Bolton's Pressure on C.I.A. Analyst Angered Colleagues-New

[AlCzervik]

Bolton's Pressure on C.I.A. Analyst Angered Colleagues
By DOUGLAS JEHL

Published: April 16, 2005



WASHINGTON, April 15 - An attempt in 2002 by John R. Bolton to remove the national intelligence officer for Latin America from his post prompted John E. McLaughlin, the deputy director of central intelligence, to intervene against the request, according to current and former intelligence officials.

Mr. McLaughlin's previously undisclosed role is being reviewed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as it considers the nomination of Mr. Bolton to be ambassador to the United Nations. In testimony last week, Mr. Bolton acknowledged that he had sought to have the intelligence officer, Fulton T. Armstrong, reassigned.

The incident is one of at least three being reviewed by the committee in which Mr. Bolton sought the removal of subordinates or intelligence officials during his time as an under secretary of state. Senate Democrats who oppose Mr. Bolton's nomination intend to highlight the infighting as an indication that Mr. Bolton's actions toward subordinates were inappropriate enough to require action by other senior officials.

In his Senate testimony, Mr. Bolton described his request for Mr. Armstrong's transfer, made during a visit to Stuart A. Cohen, then the acting chairman of the National Intelligence Council, in July 2002, as "one part of one conversation with one person one time." He said he had acted because he had lost confidence in Mr. Armstrong and had not been satisfied with his performance on several intelligence matters.

http://nytimes.com/2005/04/16/politics/16bolton.html?hp&ex=1113624000&en=a3ed0b4cc987fc4c&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[SpiralHawk]

1. Bush is putting a nastyass bully in up in front of the world

in Bolton.

Guess Bush hasn't heard that his wife has a "special project" to take care of gangbangers and bullies. Better get with the program.

It appears inevitable that Bolton will make the USA a host of determined enemies around the globe.

The Chickenhawks are spoiling for a fight -- because they know it will be our sons and daughters who fight and die, not them or their children. They will just sit back, smirk, and count their war profiteering proceeds.

[radfringe]

4. will Cap'n Crunch be next?

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. Does this make him a cereal killer? And CHECK OUT THIS BOLTON THREAD:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1727593
Thread title: From a Kos diary: 'Horrifying, personal John Bolton story"

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. Check out this letter in a Kos diary from a woman bullied by Bolton

It would be good to get the testimony from this woman into the record and heard before the confirmation vote. The full text of the letter is given in this diary entry and it will surprise you only because it shows how mentally disturbed this over-the-top bully is, especially with people physically weaker than he is. Read through the comments for some interesting other stories if you have time.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/4/15/101542/050
Horrifying, personal John Bolton story
by amyindallas
Fri Apr 15th, 2005 at 07:15:42 PDT

My best friend since college, Melody Townsel, was stationed in Kyrgyzstan on a US AID project. During her stay there, she became embroiled in a controversy in which the oh-so-diplomatic John Bolton was a key player. She described the incident in a letter to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee members (who have thus far responded with a yawn), and I wanted to share it with a larger audience.
Here's a small taste:

"Mr. Bolton proceeded to chase me through the halls of a Russian hotel -- throwing things at me, shoving threatening letters under my door and, generally, behaving like a madman."

(snip)

[leftchick]

5. pathological indeed!

The man is fucking looney tunes.....

~snip~

He indicated to key employees of or contractors to State that, based on his discussions with investigatory officials, I was headed for federal prison and, if they refused to cooperate with either him or the prime contractor's replacement team leader, they, too, would find themselves the subjects of federal investigation. As a further aside, he made unconscionable comments about my weight, my wardrobe and, with a couple of team leaders, my sexuality, hinting that I was a lesbian (for the record, I'm not).

When I resurfaced in Kyrgyzstan, I learned that he had done such a convincing job of smearing me that it took me weeks -- with the direct intervention of US AID officials -- to limit the damage. In fact, it was only US AID's appoinment of me as a project leader in Almaty, Kazakstan that largely put paid to the rumors Mr. Bolton maliciously circulated.

As a maligned whistleblower, I've learned firsthand the lengths Mr. Bolton will go to accomplish any goal he sets for himself. Truth flew out the window. Decency flew out the window. In his bid to smear me and promote the interests of his client, he went straight for the low road and stayed there.

John Bolton put me through hell -- and he did everything he could to intimidate, malign and threaten not just me, but anybody unwilling to go along with his version of events. His behavior back in 1994 wasn't just unforgivable, it was pathological.

[0007]

6. Wow! That is quite a letter......tis easy to see and understand the

threat that most folks are under in this country from this administration. Reminds me of Tom DeLay and his threating behavior when passing the prescription drug bill.

[sandnsea]

3. McLaughlin??

Oh my, that's pretty big. Another one is a guy who is now Chuck Hagel's aide. That one has Hagel thinking twice, thank god.

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/04/16/local/doc42605cca5dc39511608755.txt

[Boo Boo]

7. This guy's a *ing kook!

My little contribution to the Bolton-is-Starkers festival is the story of Cuba's germ warfare plot to attack the United States with birds. I kid you not. Cuban dissidents were pushing this story that West Nile Virus was introduced into the US by Cuba using infected birds, and Bolton pushed this Cuba/Germ-warfare meme relentlessly. His harassment of the CIA analyst was related to this.

Bolton actually testified before Congress, stating unequivocally that Cuba had a bio-weapons program---put it in terms of certainty. Only problem is that he couldn't back it up with anything. He just went before Congress and said, "We know this." I remember at the time that the attitude of members of Congress was to take it very seriously---thinking that he never would have stated something so flatly if it weren't true.

He has zero problems lying. He'll go before Congress and literally say anything. He's either insane, or he has no interest in the truth whatsoever, saying or doing anything to push his agenda. It boggles my mind that members of Congress go along with this shit. They're obviously just hoping they can get this over with before more of these stories get out.