"From the Shadows" (Gates' Autobiography)

[H2O Man]

I realize that there are a lot of Robert Gates threads right now. However,I think it's important to mention that Gates' role in the Bush1 administration is documented in two of Robert Parry's books: {1} Secrecy & Privilege: Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq; and {2} Lost History: Contras, Cocaine, The Press & Project Truth.

The change that Bush is making is like replacing a wolf with a fox.

[mshasta]

1. just on time...

when Daniel Ortega bounced back in power..


Coincidence?
I think not!

[H2O Man]

2. That's odd,

isn't it?

[GregD]

6. curious about your screen name

what does mshasta mean? Mount Shasta?

[H2O Man]

3. Important

that people are aware of the implications here.

[Jcrowley]

4. Gates is reliable

Secretary of the Committee, People's Deputy of the RF N. Kuznetsov

On the supply of American arms to Iran according to available information, the Chairman of the R. Reagan election campaign, William Casey, in 1980 met three times with representatives of the Iranian leadership, in particular with the arms dealers Djamshed and Kurosh Hashemi. The meetings took place in Madrid and Paris. At the meeting in Paris in October 1980, in addition to Casey, R. Gates, at that time a staffer of the National Security Council in the administration for Jimmy Carter and former CIA Director George Bush also took part.

In Madrid and Paris, the representatives of Ronald Reagan and the Iranian leadership discussed the question of possibly delaying the release of 52 hostages from the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Teheran, taken hostage by Iranian "students" and members of the "Corps of Defense of the Islamic Revolution" on 4 November 1979 until after the elections that took place in November 1980. In exchange for this, the American representatives promised to supply arms to Iran. This was asserted, in particular, by a former Israeli intelligence agent, Ari Ben-Menash, a Jew born in Iran and arrested in 1989 in the U.S. for supplying arms to Iran (arrested in California on charges of exporting contraband C-130 aircraft from the U.S. to Iran and who was in prison for 11 months and then freed).  According to his calculation, the total value of the arms illegally delivered to Iran reached 82 billion dollars.

Data on attempts by the R. Reagan team to temporarily block the release of American hostages in Teheran are also contained in official statements of several Iranian figures, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Gotb-Zade in September 1980.

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

K&R

[formercia]

5. Another Crusader

Shows you how contrite the Administration really is. Bunch of cockaroaches.

[Gold Metal Flake]

7. Moving back into the shadows?

Winter for Bushco. Time to pull the sap back to the roots, let the small branches dry and break. Prepare for the months of freezing snow. Work in the shadows, prepare for the future. Wait until the sun shines again. The cycle continues.

Am I close?

[robertpaulsen]

8. I've got a wildly optimistic thought.

Take a look at this flashback from Raw Story:

Raw obtains letter detailing Democrat's 'oversight priorities'

Brian Beutler
Published: Monday October 30, 2006

Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), the the ranking member of the Government Reform Committee, has long maintained a list of "oversight priorities" that would presumably be implemented under a Democratic majority, according to a letter acquired by RAW STORY.

Waxman enumerated those priorities in correspondence with chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) in February 2005, but as the minority party, Democrats have been unable to advance the agenda.

snip

Many of the items included were also listed as part of a fact sheet released by the minority staff of the Government Reform Committee in October 2004. That document notes that, among other omissions, Congress has "failed to investigate... the role of the White House in promoting misleading intelligence about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaeda." Both documents also list grievances relating to detainee abuse, the vice president's role in government contracting and influence over energy regulations, and the outing of CIA covert operative Valerie Plame.

None of these issues have been taken up by the committee under Republican control.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Waxmans_investigative_agenda_1030.html


H2O Man, given what we know about the overlap between the key players of Plame/AIPACgate and Iran/Contragate, perhaps a thorough investigation initiated by Waxman might bring these people to justice. Maybe I'm being wildly optimistic, but if you mailed Waxman the Waterman Paper and I mailed Waxman American Judas, it might start a chain reaction that could bring the whole cabal down.

How are you feeling, H2O Man?! Physically, I'm :hangover: but emotionally, I'm :bounce:

[H2O Man]

10. Both Waxman and Conyers

will be in positions that hold the promise of thorough investigations.

[Straight Shooter]

9. Or replacing a wolf with a hyena.

Yes, I know hyenas are much maligned, irrationally perhaps, but I'm a personal fan of foxes. :)

[H2O Man]

12. Yes.

In the real world, I admire both wolves and foxes, along with coyotes.

[Straight Shooter]

19. You truly do possess the Native American spirit, H20 Man.

Speaking of spirits, isn't this a beautiful day, to be thankful to those who watch over us ...

