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________________________________________________________ 2. The mainstream Western media loves
Raymond McGovern and Vincent Cannistraro, former CIA agents and anti-Israeli
propagandists. Very few people get as much media exposure as Raymond
McGovern and Vincent Cannistraro, and that is what I will establish here. The first record I can find of Raymond McGovern
expressing himself in the media as a pundit, after retiring from the CIA, is
an 822-word editorial published in 1999 by the Boston Globe.[1] In 2000, the Christian Science Monitor published a
Raymond McGovern Op-Ed, and another one in 2001.[2] Then it really took off. In 2002 USA Today, the
Christian Science Monitor, USA Today again, the Boston Globe, the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, and the Washington Post all carried editorials by Raymond
McGovern.[3] His pieces
expressed opinions concerning intelligence and foreign policy matters and his
past CIA experience was invariably listed as a credential either in the
headline or in the signature. Then, in January of 2003, Raymond McGovern and other
ex-spies founded Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), an
organization that specializes in criticizing the US government for perceived
intelligence and foreign policy failures.[4] Immediately following that, the mainstream
Western press began using Raymond McGovern as an ‘expert source’ for quotes
and wise reflections, and as a news item, in their news stories, whenever he
or VIPS said anything in public about US intelligence. This happened at the
Guardian, the New York Times, the Ottawa Citizen, several times at the
Independent (London), the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania), the St.
Petersburg Times (Florida), the Denver Post, the Buffalo News, and the New
Zealand Herald.[5] Towards the
end of the year the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gave Raymond McGovern an
interview.[6] TV and Radio also got very interested in McGovern in
2003 and used him both as an interview subject and a source of sound bites.
This was done by News World International, KGO-AM (more than once), KPFA
(more than once), CNN (lots of times), FOX News (a few times), NBC News,
MSNBC (more than once), CNBC, WFLA-TV, KUSA-TV, Channel NewsAsia (more than
once), and National Public Radio (NPR).[7] From that point onwards Raymond McGovern has continued
to be all over the place, and the press has vouched for him left and right as
an ‘expert’ on intelligence matters whose only necessary credential is that
he used to work for the CIA. Let me now give you a sense for how dramatically
Raymond McGovern is vouched for. In August 2004, the New York Times published a
review of Robert Greenwald’s film “Uncovered: The War on Iraq” that gushes
with praise: “Mr. Greenwald’s film is sober and meticulous.” (Greenwald’s
film is in fact a parade of ‘former CIA’ people giving their opinions, but
never mind that.) In addition, says the NYT: “Mr. Greenwald
focuses on a simple, demonstrable point: that the war in Iraq was sold to
Congress and the American public through a coordinated series of public
misstatements that at best look like wishful thinking and at worst like
outright deception.”[8] And the NYT also writes, “. . .the star
of the show is Ray McGovern, an articulate and dryly funny former C.I.A.
analyst who now heads the anti-invasion group Veteran Intelligence
Professionals for Sanity.” So the most prestigious newspaper in the world
defends the trustworthiness of a film that is a collection of quotes from
‘former CIA’ people, and that has for star one Raymond McGovern. Thus, by implication,
the New York Times defends the trustworthiness of Raymond McGovern -- adding,
for good measure, that he is likeable: “articulate and dryly funny.” The mainstream Western media also loves Vincent
Cannistraro. They quote and interview him incessantly as an authoritative
‘expert’ on intelligence and foreign policy issues, and his only credential
is, again, that he used to work for the CIA. A July 2005 search for Vincent Cannistraro in
Lexis-Nexis (which archives a great deal of what the Western media publishes)
turned up more than 700 news articles in major papers in which he was quoted
or interviewed as an expert ever since the Washington Post celebrated his
“debut” in this capacity in 1990. That gives an average of more than 4 quotes
or interviews per month -- and that’s just in the major papers, not all of
