“The more we learn about Sandy Berger’s brilliant career as a document thief, the clearer it becomes that there is plenty we still don’t know and may never learn,” a Wall Street Journal editorial noted. The editorial was prompted by the House Government Reform Committee report released last week on the former Clinton administration adviser’s theft of classified documents from the National Archives. “The committee’s 60-page report makes it clear that Mr. Berger knew exactly what he was doing and knew that what he was doing was wrong,” the editorial stated. “According to interviews with National Archives staff, Mr. Berger repeatedly arranged to be left alone with highly classified documents by feigning the need to make personal phone calls, and he used those moments alone with the files to stuff them in his pockets and briefcase.” But as the editorial noted, the motive for the thefts “remains shrouded in mystery, in part because the documents Mr. Berger has admitted to taking remain highly classified, so the precise nature of his interest is unclear.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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Was looking for Clinton’s Harem’s phone numbers.
THE SANDY PANTS(from the film Slick Willie Wonka And The Shop-Lift Factory)
Hey, everybody! Gather round, the Sandy Pants is here! What kind of archival material do you want? Classified documents? Confidential minutes? Intelligence briefings? Cables? You’ve come to the right place, because I’m the Sandy Pants!
(Ooooooo!)
Who can take the memoStuff it in his sockTake it out the buildingAnd then walk it up the blockThe Sandy Pants (The Sandy Pants)Oh, the Sandy Pants can (The Sandy Pants can)The Sandy Pants can ’cause he fixes it for BillAnd makes his boss look good (Makes his boss look good)
Who can take the secretsOut the door at nightSlide them under trailersOn a dark construction siteThe Sandy Pants (The Sandy Pants)Oh, the Sandy Pants can (The Sandy Pants can)The Sandy Pants can ’cause he fixes it for BillAnd makes his boss look good (Makes his boss look good)
The Sandy Pants takesLots of bathroom breaksBut his status simply wows usSuspicion Sandy ne’er arousesWaddling out with lumpy trousersYeah, yeah, yeah
Who can hose the archivesShrug off all the flakGet the kid-glove treatmentAnd then get his clearance backThe Sandy Pants (The Sandy Pants)Oh, the Sandy Pants can (The Sandy Pants can)
The Sandy Pants can ’cause he fixes it for BillAnd makes his boss look good (Makes his boss look good)
[Instrumental break, and Sandy's bathroom break]
The Sandy Pants packsSecrets in his slacksIn his garter he will truss itThe media folks, they won’t discuss itHe will even stuff his gussetWhoa, whoa, whoa
Who can swipe the recordsFrom the archivistsSo it looks like ClintonWasn’t soft on terroristsThe Sandy Pants (The Sandy Pants)Oh, the Sandy Pants can (The Sandy Pants can)The Sandy Pants can ’cause he fixes it for BillAnd makes his boss look good (Makes his boss look good)Yes, the Sandy Pants can ’cause he fixes it for BillAnd makes his boss look good
[Groovy fade-out]
The Sandy Pants, the Sandy Pants, the Sandy PantsGo take a chance in Sandy Pants, go take a chanceDon’t look askance – it’s hard to dance in Sandy PantsThe Sandy Pants, Memorandy Pants, the Sandy Pants…
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/016477.php
Oh I think we are making the Berger case more complicated than it is.
Suppose average Joe citizend did the same things and the law provides for specific remedies for prosecution and remedies.
Berger is determined to stand trial and let’s say he is found guilty. A Judge makes a sentencing determination. The case is reviewed and stands.
The system worked and these acts committed by Berger were determined to be illegal under the codified Laws of the United States.
End of story, Berger is confined, what’s the big deal?
(if he is found guilty)
Wall Street Journal editorial = pack of lies.
Buy some stocks.
Thank you, door king. It didn’t take long to begin the defense of Berger.The challenge for the day is,how many Libs can we find who will say straight up that Berger’s action were wrong.It’s a simple task. You may begin.
I’m a lib and I feel Berger’s actions were wrong, and furthermore the issue should be handled with the courts.As for what he was thinking? I doubt it was a loyalty to Bill but rather a fear of his own name being drug through the mud. The public interest in those documents will rise once an indictment is leveled.I thought it was a very brazen act; Berger must have appeared to be a bumbling Pink Panther cat burglar or something.I tend to think this was not the first time Berger had done this…nor is it the first time ever.I can see Little Karl doing the same thing…except he is smarter than Berger.
I’m not a libs,but it sure seems to be a guilty slam-dunk.
To bad we don’t address the prezdents crimes with the same urgency. His crimes have caused so many deaths worldwide, what a shame that so many people are blinded by jingoism.
There, that make ya’ happy woody?
Jingoism -hyper-patriotism (as perceived by liberals).
A baddd baddd thing.
Good morning Tracy.
