The Shame of Being an American
The United States government has overestimated the amount of shame that it and American citizens can live down. On February 15 "the indispensable people" had to suffer the hypocrisy of the U.S. Secretary of State delivering a speech about America’s commitment to Internet freedom while the U.S. Department of Justice (sic) brought unconstitutional action against Twitter to reveal any connection between WikiLeaks and Bradley Manning, the American hero who, in keeping with the U.S. Military Code, exposed U.S. government war crimes and who is being held in punishing conditions not permitted by the U.S. Constitution. The corrupt U.S. government is trying to create a "conspiracy" case against Julian Assange in order to punish him for revealing U.S. government documents that prove beyond every doubt the mendacity of the U.S. government.
This is pretty bad, but it pales in comparison to the implications revealed on February 15 in the British newspaper, The Guardian.
The Guardian obtained an interview with "Curveball," the source for Colin Powell’s speech of total lies to the United Nations about Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction. Colin Powell’s speech created the stage for the illegal American invasion of Iraq. The Guardian describes "Curveball" as "the man who pulled off one of the greatest confidence tricks in the history of modern intelligence." As The Guardian puts it, "Curveball" "manufactured a tale of dread."
U.S. "intelligence" never interviewed "Curveball." The Americans started a war based on second-hand information given to them by incompetent German intelligence, which fell for "Curveball’s" lies that today German intelligence disbelieves.
As the world now knows, Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The Bush/Cheney Regime, of course, knew this, but "Curveball’s" lies were useful to their undeclared agenda. In his interview with The Guardian, "Curveball," Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, admitted that he made the whole story up. He wanted to do in Saddam Hussein and told whatever fantasy lie he could make up that would serve his purpose.
If the Bush/Cheney regime had really believed that Saddam Hussein had world-threatening weapons of mass destruction, it would have been a criminal act to concentrate America’s invading force in a small area of Kuwait where a few WMD could have wiped out the entire U.S. invasion force, thus ending the war before it began.
Some Americans are so thoughtless that they would say that Saddam Hussein would never have used the weapons, because we would have done this and that to Iraq, even nuking Baghdad. But why would Saddam Hussein care if he and his regime were already marked for death? Why would a doomed man desist from inflicting an extraordinary defeat on the American Superpower, thus encouraging Arabs everywhere? Moreover, if Saddam Hussein was unwilling to use his WMD against an invading force, when would he ever use them? It was completely obvious to the U.S. government that no such weapons existed. The weapons inspectors made that completely clear to the Bush/Cheney regime. There were no Iraqi WMD, and everyone in the U.S. government was apprised of that fact.
Why was there no wonder or comment in the "free" media that the White House accused Iraq of possession of terrible weapons of mass destruction, but nevertheless concentrated its invasion force in such a small area that such weapons could easily have wiped out the invading force?
Does democracy really exist in a land where the media is incompetent and the government is unaccountable and lies through its teeth every time it opens its mouth?
"Curveball" represents a new level of immorality. Rafid al-Janabi shares responsibility for one million dead Iraqis, 4 million displaced Iraqis, a destroyed country, 4,754 dead American troops, 40,000 wounded and maimed American troops, $3 trillion of wasted US resources, every dollar of which is adebt burden to the American population and a threat to the dollar as reserve currency, ten years of propaganda and lies about terrorism and al Qaeda connections, an American "war on terror" that is destroying countless lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and which has targeted Iran, and which has destroyed the Bill of Rights, the US Constitution, and the civil liberties that they guarantee. And the piece of lying excrement, Rafid al-Janabi, is proud that he brought Saddam Hussein’s downfall at such enormous expense.
Now that Rafid al-Janabi is revealed in the Guardian interview, how safe is he? There are millions of Iraqis capable of exterminating him for their suffering, and tens of thousands of Americans whose lives have been ruined by Rafid al-Janabi’s lies.
Why does the U.S. government pursue Julian Assange and WikiLeaks for telling the truth when "Curveball," whose lies wiped out huge numbers of people along with America’s reputation, thinks he can start a political party in Iraq? If al-Janabi is not killed the minute he appears in Iraq, it will be a miracle.
So we are left to contemplate that a totally incompetent American government has bought enormous instability to its puppet states in the Middle East, because it desperately wanted to believe faulty "intelligence" from Germany that an immoralist provided evidence that Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction.
