Iraqi Blowback — Explaining why Paul Wolfowitz is a travesty and Sandy Berger is a snooze.

National Review Online ^ | April 16, 2007 | Victor Davis Hanson

[neverdem]

April 16, 2007, 6:00 a.m.

Iraqi Blowback
Explaining why Paul Wolfowitz is a travesty and Sandy Berger is a snooze.

By Victor Davis Hanson

The resigned Scooter Libby did not leak Valerie Plame’s name, a fact known to a special prosecutor charged with finding out who did and if were a crime. After hours of testimony, he was found self-contradictory under oath (though self-contradictory hardly to the extent of a Joe Wilson who said and wrote things about his yellow-cake inquiries that could not be conceivably true), and now faces a possible prison sentence.

Ditto the exemption given to the Duke accuser who repeatedly lied in her sworn testimonials, but will apparently not be charged with perjury because her stories are so implausible that officials think she must be unhinged — a new rationale that the perjurer is apparently free from indictment when the concoctions exceed possible belief.

Alberto Gonzalez perhaps (emphasize “perhaps,” as yet we don’t know all the facts) showed a lapse in judgment or at least of political savvy by firing politically appointed federal attorneys, something that was not unusual in past Democratic administrations.

Paul Wolfowitz, who sought to curb corruption that undermines support for World Bank aid to Africa, likewise is facing a lynch mob over perhaps a similar one-time lapse of judgment in regard to compensation of a companion — nothing, however, ranking with the various scandals surrounding Kofi Annan, whose son profited by United Nations exemptions given through his family ties. In today’s moral calculus, presiding over a $50-billion-dollar Oil-for-Food scandal that led to frequent death in Iraq and profit among global elites is a misdemeanor, recommending a pay package for an employee one dates is an unforgivable felony.

One could go on with the furor over the misdirected pellets from Dick Cheney’s shotgun, or the clamor for the Rumsfeld resignation. Yet contrast all this hysteria with the slight whimpers surrounding recent controversies over conflicts of interest or lapses in judgment surrounding Richard Armitage, Harry Reid, or Dianne Feinstein. The destruction of federal documents that might well alter history’s consensus by former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger was a snore for most journalists.

What, then, is the one common tie that explains all these furious efforts of the media and partisans to go after these present and former Bush-administration officials?

Payback for Iraq.

[A. Pole]

I’ll take option “C” — Sandy Burgler in stir and Scooter with a pardon, which would only be simple justice.

I would go with "D", either "A" or "B" but for both.

[angkor]

Having worked at the Bank I can assure you that Wolfowitz signing some compensation papers for “his girlfriend” rates about 1 percent or less on the “corruption” scale the Bank normally sees.

In fact it has been his ardor to limit the pervasive corruption within the Bank and particularly among its recipient country “clients” that has gotten him into this mess. He’s been upsetting the apple cart for everyone.

I encourage you to visit the Bank during one of its annual get-togethers in DC. You will witness the rogue’s gallery of thugs and despots who are there to enjoy 5-star living while paying cheap obesiance to the bureaucrats who have obliquely financed their children’s boarding school educations and vacations on the French Riveria.

The esteemed Dr. Wolfensohn cast pretty much a blind eye on the corruption, giving it lip service from time to time but doing nothing to stop it.

That’s why Wolfowitz is in trouble.

[FreedomPoster]

Um, could you me more underinformed, on what you are opining about?

She was already on the payroll, before he got there.

Go do your homework.

[Valin]

I’ll get back to you when I find the downside.

ps I wouldn’t hold dinner as it may take a while

[johnny7]

Thanks for the link. I’ve read Whittle’s pieces before... always good stuff.

[Austin Willard Wright]

You’re forgetting that Wolfy personally intervened in this process which he himself admits was improper, but hey if you want to waste yoru time defending a man who actually argued for more foreign aid (e.g. pouring it down the rat-hole) rather than less, that’s your privilege.

[Stultis]

You just knew they’d get to the Jew (Wolfowitz) sooner or later. It’s where all far left witch hunts eventually go.

[gogeo]

Great WSJ article today that puts the lie to the accusations about Wolfowitz.

[gogeo]

Based on this paper trail, Mr. Wolfowitz's only real mistake was in assuming that everyone else was acting in good faith...

The fact that this includes 90% of the left explains why the "New Tone" couldn't work.

[A. Pole]

You just knew they’d get to the Jew (Wolfowitz) sooner or later. It’s where all far left witch hunts eventually go.

Is Sandy Berger Jewish too?

[absalom01]

Well, these guys keep getting linked because it seems like a grotesque inversion of justice. Libby really shouldn’t have faced criminal charges in the first place. Berger’s admitted acts are clear violations of law, meriting at least some jail time.

The courts aren’t perfect, and will occasionally yeild perverse results. But, the system only works at all because people trust in the integrity of the system. If enough people stop trusting that justice is at least possible, bad things start to happen.

[greyfoxx39]

She was already on the payroll, before he got there..... Go do your homework.

Austin is a typical lib, ignore the facts when presented and join in the smear. More fun that way.

[Hawthorn]

> Payback for Iraq <

Yes, but even more so, I think it’s payback for the Florida recount.

[steel_resolve]

started reading him yesterday. that is my new favorite web site...

[Louis Foxwell]

I believe the sickness is caused by a fundamental philosophical shift that occured in the 19th century. A varied assortment of intellectuals began proposing a Godless universe. Their efforts culminated in Karl Marx designing a valueless, antimorality political movement that has held sway over 2/3 of the world’s inhabitants. It has the ability to infect traditional cultures with a false vision of a utopian state. The enemy of that vision is tradition in all its forms.
The anger and rage we are experiencing today is not the expression of traditionalists. It is a sickness caused by the poison of Marxism - of class and moral warfare.
Whether they are aware of it or not the Democrat party has become captive to elitist revolutionaries who seek the destruction of Constitutional government and the eradication of every last shred of Judeo Christian Western culture.
That is the true enemy. Until that philosophy is vanquished and utterly destroyed there can be no hope for our once great nation.

[dervish]

you might be interested in this analysis

[Star Traveler]

You said — “you might be interested in this analysis”

Yep, interesting. Of course, it was obvious to anyone who wanted to really read up on it — this was definitely a “campaign” against Wolfowitz, not just something that happened to come out accidently. It was prearranged. It was a “political hit”.

And so, that reason makes as good sense as any other, for it being a political hit. I mean, all you have to have, for a political hit is be on the wrong side, to say nothing about payback for Iraq.

Regards,
Star Traveler