Re: the Anthrax Suicide

[JDPriestly]

Assuming that Ivins did send the anthrax letters, does anyone else have difficulty believing that this man was permitted to work with biological weapons in a government program considering the allegations the government has brought about his angry, homicidal, suicidal thoughts/threats in the past?

Do you suppose that the U.S. government would really allow a person with his pathology to work in top secret areas?

Are the stories about him untrue? Or did the government fail to do a proper security check on him before hiring/rehiring him? If they failed to do a security check, what is wrong with them? I had to have a character check on my entire life to join my profession. And I have no security clearance.

So either the stories are false, or the government was very sloppy. If the stories are untrue, what is the government hiding by telling them?

Are we, like the Soviet Union, placing political enemies in psychiatric hospitals or categorizing critics as "insane" in order to discredit them?

Ivins' lawyer was reported as stating that, had Ivins been tried, he would not have been convicted. I wonder what Ivins' defense would have been? Insanity? Or just following orders?

I am very suspicious because the government's story does not make sense to me.

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. Fall guy.

A patsy was suicided.

I'd give you odds.

[DearAbby]

2. you know the lone nut theory

next they will be showing us pictures of Ivins standing in his back yard in front of a picket fence, a current newspaper in one hand and an vial of anthrax in the other....

[Muttocracy]

3. and they kept this guy working there for years after he became a suspect

KO's interview tonight talked about how he became the prime suspect when the restarted the investigation in 2006 - yet he was still working at the lab until a few weeks ago!

So yeah, if he's a lone nut, how the hell did he get hired and work there for decades.

I don't think he was a lone nut.

[jaysunb]

4. K & R

:thumbsup:

[ColbertWatcher]

5. "his angry, homicidal, suicidal thoughts/threats"

You'd think they'd want to keep him around to make McCain seem calm and reasonable.

[screembloodymurder]

6. Check out the counselor's affidavit.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0801081anthrax2.html

How do you spell theripist?

[KharmaTrain]

7. Let's See How This Plays

I wouldn't jump so quickly that Ivins sent the letters...but it appears he sure knew about the Anthrax...either the production or getting it out of the lab. We have several other steps before you can pin this on Ivins...it may just be one step among many.

As many others here, I don't think Ivins acted alone and that his "timely death" could be viewed in several ways...either buying the ultimate silence or that he saw that he was being scapegoated. Think about this...if he sent the letters, wouldn't he have left a suicide note? So far I haven't heard that he did...or email it out to ensure it reaches the world?

Now Ivins lawyers aren't the government...thus I'm waiting to hear what they have to say and what other information is forthcoming. There's still the question as to analyizing the handwriting...and then explaining how he could have driven to New Jersey and mailed them. Let's see what the government's case is here before we start going for the tinfoil hats...keep 'em handy.

Also, I'd like to see if Brian Ross speaks about this subject...sure seems like he's got a few questions of his own to answer.