I had a TS/Crypto clearance and worked with classified information while on active duty.
If I had done anything remotely like this clown, my ass would have gone to Leavenworth posthaste for the duration!!
What’s so special about his ass.
Would I have been a victim of ass discrimination??
Hmmmmm??
So far, so so so. jim g almost got through it without referencing the Bush administration, but not bad.tracy, who declares himself not a Lib, admits that Berger is probably slam dunk guilty, then goes on and proves his Lib-ness with a crazy paragraph about the president’s “crimes” killing people worldwide. If only the Libs could see who is really committing crimes worldwide.Perhaps you people could save some of your outrage for … wait for it… the terrorists.
BDP Fleettwood has bought the reich-wing’s version of this story hook, line, and sinker.
Let’s look at the reich-wing’s track record of making a huge fuss over nothing–
John Kerry referring to Bush that if you don’t study in college, you wind up stuck in Iraq. This was widely circulated as a slam against the troops which is clearly NOT what Kerry meant.
Barbara Boxer saying that neither she nor Condi Rice really have to sacrifice because they don’t have kids who might have to fight in Iraq. This was willfully and deliberately misrepresent by the right-wing spew factory as a slam against Condi’s barren-ness, which it clearly wasn’t.
Comes now the old Berger bullshit.
1. Berger never attempted to take any ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS–he only wanted to take COPIES.
So the charge that he was trying to falsify the historical record is patently false.
2. Berger never “stuffed documents down his pants or into his socks” as the spewing heads breathlessly claimed.
3. If the Wall Street Journal and other reich-wing organs of conservativism would just ask the guy why he did what he did, we might get some answers.
Instead, the corporate media prefers to cast stones with very little evidence to back up their scandal mongering.
Terrorists didn’t kill 600,000 Iraqis.
The US did.
We have killed Iraqis there at a far faster rate than Saddam Hussein ever did.
And we blow 2 billion a week doing it.
But, hey, oil is expensive.
capn- You are a pleasure and never disappoint. You are the King of defending that which cannot be defended. It’s good to be King~
woody, I’m embarrassed for you,since you don’t have enough sense to realize just how dumb you’re sounding.
US Rogue State1. In December 2001, the United States officially withdrew from the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty, gutting the landmark agreement-the first time in the nuclear era that the US renounced a major arms control accord.
2. 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention ratified by 144 nations including the United States. In July 2001 the US walked out of a London conference to discuss a 1994 protocol designed to strengthen the Convention by providing for on-site inspections. At Geneva in November 2001, US Undersecretary of State John Bolton stated that “the protocol is dead,” at the same time accusing Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Sudan, and Syria of violating the Convention but offering no specific allegations or supporting evidence.
3. UN Agreement to Curb the International Flow of Illicit Small Arms, July 2001: the US was the only nation to oppose it.
4. April 2001, the US was not re-elected to the UN Human Rights Commission, after years of withholding dues to the UN (including current dues of $244 million)-and after having forced the UN to lower its share of the UN budget from 25 to 22 percent. (In the Human Rights Commission, the US stood virtually alone in opposing resolutions supporting lower-cost access to HIV/AIDS drugs, acknowledging a basic human right to adequate food, and calling for a moratorium on the death penalty.)
5. International Criminal Court (ICC) Treaty, to be set up in The Hague to try political leaders and military personnel charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Signed in Rome in July 1998, the Treaty was approved by 120 countries, with 7 opposed (including the US). In October 2001 Great Britain became the 42nd nation to sign. In December 2001 the US Senate again added an amendment to a military appropriations bill that would keep US military personnel from obeying the jurisdiction of the proposed ICC.
6. Land Mine Treaty, banning land mines; signed in Ottawa in December 1997 by 122 nations. The United States refused to sign, along with Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Egypt, and Turkey. President Clinton rejected the Treaty, claiming that mines were needed to protect South Korea against North Korea’s “overwhelming military advantage.” He stated that the US would “eventually” comply, in 2006; this was disavowed by President Bush in August 2001.
7. Kyoto Protocol of 1997, for controlling global warming: declared “dead” by President Bush in March 2001. In November 2001, the Bush administration shunned negotiations in Marrakech (Morocco) to revise the accord, mainly by watering it down in a vain attempt to gain US approval.
8. In May 2001, refused to meet with European Union nations to discuss, even at lower levels of government, economic espionage and electronic surveillance of phone calls, e-mail, and faxes (the US “Echelon” program),
9. Refused to participate in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-sponsored talks in Paris, May 2001, on ways to crack down on off-shore and other tax and money-laundering havens.
10. Refused to join 123 nations pledged to ban the use and production of anti-personnel bombs and mines, February 2001
11. September 2001: withdrew from International Conference on Racism, bringing together 163 countries in Durban, South Africa
12. International Plan for Cleaner Energy: G-8 group of industrial nations (US, Canada, Japan, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, UK), July 2001: the US was the only one to oppose it.