them archived by Lexis-Nexis. In addition, Cannistraro has penned his own pieces
in the major papers. He has done this at the Washington Post (three times), the
St. Petersburg Times (Florida), and the Boston Globe (twice).[9] For its part, the radio and TV world does not merely interview Vincent Cannistraro constantly on all matters having to do with security, intelligence, and foreign policy, presenting him always as an expert for having been “chief of operations and analysis at the CIA’s counterterrorism center”; they have also put him on the staff. Thus, he is now “Vince Cannistraro, an ABC News analyst and former CIA counterterrorism chief.”[10]
McGovern and Cannistraro are ‘former CIA officials’ who
get an enormous amount of air time in the Western mass media, teaching
ordinary people what they are supposed to think concerning intelligence and
foreign policy issues. In particular, as I will show later, McGovern and
Cannistraro specialize in attacking Israel and defending the Jewish state’s
terrorist enemies. I will examine such arguments in detail. But first let us
ask the general question: Should you believe ‘former CIA officials’? Why should you? Continue to part 3: Footnotes and Further Reading [1] How lies
replaced intelligence at the CIA; RAY McGOVERN; Ray McGovern was a CIA
analyst from 1963 to 1990. During the '60s his responsibilities included
analysis of Soviet policy toward Vietnam. , The Boston Globe, October 7,
1999, Thursday, ,City Edition, OP-ED; Pg. A27, 822 words, By Ray McGovern [2] Unequal in
the eyes of justice?, Christian Science Monitor (Boston, MA), September 18,
2000, Monday, OPINION; Pg. 11, 598 words, Ray McGovern, WASHINGTON A defining moment in history, Christian Science
Monitor (Boston, MA), September 17, 2001, Monday, OPINION; Pg. 20, 2484
words. “Shades of Vietnam,” by Ray McGovern. [3] Congress
can't fix fractured intelligence, USA TODAY, May 22, 2002, Wednesday,, FINAL
EDITION, NEWS;, Pg. 10A, 488 words Protecting the homeland: Don't jeopardize
intelligence links, Christian Science Monitor (Boston, MA), July 25, 2002,
Thursday, OPINION; Pg. 09, 697 words, Ray McGovern, WASHINGTON Appeasement wrong policy toward Iraq, USA TODAY,
September 12, 2002, Thursday,, FINAL EDITION, NEWS;, Pg. 12A, 615 words RAY MCGOVERN Ray McGovern, a CIA analyst from
1964-90, is now co-director of the Servant Leadership School, an inner-city
outreach ministry in Washington.; HOW 'INTELLIGENCE' NOW SERVES THE DEFENSE
DEPT., The Boston Globe, September 29, 2002, Sunday, ,THIRD EDITION, Pg. D11,
812 words, BY RAY MCGOVERN The best intelligence? CIA, Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel (Wisconsin), November 22, 2002 Friday, FINAL EDITION, Pg. 19A, 811 words,
RAY MCGOVERN President Bush's Selection of Henry Kissinger,
The Washington Post, December 2, 2002 Monday, Final Edition, EDITORIAL;
Pg. A20, 343 words [4] The
Skeptical Spy; News: Ray McGovern is tearing away at the nation's mismanaged
and malfunctioning intelligence apparatus, all in an effort to save it; Ray
McGovern Interviewed By Michael W. Robbins; Mother Jones; March 10, 2004. [5] Threat of
war: Region: Secret report throws doubt on democracy hopes: Domino theory
discounted, The Guardian (London), March 15, 2003, Guardian Home Pages, Pg.
5, 637 words, Oliver Burkeman in Washington Save Our Spooks , The New York Times, May 30,
2003 Friday, Late Edition - Final , Section A; Column 6; Editorial
Desk; Pg. 27, 727 words, By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF Public was misled on Iraq: Ex-CIA officials: Bush administration
'cooked' weapons intelligence, group charges, Ottawa Citizen, May 31, 2003
Saturday Final Edition, News; Pg. A13, 474 words, Tim Reid, WASHINGTON IRAQ AFTERMATH: RUMSFELD CHANGES TACK BY INSISTING
THAT WMD WILL BE FOUND, The Independent (London), May 31, 2003, Saturday,
NEWS; Pg. 8, 510 words, PAUL WAUGH DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR Donald Rumsfeld:
Set up his own intelligence unit THE IRAQ WEAPONS MIRAGE; THIS COULD INDEED BE 'A
POLICY AND INTELLIGENCE FIASCO OF MONUMENTAL PROPORTIONS', Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania), June 2, 2003 Monday, SOONER EDITION, Pg.A-15,
732 words, NEW YORK IRAQ AFTERMATH: CHENEY IS ACCUSED OF PRESSURING THE
CIA BEFORE WAR TO BEEF UP WEAPONS EVIDENCE, The Independent (London), June 6,
2003, Friday, NEWS; Pg. 10, 566 words, RUPERT CORNWELL IN WASHINGTON Missing: Iraq WMD, American credibility, St.