:hi:

[Annces]

20. Coyotes

Geronimo
He started to sing. There were many songs, and the songs were about Coyote. They told how Coyote was a tricky fellow, hard to see and find, and how he gave these characteristics to Geronimo so that he could make himself invisible and even turn into a doorway. They told how the coyote helped Geronimo in his curing. Geronimo accompanied his singing with a drum which he beat with a curved stick. At the end of each song he gave a call like a coyote.


Coyote is first on my upcoming "The Hunted" Series. I just found some material on Geronimo.

[Solly Mack]

11. In and back out of the shadows

Get the job done and fade back into the shadows

[H2O Man]

13. This is the

father's program.

[Solly Mack]

17. Most definitely

[Coexist]

14. wonkette has a great take on this:

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/iran-contra/meet-robert-m-gates-irancontra-crook-and-bush-41-cia-chief-213384.php

How twisted is this country? An Iran-Contra crook and ex-CIA chief is immediately greeted as a sane, grown-up yet “fresh” replacement for the delusional old Donald Rumsfeld.

Even more fun, Gates’ nemesis Daniel Ortega was elected president of Nicaragua on Monday. You may remember Ortega as the Sandinista leader who fought off the Contras in a long bloody “civil war” in large part engineered by … Oliver North, William Casey and deputy CIA director Robert M. Gates, among others. North, a convicted felon and official fall guy for Iran-Contra, was in Nicaragua last week campaigning against Ortega.

History doesn’t just repeat itself; it repeats itself with the same exact people

[H2O Man]

15. Yep .....

"The past is never dead. It's not even past."
-- William Faulkner; Intruder in the Dust

[AntiFascist]

16. North et. al. were glorified for being anti-Communist, mom and apple pie...

unfortunately the pro-fascist consequences were not considered.

[H2O Man]

18. I think we are

seeing the beginning of a more public take-over of the son's administration by the father's Agency.

[Morgana LaFey]

21. This thread is depressing the hell outta me

Between Wonkette's take, your take, Faulkner's quote.

:cry:

I wish I had more faith in Pelosi's and Reid's understanding of what we're facing and their spines (esp. Reid's since it'll require a Senate confirmation).

[bobbolink]

22. Yup, me two also. But, having been blasted for saying as much about

Reid, I hesitate.

I'm afraid I'm not so celebratory as I wish I could be.

Are we up for these coming battles?

[Morgana LaFey]

23. I'm glad I'm not alone re not feeling all that

celebratory.

It's not that I'm not THRILLED -- and more than awed -- that we've now gotten BOTH houses. Oh, man, yeah.

I just don't know how we're going to make our Dems perform. Damn. I get the shivers on that one. Shoot.

[bobbolink]

28. No, you're definitely not alone.

It only seems like it because there is so much hostility here for those who think a bit differently. Anyone who says anything outside the lines is told, every so kindly, to shut the fuck up. So, it only seems like you're alone.

*THAT'S* what is really the tragedy.

I agree with your question... I have many questions myself, but I just don't care to take the slings and arrows I'd get if I asked them.

I've been at all this from my dirtyhippiecommiepinkobum days during Vietnam, and I really never thought I'd see the time when liberals attacked each other for having different ideas, and for having questions. That's how we grew so much during that time-- we listened to each other, and dealt with questions like actual adults. As I said, that is really what the tragedy is. It doesn't bode well for this nation.

Take care, eh! Good to chat with you! :hi:

[rosesaylavee]

27. Its just time to finish it.

Gates has to be confirmed first. That will be very interesting to watch.

[bigtree]

24. "Change," as Barbara Jordan said,

"From what, to what? From what, to what?"

[phoebe]

25. Nomination of Robert Michael Gates to be Dir. CIA Senate Hearing 1991

Full transcript can be found at http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/congress/1991_cr/s911105-gates2.htm

There are some eye-opening remarks about Gates role in Iran-Contra and his ties to the top personnel who were also involved.

As posted on another thread, methinks that a large contingency of ex-CIA men and women along with a growing list of whistleblowers on the corruption/fraud/waste and abuse in Iraq are going to make this man's job of covering up Bushco./Neo-con malfeasance rather difficult should he make it past the swearing in ceremony..

[phoebe]

26. Robert's wife Becky is very friendly with one of TX top polluters - KMCO, Inc.

owned by Arthur "Artie" McFerrin and son - heck, he and his wife gave money to Texas A&M in order to name a child care building after Becky Gates.

Here's some data on them from 1996
http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/congress/1991_cr/s911105-gates2.htm
Toxic Exposure: How Texas Chemical Council Members Pollute State Politics & the Environment

What is it with Harris County in Texas? It continually pops up as being one of the most corrupt counties in the Western hemisphere and a place where Bush friends like to live and play..