Posted on 02/26/2008 1:15:37 PM PST by Richard Poe
| by Richard Lawrence Poe Tuesday, February 26, 2008 |
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FORMER CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite is 91 years old and ailing. Poor health prevented him from accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award in person on January 19. At such a moment, I would prefer to speak charitably of Cronkite. But the times call for candor. Cronkite's intrigues have cost the lives of countless American soldiers. Even worse, it appears that our Central Intelligence Agency assisted Cronkite in his betrayals. Americans need to know why.
Born in Saint Joseph, Missouri, Cronkite grew up in Kansas City and Houston, Texas. He dropped out of the University of Texas in 1935 to become a journalist.
Cronkite covered World War II for the United Press. He reported from North Africa; landed at Normandy in 1944; flew B-17 bombing raids over Germany and landed in a glider behind German lines in Holland. After the war, Cronkite covered the Nuremberg Trials, and served as Moscow bureau chief from 1946-48.
Then he got into television. In her 1979 book Katharine the Great: Katharine Graham and Her Washington Post Empire, investigative journalist Deborah Davis reports that CIA co-founder Allen Dulles brokered a deal between the Washington Post and CBS News in 1948. Through this arrangement, the Washington Post became sole owner of all CBS radio and TV outlets in our nation's capital. The Post's CBS affiliate WTOP-TV hired Cronkite in 1950, giving him his first job in television.
Allen Dulles -- who served as Director of Central Intelligence from 1953-61 -- carefully nurtured his ties with the two media companies he had brought together. Davis writes:
"The Post men continued to see Paley and Cronkite every Christmas at a dinner given by Allen Dulles at a private club called the Alibi. ... in the middle of downtown Washington..."
Investigative reporter Carl Bernstein wrote in 1977:
"CBS was unquestionably the CIA's most valuable broadcasting asset. CBS President William Paley and Allen Dulles enjoyed an easy working and social relationship. Over the years, the network provided cover for CIA employees... Paley’s designated contact for the Agency was Sig Mickelson, president of CBS News between 1954 and 1961. ... [CBS News president Richard] Salant... continued many of his predecessor's practices..."
Sig Mickelson was Cronkite's first mentor at CBS. Richard Salant appointed Cronkite anchorman for CBS evening news in 1962.
In my last column, "How the CIA Lost Vietnam", I recounted Cronkite's infamous conduct following the communist Tet Offensive of 1968. American and South Vietnamese forces had routed the enemy. North Vietnamese Colonel Bui Tin later wrote in his memoirs:
"Our losses were staggering and a complete surprise. ... Our forces in the South were nearly wiped out by all the fighting in 1968. It took us until 1971 to re-establish our presence..."
Cronkite reported the opposite. "We are mired in stalemate," he told Americans on February 27, 1968. America's only hope, said Cronkite, was to "negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who... did the best they could".
Cronkite's message reached Hanoi loud and clear. The communists understood that Cronkite spoke for official Washington. In their darkest hour, he gave them hope. They resolved to fight on.
Nearly 30,000 American soldiers would die in Vietnam over the next five years. Then Nixon ended the war with the Paris Peace Accords of January 17, 1973. South Vietnam was safe. As long as Nixon remained in office, the communists did not dare break the treaty.
But the press had another trick up its sleeve; Watergate. Early Watergate reports in the Washington Post aroused little interest. Then Cronkite stepped in. “The story was fading from the papers and we thought we needed to revive it", Cronkite told PBS’s Frontline in 1996.
Under Cronkite’s direction, CBS News aired a twenty-two-minute, two-part summary of the Watergate scandal in October 1972. It rekindled the scandal, forcing President Nixon's resignation on August 8, 1974.
Predictably, North Vietnam invaded the South in December 1974. Saigon fell on April 30, 1975.
Cronkite's CIA connection surfaced briefly during the Congressional Pike Committee hearings of 1975-76. CBS correspondent Daniel Schorr, who covered the hearings, later wrote:
"A former CBS correspondent, Sam Jaffe, said that the CIA had gotten him a job at CBS and that the list of current and former journalist-spies included Walter Cronkite. Cronkite heatedly denied that..."