13. Enforcing an illegal boycott of Cuba, now being made tighter. In the UN in October 2001, the General Assembly passed a resolution, for the tenth consecutive year, calling for an end to the US embargo, by a vote of 167 to 3 (the US, Israel, and the Marshall Islands in opposition).
14. Comprehensive [Nuclear] Test Ban Treaty. Signed by 164 nations and ratified by 89 including France, Great Britain, and Russia; signed by President Clinton in 1996 but rejected by the Senate in 1999. The US is one of 13 nonratifiers among countries that have nuclear weapons or nuclear power programs. In November 2001, the US forced a vote in the UN Committee on Disarmament and Security to demonstrate its opposition to the Test Ban Treaty.
15. In 1986 the International Court of Justice (The Hague) ruled that the US was in violation of international law for “unlawful use of force” in Nicaragua, through its actions and those of its Contra proxy army. The US refused to recognize the Court’s jurisdiction. A UN resolution calling for compliance with the Court’s decision was approved 94-2 (US and Israel voting no).
16. In 1984 the US quit UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and ceased its payments for UNESCO’s budget, over the New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO) project designed to lessen world media dependence on the “big four” wire agencies (AP, UPI, Agence France-Presse, Reuters). The US charged UNESCO with “curtailment of press freedom,” as well as mismanagement and other faults, despite a 148-1 in vote in favor of NWICO in the UN. UNESCO terminated NWICO in 1989; the US nonetheless refused to rejoin. In 1995 the Clinton administration proposed rejoining; the move was blocked in Congress and Clinton did not press the issue. In February 2000 the US finally paid some of its arrears to the UN but excluded UNESCO, which the US has not rejoined.
17. Optional Protocol, 1989, to the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aimed at abolition of the death penalty and containing a provision banning the execution of those under 18. The US has neither signed nor ratified and specifically exempts itself from the latter provision, making it one of five countries that still execute juveniles (with Saudi Arabia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Nigeria). China abolished the practice in 1997, Pakistan in 2000.
18. 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The only countries that have signed but not ratified are the US, Afghanistan, Sao Tome and Principe.
19. The US has signed but not ratified the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects the economic and social rights of children. The only other country not to ratify is Somalia, which has no functioning government.
20. UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966, covering a wide range of rights and monitored by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The US signed in 1977 but has not ratified.
21. UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948. The US finally ratified in 1988, adding several “reservations” to the effect that the US Constitution and the “advice and consent” of the Senate are required to judge whether any “acts in the course of armed conflict” constitute genocide. The reservations are rejected by Britain, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Mexico, Estonia, and others.
22. Is the status of “we’re number one!” Rogue overcome by generous foreign aid to given less fortunate countries? The three best aid providers, measured by the foreign aid percentage of their gross domestic products, are Denmark (1.01%), Norway (0.91%), and the Netherlands (0.79), The three worst: USA (0.10%), UK (0.23%), Australia, Portugal, and Austria (all 0.26).
Yeah, I know.By posting this I’m coddling terrorists.Most of them are laying around my house right now, eating ice cream bars and watching “24″ reruns.
Tracy – What flavor bars?
Good for the USA! What’s any of that stuff got to do with the topic Tracy?
PS: Regardless, thanks for limiting the copy and paste to a few pages.
I don’t know what Mr. Berger pilfered, but it must have been big for it to be worth his reputation. I’m sure President Clinton is grateful.
My guess is that he was taking documents to which he would have been entitled to ‘look-at only’ access. Knowing that he might be called to testify on certain issues he wanted to make sure he didn’t contradict anything. He should be nailed for it. Taking these “not-really-secret” documents is just like outing a “not-really-covert” agent. Both are inexcusable.
tracy-Where did your wonderful, flyover cut and paste come from? Surely, Shirley, it didn’t come from memory. Which website?
Looks like Ben almost made it through his post without referencing this administration. Almost.
Oh LOOK!
That FONT of journalistic credibility the Wall Street Journal is talking about things that happened DURING THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION!
Huh? Why do you suppose they are doing that? Current events not “eventy” enough? Or maybe current events something they would rather not discuss?
Look! Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton!
Pay no attention as the nation circles the drain!
That would be FOUNT.
I loked font better =)
It occurred during the 911 hearings, JR.
tracy-Where did your wonderful, flyover cut and paste come from? Surely, Shirley, it didn’t come from memory. Which website?
Still waiting.
Yes, fleetwood, almost. Because it would have been ‘almost’ accurate to skip over the parallel.
BDP fleet,
Why the URGENT need for Tracy’s source? Planning on doing your typical, ineffective “attack the messenger” post?