And America is a superpower, an indispensable nation.
What a total joke!
Read more by Paul Craig Roberts
- Kleptocrats at Work – February 6th, 2011
- Things Have to Change in Order to Remain the Same – January 31st, 2011
- Western Civilization Has Shed Its Values – December 5th, 2010
- A Government Caught Up in Mendacity and Lies – December 1st, 2010
- Who, Precisely, Is Attacking the World? – November 30th, 2010





cmichaelg49
February 16th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
Yes, and from the looks of the Middle East tonight, the joke is on Americans. The Arab street is rising, and the region is undergoing unprecedented and long overdue changes. That American hegemony will survive is highly unlikely.
M White
February 16th, 2011 at 11:05 pm
I agree with your article and can only hope that the blatant and transparent attempts to shut down the free and open media gives rise to more public dissent. Here in Australia we have a prime minister who, although a lawyer and should not try to influence the outcome of legal proceedings, declared Assange guilty until it was stated by our federal police that he had broken no national or international law and would not be subject to any warrant for arrest. Many politicians have embarrassed them selves and they should take responsibility. Some should be charged with war crimes.
skulzfontaine
February 16th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
"Curveball" represents a new level of immorality.
Immorality. Why aren't the war criminals held to account? Short answer would be- immorailty. You know the war criminals, Bushco. Team Obama. Slaughtering innocents to maintain the pretense.
Immorality!
jeff_davis
February 16th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Let the historical revisionism begin. Time for recycled news, with a slightly different spin.
I heard this story five years ago. Here's how it went back then.
Germans had an Iraqi guy they code-named "Curveball"(!), who was seeking asylum, and who said he was involved in Saddam's WMD program. The Germans concluded he was a "fabricator" (as in making shit up) trying to secure the aforementioned asylum, and the Germans wouldn't give him over to the Americans for "debriefing". So one of Cheney's neocon "Scoop all the intelligence up. Scoop it all up. Everything." boys, was dispatched to Germany where he sat in on an "interview" with Curveball, complete with polygraph. The Germans asked the relevant questions. Curveball spun his yarn. The polygraph flashed "liar, liar". And Cheney's rep went home and reported the yarn, sans polygraph results.
Five years ago.
Now the Cheney connection has disappeared into the memory hole, and Curveball the master plotter, the new villain, emerges.
Wootie Berster
February 17th, 2011 at 1:42 am
Hullo Mister Roberts. Offtopic, but germain overall to the issues: I'm sure glad you didn't pack it in there a while back when you were thinking of it. Like an old time country preacher you have a special way of stating things that always causes me to stop and ponder. Thank you so much for continuing in what seems a hopeless but morally necessary task. God bless.
Raashid
February 17th, 2011 at 2:51 am
Paul''s analysis is spot on regarding the non-threat of WMDs. The problem is, the US media and establishment has a great equaliser to dismiss all other analysis: those Ay-rabs/Moozlums are irrational and crazy and we just don't know what they'll do. Hence, they claim the US needs a missile defence against as yet to be created Iranian nukes and have even convinced non-entities like the Czech republic to host the missile shield, because those crazy mullahs may for no reason decide to atom bomb Prague.
