Why should we believe O'Neill?

[durutti]

Don't get me wrong -- personally, I *do* believe him, and I'm certain that at least some members of the Bush administration have been wanting to attack Iraq for a long time.

But just to play devil's advocate: what convincing arguments are there that O'Neill isn't just a former employee with a grudge?

[kayell]

1. 19,000 documents should probably clear that question up. nt

[a_random_joel]

2. Apparently

There are 19,000+ documents that back him up. (Smart guy)

Ron Suskind is a former WSJ reporter who has some credibility.

[proud patriot]

3. we had have multiple accounts of the way policy is set

from people on the inside . That and the 19,000 pages
of documents .

:hi:

[braunbuddy]

6. 1-hour News Special

Does anyone know of a 1-hour news special regarding O'Neill's book to be aired this week??? I saw something on the TV yesterday but can't remember whether it was NBC, CBS et al.....

Please help!

[proud patriot]

15. It was 60 minutes yesterday CBS here's the transcript

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/09/60minutes/printable592330.shtml

[braunbuddy]

23. Actually I saw something in addition to this 60 Min.

Thanks. I watched the 60 Minutes program but this was a specific 1-hour segment and I think it was NBC or MSNBC but could be any of the networks (ABC, CNN, etc.)

[proud patriot]

25. I wonder if you are thinking of Kevin Phillips' book

He had a hour show on c-span this week..with all these insider
books coming out , I'm getting the names muddled a bit .

[newyawker99]

26. Hi braunbuddy!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Wetzelbill]

4. The Axis of Evil was written into the GOP platform

by a PNAC member named Bruce Jackson, right about the time John McCain was wiping the floor with The Chimp in the 2000 Republican primaries. It's been an issue out in the open well before The Chimp even knew Iraq was a country.

[Beetwasher]

5. His Charges Don't Come in a Vacuum

They're corroborated by many, many others...

[salinen]

10. O'neil is a very rich man

why expose yourself to the scrutiny and possible danger? I'd guess that he wants to clear his conscience. An honest man possibly?

[PatrickS]

7. As opposed to Bush, Cheney & all?

Come on!

[Ready4Change]

8. He served two previous Republican administrations.

He served two previous Republican administrations. And served them well enough that the Bush II administration picked him again.

[BOSSHOG]

9. He got fired because he was telling the truth

bush does not want honest people around him; he wants people who can keep a secret. People in the WH do not know what the truth is today because of all the lies told; therefore the need for secrecy. They forgot that axiom of Mark Twain, "always tell the truth and you'll never have to remember anything." O'Neill isn't holding a grudge. Condi may one day hold a grudge for sticking by the side of the monster, which effectively, has ruined her life after bush.

[monobrau]

11. What does that mean?

"former employee with a grudge"

A lot of former employees have a damn good reason for a grudge.
I've never understood how that accusation amounts to anything.
He was trusted enough to be brought into a very exclusive inner circle, and he claims that trust was violated, and the country was betrayed. I've yet to see anyone accuse him of lying; only of being disgruntled.
If he's lying, lets see the evidence.

[salinen]

13. This would be like all of us saying

"Lewinsky should have kept her big mouth shut." The reasons for speaking real are less important than the reality.

[chelaque liberal]

12. I 'm hoping that his candor will give other people of conscience

the courage to come forward.

[chelaque liberal]

14. Like her-must read

www.truthout.org/docs_01/011204.shtml

Former Pentagon Insider:
'Neoconservative Propaganda Campaign Led to Iraq War'
By Karen Kwiatkowski
The American Conservative

January 19th Issue

Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former Pentagon insider, concludes her observations on the run-up to the Iraq war in this last of a three-part series.
As the winter of 2002 approached, I was increasingly amazed at the success of the propaganda campaign being waged by President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and neoconservative mouthpieces at the Washington Times and Wall Street Journal. I speculated about the necessity but unlikelihood of a Phil-Dick-style minority report on the grandiose Feith-Wolfowitz-Rumsfeld-Cheney vision of some future Middle East where peace, love, and democracy are brought about by pre-emptive war and military occupation.

In December, I requested an acceleration of my retirement after just over 20 years on duty and exactly the required three years of time-in-grade as a lieutenant colonel. I felt fortunate not to have being fired or court-martialed due to my politically incorrect ways in the previous two years as a real conservative in a neoconservative Office of Secretary of Defense. But in fact, my outspokenness was probably never noticed because civilian professionals and military officers were largely invisible. We were easily replaceable and dispensable, not part of the team brought in from the American Enterprise Institute, the Center for Security Policy, and the Washington Institute for Near East Affairs.

[proud patriot]

16. Yes...Karen Kwiatkowski and Richard Clark n/t

[yellowcanine]

17. Because he is a whistle blower

And whistle blowers often get fired precisely so they will be viewed as disgruntled former employees. Note that no one in the administration has addressed O'Neil's message in any specific way. Of course they will try to "shoot the messenger" and hope that detracts from the truth of what he is saying. Unfortunately for Bush, that tactic raises the sticky question of how O'Neil got one of the most important cabinet posts if was such an untrustworthy fellow. I think the Bushies are genuinely worried about O'Neil's charges. O'Neil's message is going to resonate with the traditional fiscally responsible conservatives. It may at least keep some of them home in November or keep them from working hard for Bush. Good.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

18. I saw somewhere that a couple of anonymous cabinet members affirmed

what O'Neill said. Anybody see something on this? I was trying to find it in google and can't find anything?

[supernova]

20. It was said in the 60 minutes piece

last night. Leslie Stahl didn't say who they were though, or the reporter who wrote the book.

[kskiska]

27. Maybe Christie Whitman was one of them

She's certainly disgruntled, but doesn't have the guts to come out with it.

[arendt]

19. The beauty of it is, you don't have to believe to demand an investigation

The Rethugs did that to Clinton.

Its the ACCUSATION that can be run with. Who
cares about the truth.

The Monica comparison is apt.

arendt

[oldcoot]

21. Check out this story from 2002

O'Neill's accusations are nothing new. The Sunday Herald printed a story about this plan in 2002. Here is the link:
http://www.sundayherald.com/27735 .

[loudnclear]

22. Let's try REALITY and what really happened for starters.

eom

[Nevernose]

24. What's in it for him?

It's not HIS book that's getting sold, and he's not making one red ecnt off it, is he?