Why don’t you instead try refuting the 22 points, with credible, reliable sources?
Because you cannot… the points are true.
Geestir,I think they are vanilla,with the crunchy chocolate coating.
I’m going to have to make a cigarette run for them soon.Wouldn’t you know it,what they smoke?…(wait for it)
CAMELS!!!!
cosmos, I could bring alot more to the discussion, but man, them wingers hate cutnpaste.(read as: facts)
ben-No parallel at all. Berger is a thief. You couldn’t help but to water down your post.
cocmos-I was curious and getting more so as tracy avoids the answer.
And someone outed Plame. Both relate to national Security issues.
Tracy- Those cookies are alright.
Just as long as it’s not Hummus with Goat cheese and pecans!
That would probably be a subject for further investigation!
So are we to believe that Democrats in Congress are somehow taking the high road in bringing charges against the administration for all the high crimes that continually get bantered about by the left?Dems taking the high road. Talk about fantasy land.
BDP fleet,
“I was curious and getting more so as tracy avoids the answer”
You should instead be “curious” about the consequences of those 22 points.
Interesting list Tracy.
May I remind you that the U.S. is a sovereign country and does not like the World opinion controlling their decisions. The U.S. has a huge purse and the U.N. wants to commit the U.S. to long term commitments when countries like Libya etc. are on councils that decide what to spend the money on. (with zero imput from the US)
In short, they want our money, but not our input. Why should we belong to those organizations?
Re: Tracey and the twenty two points. You list them off as if the US actions in regards to them are bad. Hell they are the best things this administration has done to date.The goal of the left and the one worlders has long been to abrigate the US Constitution by means of international treaties. A far greater threat than “The Patriot Act” or any of the “small fish” complaints that get so much attention here, if you ask me.
Good list Tracy
VERY ilustrative of our conservatives here. Apparently they think land mines, nuclear testing, and the exploitation of children (among other things) are GOOD.
Sorta makes ya ashamed to share a nation with folks like that.
tracy-Where did this list come from?
Just another fine day to slam Bush and idolize Clinton. Will wonders never cease. The Wall Street Journal finally saw their circulation go to the lowest point ever and realized that the thinkers of the world wanted the facts and not an homogenized version fed to them. Berger committed the crime and now should do the time after he tells us why stealing those documents was so important. He just might put some slime on Bill because they dealt with Bill’s action or lack thereof dealing with 911. Oh well we will wait and see and Tracy lay off the scissors nobody reads that propoganda anyhow.
If you are so ashamed of your country, you always have the option of leaving, so why don’t you. Might I suggest you will find paradise 90 miles south of MIami, just make sure you’re on the other side of the fence from the Gitmo Naval Base. You might just find that the real prison is not Gitmo but the rest of the island. And don’t forget to wear you Che t-shirt. I also would appreciate it if you people would quit using the children to back up anything you have to say, what a cheap shot.
The 22 points are a slightly smaller portion of the points listed by Richard Du Boff.
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Rogue_State_US/Biggest_Rogue.html
MacTown – some of us who love our country want it to be the best that it can be. That means we want to address any shortcomings we might have.
hmmm… – Yes, I can see that you have some shortcomings to overcome. I notice that you opinions just seem to mimick those of the mainstream media and Hollywood types. Even when the truth is slapping you in the face, you just can’t seem to get past the propaganda. This type of thought process was written by a famous author, “George Orwell” in the book “1984″. In his book the government known as “Big Brother” had control of the people and their thoughts. Your opinions are not of your own, you just find out what the days talking points are and repeat them over and over again until you believe them. Be a man, get some backbone and have your own opinion. If you can truly have your own opinion about issues, maybe just maybe somebody might listen.
Mrs MT you are a breath of fresh air on this thread. I hope there will be others who read your post and eventhough they don’t agree with your opinions will at least have the courage to develop opinions of their own rather than wait and have them fed to them on a daily basis. The Wall Street Journal talked about this last week as they looked at their methods of reporting news and came to the conclusion that news reporting should be just that. Editorials belong on the editorial page and not on the front page. What a refreshing change.
Well everybody, the link that tracy didn’t wish to provide for his “21 points” comes from an outfit who have “alternative theories” about the 9/11 attacks. That’s right “alternative theories”. Perhaps tracy will tell us more.
Bucky,
Thank you for finding a more recent version of Tracy’s list “BY” Richard Du Boff, with more items on it.
BDP fleet,
You never cease to amaze me… and that’s not meant as a compliment.
Tracy’s 22 (now higher) points does NOT come “from an outfit who have “alternative theories” about the 9/11 attacks”.
Do you NOT understand the word “BY”?http://www.zmag.org/Sustainers/content/2001-12/21duboff.cfm
This is tracy’s favorite website.Check it out~ Enjoy~~
http://www.globalresearch.ca/