October 15, 2016 (three minutes)
This fall’s drumming for war is even more mischievous – and dangerous – than that of 14 years ago, when, simili modo, the existence of “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq were reported as “flat fact.” Russia is not Iraq.
Following is text of an email Ray sent yesterday conveying his disappointment in Priest’s stooping to participate in the ongoing evidence-starved “blame Russia” media campaign. With no reply from Priest, Ray has made it an open letter, since it may be of wider interest:
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Ouch,
… Et tu, Judy? … er, I mean Dana.
You are too smart to drink the Kool-Aid — too smart to regurgitate trumped-up charges (no pun intended). Did you think to check with Bill Binney or any of the other former senior NSA officials that are part of our VIPS movement? (Bill tells me you even had him speak to your journalism students at the University of Maryland recently about the importance of validating sources!)
If it were a hack, there would be an easily obtained “trace route” for the email packets from the DNC/HRC to “WHO” then to WikiLeaks. Is it possible you did not know that…were you not curious enough to enquire?
Do you or your Hamburger colleague know the difference between a hack and a leak? I’m sure you have noticed that Julian Assange gets a whole lot of LEAKS! Bill Binney, THE expert on such things, believes it was a LEAK — likely by an insider like Ed Snowden or Harold Martin.
Out of residual respect for your former commendable reporting, I prefer to believe the Washington Post simply tacked your name onto that Trump treatment of intelligence briefing stuns experts article on page 4 of Saturday’s Post in order to add some gravitas, some flavor to a stale, tasteless Hamburger.
And of all people to quote! Michael Hayden, whom one of his predecessor NSA Director (Gen. William Odom) said “should have been court-martialed, and W should have been impeached,” immediately after Bill learned how grossly Hayden had violated the 4th amendment, FISA, etc., etc., all because Bush/Cheney told him too.
Even the mild-mannered Bobby Ray Inman told a NYC Library audience that Hayden had “clearly broken the law.” (Then, still very much a part of the Establishment, Inman sneaks into Lou Dobbs studio, steals part of my time, and gives Hayden a ringing endorsement for him to be confirmed as D/CIA. (I was there; I watched it; I mention it because Inman had always seemed to be one of the good guys — until then. So did you — until now.
And then you quote the torture lawyer John Rizzo….and former CIA Deputy Director John McLaughlin, whom Carl Ford (head of State INR at the time) said “should have been shot together with CIA Director George Tenet” for falsifying WMD/bio/trailers “intelligence.”
Hard to believe you and Hamburger have no better sources – no, impossible to believe.
A “decent respect for the opinions of mankind” would dictate that you not let yourself be used — like Judy Miller — by folks who (hard as it is to believe) seem to truly want an armed dust-up with Russia. If you cannot resist what Obama himself calls the “Washington Playbook,” then let me suggest you give back your Pulitzer Prize (as I gave back my Intelligence Commendation Medallion after you reported, then courageously, on the CIA black sites for torture).
Et tu, Dana? Bummer.
Ray
Ray speaks to RT immediately after the announcement that talks on Syria will resume.
October 12, 2016 (six minutes)
The way Ray reconstructs events over the past several days is the following:
Obama tells Kerry, “Enough already with the War-Crimes charges;” Obama tells Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, “Enough with the insubordination. We are going to do the only sensible thing on Syria; namely, resume talks Saturday (Oct. 15) in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the foreign minister level.” The U.S., Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Iran will take part.
Now, if Kerry can only find out where those “moderate” rebels (labeled a “fantasy” by Obama two years ago, and “unicorns” by Assad one week ago) are hiding, so that the U.S. can honor its promise to separate them out from those rebels deemed immoderate! Wonder what happened to the “refined ways” of accomplishing this, the “refined ways” that Kerry bragged a month ago.
By Gilbert Doctorow, October 14, 2016
The author is an astute observer of Russian affairs – and not only Russian. Don’t miss his observations drawn from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina that are applicable to today’s impulsive rush to war by those without common sense, charlatans, or both.
