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Michael Ledeen's Scooter Scotoma

by susanhu
Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 10:37:42 AM EST

Would you believe that that Neocon blackguard and Niger forgery suspect Michael Ledeen blogged yesterday about Scooter's indictments? Salon's Daou Report discovered Ledeen's post, printed in full below.

The photo is from a bio of Ledeen at BBC's site for its Panorama program, "The War Party." The tag from the BBC's 2003 program? "Critics say the White House has been hijacked by neo-conservatives."

And here's some excellent background from recent, key stories here at BooTrib:

From "Tell Us Who Fabricated the Iraq Evidence" by catnip, Oct. 11, 2005:

According to Dombey’s theory, in December, 2001, Michael Ledeen, “an American specialist on Italy with a long-standing commitment to Israel”… "flew to Rome with Manucher Ghorbanifar, a former Iranian arms dealer, and two officials from OSP, one of whom was Larry Franklin. In Rome they met the head of Sismi ... later, the documents were published, having been sold to an Italian journalist by a Roman businessman linked to Sismi.”

From "THE NIGER FORGERIES" by Richard Sale, Oct. 26, 2005:

In December 2001, there was a secret meeting in Rome attended by MICHAEL LEDEEN, a paid consultant to Panorama, the Italian magazine that first broke the story of the Niger documents, Defense Department official, LARRY FRANKLIN ...
Michael Ledeen, a prominent neocon, was at the time a "paid consultant" to SISMI," ...

From "Aides To Be Indicted, Probe to Continue" by Richard Sale, Oct. 26, 2005:

Fitzgerald is looking into such individuals as former CIA agent, Duane Claridge, military consultant to the Iraqi National Congress, Gen. Wayne Downing, another military consultant for INC, and Francis Brooke, head of INC's Washingfton office [to determine as role in the forgeries]. Also included in this group is long-time neoconservative Michael Ledeen. ...

And this classic Ledeen riposte from "Tone and Truth Daily Witness" by tiggers thotful spot, Oct. 1, 2005:

Every ten years or so, the United States needs to pick up some small crappy little country and throw it against the wall, just to show the world we mean business.
-- Michael Ledeen, holder of the Freedom Chair at the American Enterprise Institute (R-Evil Unapologetic Empire)

And, now, directly from the roiling black goo that comprises the brain and heart of the traitorous Michael Ledeen:

I think the indictment stinks. You have to parse it very carefully to figure out whether Libby is accused of lying to the grand jury or the FBI, or to journalists. Go look.
I finally concluded that it says that Libby lied to the grand jury (and elsewhere the FBI) when he testified that he told (Cooper, Miller or Russert) things that in fact he did not tell (Cooper, Miller or Russert).
If that is right, it means that this poor man may well have been indicted because his memory of those conversations differs from the journalists'.
And Fitzgerald chose/wanted? to believe the journalists' memories. Pfui. To this non-lawyer, that's not good enough to shake up the staff of the vice president of the United States.
From THE CORNER (Michael Ledeen) on Oct. 28, 2005 via the Daou Report.

And, last, "A Little Gallows Humor for a most deserving Neocon poobah" by KlatooBaradaNikto, Oct. 27, 2005:

Who forged the Niger Yellowcake document?
Osama Bin Ledeen.

Michael Ledeen's Scooter Scotoma | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Michael Ledeen Blogs Scooter (none / 1)

Maybe you can teach me how to be a good bridge player and we can get Ledeen to spill the beans over a few online games.

by BooMan on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 11:09:55 AM EST

Re: Michael Ledeen Blogs Scooter (none / 1)

I wonder if he still plays ... he played every night back in the early 1990s. One of his favorite partners had the nickname "Outlaw" -- a funny, sweet man who also could quote at length from The Spectator.

P.S. You'd be very good at bridge. You have that kind of brain. But I don't recommend it. It's highly addictive, partly because it is incredibly challenging mentally. It is impossible to master completely. As an example, as opposed to chess, it is impossible to teach to children so that they can play competently -- that from a deceased friend in NYC who used to call me every day and who was a computer genius and game-ophile. He said the three toughest games were baseball, bridge, and Go.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 11:19:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

That leaves out my fave, Scrabble (none / 0)

Susan, to see that face first thing Sunday morning when I opened up my computer, eew. And then to think that people like this conspired to invade Iraq, more eew.

