Random Thoughts of A Watergate Theosophy Shuffling Through an Uncertain Mi [View All]

[H2O Man]

<1> "What we learned firsthand is what CIA psychiatrists have said for years: Saddam is an egomaniacal sociopath whose penchant for high-risk gambles is exceeded only by a propensity for miscalculation. Those psychiatrists, who study the characters of world leaders, believe he suffers from what is popularly known as 'malignant narcissism,' a sense of self-worth that drives him to act in ways that others would deem irrational, such as invading neighboring countries."
-- How Saddam Thinks; Joseph Wilson; San Jose Mercury News; 10-13-02

Three years after this article was published, a growing number of Americans would likely conclude that there is another world leader who defines "malignant narcissism," and who has a delusional sense of self-worth that has convinced him that he can re-make the world in his own image. This gives new meaning to the infamous Watergate-era phrase, "There's a cancer on the presidency."

It also reminds us that studying the personality of a "leader," and that of his closest advisors, will often provide insight on the tactics they will use. The next sentence in Wilson's 10-13-02 op-ed, for example, notes: "But the trait also makes him highly sensitive to direct confrontation and embarrassment, even as he is contemptuous of compromise." (Sound familiar?) The CIA analysts know that "he who knows 'why' always masters he who knows 'how'."

Let's take a brief look at some of the "how & why's" of the White House/republican machine's rabid reaction to the Fitzgerald grand jury investigation into the attack on Joseph Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame.


<2> "Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause." -- Gandhi

In their effort to discredit the Fitzgerald investigation into the systematic and wide-spread corruption in the Bush administration, the republican machine is pulling out all stops. This includes pulling out some of the people from past corrupt administrations, who spew a mixture of lies and personal attacks aimed at those that they believe pose the greatest threat to them. There could be no better example than last night on MSNBC's Hardball; Chris Matthews interviewed former deputy assistant attorney general Victoria Toesing.

If one checks on "media matters," they will find that Ms. Toesing has been discredited as a source on the Plame case. However, the corporate media will continue to have a platform. Last night, she said that in the past few months, she has become convinced that Fitzgerald is totally out of control. She did not attempt to debate the merits of the grand jury investigation -- just to resort to name-calling.

However, as President Bush said, "The special prosecutor is conducting a very serious investigation -- he's doing it in a very dignified way, by the way -- and we'll see what he says." (Times Reporter to Testify On Recently Found Notes; New York Times; 10-12-05; page A16) Toesing's attack clearly contradicts Bush's position on Fitzgerald; however, it was mild compared to her attacks on Wilson.


<3> "Several days after the call from General Scowcroft, I received a letter from former President Bush. ... In the note, he said he 'agreed with almost everything' I had written." -- The Politics of Truth; Joseph Wilson; 2004; page 297.

Victoria Toesing and others are also attempting to deflect attention from the coming indictments of at least two senior White House officials, by attacking Joseph Wilson. On Hardball, Matthews allowed Toesing to say that others, including journalists and people in the VP's office, questioned why the CIA would select someone as disrespected as Wilson to go to Niger to investigate the yellow cake controversy.

Matthews, of course, knows better. Immediately after Karl Rove called him to say that, "Wilson's wife is fair game," Chris called Wilson to warn him. If he thought Wilson were the disgusting character that Toesing contends, he would not have warned Wilson and risked the wrath of Rove.

Matthews knows that Wilson was the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 1988 to 1991. Wilson was called a "true American hero" by President Bush1 after he protected US citizens that Saddam threatened to take hostage at the beginning of the first Gulf War. Wilson had an ugly confrontation with Saddam on August 6, 1990. Wilson later commented that, "Saddam Hussein is a murderous sociopath whose departure from this Earth would be welcome everywhere."

Before the Bush2 invasion of Iraq, Wilson wrote several op-eds that put forth a position that the US could take to insure that Saddam did not have WMDs. He send copies to ex-president Bush, to Brent Scowcroft, and to James Baker III. It is known that Scowcroft took Wilson's plan to the White House and advocated the administration follow it. Baker wrote to Wilson, saying he thought "the administration seems to have taken your advice." (Wilson; page 297)

Clearly even those from the Bush1 administration did not share Toesing's opinion of Wilson. However, within the Bush2 administration, there were forces set upon invading Iraq, even if it meant purposely misrepresenting what evidence there was regarding Saddam's WMD capacity.


<4>"I think that there is no doubt about the seriousness of the problem we've got. We have a cancer within, close to the Presidency, that is growing. It is growing daily. It's compounded, growing geometrically now, because it compounds itself. That will become clear if I, you know, explain some of the details why it is. Basically, it is because .... People are going to start perjuring themselves very quickly that have not had to perjure themselves to protect other people in the line. ... First of all on the Watergate: how did it all start, where did it start? O.K.! It started with an instruction ... to see if we couldn't set up a perfectly legitimate campaign intelligence operation ..." -- John Dean to President Richard Nixon; White House Tapes; March 21, 1973

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Plame scandal is the recent rash of rumors about what may be the final week of the Fitzgerald grand jury investigation. It is important to remember that there have been virtually no leaks from Fitzgerald's office. There have been a number of leaks, however, from Karl Rove's attorneys. Hence, when we read that sources "close to Fitzgerald" hnt that Cheney has become a person of interest, be aware that this is almost certainly something that originated from Rove's attorneys. Likewise, the related rumor that Fitzgerald may have requested an extension from the judge, allowing for further grand jury hearings, there is reason to believe that Rove's attorneys are hoping the information Karl provides tomorrow will result in Fitzgerald's making a deal that benefits Karl at Cheney's expense.

This is the price we pay for having "an egomaniacal sociopath whose penchant for high-risk gambles (which are) exceeded only by a propensity for miscalculation" in power. Indeed, this "malignant narcissism" has become a cancer on the presidency!