Poor Widdle Poindexter.."He's misunderstood"

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030813/en_afp/us_attacks_poindexter

Misunderstood" Poindexter to leave Bush administration
Wed Aug 13, 9:00 AM ET


WASHINGTON (AFP) - A leading player in the Iran-contra scandal, who made his way into the Bush administration in the wake of the September 11 attacks, is leaving the US government again -- surrounded by another bitter controversy.




Former US National Security Advisor John Poindexter gives evidence at the Iran-Contra inquiry. Poindexter resigned from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, complaining that his work had been plagued by "a great deal of misunderstanding."(AFP/File/Chris Wilkins)

 


Retired admiral John Poindexter formally submitted his resignation to Anthony Tether, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, on Tuesday, complaining that his work at the Pentagon (news - web sites) had been plagued by "a great deal of misunderstanding." Although the Defense Department has not officially made it public, the five-page manifesto was Wednesday immediately leaked to the media and is currently circulating on the Internet, the very network Poindexter had been planning to put under close government scrutiny. "I regret we have not been able to make our case clear and reassure the public that we do not intend to spy on them," Poindexter wrote. "Now I have decided it is time for me to step down."



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But Poindexter's larger undertaking -- the so-called Total Information Awareness Program -- remains alive, much to the dismay of civil rights advocates.


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But Poindexter remains undaunted, calling on his colleagues to shield the program from detractors and reassuring that "we will be able to find patterns of transactions that are indicative of terrorist planning and preparation." The resignation marks the retired admiral's second retreat from the government under heavy fire. The former national security adviser in the Ronald Reagan (news) administration was forced to leave in 1986, after he was implicated in the Iran-contra covert operation that involved selling arms to Iran in the hope of freeing American hostages in Lebanon -- and diverting profits to anti-Sandinista rebels in Nicaragua. Because arms sales to the contras were banned under US law, Poindexter was convicted in 1990 on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of Congress and making false statements.

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In delivering his parting shot, Poindexter did not conceal his bitterness toward Washington where, he said, "positions on highly complex issues are taken and debated using glib phrases, 'sound bites' and symbols."

n/t

:evilgrin:

In delivering his parting shot, Poindexter did not conceal his bitterness toward Washington where, he said, "positions on highly complex issues are taken and debated using glib phrases, 'sound bites' and symbols."



us techies got your number ;->

peace