sinister guy
February 17th, 2011 at 2:58 am
Hellow everybody. Better days are ahead for the humanity. Arabs are rising. American govt. used to give paltry alms help in the name of Aid to the arab poor govts. like Egypt etc.This money was actually for the 'criminal dogs' who ruled with iron hand over Arab peoples in Africa and middle east sothat the public do not have a chance to raise a voice nor rise in rebellion. Because this american illegal and illicit corrupt money was used to buy the loyalty of rulers, police officers, military leaders etc. (same is happening in Pakistan and happened in Saddam's period). Allah gave enough time to Americans and American government and now you must be paid back from God for all the injustices and cruelty and barbaric inhumanity that is so far totally unaccounted for, no unaccountability done becuse of american power, the help of american massmedia, hollywood, american politiecians and american journalists in the usa and at large who are paid for the bidding on behalfof america to sing its glory (even though the heenous acts of america are to unmasked like Julian Assange of wilileaks did). But truth will be explode out and come into open. The murderers will be bygone. ….see next
sinister guy
February 17th, 2011 at 3:01 am
….continued.. from prevous post…Just like the USSR (or soveit union) vanished, the Berlin wall fell down, All these because of the Will of Allah. Here in the case of America also that is going to happen. Now it is no time for repent. It is time for getting yiour share int he horrible sins of America and Israel together. You are the partners in the sins against humanity, int he name of civilised community, rule of law, democracy, american way of life etc. All these are part of inhuman barbaric actions done to keep up these way corrupt way of thinking. If the same kind of leakings of govt. documents would have been done by some one insider during soviety union or now in north korea, americans would be happy to welcome that guy to talk whole day about him nonstop via their mass media, propganda machiens etc. see next…
sinister guy
February 17th, 2011 at 3:02 am
continued here…For example in Iran they triing to raise their head again via traitors such as musavi and his munafiqeen e khalq, the enemies of Islam and Islamic way of governance and life. But these lickers of american bloody saliva (amerian aid) are going to vanish soon and Islamic Govt and revolution, islamic values will conquer. Now that the wind is blowing in arab lands for this, the peple of th eworld will get benefit because of th e sacrifices arabs are doing now. The world will be beter place to live because there iwll be no dictators and no such leaders and their wicked forces who have been doing all these greatest horrible crimes and barbaric acts against humanity. Islam via Arabs will come to the world as per Will of Almighty God Allah and it is there to come once the people wake up and running for the goal. The goal is soon happening and american can never be the same and the rest of the world, as Islam will dominate with its humane treatment of people by good leaders. continued…next comment
sinister guy
February 17th, 2011 at 3:03 am
The talibanis will not rein, instead the educated and islamically civilised people, Just, God fearing leaders will come forward to do justice to humanity. Long live Islam. If you are the one having grievances against Islam, just think about the mother's milk you drank, because It is Allah Almighty who sent this for you and Islam is also from him for you. so there is no injustice from Allah in Islam .But due to the false propaganda of the enemies of God Almighty Allah other than whom there is no other giver of life and death and the Creator for all, you seem to fall into the tricks and massive flooding of anti-God, Anti-Islam, anti-Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) propagandas. Please take note of this and beware of such horrible falsehood against your own safety and good being, because It is only Allah shaped you and gave you life and if you try to shape out a different picture of Islam, Allah will punish you for your being disobedient to Him and going along with His enemies plots against Him, Islam and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The choice is yours to make by all Americans and Europeans. …continued next
sinister guy
February 17th, 2011 at 3:03 am
To condemn the people like wilders Salman Rushdie and others who propaganda in darkest shameless ways against Prophet Muhammad, is the duty of all learned people in Europe and America or else where. To support these people is not your business. Please take care and hold fast to the Truth from Allah that is in the Holy Qur'an, the Book of Allah for all mankind. Thank you.
Brian Kenety
February 17th, 2011 at 3:54 am
WikiLeaks: Czech-based US radar would fail to detect Russian missile launch
http://www.ceskapozice.cz/en/news/foreign-affairs…
Brian Kenety
February 17th, 2011 at 3:56 am
WikiLeaks: Czech-based US radar would fail to detect Russian missile launch
Leaked cable shows US General warned that a radar on Czech soil and interceptors in Poland would not catch a Russian ICBM attack in time
Both General Patrick O’Reilly and US diplomat John Rood (at the lecturn) argued that, despite the X-band radar’s limitations, it was still important to install a base in the Czech Republic in order to counter the Soviet-built radar located in Qabala, Azerbaijan
http://www.ceskapozice.cz/en/news/foreign-affairs…
Claus Eric Hamle
February 17th, 2011 at 5:08 am
The missiles to be deployed in Poland, Romania and on ships in the Black Sea in Bulgaria by 2015 are to take out the Russian second strike force, or you may say their retaliation force. Trident missile engineer Bob Aldridge -www.plrc.org-wrote on the missiles mentioned: "Whether on ships or land, they are still a necessary component for an unanswerable first strike". Minuteman-3 and Trident-2 have a CEP (Circular Error Probability — the radius centered on the warhead in which half the warheads are expected to hit) of 30 meters or less and according to Professor Paul Rogers they are designed to minimize nuclear winter effects when used against hard targets like missile silos. The Russian answer will probably be Launch On Warning. Then it may happen by accident because of the bloody fools in the Pentagon.
