U.S. Diplomat Makes 'Bush lies’ Claims in June ‘03

From Insight

Interviews and documents obtained by Insight show that Charles Edward Bernier, a 30-year retired officer with the United States Information Service—once known as the U.S. Information Agency (USIA)—and former U.S. embassy spokesman in 10 Arab countries in the 1980s and '90s, played a key role in trying to orchestrate an anti-war "Bush lies" movement among his former colleagues in the State Department and CIA—a movement that has been feverishly joined in recent months by many in the establishment media and the Democratic Party.

Mr. Bernier, former U.S. embassy spokesman and USIA chief in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, said he was directed in the lead-up to the Iraq invasion until May 2003, to help generate "positive stories" for news organizations covering military operations. He was also tasked with advising U.S. commanders on cultural matters and outreach to the Muslim population as Operation Iraqi Freedom unfolded.

After his return from Kuwait, friends said, Mr. Bernier boasted of earning close to $30,000 a month while using his time "on assignment on the ground to dig up stuff" to be used against the war effort and the president.

Mr. Bernier said he quit after 90 days "because the effort I had put into a public affairs campaign was being ignored." He returned to Hilton Head, where his wife, Geraldine, is a leader of the island's Democratic Party organization and prolific anti-Bush administration letter-writer to local and statewide newspapers.

emphasis mine

Somebody at AID was not paying atention. There is no way this guy just discovered he was anti-war or an Islamist. Seems they caught on real quick if nobody was listening to him. One can only imagine what kind of goofy moonbat advice he was dishing out

Asked why he went to Kuwait as a highly paid war contractor to support the liberation of Iraq, but came back after just 90 days to help organize the "Bush lies" fray, Mr. Bernier said, "It was going badly on the ground. It was not going to get better. It was only going to get worse."

Now that's a good question. Better phrased as "What's a moonbat like you doing in a war like this?"

A former Diplomat goes to Iraq for three months right after the fall of the country and figures out that it's all a lie? Yes, if one goes to find evidence for one's prejudice, it will be there. The facts may be inconvenient so not necessary. Why spend some real time to see the results unfold when declaring failure from the beginning fits so well with the politics of one's own impotent party

Breakfast at Basil's