Saddam Paid the Pipers—Did He Call the Tune?

When Congressmen Jim McDermott and David Bonior spoke from Baghdad on ABC’s “This Week” (transcript)  in October of 2002, their intent was to undermine President Bush’s run-up to an invasion of Iraq. That was their right and, perhaps, their responsibility.

In retrospect, their criticisms of the rush to war and the propaganda that fueled that rush were probably right on target.

But both Congressmen, and McDermott in particular, didn’t simply oppose the impending invasion. They were “useful idiots” parroting the propaganda of Saddam Hussein, one of the worst dictators of this or any century. Moreover, their traitorous performance may have actually aided the Bush administration’s arguments for invading.

McDermott had this to say of Saddam’s totalitarian government:

I think you have to take the Iraqis on their face value … they should be given a chance … We have had complete access to anything we want here, and they have not kept us from anything we asked to do.

And this to say of the administration of George Bush:

I believe that sometimes they give out misinformation … I think the President would mislead the American people.

In other words, McDermott was more than willing to give a little Hitler the benefit of the doubt, but not his own president. That should put “Baghdad Jim” McDermott right up there with “Hanoi Jane” Fonda in the parade of traitors to this country.

There are significant differences between the two, however. Miss Fonda was a naive, impressionable young actress when she went to Vietnam to act as a prop for the Viet Cong. Only the coldest heart would refuse her forgiveness more than thirty-five years later, especially after she’s admitted her mistake and apologized to the nation’s veterans.

McDermott was a grown man representing the nation as well as his Congressional district when he went to Baghdad.

In addition, yesterday it was revealed that McDermott and Bonior travelled to Iraq on Saddam’s nickel. Though they apparently didn’t know that at the time, ignorance is no excuse for allowing oneself to aid and comfort the enemy.

The question has to be asked: Saddam paid the pipers. Did he call the tune?

It looks to me like he did. The pipers just didn’t know it.

Newsprism