Joseph Wilson takes aim at Bush administration

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=9aa91ecf535ffcbb

Big News Network.com Sunday 17th July, 2005

Former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, a career diplomat from 1976 to 1998, has been in the news since a CNN report in March 2003 which followed a mission to Niger organized by the CIA to respond to a question raised by Vice President Dick Cheney.

Wilson was described as “a true American hero” by President H.W. Bush in 1991 as the president was introducing the ambassador to his war cabinet for his role in the release of American hostages taken captive by Saddam Hussein in 1990. (A fuller biography is detailed at the end of this article). Wilson reportedly acted as an envoy for the CIA in 1998 and was again called on to go to Niger in February 2002. Following is his account of events that followed, and an outline of his concerns relating to the present course of U.S. foreign policy, and in particular his criticisms of the present administration. (Note this account was written by the ambassador in February 2004):

"The press coverage was very positive toward Valerie and me. So was the outpouring of support from across the political spectrum, from Pat Buchanan on the right to Jesse Jackson on the left. Serious people understood what had happened. It was only a small cadre of right- wing zealots and the White House itself that continued trying to spin the story and make of it something it was not. I was particularly offended when President Bush, asked about the leak on October 7, claimed, "I want to know the truth." However, eager to place the responsibility upon journalists rather than shoulder it himself, he added, "You tell me: How many sources have you had that's leaked information, that you've exposed or had been exposed?" He added, "Probably none," making it clear that his question had been only a rhetorical one. Bush capped off his comments that day with a statement that infuriated me, and many people whom I later heard from: "This is a large administration and there's a lot of senior officials, I have no idea whether we'll find out who the leaker is, partially because, in all due respect to your profession, you do a very good job of protecting the leakers." His lack of genuine concern stunned and disappointed me.

more...

[calimary]

1. What's best about this article is all the way down at the bottom.

Just take a moment to skim Wilson's resume. You'll be reminded of many FACTS and TRUTHS about this guy that WAY qualifies him - in the extreme - to be referred to as a national hero. That the bad guys are labeling him a traitor and a liar is near criminal, in and of itself. Where were they when he was working out the release of American hostages? It just occurred to me that, once again, Joseph Wilson is back at it, brokering the release of American hostages. The first time, it was against Saddam. This time it's against the bushies. These are quite literally good talking points to refute any watercooler blather that somebody picked up from listening to limbaugh.

[Iowa]

2. Yep... "America Held Hostage - Day Number 542"

[UpInArms]

5. "America Held Hostage - Day Number 542"

that number seems a bit low by my count

DAYS SINCE DEMOCRACY DIED (12/12/00) 4 YEARS, 209 DAYS

:(

[Iowa]

7. Right...

More in the vicinity of 1700 or so.

[CoffeeCat]

4. It's good to know more about Wilson's resume...

...and I hope to God he keeps touting his resume'.

We all remember what happened to Kerry--a brave, courageous soldier who volunteered to go to Vietnam--and ended up saving lives and winning medals. He was painted as a traitor, a liar, a coward and many Americans were convinced that his wounds meant nothing--and were self exaggerations by Kerry. Un-frickin-believable.

I hope that Wilson is his own best PR person. He needs to fight these bastards with the truth. He needs to scream over their lies with the truth.

Never, EVER give in to these evil neocons. Never underestimate their evil and their propagandist psy-ops malarkey.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

10. Kerry didn't have the CIA to back him up....most rational people know....

...better than to mess with the CIA.

[mandomom]

24. Same as it ever was.

Bush and Rove take American heroes like Gore and Kerry and declare him a traitor. The list of their targets is appalling. And the press played the game with them all the way through both presidential campaigns. Only when one of their own reputations was smeared did they decide to out the bastards. Will it last beyond this news cycle? Watch the spin on Iraq, Iran, Hussein's trial, Bush's "I am not a crook" legacy.

[Starfury]

3. Maybe this is old news to everyone, but I found this spot interesting:

I was curious about the Sam Dash reference, and googled the following article from 10/2003:

Sam Dash, probably best known as the chief counsel for the Senate Watergate committee, and more recently cursed with the thankless task of acting as Ken Starr’s ethics advisor, has an op-ed piece in Newsday suggesting that the White House officials responsible for outing CIA agent Valerie Plame may have violated a domestic terrorism provision in the PATRIOT Act.

It then gives his explanation of why he thought so.

Karl Rove: Domestic Terrorist? Has a nice ring to it...


Edit: ooops, here's the link: http://www.btcnews.com/btcnews/23

[snot]

6. Love it! nt

[wli]

8. add in RICO

... and my hyperbole about the GOP being a terrorist organization may well be true. Wow.

[Sydnie]

9. "Karl Rove: Domestic Terrorist? Has a nice ring to it..."

Yes it does! I think we need to say that often too.

[EC]

13. How ironic for the administration to be taken down by the very

Act that they have been pushing so they'd have all control

[lovuian]

14. I guess they never read it!!! I'm fascinated how Wilson makes

it look like Cheney set Rove up... I kinda believe that!!!

Rove must have been getting too big for his britches!!!

[Pallas180]

15. Yep, my exact thought. So that's what Fitzgerald is digging at -

"White House officials responsible for outing CIA agent Valerie Plame may have violated a domestic terrorism provision in the PATRIOT Act."

When Sam Dash makes a legal determination, he's listened to. I wouldn't doubt that he has given guidance to Fitzgerald.

He probably would make a District Judge or Supreme or Appeals if he hadn't been involved in finding the truth in Watergate, and with Starr.

Either way, SAm Dash lost.

[Al-CIAda]

16. nice. n/t

[tk2kewl]

18. Dash says it's terrorism because the actions are illegal,

threaten harm, and are intended to coerces bush critics. I say they were intended to coerce the entire country and congress into the iraq war.

[goforit]

11. Wilson is the most honorable man alive!!!!

Thankyou for the truth.

[goforit]

12. NYT and Washington Post ...EAT YOUR @#$% HEART OUT

[Elidor]

17. This is juicy

"Apparently, according to two journalist sources of mine, when Rove learned that he might have violated the law, he turned on Cheney and Libby and made it clear that he held them responsible for the problem they had created for the administration. The protracted silence on this topic from the White House masks considerable tension between the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President."

I can't believe I never read this before. Rove really is that stupid, after all.

[rosesaylavee]

19. Wilson is a hero

Maybe someone with more posts than I could post the story of how Wilson got his medal from GBush Sr... It is important to acknowledge his service to this country and stories, if repeated enough or widely spread, will eventually get out to those who need to hear it.

[Swamp Rat]

20. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[rosesaylavee]

21. Thanks

Very glad DU exists. My sister told me about your site and it has proved addictive. Wonderful to read that other like-minds are out there and actively discussing if not working to change what's wrong.

[mandomom]

22. Can you say "obstruction of justice" and

"intimidation of witnesses?\"?

from above: "...You tell me: How many sources have you had that's leaked information, that you've exposed or had been exposed?" He added, "Probably none," making it clear that his question had been only a rhetorical one...."

[0007]

23. The proof is in the pudding when one compares "Resumes"

of George W. Bush and Joseph Wilson.

The cream always rises to the top.

[JoFerret]

25. Great article - worth a full read

.

[lovuian]

26. I loved how Wilson summed up everything!!!

:bounce: