Parry: Webb’s offense was to have revived the shocking story of the Reagan administration’s tolerance of cocaine smuggling by the CIA-backed Nicaraguan Contra rebels in the 1980s. Though the scandal was real – and had been partly exposed in real time – the major newspapers had locked arms in defense of President Ronald Reagan and the CIA. The sordid scandal apparently was deemed “not good for the country,” so it was buried.
From the article: Captured on cellphone video, the incident received attention because we are living in a moment when many people have decided that the state-sanctioned killing of black people by law enforcement is worth our attention—and that’s very uncomfortable for those who want to believe that every police killing must be in some way justified, if we could only see how.
Two courageous reporters dug up dark government secrets. Only one was betrayed by his peers. Why did it happen? Jeremy Renner as Gary Webb in "Kill the Messenger" (Credit: Focus Features) By ANDREW O'HEHIR SALON.com October 25, 2014 In thinking about the cases of Gary Webb and James Risen, two famous investigative reporters aggressively persecuted for More
Unfortunately, during the last five years, no world leader has done more to undermine international law than Barack Obama. He treats it with rhetorical adulation and behavioral contempt, helping to further normalize a might-makes-right approach to global affairs that is the antithesis of international law. NORMAN SOLOMON 4 March 2014 NationofChange.org OP-ED International law is suddenly More
