Article

2003-04-25 Fifth Column

By Scott Ritter
- Heavily Edited
I was shocked ~~shocked!~~ to read about the allegations, ostensibly
oooh...big word for a man who chats with little girls
based upon documents discovered in Iraq, that George Galloway was somehow compensated financially by the Iraqi government for championing its cause. I was shocked ~~shocked!~~ because, if these allegations prove to be true, then the integrity and credibility of a man for whom I have great respect would be dramatically undermined.
And nothing could be more important to George right now than maintaining the respect of you, Scott....snicker.
But I was also shocked ~~shocked!~~ because of the timing of these allegations. Having been on the receiving end of smear campaigns designed to assassinate the character of someone in opposition to the powers that be, I have grown highly suspicious of dramatic revelations conveniently timed to silence a vocal voice of dissent.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Scott, but I think the allegations against you need to be untrue to qualify as a "smear campaign".
If it turns out that there are no weapons of mass destruction or programmes related to their production and concealment in Iraq,
and we all know how likely that is
Blair and his government must be held accountable by the British people for actions carried out in their name. If ~~a pick up line on a Disney chat~~ British policy was sustained on the back of a lie, then those who perpetrated that lie must be called upon to explain themselves. Now, more than ever, the British people need a voice of opposition, because it is from the ranks of the opposition that the matter of policing bad policy will be raised. To allow George Galloway to be silenced now, when his criticisms of British policy over Iraq have been shown to be fundamentally sound, would be a travesty of democracy. Rather than casting him aside, the British people should reconsider his statements in the light of the emerging reality that it is Blair and not Galloway who has been saying things worthy of investigation.
You'd think this was from Scrapple Face or the Onion...but noooo...this is real. Too rich.

Posted by becky 2003-04-25 02:51 am|| || Front Page|| [11134 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 But I was also shocked shocked! because of the timing of these allegations.

Why? Seems like reasonable "timing" to me but then again I have a BRAIN.

Is his 15 minutes almost up yet?

Posted by g wiz 2003-04-25 03:53:14|| 2003-04-25 03:53:14|| Front Page Top

#2 When are we going to find the file detailing the blackmail operation targeting Scott Ritter, the sexual deviant? How much do you want to bet that it turns up containing some compromising photos of Scott with little girls or boys provided by Saddam? How else can you explain why he went from being one of the harshest inspectors to chief regime apologist? They had some serious dirt on him. This letter is probably a preemptive strike, a PR campaign to sow doubt about the charges that will soon be made against him.

How many other inspectors did they bribe? Who on the Oil for Food program was getting kick backs? I think this is the tip of the iceberg. We're going to see that all that oil money was funding some of the worst and most wide ranging corruption in history. A few of our own people will be implicated.

Posted by Tokyo Taro 2003-04-25 04:34:43|| 2003-04-25 04:34:43|| Front Page Top

#3 I just love it when those who believe they are above the law get hammered by the law.

Posted by raptor 2003-04-25 06:46:32|| 2003-04-25 06:46:32|| Front Page Top

#4 What is shocking is that Saddam would spend so much money on just one member of the H of Commons. Galloway could have been set up with a couple of hookers for under a thousand, maybe a couple thousand if they did it for a month or so. I think what Ritter is really ticked at is how cheaply he was bought.

Posted by mhw 2003-04-25 07:32:23|| 2003-04-25 07:32:23|| Front Page Top

#5 G Wiz, Tokyo Taro - funny, your comments about '15 minutes' and 'tip of the iceberg' are the same thing I was thinking.

And if it does eventually come out that Ritter was bought, how stupid are the various media that presented his "analysis" going to look? This will be fun to watch.

Posted by Jeff Brokaw 2003-04-25 07:54:17|| [jeffbrokaw.net/weblog/] 2003-04-25 07:54:17|| Front Page Top

#6 Did you notice Ritter put his email on the bottom? Feel free to tell Scotty you've found his polaroids, and his girlfriend's 5th grade report card:
WSRitter@aol.com

Posted by Frank G 2003-04-25 08:19:53|| 2003-04-25 08:19:53|| Front Page Top

#7 With friends like this...

Posted by tu3031 2003-04-25 08:35:44|| 2003-04-25 08:35:44|| Front Page Top

#8 Jonah Goldberg in the Corner makes a similar point. If Saddam bought an MP, who did he buy in the U.S.? Ritter is peanuts. How about in Congress, or State or Defense? And so on, for the Axis of Weasels, too.

Blogged Galloway / Rittter here

Posted by Chuck 2003-04-25 09:49:12|| [blog.simmins.org] 2003-04-25 09:49:12|| Front Page Top

#9 GG changes his tune:
Documents are authentic, sez he, but info in them is false.

Uh-huh.

Haven't I heard this before? Severe case of Deja Vu.
Telegraph Story

Posted by mojo 2003-04-25 10:15:08|| 2003-04-25 10:15:08|| Front Page Top

#10 In mojo's link, Gallows-way said: "For the record, I have never personally benefited from my work on Iraq. On the contrary, I have given my political life's blood to my fight for the people of Iraq." Excuse me, I just spewed water all over this computer monitor.

Posted by KP 2003-04-25 11:55:07|| 2003-04-25 11:55:07|| Front Page Top

#11 Oh, what, KP? Saddam and his sons aren't 'people of Iraq' all of a sudden?

Posted by g wiz 2003-04-25 12:48:11|| 2003-04-25 12:48:11|| Front Page Top

#12 From Tim Blair ( http://timblair.blogspot.com/ )
BUY your "Galloway Is Innocent" t-shirts here! You get a discount if you pay with money from the oil for food program.

UPDATE. Now an alternative t-shirt - much more appealing - is also offered.

Posted by mojo 2003-04-25 13:07:09|| 2003-04-25 13:07:09|| Front Page Top

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