Richard Wolff interview with Brian Becker on today's socialist program was pretty hot

I wonder if Brian learned anything from this colossal betrayal of trust

Context:

::: spoiler spoiler link

On the subject of the 1990s US war on Iraq in relation to the US anti-war movement:

“The US had previously brought in Jesse Jackson to effectively negotiate the release of small groups so they decided to use more high profile “VIP’s” to convince Saddam Hussein to release the remaining hostages. Stephen Thibeault, a US Foreign Service officer in Baghdad at the time explains : Ramsey Clark was another American who was a part of this. I think that the consistent message… of these VIPs to Saddam is that he should release the hostages as a prerequisite for then de-escalating the situation diplomatically. I think that he basically was fooled as, in fact, the hostages were protecting him. How then did Ramsey Clark fool Saddam Hussein? He claimed that the American anti-war movement would surely stop any potential American invasion.

"Mr. Ramsey Clark emphasized that most of the American people don't want war... Noting that there is a wide movement in its ranks against the war, he said that the US government is ignorant of the will of the American people regarding current events in the region in its call to war through the media. He added that the peace movement in the United States will escalate its struggles to prevent war in the Arab Gulf region." - Al Thawra Newspaper; Baghdad November 12, 1990 It is said that Ramsey Clark backed up his claim with a photo of an anti-war rally a few weeks before. Yet, the weekend rally in NYC (the largest one in the country) had no more than a few thousand people present. It could hardly be said that this represented a majority or even a critical mass of Americans. Nonetheless, Ramsey Clark told Saddam Hussein that he could rely on American protestors to stop the US from invading Iraq. Clark’s purpose, as we would come to understand was to serve as a hostage negotiator on behalf of the United States government. In late November, world-renowned Boxer Muhammad Ali was sent to Baghdad for further hostage negotiations, as a way to build credibility with Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi people. Ali, a world famous Muslim, received much respect on his visit. According to ex-CIA officer James Kolb, this was not the first time George HW Bush had requested Muhammad Ali to “use your status as a respected Muslim to enter into a secret dialogue…to try to procure the release of the American hostages”. (Ali had previously been used by the Carter regime to recruit African nations to boycott the 1980 olympics in the USSR.)” :::

→ “International con-man Brian Becker, another leader in the American anti-war movement, was a part of Muhammad Ali’s visit. His account emphasizes how much the visit was “a threat” to the US government and proved how “negotiations were clearly available as a means to prevent war.” Just because parts of the US government ‘denounced the trip’ does not prove anything at all.

This point is evidenced by a 1995 US Navy paper titled Persian Gulf Hostages: A Case Study in Terrorism, Diplomacy, and Strategy which details the United States hostage policy at the time. It had to maintain the facade of non-negotiation to “be tough on terrorists” while engaging in under the table diplomacy to release said hostages. The paper also details that while the US and UK publicly maintained rhetoric that they would bomb Iraq despite the presence of hostages, this was an empty threat. In essence, the United States needed the hostages released while also saving face. The reality is that these anti-war activists did the work of the US government by taking hard power away from the Iraqi government. This is regardless of whether they were acting on behalf of the US government (although, evidence indicates they likely were). Joseph Wilson notes in the same interview that:

"We were successful in getting one or two hostages out every time, and we would try to load up hostages onto every American who came out. It didn’t make any difference to us. The more, the merrier. If we could get 10 out with [boxer] Muhammad Ali, if they promised us 10 we’d go for 12."

In December, Saddam Hussein let the remaining British and Americans leave Kuwait. We Are The Mighty magazine (affiliated with the US military) praises Muhammad Ali for “freeing the hostages” and notes that he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his actions.

Muhammad Ali (center) and the remaining 15 American hostages leaving Iraq on December 2nd, 1990.

Saddam Hussein gave up the hostages, his insurance against American invasion, based on lies. In January 1991, only six weeks after releasing the American hostages, under the guise of the United Nations Security Council an American-led coalition would begin a horrific bombing campaign and invasion of Iraq.”