Petersburg Times (Florida), June 8, 2003 Sunday, PERSPECTIVE; Pg. 1D, 1578
words, DAVID BALLINGRUD Cheney's intelligence role scrutinized Critics say
VP's influence in making case for war may have led to faulty statements, The
Denver Post, July 23, 2003 Wednesday, FINAL EDITION, Pg. A-01, 2518 words,
John Aloysius Farrell , Denver Post Washington Bureau Chief THE EPIC SLAUGHTER IN IRAQ ALSO DESERVES AN
INQUIRY; THE OVERVIEW, Independent on Sunday (London), August 24, 2003,
Sunday, COMMENT; Pg. 22, 1157 words, JOHN PILGER OUTING PLAME WAS UNWISE, UNFORTUNATE FOR JOURNALISM,
Buffalo News (New York), October 6, 2003 Monday, FINAL EDITION Correction
Appended, EDITORIAL PAGE, Pg.B4, 801 words, WASHINGTON INTELLIGENCE: CASE FOR WAR CONFECTED, SAY TOP US
OFFICIALS; HIGH-RANKING FORMER PENTAGON AND CIA FIGURES VENT ANGER AT,
Independent on Sunday (London), November 9, 2003, Sunday, FOREIGN NEWS; Pg.
19, 1036 words, ANDREW GUMBEL IN LOS ANGELES Dick Cheney: accused of leaning
on the CIA; Colin Powell, right, with CIA director George Tenet at the UN
headquarters KATHY WILLENS/AP NO PRESIDENT HAS LIED SO BALDLY AND SO OFTEN AND SO
DEMONSTRABLY' Ray McGovern: voicing the concerns of the CIA, Independent on
Sunday (London), November 9, 2003, Sunday, FOREIGN NEWS; Pg. 19, 469 words Case for war made up, say top names, The New Zealand
Herald, November 10, 2003 Monday, NEWS; World, 899 words, By ANDREW GUMBEL in
Los Angeles [6] Q & A /
RAY McGOVERN, former CIA analyst: 'We're trying to spread a little
truth', The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 7, 2003 Sunday, Home
Edition, Pg. 2F, 948 words, DAN CHAPMAN [7] START:
00:21:06; Insight; Washington is standing by its conviction. Visual - Kuwait.
Soldiers have been looking around to find biological weapons. Sound Bites -
Ari Fleischer, White House Press Secretary, saying that the weapons will be
found. Sound Bites - President Bush saying that he is tired of Iraq.
Interview - Ray McGovern, fmr CIA, saying that the UN should take over the
search. Sound Bites - Gen. Tommy Franks, US Central Command, saying that they
are looking at several sites. :LR END: 00:24:16 ; International News First,
Video Monitoring Services of America, April 14, 2003, Monday, 18:00-18:30 ET,
News World International, Television, National Cable, 87 words, 14,
nwi18000414. START: 14.42 Teased Segment - Veteran Intelligence
Professionals for Sanity. Interview - spokesperson Ray McGovern, former CIA
analyst, by phone; discusses issue that information given to President Bush
was warped, says the CIA did not find the "correct" answers for
what Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz wanted to do, says they created their own
intelligence agency that came up with the "correct" answers to
support their goals, played on the trauma of 9-11, says Congress was lied to,
explains their purpose of preserving the ethics of intelligence, states his
loyalty to Bush, Sr, says Richard Perle and others were kept at arm's length
during the first Bush term, he says the Senate Intelligence Committee chair
Pat Roberts is a joke, a captive of the intelligence community, says Gen
Scowcroft needs to conduct an independent investigation. END: 21.05 ; Morning
Drive Time, Video Monitoring Services of America, June 2, 2003, Monday,
06:00-07:00 PT, KGO-AM, Television, Local Radio, 144 words, 7, rkgo06000602 START: 08.30 […] Interview - Ray McGovern, briefed
President Reagan during the '80s, explains the intelligence can be
manufactured to support an administration's war; President Johnson actions
during the Vietnam War reviewed. McGovern mentions a report from McNeil
Lehrer as per McGeorge Bundy, National Security Advisor, Johnson
Administration, as per the lack of evidence to attack the Tonkin Gulf. He
compares that report to the situation Colin Powell was in during the Iraq
war. McGovern explains he and Powell grew up together in the Bronx. Ray
McGovern is a former CIA agent and he is on the Steering Committee for
Veterans Intelligence Professionals for Sanity; Verna Avery Brown conducted
the interview. END: 16.04 ; KPFA Evening News, Video Monitoring Services of
America, June 3, 2003, Tuesday, 18:00-19:00 PT, KPFA-FM, Television, Local