Claus Eric Hamle
February 17th, 2011 at 5:10 am
Sorry CEP (Circular Error Probability – - the radius centered on the target in which half the warheads are expected to hit).
ghouri
February 17th, 2011 at 5:13 am
This is outcome or downfall of super power and they always live in fools paradise. We have a saying in urdu language that the publics voice is the drum of God i.e. the truth become popular.
See in pakistan a man employ of american consulate kills thre pakistanis and americans wants his release on the plea that he is diplomat.
Even if he is a diplomat does,t not mean to kill the people illegally although the story is totally different that he was involved in anti state acts in Lahore and chased by ISI informers and then he killed them because truth remains in the grave but every thing is out. and his car was a perfect for insurgency as so many mobile ,cash, guns maps of important mosques and madarsas.
America is unthankful nation e.g. afghans fought for america against Russia and one million people lossed their life, Saddam Hussain fought for america with Iran and both were punished Afghans are killed on daily basis on the charges which are not revelent and saddam is killed and Irak destroyed once most develploped country in the middle east is now ruine but still we hope God will punish america how? God knows.
geo1671
February 17th, 2011 at 5:47 am
Regarding the all KoshRmedia problem–it will never change it's corrupt ways,Same problem exists in congress/senate and worse the court system, Media has a blind sick watch dog called FCC. The only time they slapped a fine is when Janet Jackson's bra fall off. Why hadn't FCC yanked the licenses from FOX/CNN/ect, for Iraq/911/anthrax lying? U guess what religious zealots have infested the goverance of the FCC?
bogi666
February 17th, 2011 at 5:48 am
Although dead Sadaam Hussein defeated the USG/MIC, Mafia Industrial Complex, from his grave. It was OBL who supplied the 19 martyrs that defeated the Pentagon militarily in the one day War of 9/11/01, and it was Janabi's hatred of Sadaam who provided the cover fraud for the Bush/Blair criminal conspiracy to invade the ME. Indirectly, Sadaam defeated the USG/MIC, how bizarre, bizarre irony.Also, in January 2003 Bush tried to convince Blair to join him in fraud by painting an airplane with UN colors, to provoke Sadaam to shoot it down to provide a cover story for invasion of Iraq. Blair refused. This scheme would not be necessary if Sadaam had WMD's.
Emilyrose
February 17th, 2011 at 7:56 am
You are missing one of the main culprits.
Tony Bliar.
He has the blood and destruction of Serbia on his hands as well.
Dr.Khan
February 17th, 2011 at 7:57 am
Well here are couple things I would like to share.
1.Dear Mr.Powless Colon,even if you demand the truth be told to you today by the CIA or else,its not gonna reverse the course and the million innocent lost and maimed will not return to life and normal life.Therefore,Mr.Colon P.FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT as you are going straight to the bottom of the HELL.If you were so gallibal,then ,who in the forst place made you The General.You knew all and was as hell bent on going to war with Iraq as you boss and other dudes were.Now God knows but tell you what you guys like you games is over.Rust with this curse and you will die with no honor so just shut the hell up.
Dr.Khan
February 17th, 2011 at 7:58 am
2.As for Germans I think they wanted to get even with the world by sharing utter lies with the USA,if we look back into the History we see that Germany too had once their own Saddam Hitler or Hussain and guess how he was first created and then destroyed.Same propaganda, that time it was Jews masss killing and this time it was WMDs.Objective was to occupy Europe at that time,Later it was Middle East to takecare of.Well America by now I say you must realise that your government is not only on path to destroy the world but also you as a Nation too.So wake the hell up.
Dr.Khan
February 17th, 2011 at 7:58 am
3.Last but not the least,I believe if the middle Eastern public has called it enough for the day then,What the hell is wrong with you Americans,I bet you will still have you Base Ball League entertaining you.You will still go to your favourite Basket Ball Teams and all in the world that your society offers to you,even if you rise to the occasion as the Middle Eastern are now up to.Americans,you have been lied throughout ages about freedom and freedom of speech,the govt created an imposed reality and your only fault is that you as a nation fell for it.But to turn this fake Reality into real one It is imerative for the American Public to stand up and seek freedom from the like of Bush or collins and avoid the like of them ever coming close to rule.Good luck and God Bless.
liveload
February 17th, 2011 at 8:45 am
They had an agenda and needed to come up with corroborating evidence that would legitimize their agenda and lend a sense of immediate urgency to it. Hubris. They wanted war(s), they simply had to go about the business of making them appear kosher, of course they knew that upon closer inspection, the subterfuge would be lost; however, they probably bet the "facts on the ground" would reframe the whole argument by the time that happened. That and their heavy influence on the flow of information would contain any major fallout until well after they were out of office.