Great diary. Did you see the article against Fitz in the Wapoo, err I mean Wapo? Very bad, spouting all the talking points we have been hearing (and having them debunked) for the last 2 months.

To thine own self be true. W.S.

by sybil on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 11:59:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: That leaves out my fave, Scrabble (none / 0)

Especially since you apparently were so stricken by seeing his photograph that you lost an entire day!

I'm so sorry, Sybil!

(I'll give you back an hour tonight. How about that?)

No, I have not checked the WaPooooooo yet. Bastards. He's like my Abraham Lincoln and Elliot Ness rolled into one.

I kept watching replays of his press conf. on C-Span last night. Couldn't help it.

Charlie Rose had a good show last night, btw. The NYT and Bloomberg reporters.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 12:17:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Enjoyed that Charlie Rose show. (none / 1)

Yes isn't it refreshing to hear them openly discussing what we have been discussing online for two years. But we cannot be complacent. A wounded monster like Cheney is very dangerous.

Otherwise I have noticed the quality of the people defending Bush in this, is rapidly declining. All they got is "He was busy with the 'war on terre.' Multi-tasking, my dear Susan, that is what is required of a President.

To thine own self be true. W.S.

by sybil on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 02:03:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Michael Ledeen Blogs Scooter (none / 1)

He said the three toughest games were baseball, bridge, and Go.

wow. i really would have liked to meet this guy, he sounds awesome! baseball is a minor ... err ... major obsession of mine (how awesome was fitz's baseball analogy?!?! ... much better than roberts' that's for sure), and i'm thoroughly addicted to go. i learned the rules of bridge years ago and have played off and on with some smart people that blew my mind, but i'd like to get back into it and really start to learn the game.

by snappy on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 12:06:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

What's "Go?" (none / 0)

To thine own self be true. W.S.

by sybil on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 02:04:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's "Go?" (none / 1)

by snappy on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 02:14:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Michael Ledeen Blogs Scooter (none / 1)

Here's part of an obit written by a mutual friend when John died in 1999. We met online, via a marvelous online bridge environment invented in the early 1990s by Sierra Games and, sadly, now long gone. We all got to know each other quite well, with the added advantage that we could meet occasionally at various bridge tournaments.

It got so John called me every day. I had a home business, so it was possible to make time for fascinating conversations with John. And he was as fascinated by, and interested in, people and politics as he was in the games described below.

John was a rabid baseball fan. A few times every year we went to Queens to see his beloved Mets. Going to a baseball game was a physical struggle for John. His lack of mobility and the discomfort of sitting in a small, hard stadium seat for several hours were obstacles, but he loved going out out to Shea and would not be deterred.
For some reason he thought I knew a lot about baseball. Every personnel
change the Mets made, no matter how trivial, would prompt a phone call
from him. If they traded minor-league backup catchers with another
team, John wanted to discuss the trade in microscopic detail. Several
times today I've caught myself wondering what he thinks about John
Olerud's signing with Seattle.
Bridge was not the only game that intrigued John. He followed top-level
chess assiduously. The two of us learned how to play go together.
On one occasion the two of us went out to Brooklyn for a monthly meeting
of the Brooklyn go club. We were the only two bridge players there, but
John's bridge ability was known to, and respected by, the others. Also
present was Dave Babcock, once one of the US's strongest junior chess
players.
The group conversation turned to the subject of what we all thought were
the appealing features of various games, and why. Naturally bridge,
chess, and go were cited as great games. Somebody suggested that poker
deserved to be considered a great game. Another guest mentioned
backgammon.
John was pretty quiet and attentive throughout the whole discussion, but
after a while he couldn't restrain himself any longer. "Yes, these are
all great games you are describing," he said, very slowly and
thoughtfully.
"But the best game is baseball."
Goodbye, big guy. I'll miss you. ...

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 06:37:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Bridge (none / 1)

In the lengthy article to which Laura referred to on her site- a brilliant article about Ledeen's meetings in Rome in December 2001 by Carlo Bonini, Carlo did ask Ledeen his opinion of Pollari's claims (not available in English or on the net.) Ledeen answered that Pollari and he are old bridge partners and friends, which explains those meetings. Bridge tournaments. Nothing to do with Iraq or Italian State Oil, ENI.

by rom wyo on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 04:15:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bridge (none / 0)

That would be easy to verify by searching for both of their names + bridge.

