Tuesday, March 06, 2007

On loyalty and backlash

There is a major theme behind the both news stories that are causing such headaches for the administration. In both the Libby guilty verdict, and the fired prosecutor congressional hearings, we have ex Republican government employees who have been kicked in the teeth by the Bush administration being given a measure of justice.

The huge news of the day is the Libby verdict. This entire affair is due to the administration trying to ruin the career and family of a life long Republican. Joseph Wilson Republican credentials prior to the Iraq war were beyond reproach in his chosen profession as a diplomat:
As acting ambassador to Iraq in the run-up to the first Gulf War, he was the last US diplomat to meet with Saddam Hussein, in 1991.

He very publicly defied the Iraqi strongman by giving refuge to more than 100 US citizens at the embassy and in the homes of US diplomats - at a time when Saddam Hussein was threatening to execute anyone who harboured foreigners.

He then addressed journalists wearing a hangman's noose instead of a necktie.

He later told the Washington Post newspaper that the message to Saddam Hussein was: "If you want to execute me, I'll bring my own [expletive] rope."
On his return George H.W. Bush said of Wilson:
Your courageous leadership during this period of great danger for American interests and American citizens has my admiration and respect. I salute, too, your skillful conduct of our tense dealings with the government of Iraq....The courage and tenacity you have exhibited throughout this ordeal prove that you are the right person for the job."
It was Wilsons rebuttal of the, now widely known, deceptive drive to war in Iraq by this administration that led the office of Vice President Cheney to leak Plames identity. This was a loud and clear signal to anyone else with the knowledge and temerity to expose the White House's lies. It was done to a steadfast Republican and now that has come back to bite them.

The same backlash is also featured by the prosecutors who were fired last December. They were all appointed by President Bush. Their testimony before Congress makes it very evident that they were subject to political pressure to indict Democrats prior to the midterm election, and to lay off of Republicans. Having this type of political pressure applied is one matter entirely, but then these prosecutors were fired without cause. When cause was demanded the Justice department claimed poor performance, even though the public record shows very satisfactory reviews on job performance immediately prior to the firings.

Prior to the Justice Department's canard of the prosecutors poor job performance, these people had determined to not make a fuss over their firing. But after being slighted in order to justify the firings, the Prosecutors started biting back. Again then, we have Republicans whom the adminsitration has seen fit to stab in the back, who are having a small measure of revenge for the treatment given them.

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