Radiozine on 06/18/08

Air date: 
Wed, 06/18/2008 - 10:00am - 10:30am

Per Fagereng interviews Gareth Porter, historian, investigative journalist and policy analyst.  His latest book is "Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam."

He wrote the recent piece "Bush Pledges on Iraq Bases Pact Were a Ruse," which states: "When Democratic Sen. James Webb asked the State Department's David Satterfield, 'What is a permanent base?' Satterfield tried to avoid answering the question. But Assistant Defense Secretary Mary Beth Long was more responsive. She said, 'I have looked into this. As far as the department is concerned, we don't have a worldwide or even a department-wide definition of permanent bases.'    "Webb then observed, 'It doesn't really mean anything,' to which Long replied, 'Yes, senator, you're right. It doesn't.' She added that 'most lawyers... would say that the word "permanent" probably refers more to the state of mind contemplated by the use of the term.'"



