Posted on 03/25/2003 12:52:31 PM PST by FilmCutter
Chris Isham in a FRONTLINE interview.
CHRIS: The problem is there were other guys in that government who were trying to do everything to prevent that investigation from going forward. And unfortunately, the U.S. government wasn't giving John the kind of backup that he needed to move the thing forward.
FLN: In the person of the ambassador?
CHRIS: The ambassador was our senior representative on the ground.
FLN: What happened between the two of them?
CHRIS: I think that what happened was that they had different objectives. John was trying to solve a case. He was trying to do an investigation. He was trying to open up certain areas of inquiry inside that would have gone inside the Yemeni government that were very sensitive, that did require stepping on toes. There's no question about that.
CHRIS: The ambassador was there to basically protect U.S.-Yemeni relationships and U.S.-Yemeni bilateral relations. John felt that she was putting up obstacles and, not only not backing him up, but actually thwarting him in his progress in the investigation. So it became personal between them and ultimately, I think, it deteriorated the relationship. The relationship deteriorated to such an extent that they grew to dislike each other quite intensely.
FLN: With what impact in terms of the mission?
CHRIS: The mission always suffers.
FLN: He is not allowed back in. He comes back to New York and around Thanksgiving, January, he says he's promised the top cop in Yemen, "I'll be back, see you then," and she stops him. Did you ever talk to him about that?
CHRIS: Yes. John was not rational on the topic of Ambassador Barbara Bodine. "Livid" would be putting it mildly. One can't forget that John was very American, but he was also very Irish.
FLN: And that means?
CHRIS: That means when he got hot, he got hot. And he was hot, there's no question about it. I think he felt that she was on the wrong side.
After watching the 9/11 miniseries on ABC, I think that from all accounts Barbara Bodine is a psychotic freak.
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