Iraq War: The WMD Scam Isn't Going Away

Salon.com reports on the anger of many CIA professionals against the war zealots in the Bush Administration, and especially about the Valerie Plame scandal: The CIA revolt against the White House by Mark Follman, Salon.com 01/23/04:

[F]or almost a year, the White House has been quitely fighting a contentious battle at home on the national security front -- against the U.S. intelligence community itself. Vocal retired intelligence officials, and anonymous active ones, have protested repeatedly that the White House has coerced intelligence agencies to rig findings and analysis to suit administration aims. An egregious example: The long-held goal of removing Saddam Hussein from power, by unilateral war if necessary. The consequences of such White House intimidation could be disastrous, the intelligence veterans say, with the integrity of their work -- and national security -- put at grave risk.

Just making up the reasons for an adventure like the Iraq War has consequences that aren't easily avoided. The bulk of the article is the text of an interview with former CIA analyst Larry Johnson, a Republican who previously had donated money to Bush.  Johnson makes an observation about how attitudes toward the so-called war on terrorism affect conduct in other areas as well, saying, "the Bush administration puts a lot of emphasis on fighting terrorism as a war, not as a criminal act, therefore the idea is you fight the war on terrorism without having to worry about criminal statutes. Well, that seems to apply as long as it doesn't affect someone in their own administration."

And in regard to the Valerie Plame issues, Johnson says, "In my view, this administration is actually involved with aiding and abetting terrorists -- because when you expose clandestine human intelligence sources, you aid and abet terrorists."

Tags: iraq war