Radio, 303 words, 7, rkpfa1800.0603.7 INSIGHT, CNN INTERNATIONAL, INSIGHT 05:00 PM Eastern
Standard Time, June 3, 2003 Tuesday, Transcript # 060301cb.k01, SHOW, NEWS;
INTERNATIONAL, 3834 words, Malcolm Savidge, Ray McGovern, Daryl Kimball,
Jonathan Mann, Walter Rodgers Sharon, Abbas Shake Hands; Martha Stewart Indicted,
CNN, CNN NEWSNIGHT AARON BROWN 22:00, June 4, 2003 Wednesday, Transcript #
060400CN.V84, News; International, 11764 words, James Rubin, Charles
Gasparino, Scott Simon, Dennis Kucinich, Aaron Brown, John King, Christiane
Amanpour, Kelly Wallace, Jeff Greenfield, Allan Chernoff, Gary Tuchman, David
Ensor, Robin Oakley, Jonathan Karl, Charles Feldman START: 00:32:32 Intelligence Questions; Recap From
Above & Continuing Coverage. Visual - Helicopter/ Military Forces. Visual
- Weapons. Sound Bites - John Bolton, Undersecretary Of State. Visual -
Strikes In Iraq. Studio Interview - Ray McGovern, Former CIA Officer. Sound
Bites - Douglas Feith, Undersecretary Of Defense. Visual - CIA HQ. David
Ensor Reporting. :LR END: 00:37:04 ; American Morning, Video Monitoring
Services of America, June 5, 2003, Thursday, 07:00-08:00 ET, CNN, Television,
National Cable, 67 words, 23, cnn07000605 START: 00:13:18 Weapons Hunt.; White House officials
are now dismissing claims that America has yet to find weapons of mass
destruction. Graphic - Fox News Polll. Interview - Ray McGovern, Former CIA
Analyst, says that the problem has not really been put before the American
people yet. Interview - Dr. Gazi George, Former Iraqi Scientist, says that
the weapons are there in a clandestine weapons of mass destruction program.
Graphic - Mobile Facilities. gram ti END: 00:18:16 ; Fox News Live, Video
Monitoring Services of America, June 8, 2003, Sunday, 14:00-15:00 ET, Fox
News Channel, Television, National Cable, 82 words, 6, fnc14000608. Condoleezza Rice discusses Middle East peace and
Iraq, NBC News Transcripts, Meet the Press (10:00 AM ET) - NBC, June 8, 2003
Sunday, 4483 words Allegations White House and Pentagon distorted facts
to justify Iraq war, NBC News Transcripts, NBC Nightly News (6:30 PM ET) -
NBC, June 9, 2003 Monday, 470 words, TOM BROKAW, ANDREA MITCHELL LESTER HOLT LIVE For June 9, 2003, MSNBC, SHOW:
LESTER HOLT LIVE 21:00, June 9, 2003 Monday, NEWS; DOMESTIC, 3793 words,
Lester Holt; Andrea Mitchell; Jonas Tichenor Allegations White House and Pentagon distorted facts
to justify Iraq war, CNBC News Transcripts, The News with Brian Williams
(7:00 PM ET) - CNBC, June 9, 2003 Monday, 797 words, BRIAN WILLIAMS, ANDREA
MITCHELL START: 00:11:58 Iraq.; Interview - Ray McGovern,
retired CIA analyst, discusses Iraq. :LR END: 00:13:00 ; NBC 17 News At,
Video Monitoring Services of America, June 10, 2003, Tuesday, 06:00-07:00 ET,
WNCN-TV, Television, Local TV, 19 words, 20, wncn06000610 START: 00:04:31 Iraq.; Interview - Ray McGovern,
retired CIA analyst, discusses Iraq. :LR6 seg END: 00:05:39 ; News Channel 8
Today, Video Monitoring Services of America, June 10, 2003, Tuesday,
06:00-07:00 ET, WFLA-TV, Television, Local TV, 20 words, 7, wfla06000610 START: 00:37:20 WMD Search; Continuing Coverage Of
The Hunt For WMD in Iraq. Sound Bites - President Bush. Visual - Weapons
Inspectors. Interview - Ray McGovern, Retired CIA Analyst. :LR END: 00:38:28
; 9 News Six AM, Video Monitoring Services of America, June 10, 2003,
Tuesday, 06:00-07:00 MT, KUSA-TV, Television, Local TV, 36 words, 33,
kusa06000610 START: 00:35:00 Intel Issue.; Studio discussion on
intelligence information regarding the war. Studio Interview - Wayne Simmons,
former CIA operative, comments. Studio Interview - Ray McGovern, former CIA
analyst, comments. :LRgram ti END: 00:40:52 ; Fox News Live,
Video Monitoring Services of America, June 15, 2003, Sunday, 18:00-19:00 ET,
Fox News Channel, Television, National Cable, 44 words, 15, fnc18000615 US lawmakers start probe into WMD case for Iraq war,
Channel NewsAsia, June 21, 2003 Saturday, WORLD, 519 words. START: 27.02 9/11 The latest news pertaining to the
Middle East and the 9/11 Panel. Phone Interview - Ray McGovern, CIA Analyst,
discusses the issues pertaining to Governor Keene and the 9/11 Commission.
