I’ve been holding off writing this thread. Waiting for the declassification, waiting for Gen Flynn to be sentenced.
Waiting…a lot of waiting.
“Let's go!”
“We can't.”
“Why not?”
“We're waiting for declassication.”
Hopefully declassification happens, soon. Tomorrow. But I’m not waiting any longer. I’m going with the information we have.
The date is February 19, 2009. The setting is the Nixon Center.
The speaker is Richard Perle.
Perle is one of the OG Neocons.
Perle was a senior member of Democratic senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson’s staff in the 1970’s.
Since then he’s been entrenched in the DOD and numerous neoconservative think tanks. To name just a few: Washington Institute for Near East Studies, Project for the New American Century, Center for Security Policy, American Enterprise Institute, Henry Jackson Society.
In February 2009, Barack Obama was still in the first 100 days of his presidency.
The American people had rejected John McCain and his neoconservative foreign policy.
It is in this setting that Perle takes a question from a member of the audience.
I’ll let you figure out who’s asking the question.
SHOTS FIRED!
The man asking the question is that international man of mystery, Stefan Halper.
Code name: The Walrus.
The book Perle is referring to is America Alone: The Neo-Conservatives and the Global Order, co-written by Halper and Jonathan Clarke.
Stefan Halper is an old hand in the Republican Party.
He served in the Nixon, Ford and Reagan administrations. (He also says in the Q&A session that he spent “30 years in the CIA.” That’s not part of his official bio).
Halper also worked on the George H W Bush 1980 presidential campaign.
Halper’s foreign policy views are aligned with the Realist school of the GOP, often associated with Bush 41.
Some other notable names from the Realist school include Brent Scowcroft, Robert Gates, Colin Powell
The Realists have been in a struggle with the Neocons for preeminence within the GOP.
The Neocons have emerged victorious over the last decade, despite the disastrous war in Iraq.
Their candidates, however, have failed to win the presidency (McCain, Romney, Rubio).
Also in his television appearances, Page makes it a point to emphasize that his interactions with Halper were positive.
I suspect the thought that Halper and Page were working together has entered the mind of more than one reader.
And there’s no question both men have definite ties to the FBI: Halper as a FBI informant in Crossfire Hurricane and Page as a ‘cooperating witness’ in a federal investigation of Russian spies.
townhall.com/tipsheet/chris…
Another clue they possibly worked together is Halper use of his association with Page as a means to meet Sam Clovis.
Back to the Defining Neoconservatism symposium at the Nixon Center. Here is an extended clip of a 2nd question Halper asked Perle later in the meeting.
There’s some real tension between the two (watch the moderator’s facial expressions). 😬
Halper asked about Douglas Feith’s “rogue operations.” Perle was not happy.
Now, who on Trump’s campaign team in 2016 went on his own rogue operation?
There’s no question that PapaD’s neocon credentials are solid. He spent 5 years at the Hudson Institute.
Notice PapaD said he worked with Douglas Feith, the very person that Stefan Halper asked Richard Perle about leading a rogue operation.
Donald Rumsfeld once said, “we create our own reality.” That’s the neocon mantra.
Papadopolous has learned well. He’s created his own reality, abetted by the Fox News machine.
But is it true?
As it turns out, that was some rather solid advice.
Did Page relay that conversation to Halper? Was Halper aware of PapaD’s rogue mission?
Recall that Page met Halper at the “Race to Change the World” conference in July 2016, several months after Page’s & Pap’s Skype conversation.
Here’s Page answering questions about that meeting:
Page gives a masterclass in how to be evasive. 🤣
That brings us to the meeting of Halper and PapaD in September 2016.
I have to admit that I simply don’t know what Halper’s intentions were, and I believe most people don’t know either. They may think know, but it’s only speculation until we get more information.
Was the exculpatory evidence that Gowdy’s seen produced by Halper?
theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/05/19/tre…
Now, people often say one thing and practice another, especially in the world of intelligence.
If he’s true to his word, however, then he would not fabricate evidence.
I have a difficult time understanding why Halper would have any desire to undermine the Trump campaign in Sep 2016.
He wouldn’t want to help Clinton. He’s a lifelong Repub. He was working in the Nixon administration when the Neocons were still in the Democratic Party.
The NeverTrump movement is a neocon phenomenon. They possess loyalty to no one beyond their clique.
Most GOP stalwarts, on the other hand, like Halper understand that a Republican president is preferable to a Democratic one. If for no other reason than possible career advancement.
And, unlike the NeverTrump crowd, he doesn’t suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Here he compliments the Trump for his handling of China.
Halper has made several appearances on the Bill Walton Show (no, not the basketball player).
I listened to them all and Halper’s convinced me that China is the number one foreign policy concern for the US.
So I’m not sure what to think about Halper at the moment. I need more information.
I probably would have waited if not for the vicious neocon smear campaign against him right now.
I have a lot more on this civil war. There's a lot out there and not many people are talking about it.
(Certainly @Knowita47918362 has his own unique take on GOP duplicity in the coup attempt)
You won’t want hear about it on Fox News.
And Fox News controls the conversation among conservatives. That’s a tough spot for President Trump. And Mike Flynn, for that matter.
Never forget what this day is about. May their sacrifice be not in vain.