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'''Larry C. Johnson''' worked for the U.S. [[Central Intelligence Agency]] from 1985 to 1989 and the [[State Department]]'s [[Office of Counterterrorism]] from 1989 to 1993.[http://www.berg-associates.com/larryc.htm] He is known for his controversial claim that [[Valerie Plame Wilson]] was a covert agent when her name was released in a column by [[Robert Novak.]]"[http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/7/13/04720/9340]. Skeptics contend that he left the CIA in 1989 and there is no way he could know Plame's status from 1990 to 2003.
Johnson is the CEO of [[Berg Associates]], LLC.
==Republican Ties==
== Pre-9/11 assessments of Islamic terrorism threat ==▼
Johnson believes a letter from from Republican Senator [[Orrin Hatch]] (R-UT) "opened doors" for him at the CIA.[http://democrats.senate.gov/dpc/hearings/hearing23/transcript.pdf] Johnson has been a registered Republican who, despite his outspoken criticism of [[President Bush]], he claims to have supported Bush in [[2000]],[http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/23/dems.radio/]. Johnson testified at a hearing composed only of House and Senate Democrats on [[22 July]] [[2005]] about the [[Plame affair]].
In addition to his differences with Republicans in the Plame matter, Johnson is also an outspoken opponent of the Iraq War.[http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/7/13/04720/9340] He is a member of the Steering Group for [[Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity]], an organization of former intelligence officials opposed to the [[Iraq War]]. On July 23, 2005, he spoke to the nation on behalf of Democrats in the party's weekly radio address[http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/23/dems.radio] and was featured in the 2004 left-wing political documentary ''[[Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism]]''.[http://www.outfoxed.org]
▲After Johnson's testimony to the special forum at the U.S. Senate, conservative pundit [[Richard Schmitt]] of the ''[[Weekly Standard]]'' made reference to an op-ed piece Johnson wrote two months prior to the [[9/11]] attacks, claiming that Johnson argued that the US had little to fear from terrorism. Ten days after the 9/11 attacks, [[Slate Magazine]] said, "Johnson's analysis, we now see, was bold, persuasive, and 100 percent wrong."[http://www.slate.com/id/1008336] Johnson's column, titled ''The Declining Terrorist Threat'', was published 10 July 2001 in the ''[[New York Times]]''. Johnson had written:
:''Judging from news reports and the portrayal of villains in our popular entertainment, Americans are bedeviled by fantasies about terrorism. They seem to believe that terrorism is the greatest threat to the United States and that it is becoming more widespread and lethal. They are likely to think that the United States is the most popular target of terrorists. And they almost certainly have the impression that extremist Islamic groups cause most terrorism.... None of these beliefs are based in fact.... While terrorism is not vanquished, in a world where thousands of nuclear warheads are still aimed across the continents, terrorism is not the biggest security challenge confronting the United States, and it should not be portrayed that way.''[http://www.slate.com/id/1008336]
A new round of criticism about Johnson's pre-9/11 column commenced after Johnson's testimony before House and Senate Democrats, most notably by [[Gary Schmitt]] of the ''[[Weekly Standard]].''[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/883raiiu.asp]
In his defense, Johnson said that he coauthored a piece in 2000 with [[Milt Beardon]] that looked specifically at the threat posed by [[al-Qaeda]] rather that at terrorism trends in general. The piece noted that new information emerging about the bombings at Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 pointed to a new threat that required "a coordinated policy that will employ a full range of covert, clandestine, diplomatic, and military operations."[http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/08/getting_it_righ.html] The piece concluded:
Critics of Johnson note that his NYT column was not the first time he dismissed the threat by bin Laden and al Qaeda before 9/11.[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/883raiiu.asp] Johnson was interviewed by PBS's Frontline for its 1999 program, "Hunting for bin Laden." According to Johnson, Americans had
:''tended to make Osama bin Laden sort of a superman in Muslim garb," when in reality he is "more of a symptom of a problem" than a looming threat. And while bin Laden "would like to kill Americans . . . wanting to is different from being able to, having the full capabilities in place." By Johnson's lights, "Osama bin Laden . . . has not been a very effective organizer or leader. He talks a great game.''[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/883raiiu.asp]
== Larry C. Johnson Quotes ==▼
Johnson defended himself from the attacks of pundits such as Schmitt, responding: "The rightwing is resurrecting an op-ed I wrote in July 2001. I stand by the full article. It is still relevant today. I am accused, incorrectly, of ignoring the threat of terrorism. In fact, I correctly noted that the real threat emanated from Bin Laden and Islamic extremism. President Bush, for his part, ignored the CIA warning in August of 2001 that Al Qaeda was posed to strike inside the United States."[http://lawnorder.blogspot.com/2005/07/daily-kos-pnac-head-attacks-larry.html]▼
"Bush's lies have resulted in the deaths of almost 1800 American soldiers and the mutilation of 12,000. Joe Wilson has not killed anyone. He tried to prevent the needless death of Americans and the loss of American prestige in the world."[http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/7/13/04720/9340]
▲
"If we take into account the bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, Osama's status as the most lethal terrorist is certain."[http://www.berg-associates.com/newpage11.htm]
▲== Quotes ==
"In fact there is a serious risk that a U.S. led war against Iraq may crystallize the diffused anger in the Arab and Muslim world — a heretofore unattained goal of bin Laden and his followers — and persuade more Muslim youths to take up the terrorist banner against America and her citizens"(January 2003) [http://booman23.dailykos.com/story/2005/7/25/1817/86504]
"There is no doubt that Iraq is a state sponsor of terrorism—i.e., a country that provides financial support, safe haven, training, or weapons and explosives to groups or individuals that carry out terrorist attacks
==References ==
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* Larry C. Johnson, "The Declining Terrorist Threat," ''New York Times'' (10 July 2001) p. A19.
* Milt Bearden and Larry Johnson, "A Glimpse at the Alliances of Terror," ''New York Times'' (7 November 2000) p. A29.
* [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/883raiiu.asp Gary Schmitt, "Meet Larry Johnson: The CIA official turned Democratic spokesman has a pre-9/11 mindset. " ''The Weekly Standard'' (25 July 2005).]
== External links ==
* [http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/072205E.shtml ''Testimony before Congressional Democrats''] of 22 July 2005.
* Larry C. Johnson, "[http://www.boomantribune.com/site-files/LJohnson_Iraq.rtf ''Setting the Record Straight on Iraqi Terrorism'']," (27 January 2003)
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Revision as of 21:06, 4 February 2006
Larry C. Johnson worked for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency from 1985 to 1989 and the State Department's Office of Counterterrorism from 1989 to 1993.[1] He is known for his controversial claim that Valerie Plame Wilson was a covert agent when her name was released in a column by Robert Novak."[2]. Skeptics contend that he left the CIA in 1989 and there is no way he could know Plame's status from 1990 to 2003. Johnson is the CEO of Berg Associates, LLC.
Republican Ties
Johnson believes a letter from from Republican Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) "opened doors" for him at the CIA.[3] Johnson has been a registered Republican who, despite his outspoken criticism of President Bush, he claims to have supported Bush in 2000,[4]. Johnson testified at a hearing composed only of House and Senate Democrats on 22 July 2005 about the Plame affair.