RickR30
February 17th, 2011 at 8:59 am
Which is why we need bloody revolutions in the West, to do some justice that has been absent a lot lately. Democracy has failed, "justice" targets only the weak. The political underclass of inbreds and the economical elites get away with everything, untouched by justice. They kill, steal, cheat, lie about it. Then they write a book/give interviews admitting they lied about it all. What happens? Nothing. No consequence whatsoever for their crimes. And that piece of scum who fabricated all the nonsense gets to live for free courtesy of the German taxpayer.
US politicians in their arrogance and stupidity are only going to up the ante. Since they got away with everything so far, just watch what they've got in store for us next. These people do not understand anything but the language of force. Which is why it's time the American people start using some to remind them who put them and keeps them where they are.
skulzfontaine
February 17th, 2011 at 9:28 am
Hi Ms. Emilyrose:
Yeah I know. There are any number of miscreants and war criminals I could have/should have listed. I was trying to be quick and conceptual and not hog the comment space.
Generalissimo X
February 17th, 2011 at 11:06 am
paul craig roberts is one of the great voices and on par with thomas paine as far as i'm concerned.
rick: another great post and i'm 100% with you. the political elite only governs by the consent of the people and i for one think its high time we take that consent away. they certainly don't have mine…and these criminals should not be free to walk our streets…they kill millions of people based on lies and get book deals and live in mansions. we the people have our rights trampled, our money stolen by bankers, our homes forclosed on, our children killed maimed and driven insane in illegal wars,,,if not now, when?
Jamal
February 17th, 2011 at 11:48 am
From the beginning to this point in time all, this was an inside job done by CIA, Johan Negroponte, Paul Bremer, Madeline Albright, Johan Bolton, George W. Bush, Rumsfeled, Cheney and more. Question is, why they bring up the subject now…? I think is because now they understand that it was a mistake a very very bad decision by US and EU and they also have realized that they cannot get out of the situation they created.., so as many time before.., now they have found this low life idiot, “Curveball“, to say that it was his fault for US and EU to start the Iraq war.
Now if above mentioned names, their “intelligent” and the “intelligent” community of US and EU and its ability is so low that a “Twisted” unknown man can fool it, then we really need to think about the human race and what these people are able to do to it. Now anyone who is intelligent enough and his/her intelligent is not twisted I truly advice you not to work or give any information to these people, because then we would have no world left to live.
Terrance&Philip
February 17th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
"That American hegemony will survive is highly unlikely."
Thanks be to God.
America should learn from the Arab street and throw off its own tyrants. Until we throw off the thrall of the MIC and the big money of Wall Street, we are not truly free.
Jaime
February 17th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
A large part of the blame here belongs to the American public. The same way the German people are to blame for what the Nazis did, the US people have enabled the criminals in Washington to carry their evil deeds. How can then we understand their stupid indifference toward others' suffering, their idiotic simplification of events, their foolish belief in their superiority or their exceptionalism. What a shame indeed!
Joe
February 17th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
re: What a total joke!
The real joke is that after the civil war,ww1,ww2,vietnam war,gulf war 1, gulf war 2, the patriot act and a million other atrocities, that so few realize that this thing called 'Democracy' is and always was a con game played
by and for liars and frauds to an ignorant public. Curveballs single lie killed a million people? Hardly, it's the American belief that Democracy is something other than mob rule that ended up killed a million people. It's time to admit the obvious, The free market of Anarcho-Capitalism is the way to provide justice,military and any other needed service, not a self serving coercive monopoly called 'government.' Read 'Power and Market' by Rothbard, that explains exactly what's needed.
biz king
July 8th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Like demeaning people in the U.S. is really helping the "anti-war" movement! NOT
Writers like this guy helped ruin the anti-war movement.