In theory, I see no reason why journalists should avoid helping the CIA in matters of national interest. But who defines the national interest? The tragic story of Walter Cronkite teaches us that CIA spymasters may be poor judges at best.
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Richard Lawrence Poe is a contributing editor to Newsmax, an award-winning journalist and a New York Times bestselling author. His latest book is The Shadow Party: How George Soros, Hillary Clinton and Sixties Radicals Siezed Control of the Democratic Party, co-written with David Horowitz. |
Free Vulcan wrote:
Conkrite is one of those I will not shed a tear for when he dies. There will be a special place in hell for him and his ilk.”
Hell ain’t half full, jump in Walter, and hold Jimmy’s hand when you go.
Actually, you are asking the wrong question. You are asking for evidence of the CIA's motivation, which is to say, of the CIA's state of mind. I am far more interested in the CIA's actions than in its words or thoughts.
The pattern of CIA activity from roughly 1964 to 1974, described in my series of articles and further elucidated in the many links I provided, demands an explanation beyond that supplied by mainstream journalists and historians. These actions include, but are not limited to, the following:
1) Officially advising President Johnson in 1964 that the war was lost and that Vietnam should be abandoned to the communists;
2) Creating and funding anti-war front groups, beginning in 1965;
3) Praising and promoting said anti-war front groups via CIA propaganda networks operating through major newspapers and broadcast networks;
4) Ousting President Johnson through the so-called "Dump Johnson" campaign run by CIA contract consultant Allard Lowenstein, who recruited Eugene McCarthy to run against Johnson in the primaries;
5) Creating and leaking the so-called "Pentagon Papers";
6) Hampering Nixon's war efforts and negotiations with a never-ending stream of well-timed and extremely damaging leaks of classified information to the press;
7) Ousting Nixon through the so-called "Watergate" scandal;
All of the activities cited above demonstrate a consistent pattern on the part of our CIA to undermine and sabotage the war effort.
Rather than demanding from me proof of the CIA's motivation -- a topic on which I can only speculate or hypothesize -- I would urge you to pursue a more useful line of inquiry, which would be to consider the facts I have set before you, as well as the many links I provided which supplement those facts, and to ponder what these facts could possibly mean.
If you reject my explanation of these facts, please feel free to supply an alternative explanation of your own.
What'ya mean "they." They're still here!
If you ask me, that is pretty evidential stuff you’ve listed.
I doubt there is any other way to explain the so-called **quagmire** that these days is simply refered to as “vietnam.”
“All of the activities cited above demonstrate a consistent pattern on the part of our CIA to undermine and sabotage the war effort.”
I despise the leftists and Cronkite as much as you or any other good conservative. It is obvious that leftists in our media proactively sought American’s defeat in Vietnam. I would even go as far as to say that much of the Watergate story was concocted to gain attention.
But I don’t see the support for a claim that the CIA, in it’s entirety set out as a policy covert or otherwise to have the US lose or withdrawl in Vietnam. Now, were there leftists within the CIA who may have done things to hinder us? Certainly.
But, to say that the CIA is basically rogue and coopted as an intelligence agency put your line of reasoning in the “CIA killed Kennedy in a coup” type of conspiracy reasoning.
Take your #7) “Ousting Nixon through the so-called “Watergate” scandal”
What is your proof of this claim? To say leftists within the media ousted him could possibly be show to have played a huge part. But you are saying the CIA directly did this?
What part did James Angleton (DCI) play?
Cronkite. Never heard of him.
yup, he gets the horns...
Interesting thread. See Poe reply at #43.
And have him take Jimmy Carter with him! The two of them don’t equal one man.
Essentially you are suggesting that rogue leftist elements within the CIA might have pulled off at least some of the operations cited in my post above.
As much as I would like to accept that explanation, I cannot see how any of the seven above-named operations could have unfolded without high-level authorization.
