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unhappycamper

(60,364 posts)
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 07:21 AM Jan 2014

Juan Cole: Top Ten Things Bob Gates was Wrong about, Some Criminal

http://www.juancole.com/2014/01/things-about-criminal.html

Top Ten Things Bob Gates was Wrong about, Some Criminal
By Juan Cole | Jan. 8, 2014

~snip~

1. Gates as a high official at the CIA was involved in the 1970s and 1980s in vastly exaggerating the economic and military power of the Soviet Union, scaring the American public with a supposed threat that was actually far smaller and less formidable than officials such as Gates alleged. Gates made a career out of politicizing intelligence. Inside the CIA, analysts who tell their bosses what they want to hear are called weasels. Gates was the weaseliest. One of the main reasons the CIA failed to predict the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 was precisely the exaggerations and politicization pushed by Gates.

~snip~

2. When he was a high official at the CIA in the mid to late 1980s, Gates was involved in selling Pentagon weaponry to the Ayatollah Khomeini. That’s right, the dreaded “biggest supporter of terrorism” in the world, the dire security threat to American allies. That Ayatollah Effing Khomeini. Iran was on the US terrorism watchlist at the time the Reagan administration was making the sales, so you couldn’t have done anything more illegal or hypocritical.

3. Not only did the Reagan administration in which Gates served as a loyal capo illegally steal weaponry from Pentagon warehouses (they had no Congressional authorization to sell them, so it was all black money) and sell them to Iran, they inflated the price and used the extra money to support the right wing Nicaraguan death squads known as Contras. Gates went back and forth in his later testimony about how much he knew and when he knew of the diversion of funds from the (already illegal) sales of arms to Iran by Col. Oliver North. The Iran-Contra Commission report decided that he had to have known all about it. Congress had passed the Boland amendment forbidding Reagan from sending tax dollars to the Contras. Reagan contravened that Congressional legislation by misappropriating tax-payers’ money (spent on the weaponry sold to Iran), which is unconstitutional. Gates helped him. Among the activities of the nice Contras was killing leftwing nuns.

4. Gates was, further, involved in further covert provision of weaponry, including chemicals and biological precursors to Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Iraq in the 1980s used chemical weapons against Iran at the front and then against innocent Kurds at Halabja in 1988. The Reagan administration blocked Iranian attempts to take a complaint against Iraq to the UN Security Council.
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Juan Cole: Top Ten Things Bob Gates was Wrong about, Some Criminal (Original Post) unhappycamper Jan 2014 OP
serves Obama right... politicman Jan 2014 #1
Because Bipartisan! n2doc Jan 2014 #3
Yup - try to be bi-partisan, get screwed dbackjon Jan 2014 #11
That's what you get for hiring Republicans. jsr Jan 2014 #14
Wanna curl your toes? unhappycamper Jan 2014 #2
Obama should have know this was dangerous liberal N proud Jan 2014 #4
Personally, I think it would have been more dangerous to NOT keep the Bushies. The_Commonist Jan 2014 #6
^This! MsLeopard Jan 2014 #7
so he made this shithead part of the government out of fear????? Doctor_J Jan 2014 #10
Bhwwwaaa haaaa haaaa!!!! The_Commonist Jan 2014 #12
I'll take that to mean you agree. Doctor_J Jan 2014 #13
Oh, you wanted a response? The_Commonist Jan 2014 #15
You expressed my sentiments Sweeties Mama Jan 2014 #16
Thank you, I appreciate that! The_Commonist Jan 2014 #17
^^^ exactly how i see it hopemountain Jan 2014 #18
Don't forget Draft Deferment Cheney 90-percent Jan 2014 #5
I see Secretary Gates comments as positive HoosierCowboy Jan 2014 #8
He should have been prosecuted instead of hired Doctor_J Jan 2014 #9
 

politicman

(710 posts)
1. serves Obama right...
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 07:29 AM
Jan 2014

Obama was a fool for leaving former bush appointees in key positions.
And he is still being a fool by putting republicans in yet more key positions.

