03/15/03: Post by Haskell
Posted by: BLOWBACK
Thanks for the post, Rolo. I've read Morris' biographies of Haig and Kissinger, and I've read excerpts of "Partners in Power" before but not the whole book. Yes, of course Clinton was aware of Mena, as was Poppy Bush. That is the premise of the title, that rather than being in competition, the two men -- as well as many other politicians of both major parties -- were actually participants in a power-sharing arrangement and, in exchange for cooperation with (or turning a blind eye towards) certain covert activities, received behind-the-scenes help in their political careers.You see, despite your assumption, I never said Clinton was my hero. I simply said you can't blame him for 9/11 or for most of the things in Krauthammer's article. If you do, you have to blame Reagan and Poppy Bush as much or more. As you reminded us with the post from Morris' book, the gun-running and drug-smuggling at Mena was all part of the Reagan administration's Contra program and apparently had approval from the highest levels, including VP Bush, who I'm sure we all remember was once Director of CIA himself.If it helps you to understand, I think Nixon was a horrible President, but that doesn't mean I would blame him for LBJ's mistakes.