The letters written on behalf of "Scooter" Libby offer an unappealing look inside our system

[marmar]

From TomPaine.com:



The Scooter Files: Washington X-Ray
Rick Perlstein
June 06, 2007



Personally, I find the I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby letters fascinating, an unmatched window into that most baffling of questions for ordinary citizens: how Washington thinks, especially, but not exclusively, its rightward precincts.

Of course, it's fascinating to see Henry Kissinger's name invoked as any kind of reliable witness, character as otherwise. But that's been a Washington disease for decades. The evidence concerning Mr. Kissinger these last several years has become very, very clear: he made a very specific set of claims and evasions in his memoirs and elsewhere about various events in which he participated that time and again have been directly contradicted by contemporary documents that have since come to light (and which Kissinger has made his life's work to suppress). A more blatant example of a naked emperor cannot be imagined. (Kissinger, naked: brrrrrrrrrr . Sorry.)

And yet Kissinger somehow still keeps his spot in the establishment as an honest broker. Authors cite his memoirs as if they were a window onto "what happened." As the rhetorical evasions that are the soul of his public pronouncements have become more and more obvious, even in correspondence having nothing to do with matters of state. See what he writes about Libby: "He pursued his objectives with integrity and a sense of responsibility. I would never have associated the actions for which he was convicted with his character. Nor do I believe they will ever be repeated."

Have you ever read more tautological sentences? He has character. Therefore, if he did bad things, it is out of character and won't be repeated. How do I know? Because he has character.

Similar verbal mobius strips are on offer from our friend Richard Perle: "Having known Scooter Libby for many years, I am unable to reconcile the man I know with the crime for which he has been convicted." And James Woolsey: "His conviction for perjury and obstruction of justice is completely inconsistent with my knowledge, and highest evaluation, of this man's character and integrity." Or when Douglas Feith says: "In all my dealings with him, I found Scooter not only to be honest, but to be someone whose honestly was rooted in serious reflections about what it means to be an honorable person." And Alan Simpson: "all of this is so totally inconsistent with the basic attributes and the reputation of the man I know." ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/06/06/the_scooter_files_washington_xray.php

[dusmcj]

1. a neocon rogues' gallery decloaks to address the scapegoat selected by their fellows

What a bunch of skanks. It must be tough to get the taste of shit off your tongue after that much exercise, but I guess they're used to it after years of coprophagia.

[tularetom]

2. I'm sure the mofo loves his wife and is nice to dogs

but the fact remains he fuckin LIED to cover for his crooked boss which tells me he is a weak minded person without a very well formed moral core. So fuck him. He does not have character it is the thing he totally lacks in spite of his privileged upbringing and prominent friends.

To me its even more inexcusable when one of these assholes who has been handed everything in life lacks the human decency to do the right thing. But I'm well beyond being surprised by it.

[Cleita]

3. Kissinger should be serving a prison sentence at the Hague

for international crimes that he committed while Secretary of State.

[benddem]

4. where are the guys

who were screaming about Clinton..."He perjured himself." Rule of Law, Rule of Law. These people aren't worth the fingerstrokes we are using to comment on it. I'm out of the loop now, but has anyone pointed this out to them????

[hughee99]

5. Those people are probably on other message boards...

asking where the "perjury is no big deal" people who defended Clinton are?