Phone Interview - Mike Rupert, Former LAPD Officer, discusses the issues
pertaining to discrepancies about 9/11. Phone Interview - Dave Patorti, Lost
Brother in 9/11, discusses the issues. He mentions
www.unansweredquestions.org. END: 32.32 ; KPFA Evening News, Video Monitoring
Services of America, July 9, 2003, Wednesday, 18:00-19:00 PT, KPFA-FM,
Television, Local Radio, 77 words, 13, rkpfa1800.0709.13 Ray McGovern discusses an open letter to President
Bush demanding the resignation of Dick Cheney, National Public Radio (NPR),
All Things Considered (9:00 PM ET) - NPR, July 15, 2003 Tuesday, 813 words,
ROBERT SIEGEL START: 00:21:55 […] Weapons warning from CIA Analyst
Ray McGovern in the San Francsico Chronicle. Now he says the stuff doesn't
exist unless it was planted. […]END: 00:26:47 ; Fox News Live, Video
Monitoring Services of America, July 17, 2003, Thursday, 12:00-13:00 ET, Fox
News Channel, Television, National Cable, 228 words, 12, fnc12000717 Q&A 14:30, CNN INTERNATIONAL, Q&A WITH JIM
CLANCY 02:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, July 23, 2003 Wednesday, Transcript #
072302cb.k18, SHOW, NEWS; INTERNATIONAL, 2411 words, James Carafano, Ray
McGovern, Michael Holmes Bush wants to know who blew cover of CIA agent,
Channel NewsAsia, October 1, 2003 Wednesday, WORLD, 491 words BUCHANAN & PRESS For November 10, 2003, MSNBC,
SHOW: BUCHANAN & PRESS 18:00, November 10, 2003 Monday, NEWS;
INTERNATIONAL, 7836 words, Pat Buchanan; Bill Press [8] Revisiting
The Road To Iraq War, Step by Step, The New York Times, August 20, 2004
Friday, Late Edition - Final, Section E; PT1; Column 6; Movies,
Performing Arts/Weekend Desk; FILM REVIEW; Pg. 6, 684 words, By DAVE KEHR [9] The CIA
Dinosaur, The Washington Post, September 5, 1991, Thursday, Final Edition,
EDITORIAL; PAGE A21, 1056 words, Vincent Cannistraro It's time to dismantle the CIA, St. Petersburg Times
(Florida), September 6, 1991, Friday, City Edition, EDITORIAL; COLUMNS; Pg.
14A, 629 words, Vincent Cannistraro, WASHINGTON A strike against terrorism - and ourselves? WORLD;
Vincent Cannistraro is the former chief of CIA counterterrorism operations
and is a consultant to ABC-TV news., The Boston Globe, August 23, 1998,
Sunday, City Edition, FOCUS; Pg. E1, 1151 words, By Vincent Cannistraro. Undetected At Home, The Washington Post,
September 13, 2001 Thursday, Final Edition, EDITORIAL; Pg. A31, 901
words, Vincent Cannistraro. Assassination Is Wrong -- and Dumb, The
Washington Post, August 30, 2001 Thursday, Final Edition, EDITORIAL;
Pg. A29, 820 words, Vincent Cannistraro THE BIG IDEA / THE NEW NEW TERRORISM Vincent
Cannistraro is a former head of CIA counterterrorism operations and former
director of intelligence programs at the National Security Council.; A
CHANGING INTELLIGENCE PARADIGM, The Boston Globe, September 23, 2001, Sunday,
,THIRD EDITION, Pg. D8, 935 words, BY VINCENT CANNISTRARO [10] BIN LADEN IS
AT LARGE: CIA; FLED AFGHANISTAN IN DECEMBER, REPORT CLAIMS, The Toronto Sun,
January 16, 2002 Wednesday,, Final Edition, News;, Pg. 12, 273 words, SPECIAL
TO THE TORONTO SUN, WASHINGTON |
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