It's a highly addictive game that attracts some very bright minds. On the online setting where I saw Ledeen play nightly for a couple years, we also had Warren Buffett, Bill Gates' dad, Bill himself, and the head of Bear Stearns and a lot of floor traders from AMEX, etc. + the very best pro players in the world. It was a heady experience.

Ledeen, best I can recall, played an exotic system and only played with a few people. But he was there, most every night.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 06:40:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Michael Ledeen's Scooter Scotoma (none / 0)

Ledeen is one of the most pronounced central figures in all ofthis. In addition to extollingthe virtuesof Fascism in his book "Universal Fascism", he's been flogging the "War in the MidEast" scenario for over 2decades. He's perhaps the craziest one of them all, (even including Frank Gaffney who still believes the Oklahoma City bombing was a plot by Saddam.)

Ledeen is in many ways even more dangerous than Cheney because he operates completely out of sight at all times. Hardly any scrutiny is ever brought to beare on him or his equally insane and powermad comrades in the world of international criminality.

I'd rather see Ledeen behind bars than even Cheney, so seriously do I regard his capacity to perpetrate tragedy upon the innocent. (Obviously Cheney has this affliction too, but I think Ledeen is more adept at instigating things.

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 01:17:25 PM EST

Liar's poker (none / 0)

Glad to see Ledeen has chosen an apt screen name - he's in THE CORNER alright.

Memory not so good on those meetings in Rome I bet. Floating your own defense as Libby's won't fly. Journalist's memory isn't what will put Libby away. Libby's memory isn't what will put him away. His source is documented, in black and white, in his own notes. So he learns from Cheney that Ms. Plame is CIA, writes that down. At a time when the WHIG is abuzz with Wilson talk, Libby gets selective amnesia? And rather than rely on his notes when he speaks on the record to FBI and a grand jury, he relies on his "memory"? And this guy's a lawyer?

Sorry THE CORNER. A often overlooked fact about documents, even fake ones. They tend to be the best evidence of a crime. You can make Scooterizm your official religion from inside the slammer.

by debraz on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 01:31:15 PM EST

Ledeen's Family Affair (none / 1)

A tidbit from an unlikely source, Philip Geraldi in the Oct 24th American Conservative:

The United States invaded Iraq with a high-minded mission: destroy dangerous weapons, bring democracy, and trigger a wave of reform across the Middle East. None of these have happened.
[edit]
The CPA brought in scores of bright, young true believers who were nearly universally unqualified. . . One such volunteer was Simone Ledeen, daughter of leading neoconservative Michael Ledeen. Unable to communicate in Arabic and with no relevant experience or appropriate educational training, she nevertheless became a senior advisor for northern Iraq at the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad. [emphasis mine]

Giraldi was on a radio show for an hour last week ('twas the night before Fitzmas). Much tongue-clacking, tsk-tsk-ing. Two years too late, but what the hell.

by rba (nearnight12@yahoo.com) on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 01:56:10 PM EST

Re: Ledeen's Family Affair (none / 1)

Oh, oh. Putting young unexperienced flunkies into senior positions in Iraq early after the invasion was one of the major FUBAR's of the occupation. It caused irreversible harm.

To thine own self be true. W.S.

by sybil on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 02:06:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Niger forgeries (none / 0)

Patrick Lang asserted above that Berlusconi's Panorama first broke the story. This is an error. The story first broke in la Repubblica in tandem with Newsweek. Panorama was forced to publish their account because la Repubblica had pointed them out as cogs in the machine.

by rom wyo on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 04:19:33 PM EST

Re: Niger forgeries (none / 0)

It was Richard Sale, the UPI intel reporter. I'll forward your comment to Richard and see what he replies.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 06:28:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Niger forgeries (none / 0)

Thanks for correction on Lang. The Repubblica scoop hit the stands on July 16th, 2003 with the second installment on the 17th. Although Panorama is not named, the dynamics of the story that lead Burba to pass the forgeries to the American embassy are detailed. While you're at it, mention the confusion on the Laura Rozen quote of the Bonini interview...

by rom wyo on Sat Oct 29th, 2005 at 06:52:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Michael Ledeen's Scooter Scotoma | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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