CIA Corrupts a Hero
By John LeBoutillier - NewsMax
Several years ago, in the midst of our national nightmare of having the Clintons in the White House, there appeared to be a possible national hero emerging from inside our seemingly corrupt government: Scott Ritter. Ritter was then a U.N. weapons inspector who had been in and out of Iraq monitoring their suspected buildup of weapons of mass destruction. He said it all when he proclaimed one day, "Iraq presents a clear and present danger to international peace and security."
Ritter then detailed the various gruesome weapons Saddam Hussein's scientists were developing: anthrax, botulism, sarin nerve gas, mustard gas - and something called VX substance. He also mentioned Saddam's nuclear program and his ballistic missile program. At the time, Scott Ritter was ridiculed by such paragons of national security as liberal - and admitted plagiarist - Sen. Joseph Biden.
But Ritter held firm - and was regarded by conservatives as a voice of truth in a sea of spin. This former Marine who was then employed by the CIA (and on 'loan' to the U.N.) was a seeming straight shooter.
The Clinton administration clearly was not interested in the truth about Saddam. All they wanted to do was occasionally lob a cruise missile into an old Iraqi radar site and thus earn domestic political points. But nothing was ever done to eradicate Saddam's weapons of mass destruction.
Thus, for eight years, Saddam has been rebuilding his arsenal, with the U.S. government making no effort whatsoever to stop it.
Three years ago Ritter warned that "Iraq will be able to reconstitute the entirety of its former nuclear, chemical and ballistic missile delivery system capabilities within a period of six months."
Again, he was ridiculed - and ignored.
Now comes September 11 and our new War on Terrorism. Author Laurie Mylroie has detailed Saddam's involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the Khobar Towers bombing, the 1999 embassy bombings in Africa and the 2000 USS Cole attack. In all these cases, she points out, Saddam Hussein 'partnered' with Osama bin Laden's fanatical terrorists. Now comes an American apologist for Saddam who claims Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction whatsoever. In fact, says this pro-Baghdad American, "Iraq today represents a threat to no one."
Who is this pro-Saddam PR agent? None other than - Scott Ritter! That's right!
The very same man who just three years ago attacked Baghdad, today is Iraq's most outspoken defender.
What happened? How could such a transformation occur? This week's Weekly Standard cover story - "Saddam Hussein's American Apologist" - opines that it is because Ritter is making a documentary about Iraq which is financed by $400,000 from an Iraqi-American man, Shakir al-Khafaji. Ritter acknowledges that the U.S. government does not like his association with this outspoken pro-Baghdad financier. But that does not explain Ritter's conversion in the first place. How could he - in just three years - do a complete 180-degree reversal? Could it be because Ritter is still secretly on the CIA payroll?
Could this be a clever ploy by the CIA to have a 'credible' pro-Baghdad spokesman on their payroll - especially now when Team Bush refuses to implicate Iraq in the September 11 and anthrax attacks?
Having Scott Ritter available to sway otherwise pro-Bush supporters - note that Ritter is a paid Fox News contributor - is worth a lot to a CIA director who is hanging on to his post by the skin of his teeth.
Knowing that former CIA Director and former President George Bush is desperate not to be embarrassed by his refusal to snuff out Saddam's regime 10 years ago, present CIA Director George Tenet will do anything to hang onto power. One way is simple: Use Scott Ritter as a 'front man' to de-link Saddam from his clear record as a perpetrator and supporter of terror.
Years ago a man wise in the ways of Washington once told me, "Once someone is on the CIA payroll, they are always on the CIA payroll."
Scott Ritter may try to look as if he is independent. Don't believe a word of it. Is it possible he is a one-time teller of truth who has been given a new assignment by his CIA case officer to use his almost hero-like status to head off those of us calling for the removal of Saddam Hussein's government?
http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=919