Even the press leaks -- possibly the easiest of these dirty tricks to execute -- would require a willing recipient of said leak on the other end, that is, a willing reporter who works the national security beat and has good contacts in the intelligence world, along with a willing editor who would allow this reporter to pursue the story.
Media organizations, like all corporations, have a strict chain of command which enforces company policy down the line. Press leaks would never see the light of day without the compliance and cooperation of top-level media executives. Such executives do not, as a rule, publish classified information unless they believe that their highest-level sources in the intelligence world approve of the leak.
He also talked about Vietnam and his reporting “ that saved American lives”. Just a pathetic liberal drunk, nothing more.
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NEVER FORGET
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See Year 2000 Postings re: WALTER CRONKITE at...
‘WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE...& YOUNG’...4 FREEDOM
http://www.Freerepublic.com/forum/a39626542519c.htm
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NEVER FORGET
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FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY,
BILL KELLER, JAMES RISEN, ERIC LICHTBLAU,
and JOHN AND JANE DOES 1 THROUGH 20,
Defendants.
THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:
INTRODUCTORY ALLEGATIONS
At all times material to this indictment:
1. Defendant The New York Times Company was the publisher of the general circulation newspaper The New York Times.
2. Defendants Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau were agents and/or employees of The New York Times.
3. Defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20 included among them agents and/or employees of the United States.
4. Defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20 had a legal duty to act in accordance with law regarding all officially classified information and documents and information relating to the national defense in their possession and/or under their control.
5. Defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, or Lichtblau were not entitled legally to have under their control and/or possess, disclose, and/or communicate officially classified information and documents and information relating to the national defense.
6. At a time or times subsequent to September 11, 2001, the exact time or times being unknown to the grand jurors, defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20, knowingly and willfully disclosed and communicated to defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau, officially classified information and documents and information concerning a National Security Agency communication intelligence surveillance program vital to the United States' national defense.
7. Defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichblau, within the Southern District of New York, knowingly and willfully caused to be published, and published, said classified information and documents and information in The New York Times.
8. None of the defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20 were legally authorized to disclose or communicate said classified information and documents and information to defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, or Lichtblau.
9. None of the defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, or Lichtblau were legally authorized to possess or publish said classified information and documents and information.
10. None of the defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, or Lichtblau were legally authorized to publish said classified information and documents and information.
COUNT ONE
Treason
(All defendants)
11. The communicating, furnishing, transmitting, and otherwise making available the said classified information and documents and information by defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20 knowingly and willfully to defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau constituted adhering to the enemies of the United States and giving them aid and comfort.
12. The publication of the said classified information and documents and information by The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau constituted adhering to the enemies of the United States and giving them aid and comfort.
(In violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 2381.)
COUNT TWO
Disclosure of classified information
(Defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20)
13. At a time or times subsequent to September 11, 2001, the exact time or times being unknown to the grand jurors, defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20, or some of them, knowingly and willfully communicated, furnished, transmitted, and otherwise made available classified information concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States to a person or persons not entitled to receive it, to wit, defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 798.)
COUNT THREE
Communication of national defense information
(Defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau)
14. At a time or times subsequent to September 11, 2001, the exact time or times being unknown to the grand jurors, defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau, having unauthorized possession of the aforesaid documents or information relating to the national defense, which documents or information defendants had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States, willfully communicated the same to persons not entitled to receive it by publishing said information in The New York Times.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 793(d).)
COUNT FOUR
Disclosure of classified information
(Defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau)
15. At a time or times subsequent to September 11, 2001, the exact time or times being unknown to the grand jurors, defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau published and used in a manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States to its detriment, classified information concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 798.)
COUNT FIVE
Conspiracy to commit treason
(All defendants)
16. Beginning after September 11, 2001 and continuing until December 16, 2006, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, all defendants did unlawfully, knowingly and willfully conspire, confederate and agree together and with others, known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit the following offense against the United States, to wit: to adhere to its enemies and give them aid and comfort.
