WASHINGTON (AP) -- GOP presidential nominee John McCain has past connections to a private group that supplied aid to guerrillas seeking to overthrow the leftist government of Nicaragua in the Iran-Contra affair.
McCain's ties are facing renewed scrutiny after his campaign criticized Barack Obama for his link to a former radical who engaged in violent acts 40 years ago.
The U.S. Council for World Freedom was part of an international organization linked to former Nazi collaborators and ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America. The group was dedicated to stamping out communism around the globe.
The council's founder, retired Army Maj. Gen. John Singlaub, said McCain became associated with the organization in the early 1980s as McCain was launching his political career in Arizona. Singlaub said McCain was a supporter but not an active member in the group.
"McCain was a new guy on the block learning the ropes," Singlaub told The Associated Press in an interview. "I think I met him in the Washington area when he was just a new congressman. We had McCain on the board to make him feel like he wasn't left out. It looks good to have names on a letterhead who are well-known and appreciated.
They had support from both Carter and Reagan. But there is a world of difference between this and Obama when you compare them on face value alone and ignore the politics of it. One is associating with an organization that eventually did shady things after you meet them......the other is associating with someone closely after they have already done shady things.
Personally I don't think Obama did anything wrong....he can make friends with whom ever he wants. If he can explain the association as entirely benign......good for him.
Obviously the association with Ayers was entirely benign. I appreciate McCain, Palin, and the wingnut brigade for bringing up the question (America deserves to know, right?), but I really wish they would listen to the fucking answer.
Kulaf wrote:One is associating with an organization that eventually did shady things after you meet them......the other is associating with someone closely after they have already done shady things.
Correct me if I have my dates wrong, but if McCain was on the board until 1984 then they were already doing shady things with Contras at that time? I suspect from the context of the whole thing that McCain wasn't really aware of what was going down - the group was using him as their "man" in D.C.
With reference to Obama - he sat on the board of an organization alongside Ayers. That doesn't really mean anything much. You don't really get a choice of who else is on the board of an org. and you don't have to like them.
Both incidents appear to be non-starters to me, though I can see the Iran Contra stuff getting more political recognition than the Weather Underground (known now to most people as a free weather web site).
Kulaf wrote:One is associating with an organization that eventually did shady things after you meet them......the other is associating with someone closely after they have already done shady things.
Correct me if I have my dates wrong, but if McCain was on the board until 1984 then they were already doing shady things with Contras at that time? I suspect from the context of the whole thing that McCain wasn't really aware of what was going down - the group was using him as their "man" in D.C.
Dd
Remember, by definition, only the other guy can finance terrorism, the guys on you sponsor are freedom fighters.
McCain let them use his name until 1986. He let them use his reputation for their promotion until he could see the shit arcing towards the fan.
Kulaf wrote:One is associating with an organization that eventually did shady things after you meet them......the other is associating with someone closely after they have already done shady things.
Correct me if I have my dates wrong, but if McCain was on the board until 1984 then they were already doing shady things with Contras at that time? I suspect from the context of the whole thing that McCain wasn't really aware of what was going down - the group was using him as their "man" in D.C.
With reference to Obama - he sat on the board of an organization alongside Ayers. That doesn't really mean anything much. You don't really get a choice of who else is on the board of an org. and you don't have to like them.
Both incidents appear to be non-starters to me, though I can see the Iran Contra stuff getting more political recognition than the Weather Underground (known now to most people as a free weather web site).
Dd
Well the question would be whether McCain was aware or not. The scandal didn't break until Nov 1986 so unless he was being briefed by the organization or the NSA on actions occuring in Nicaragua......I doubt he had any knowledge of what was occuring. This was an anti-communist organization which had received letters from sitting presidents thanking it for its efforts. I don't think it unreasonable that McCain was a "member".
You don't think it's unreasonable that McCain was a member of a group that helped sell weapons to Khomeini's Iran?
Well, it’s the Super-Monroe Doctrine: “Get off our oil, people who dress funny!” - M. Bouffant
"You're a bad captain, Zarde. People like you only learn by being touched, and hard. And you will greatly disapprove of where these men put their hands." - M. Vanderbeam.
Partha wrote:You don't think it's unreasonable that McCain was a member of a group that helped sell weapons to Khomeini's Iran?
I'd be happy to read anything you'd care to post on them regarding weapon sales to Iran......to my knowledge their involvement was solely in dealing with the Contras.
Kulaf wrote:Well the question would be whether McCain was aware or not. The scandal didn't break until Nov 1986 so unless he was being briefed by the organization or the NSA on actions occuring in Nicaragua......I doubt he had any knowledge of what was occuring. This was an anti-communist organization which had received letters from sitting presidents thanking it for its efforts. I don't think it unreasonable that McCain was a "member".
He was on the board, so he was more than just a "member". However, while they were running flights to the Contras at the time he was on the board there's a pretty good bet he didn't know about it. Like I said - he was their "man in DC" and you sure don't want them to know about the shady stuff you do.
