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John P. White is Lecturer in Public Policy and Chair of the Kennedy School Middle East Initiative. He served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1995-1997, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget from 1978-1981, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics from 1977-78, and as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps from 1959-1961. Prior to his most recent government service, White was the Director of the Center for Business and Government at Harvard University and the Chair of the Commission on Roles and Missions of the Armed Forces. He has extensive private sector experience as a senior executive and currently serves on several corporate and not-for-profit boards of directors. He holds a BS degree from Cornell University and an MA and PhD in economics from the Maxwell Graduate School, Syracuse University.
This article in Disinfopedia contains more details about his career.
Smedley Butler received the Medal of Honor twice, on two separate occasions, as a soldier in the Marine Corps. After his retirement he became an outspoken critic of the government's military policies. This speech was delivered in 1933, but is as relevant today as then.
The Corporation is a new documentary about the rising influence of corporations and corporatism throughout the world. It's a bit over-long, but does a good job of explaining that this, among many, "natural laws" of economic life in the contemporary world are, of course, nothing of the kind, but rather social constructs that can be changed. Interestingly, Smedley Butler makes an appearance stemming from his accusations that right-wing forces opposed to Roosevelt attempted to persuade him to lead a coup d'etat against FDR. The Corporation is currently showing at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers Regent Square theater.
There is new evidence of progress in the glacial investigation of the exposure of Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA operative by a senior member of the White House staff. The move was a transparent retaliation for Ambassador Joseph Wilson's exposure of one of many lies told by the Bush administration to whip up support for the invasion of Iraq. Subpoenas were issued to NBC Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert, and Time Magazine reporter Matthew Cooper, to disclose the content of their conversations with I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Dick Cheney's Dick Cheney, regarding Plame's identity. Russert cooperated with the subpoena and apparently informed Justice Department investigators that they did not discuss Plame, but Cooper refuses to comply and will apparently be jailed for contempt.
While it is good news to hear that some effort is being made to investigate this crime, it is not at all clear why Russert and Cooper are targets, particularly since it was Washington Post columnist Robert Novak who made the disclosure in the first place. This seems to show that the White House is not cooperating with the investigation. As Ambassador Wilson has pointed out, the number of people with knowledge of Plame's identity is very small, and so-called President Bush could, if he chose, order that the exposure be disclosed and the perpetrator punished. But obviously Shrub is not interested in the truth, only in covering up the crime. It has been our contention on Left Out that Libby, acting for Cheney, is behind the disclosure.
Things have gotten so bad that Bush has resorted to telling the truth about his policies!
But kidding aside, here's another article from Capitol Hill Blue. President Bush is taking powerful anti-depressant drugs. Here's a quote from the article:
Tubb prescribed the anti-depressants after a clearly-upset Bush stormed off stage on July 8, refusing to answer reporters' questions about his relationship with indicted Enron executive Kenneth J. Lay.
"Keep those motherfuckers away from me," he screamed at an aide backstage. "If you can't, I'll find someone who can."
Bush's mental stability has become the topic of Washington whispers in recent months. Capitol Hill Blue first reported on June 4 about increasing concern among White House aides over the President's wide mood swings and obscene outbursts.
Truth Out
Common Dreams
Information Clearinghouse
Cursor
Tom Paine
The Independent
The Guardian