17. The defendants' overt acts in furtherance of their conspiracy consisted of defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20, knowingly and willfully communicating, furnishing, transmitting, and otherwise making available to defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau, classified information and documents and information concerning a National Security Agency communication intelligence surveillance program vital to the United States' national defense, and further consisted of defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichblau, causing to be published, and publishing, said classified information in The New York Times and elsewhere.
(In violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 371.)
COUNT SIX
Conspiracy to communicate national defense information
(All defendants)
18. Beginning after September 11, 2001 and continuing until December 16, 2006, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, all defendants did unlawfully, knowingly and willfully conspire, confederate and agree together and with others, known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit the following offense against the United States, to wit: to knowingly and willfully communicate, furnish, transmit, and otherwise made available, or use in a manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States to its detriment, national defense information concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States to a person or persons not entitled to receive it.
19. The defendants' overt acts in furtherance of their conspiracy consisted of defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20 willfully communicating to defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau, documents and information concerning a National Security Agency communication intelligence surveillance program vital to the United States' national defense, and further consisted of defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichblau, causing to be published, and publishing, said documents and information in The New York Times and elsewhere.
(In violations of 18 U.S.C. Section 371.)
COUNT SEVEN
Conspiracy to disclose classified information
(All defendants)
20. Beginning after September 11, 2001 and continuing until December 16, 2006, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, all defendants did unlawfully, knowingly and willfully conspire, confederate and agree together and with others, known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit the following offense against the United States, to wit: to knowingly and willfully communicate, furnish, transmit, and otherwise made available, or use in a manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States to its detriment, classified information concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States to a person or persons not entitled to receive it.
21. The defendants' overt acts in furtherance of their conspiracy consisted of defendants John and Jane Does 1 through 20 unlawfully disclosing and communicating to defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichtblau, classified information concerning a National Security Agency communication intelligence surveillance program vital to the United States' national defense, and further consisted of defendants The New York Times Company, Keller, Risen, and Lichblau, causing to be published, and publishing, said classified information in The New York Times and elsewhere.
(In violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 371)
Was Allard Lowenstein's murder a CIA hit.
To what does Nixon refer by his repeated reference to "that whole Bay of Pigs business" on the WH tapes.
Who is leaking to the NYT.
Why has former DCI Gates (coauthor with Brzezinski of the 2004 CFR paper "Iran: Time for a New Direction") been installed as secdef.
What significance adheres to Brezinski's presence during Carter's Turner's Halloween 1977 axing of 820 case officers and Brezinski's presence as Obama's foreign policy advisor--and McCain's refusal to "beat Obama like a drum".
The CIA put a rogue ICBM threat fifteen years in the future when lo and behold Kim Jong Il threw one over Japan in 1998.
Had JFK approved the second raid with CIA B-25's on Castro's three T-33s Castro would not have been in power for fifty years--is Hunt correct in affixing blame on Kennedy, or does it rather fall on Bissell.
Given the success of Aldrich Ames, the devastation caused by Valerie Plame et al, the serial and catastrophic failures of CIA, can it not be argued that better intelligence could be had by dispatching Protest Warrior to Indian country to hypnotize the enemy with her navel.
Your replies never disappoint. It looks like this article struck a chord.
Will need to look at your post a bit more.
There was an interesting book called “Silent Coup” with lots of reference notes, etc. One of the big things I got out of it was how the military and the State Deparment were at odds.
The other thing that was interesting, in the Watergate break in I believe some are advocating an open policy on it and it will blow over, but Nixon says the “Bay of Pigs thing” as you mention, or I seem to remember “it will bring up the whole Cuban thing.” (Some of the operatives in the Watergate break in were Cuban, and had been doing this type of work for awhile).
Interesting that Nixon gets in trouble over trying to keep quiet the “Pentagon Papers” (a Johnson thing) and the Bay of Pigs (a Kennedy thing). Of course to Nixon, he knew that they were AMERICAN things.
Buuuuummmmp !!!
Excellent post, Phil...as usual.
Thank you!
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