Gen. Odom (Reagan NSA Chief) Pulls No Punches

Posted on December 2, 2006 by Michael Froomkin

I don't know what the Augusta (GA) Metro Spirit is exactly, but its national security blog landed an interview with Lt. Gen. William Odom (Ret.), Reagan's NSA chief speaks out. It's a doozy:

Retired general asks, What’s wrong with cutting and running?
By Corey Pein

Metro Spirit: What are your feelings on the NSA’s program of warrantless wiretapping of American citizens?

William Odom: It didn’t happen under my watch. And I’m still puzzled why somebody hasn’t tried to impeach the president for doing it. Any conservative in the United States who values his life [ought to be outraged]. In fact, the South seceded in defense of minority rights — why the hell have they forgotten them now? Ben Franklin said, “somebody who values security over liberty deserves neither.”

MS: What do you say to people, and there are plenty here in Augusta, who say that cutting and running from Iraq is traitorous act?

WO: Well, just tell ‘em they’re full of shit. They're traitors. You know what lemmings are? Yeah, they’re lemmings. We went to war for our enemies’ best interests. You ask those people why it makes sense that we went to war to advance the interests of Iran and Al Qaeda.

There's LOTS more where that came from. The guy reminds me of Barry Goldwater — calls them like he sees them, with no muffler…

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3 Responses to Gen. Odom (Reagan NSA Chief) Pulls No Punches

  1. Matt says:
    December 2, 2006 at 12:10 pm

    Hmm, that “the south seceeded in defense of minority rights” bit does make me a bit worried about his analysis, though.

  2. BroD says:
    December 2, 2006 at 5:26 pm

    I spent some time in Augusta, courtesy of Uncle Sam. On a ramble around town (providing a buddy exclusive use of our motel room for his liaison with a prostitute) I came across the monument in the center of town. It was dedicated to the CSA and bore the inscription “No nation rose so fair and pure nor fell so free of crime.” It made an impression on me–the more so because my brother was working for C.O.R.E. in Mississippi at the time.

  3. Kevin Hayden says:
    December 3, 2006 at 12:41 am

    Yes, diplomacy is obviously not his forte. But it’s good to hear. And after hearing of the verbal spar between Jim Webb and Bush, I’m tempted to start a club called “Patriotic Americans Who’d Like To Punch Bush In The Nose, Too.”

    Diplomacy has its place. It doesn’t work so well with elitist tyrants or their Stepford sicko-phants. Bluntness, disrespect and well-deserved insults are better than Hallmark sentiments for miserable curs like that.

    (Would you believe I was known for my mediation skills not long ago? The change in me I attribute solely to the Bush mobsters, who have lowered public discourse to that of an angry mob.)

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