Why oh why did Obama not purge all key positions from people who served under Bush and from republicans, they cannot be trusted to be loyal.

 

dbackjon

(6,578 posts)
11. Yup - try to be bi-partisan, get screwed
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 03:09 PM
Jan 2014

We here on DU been sounding this horn from the start

You can't compromise with people unwilling to return the favor

liberal N proud

(60,302 posts)
4. Obama should have know this was dangerous
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 08:38 AM
Jan 2014

To keep bu$h people in the administration. You have to anticipate people like Gates who are out to get you from within.

The_Commonist

(2,518 posts)
6. Personally, I think it would have been more dangerous to NOT keep the Bushies.
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 09:23 AM
Jan 2014

For Mr. Obama, that is.

So a guy writes a book and criticizes the president. Big deal. You know and I know that the Bushies are some of the most dangerous, deranged people on the planet. No doubt there's been a gun pointed at Mr. Obama's head since day one, and the shadow government made it clear to him that he would follow the agenda or he and his family would be on a plane that crashed.

Are there people who REALLY think that the fascists who were capable of Iran-Contra, Gulf Wars one and two, LIHOP and the Great Recession Ripoff aren't gonna make it clear to the new kid that he plays along or he dies? Actually, I'm sure Mr. Obama was a more than willing participant, which is the only way he got into the Oval in the first place.

A few lines in a book about Mr. Obama's doubts regarding Afghanistan are not going to cause him any harm. Lines that were spun by Woodward. The things that Mr. Gates et al are capable of, (see the OP) on the other hand, if they don't get their way? Now that's a different story, and one that Mr. Obama is no doubt completely aware of.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
10. so he made this shithead part of the government out of fear?????
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 03:02 PM
Jan 2014

Isn't that called giving in to terrorism? If this is true Obama should resign immediately and explain why he's quitting.

The_Commonist

(2,518 posts)
15. Oh, you wanted a response?
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 04:26 PM
Jan 2014

OK.
I thought you were just venting, like most people around here. I wasn't expecting that you were actually looking for a response. And that's because when people say things like "Obama should resign immediately and explain why he's quitting..." I generally assume that they don't expect to be taken seriously. But I suppose you do want that to be taken seriously, so here goes:

There's one political party in this country, The Money Party, and you don't get elected dogcatcher, let alone POTUS unless agree with and will work towards The Money Party agenda. (there are a few exceptions, like Sen. Sanders. But they are very few and far between) That agenda, of course, is helping the rich get richer. Yes, there is a "Right Wing" and a "Left Wing" of The Money Party, and various factions. I assume that since you are a good DUer, you are at the very least a supporter of the "Left Wing" of The Money Party, if not a full on Leftie, like the aforementioned Sen. Sanders. I suppose to most people I would be considered a radical Leftie, but I consider myself more of a "Balance-atarian." That's not important now.

Robert Gates has been a full supporter of The Money Party for his entire career. Compared to Barack Obama, he's a part of the inner circle, and if you read the Juan Cole piece that is the OP, you'll see that the man is a full on MoneyPartytarian, and one of the heavy lifters behind the scenes. You don't get to be the Director of Central Intelligence AND Secretary of Defense under TWO presidents unless you are one of the Bigwigs in The Club.

Barack Obama, on the other hand, and for the record, I do like the guy, is a relative newcomer. A relative newcomer does not rise through the ranks as quickly as he did unless they understand The Money Party agenda. Therefore, my theory is that Mr. Obama either had a (figurative) gun placed against his right temple, and probably the temples of his children as well, and he was told that he would not do anything radical to upset The Money Party agenda.

And/or more likely, Mr. Obama is (at best reluctantly) on board with The Money Party agenda, and has no problem helping the rich get richer. And from what we have seen over the last 5 years, what with the stock market higher than ever and income/wealth inequality worse than ever in our history, it's obvious that Mr. Obama is in fact (at best reluctantly) on board with The Money Party agenda.

