rather than due to organic brain disease. But that's just my opinion.

Anyhow, I think that it is very unfortunate that Clinton didn't pursue these matters after he became President.

[JHB]

23. Yes many of us were disappointed it "wasn't on their radar screen"...

It's surely one of the biggest "crimes" of the Clinton administration

[Time for change]

25. Clinton was the type of person to try to avoid conflict whenever possible

That is sometimes a worth while trait for a politician, for many reasons.

But Clinton's decision (or non-decision) to not pursue the crimes of the Reagan-Bush administration were a big mistake for two reasons. First, because that is not the way to deal with today's Republican Party. Appeasment is the worst thing that one can do with them. And secondly, the crimes of the Reagan-Bush administration are crucial parts of United States history that American citizens need to understand. Burying them only ensures that they will occur again - and many of them already have re-occurred.

[JHB]

27. I tend to think it's due more to some "dirty hands" among Dems...

...of the time as well, who couldn't really hit the Republicans on the '80s scandals without some of it blowing back in their own faces (and without getting all Black Helicopter-y, Clinton might have been among them: I'd certainly heard of Mena in possible connection with Iran-Contra and Contra/Drug investigations years before I'd ever heard the name "Bill Clinton"). Much simpler to follow Washington "conventional wisdom" and dismiss it all as "old news".

Either way, it was a crucial missed opportunity.

[Time for change]

28. I guess that's possible

But it's hard for me to believe that it constitutes a significant part of the reason. Virtually all of the allegations against Clinton were completely bogus. Certainly if there was anything worth finding it would have been found, what with the millions of dollars put into investigating him. I think that he just didn't want to make waves. And I also think that it was a grave mistake not to press for the investigations. Probably many of the criminals who would have been outed by thorough investigations into these matters are now the same ones who are ruining our country.

[blm]

30. Even more significant - Had those books been opened there'd be no 9-11 and

no Iraq war today and no Bush would have been allowed NEAR the White House let alone inside of it, ever again.

[Time for change]

31. Yes indeed - and that's why it's so important that Americans understand

the history of their country. Without that understanding they are totally unable to make informed decisions about their government.

[blm]

32. Without understanding it they really have NO CLUE what's happening today

They can throw out what they THINK they know from 5 years of press coverage of 9-11. Most of the press has it COMPLETELY wrong.

[Time for change]

41. That is so sadly true

Which is why I can barely stand to watch or read mainstream "news" any more.

[glitch]

35. ignoring the cancer let it metastasize. nt

[bobbieinok]

39. don't forget how bushco screamed about Clinton's pardons

and never a word about BushI's pardon of a terrorist who blew up a plane.....do I recall this correctly?????

[Time for change]

40. What terrorist are you referring to?

[Gabi Hayes]

42. Orlando Bosch, but he wasn't pardoned....same effect, but Bush didn't

pardon him.

he let him stay in the US after getting out of jail, when the DOJ wanted him deported so he could be put on trial someplace. he still walked the streets in Florida. Jebby, campaign manager for Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, was, of course, instrumental in getting him off. he was NOT pardoned, though.

he was involved in LOTS of terrorist acts, including firing a BAZOOKA (along with being accused...and at one time taking credit for....blowing up a Cuban airliner, killing 76 people) at a freighter docked somewhere in Florida

[Gabi Hayes]

43. my memory still works! scroll down half way, or so

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,851913,00.html

Jeb Bush sealed his popularity with the Cuban exile community by acting as campaign manager for another prominent Cuban-American, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, when she ran successfully for Congress. George Bush Sr famously appeared with her during her campaign in Miami declaring: "I am certain in my heart I will be the first American president to step foot on the soil of a free and independent Cuba." She has since lobbied successfully for the release of several exiles convicted of terrorist offences held in US jails but who now live freely in Miami. Most controversially, at the request of Jeb, Mr Bush Sr intervened to release the convicted Cuban terrorist Orlando Bosch from prison and then granted him US residency.

According to the justice department in George Bush Sr's administration, Bosch had participated in more than 30 terrorist acts. He was convicted of firing a rocket into a Polish ship which was on passage to Cuba. He was also implicated in the 1976 blowing-up of a Cubana plane flying to Havana from Venezuela in which all 73 civilians on board were killed.

CIA memorandums strongly suggest, according to Bardach's book, that Bosch was one of the conspirators, and quotes the then secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, as writing that the "US government had been planning to suggest Bosch's deportation before Cubana airlines crash took place for his suspected involvement in other terrorist acts and violation of his parole".