In addition to his differences with Republicans in the Plame matter, Johnson is also an outspoken opponent of the Iraq War.[5] He is a member of the Steering Group for Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, an organization of former intelligence officials opposed to the Iraq War. On July 23, 2005, he spoke to the nation on behalf of Democrats in the party's weekly radio address[6] and was featured in the 2004 left-wing political documentary Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism.[7]
Pre-9/11 column downplaying Islamic terrorism threat
Johnson wrote an op-ed piece only two months prior to the 9/11 attacks, in which he argued that the US had little to fear from terrorism. Ten days after the tragedy, Slate Magazine said, "Johnson's analysis, we now see, was bold, persuasive, and 100 percent wrong."[8] Johnson's column, titled The Declining Terrorist Threat, was published 10 July 2001 in the New York Times. Johnson wrote:
- Judging from news reports and the portrayal of villains in our popular entertainment, Americans are bedeviled by fantasies about terrorism. They seem to believe that terrorism is the greatest threat to the United States and that it is becoming more widespread and lethal. They are likely to think that the United States is the most popular target of terrorists. And they almost certainly have the impression that extremist Islamic groups cause most terrorism.... None of these beliefs are based in fact.... While terrorism is not vanquished, in a world where thousands of nuclear warheads are still aimed across the continents, terrorism is not the biggest security challenge confronting the United States, and it should not be portrayed that way.[9]
A new round of criticism about Johnson's pre-9/11 column commenced after Johnson's testimony before House and Senate Democrats, most notably by Gary Schmitt of the Weekly Standard.[10]
In his defense, Johnson said that he coauthored a piece in 2000 with Milt Beardon that looked specifically at the threat posed by al-Qaeda rather that at terrorism trends in general. The piece noted that new information emerging about the bombings at Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 pointed to a new threat that required "a coordinated policy that will employ a full range of covert, clandestine, diplomatic, and military operations."[11] The piece concluded:
- The Clinton Administration has shot its bolt on the terrorist problem with small effect, and no last minute show of force will change the record. A new administration can start afresh with a more sharply defined set of terrorism goals – Mughniyeh and bin Laden and their protectors for starters – and bring the full, coordinated force of American diplomatic, military, and intelligence capabilities to bear on the problem.[12]
Critics of Johnson note that his NYT column was not the first time he dismissed the threat by bin Laden and al Qaeda before 9/11.[13] Johnson was interviewed by PBS's Frontline for its 1999 program, "Hunting for bin Laden." According to Johnson, Americans had
- tended to make Osama bin Laden sort of a superman in Muslim garb," when in reality he is "more of a symptom of a problem" than a looming threat. And while bin Laden "would like to kill Americans . . . wanting to is different from being able to, having the full capabilities in place." By Johnson's lights, "Osama bin Laden . . . has not been a very effective organizer or leader. He talks a great game.[14]
Larry C. Johnson Quotes
"Bush's lies have resulted in the deaths of almost 1800 American soldiers and the mutilation of 12,000. Joe Wilson has not killed anyone. He tried to prevent the needless death of Americans and the loss of American prestige in the world."[15]
"The rightwing is resurrecting an op-ed I wrote in July 2001. I stand by the full article. It is still relevant today. I am accused, incorrectly, of ignoring the threat of terrorism. In fact, I correctly noted that the real threat emanated from Bin Laden and Islamic extremism. President Bush, for his part, ignored the CIA warning in August of 2001 that Al Qaeda was posed to strike inside the United States."[16]
"If we take into account the bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, Osama's status as the most lethal terrorist is certain."[17]
"In fact there is a serious risk that a U.S. led war against Iraq may crystallize the diffused anger in the Arab and Muslim world — a heretofore unattained goal of bin Laden and his followers — and persuade more Muslim youths to take up the terrorist banner against America and her citizens"(January 2003) [18]
"There is no doubt that Iraq is a state sponsor of terrorism—i.e., a country that provides financial support, safe haven, training, or weapons and explosives to groups or individuals that carry out terrorist attacks."(January 2003)[19]
References
- Larry C. Johnson, "The Declining Terrorist Threat," New York Times (10 July 2001) p. A19.
- Milt Bearden and Larry Johnson, "A Glimpse at the Alliances of Terror," New York Times (7 November 2000) p. A29.
- Gary Schmitt, "Meet Larry Johnson: The CIA official turned Democratic spokesman has a pre-9/11 mindset. " The Weekly Standard (25 July 2005).
External links
- Testimony before Congressional Democrats of 22 July 2005.
- Larry C. Johnson, "Setting the Record Straight on Iraqi Terrorism," (27 January 2003)