So... Mr. Gates retires and writes a book, and in it is a tepid bit about how Mr. Obama was not enthusiastic about The Money Party's approach to the profit-making venture in Afghanistan. That bit got blown out of proportion by Bob Woodward, and now it's a game of "WHY DIDN'T OBAMA PURGE ALL THE BUSHIES???" He didn't purge the Bushies because of that gun to his head, and/or his full compliance with The Money Party agenda.

Stay with me, I'm almost finished... I want you to read again what you wrote above:

"so he made this shithead part of the government out of fear????? Isn't that called giving in to terrorism? If this is true Obama should resign immediately and explain why he's quitting."

Realpolitik, my friend! That's just never going to happen! Frankly, I would love it if that happened! It would be frikkin' amazing!!!

"My fellow Americans, I am resigning the office of President of the United States of America because a certain faction within the Shadow Government threatened me and my family if I did not go along with their agenda. I do not give in to terrorist demands, so therefore, effective immediately, Vice-President Biden will now be the Commander in Chief."

That would be one the most incredible moments in American political history, and would probably do more to expose the machinations of said Shadow Government than just about anything ever. But in the world of Realpolitik, that just sounds silly. Mr. Obama, however much I might like him as a human being, just doesn't have it in him to do anything that ballsy. Besides, chances are he is on board with The Money Party agenda. He would most likely still be a State Senator, at best, if he wasn't.

Do you really think what you suggest is even remotely possible? Or were you simply venting? Answer honestly.

Cheers!

Sweeties Mama

(13 posts)
16. You expressed my sentiments
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 07:18 PM
Jan 2014

exactly in your comment above. And you've expanded on it summarily here. He was probably somewhat naive when he first became president about where the real power and influence in the political world lies. I always felt that the threat was probably made on the well being of his children. They, and the first grandmother, used to be seen very often in photo ops at the beginning of his administration. But very soon, they were never seen in public. And the number of threats on the prior presidents' lives were dwarfed by those on the life of Obama. His military commanders had the audacity to criticize him to the press - more than once. The Washington Press corp was openly hostile and disrespective. He had to "ease his hand out of the lions mouth" - and I don't blame him. Thx Commonist, for your thoughts.

The_Commonist

(2,518 posts)
17. Thank you, I appreciate that!
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 08:00 PM
Jan 2014

Of course, I understand that it's all speculation on my part, about figurative guns to heads, and Mr. Obama's going along with the money agenda. However, the evidence of his behavior since being in office is pretty clear by now. He is clearly NOT a Muslim Socialist Nazi Commie Dictator! He may be playing n dimensional chess, but his endgame certainly does not appear to be taxing the super-rich and giving the money to poor people, grabbing everyone's guns, turning the U.S. into Sweden (actually, that would be OK), or whatever other fantasies the extreme right may have about him.

There's a place for speculation, just as there's a place for venting. (see above) And all of those things you mentioned are in the mix. Personally, I simply can't imagine the kind of pressure that's on him and his family. I don't really understand how people can live like that.

hopemountain

(3,919 posts)
18. ^^^ exactly how i see it
Thu Jan 9, 2014, 01:32 AM
Jan 2014

when president obama awakened the morning after his inauguration the oval office became the crossroads. i am still glad he is there. the corporate shadow government has him by the balls on the things they want to enforce - like the banks, the military smokescreen, xl pipeline, the tpp, and so on.

90-percent

(6,828 posts)
5. Don't forget Draft Deferment Cheney
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 09:14 AM
Jan 2014

One of the few talents this waste of skin had was planting his moles throughout the federal bureaucracy. And I bet there's still plenty of them there to nurture the War Profiteer's financial and political interests.

-90% Jimmy

HoosierCowboy

(561 posts)
8. I see Secretary Gates comments as positive
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 12:42 PM
Jan 2014

Less than enthusiastic about war is where I think where every American should be and the President even more so. If the GOP was so enthusiastic, I didn't see any of them to be the first guy out of the helicopter.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
9. He should have been prosecuted instead of hired
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 03:01 PM
Jan 2014

Why in the world did the president make this guy a major part of the government?

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