By Gilbert Doctorow, October 12, 2016
We need Tolstoy (and Gilbert Doctorow) to tutor Susan Rice, Samantha Power, and other Petra-Principled sophomores, in order to fill in the gaping holes in their education and experience. Obama should also audit the course, if only so that he does not keep saying stupid things in retirement.
Dr. Doctorow’s piece on Tolstoy and Anna is masterful.
By Ray, October 11, 2016
https://consortiumnews.com/2016/10/11/russia-reads-us-bluster-as-sign-of-war/?print=print
Ray dons his old President’s Daily Brief and Russian foreign policy hats.
By Robert Parry, October 7, 2016
What would be the reaction in the U.S. if Russia’s guru/funder of “regime change” abroad were to call for the ouster of Obama?
Ray was on RT Crosstalk, with Peter Lavelle, Earl Rasmussen, and Vladimir Golstein, aired on Oct. 5. General focus was on the steep deterioration in U.S.-Russian relations, but Ray chose to shed the spotlight on THE major reason that the Obama administration is doing such lethal, foolish things in Syria – and may decide to risk war with Russia – with such little prospect of success. Israel is the elephant in the dining room and needs to be addressed.
It is simply not possible to understand U.S. behavior without dealing with the fact that most U.S. policy makers are motivated largely by Israel’s perceived interests. It is real stretch to claim that Syria poses a danger to the U.S. (But try to discuss that on “mainstream” TV!) It’s that old “passionate attachment” of one country to another, despite the reality that their strategic interests do NOT coincide – the noxious, fallacious policy orientation that George Washington took pains to explain and warn us about in his Farewell Address.
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/361636-russia-west-syria-tensions/
26 minutes (can skip the commercial from minute 12:15 to 14:30)
By Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS)
A group of ex-U.S. national security and intelligence officials are warning President Obama to defuse growing tensions with Russia over Syria by reining in the demonization of President Putin and asserting White House civilian control over the Pentagon.
By Ray McGovern, September 30 2016
The Pentagon has been insubordinate on Syria; demonstrably scuttled the latest Kerry-Lavrov cessation of hostilities agreement. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has been on tour highlighting nifty nukes (including small ones). U.S. “moderate” rebels in Syria (if any) adamantly refuse to put distance (as in actual kilometers) between themselves and the “bad” rebels, despite Secretary Kerry’s wagging his finger at them. As for Obama, through his only folly, his weird combination of hubris and cowardice, his refusal to bring in adults to advise him, and his extreme cowardice (i. e., unwillingness to fire those who led the Pentagon revolt), the President has lost his already fragile control over U.S. policy and actions vis-a-vis Syria.
President Harry Truman, after all, had the guts to fire the very popular Gen. Douglas MacArthur for insubordination. Secretary Ashton Carter’s popularity rests mostly with those whom Pope Francis calls the “blood-soaked arms traders.” (Oops, perhaps that’s the main reason Obama believes he’d better let him stay on.) As for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Dunford – who that? Most Americans who have heard the name Dunford think it is an old village in Devon, England. (Oops, there would also be a political cost to no-guts Obama in firing him.)
John Kerry shows himself to be a pathetic, confused stuffed shirt; admits that Syria, with all the various vying forces at play there, is just too hard to figure out and manage; Cui bono? — No one mentions Israel – the only benefactor of the chaos in Syria. Putin and Lavrov running out of patience — holding the negotiation-track door slightly ajar, but saying quite clearly “Fool me once …” And they remember the rest of that expression.
Lavrov, uncharacteristically, divulging in public the substance of his confidential talks with Kerry. And the media drums for war get louder and louder – reminiscent of just before the attack on Iraq. Main difference: Russia DOES HAVE nuclear weapons. (Quick: someone tell Obama.)
Ray reviews some history, part of it from personal experience on the inside, to put this alarming situation in context; shows why he believes we should all be concerned.