Bosch's release, often referred to in the US media as a pardon, was the result of pressure brought by hardline Cubans in Miami, with Jeb Bush serving as their point man. Bosch now lives in Miami and remains unrepentant about his militant activities, according to Bardach

[Time for change]

44. Thank you - I wasn't aware of all that

I guess that it didn't get much play in the mainstream media.

[bobbieinok]

45. Orlando Bosch.......there's a DU thread somewhere today about

Posada and him

http://www.independence.net/orlandobosch/

....

October 6, 1976: Mid-flight explosion of a Cubana de Aviación passenger plane, causing the deaths of all 73 persons on board

As a result of the plane bombing, Bosch was arrested in Venezuela and accused of masterminding the horrible crime. Nevertheless, from his cell he continued to dream up and order other attacks, against Venezuelan targets, in order to pressure the Venezuelan justice system to let him go.

March 30, 1977: Bomb placed in Venezuelan Consulate in Puerto Rico

August 30, 1977: Bomb placed aboard a Venezuelan airplane in Miami

December 23, 1977: Bomb placed in Viasa airline office, United States

December 30, 1977: Bomb placed in Venezuelan Consulate in Puerto Rico

In 1978, also from his cell, he ordered attacks on Mexican interests, in response to the measures taken by that government following the death of Cuban fishing technician D’Artagnan Díaz Díaz.

February 7, 1978: Bomb placed in Mexican Consulate in the United States

February 7, 1978: Bomb placed aboard the Mexican ship Azteca, resulting in two deaths and seven injuries

Later, still from his cell, he directed and maintained the actions of Omega-7, consisting of a long chain of terrorist attacks.

September 9, 1978: Bomb placed in Cuban mission at the UN

October 5, 1978: Bomb placed across from Madison Square Garden, where Cuban boxers were supposed to fight

October 6, 1978: Bomb placed in offices of Girasol tourism company, belonging to the Socialist Party of Puerto Rico

October 6, 1978: Bomb placed in offices of Antillana tourism company of Puerto Rico

October 6, 1978: Bomb placed in offices of the Record Public Service company, owned by a Cuban immigrant in Puerto Rico

October 23, 1978: Bomb placed in La Prensa newspaper in the United States

November 18, 1978: Bomb threats made against TWA, due to its flights to Cuba

December 28, 1978: Bomb placed in office of Varadero Travel in Puerto Rico

December 29, 1978: Bomb placed in Cuban mission at the UN

December 29, 1978: Bomb placed in Lincoln Center, New York

March 26, 1979: Bomb placed in TWA offices at New York’s JFK Airport

March 26, 1979: Bomb placed in office of Weehawken company of New Jersey, headed by Cuban Eulalio J. Negrín, a member of the Committee of 75, which was negotiating with Cuba

April 4, 1979: Murder of Carlos Muñoz Varela, member of the Antonio Maceo Brigade and director of Varadero Travel in Puerto Rico

November 25, 1979: Eulalio J. Negrín murdered

September 11, 1980: Murder of Félix García Rodríguez, Cuban diplomat to the United Nations

In 1987, thanks to Otto Reich, Bosch was freed and entered the United States, where he was granted asylum and even a presidential pardon.

edited to add there's much more....

and in today's DU thread, he says he doesn't regret the 6 young fencers who were killed in the plane bombing.....

and I add that I was stunned when I first heard about this man at DU at the time when the RW was going crazy over Clinton's 'immoral pardons'

[happydreams]

47. Parry was fired from Newsweek after Poppy paid

his superior a visit.

[Time for change]

49. That is so awful

Somehow, I just can't imagine the same thing happening with Clinton.

[JHB]

51. That was part of the "great purge" of the Reagan years...

...affecting investigative reporters, particularly in Central America: Reagan officials met with owners and top editors (most of whom supported Reagan) and chatted them up about how their reporters were being fed disinformation by KGB operatives, and that they were jeopardizing national security.

I also recall an incident from back then -- reports of a shipload of Russian MIG fighters en route to Nicaragua -- just before a crucial Congressional vote supporting or funding WH efforts down there. After the scare'em report helped the vote pass... nothing. No planes, no nothing.
Just a pile of horseshit to stampede congresspersons who were terrified of looking "weak on defense".

Certain persons learned the lesson really well.