In this extended interview with Russia Today, Russ Baker of WhoWhatWhy explains why so many JFK records remain secret (as much as 50,000 pages worth). He says President Obama may have “some “trepidation” about releasing long-secret CIA records related to the assassination of President Kennedy in 2013.
I think he’s right.
Baker argues that JFK’s assassination in 1963 narrowed the range of choices in the political culture, at least when it comes to U.S. foreign policy and militarism.
“Ever since JFK the range of options are all very narrow,” he says. “There is no broad disagreement about pursuing foreign wars, about what U.S. interests really are.”
Baker, author of “Family of Secrets,” calls on supporters of President Obama to write to the president calling for release of 50,000 pages of CIA documents related to JFK’s assassination. [For more details, see "Top 5 JFK files Brennan should make public".] He wonders, though, if Obama might have some “trepidation” about doing so.
I’m not sure that Obama worries or needs to worry about being assassinated, but I do think he will have some trepidation about crossing an entrenched CIA bureaucracy that is intent on keeping JFK assassination secrets in the name of “national security.”
If Obama realized that ordering disclosure of JFK records would be the fulfillment of his first-day-in-office pledge to “usher in a new era of open government,” perhaps he could overcome his trepidation.
I would say that Obama certainly does fear those who have “limited the range of choices” in the political culture; that just doesn’t happen for no reason.
I would also say that EVERYBODY in Washington fears the same entity, as they have since the ‘message’ handed out in 1963, via the assassination of JFK (to paraphrase Vince Salandria).
In this interview, Russ Baker is measured and precise. But non-responsive at times.
In “Family of Secrets,” Baker left the impression in the reader’s mind that George H.W. Bush was somehow involved in the assassination. But he never produced any compelling evidence to back up that charge. Every book and article such as “Family of Secrets” makes it that much harder to get at the truth.
Its interesting to note that every President since Nixon has had a “minder” in office, save one. The “minder”, who is usually on the white House staff or in the cabinet, serves a role of keeping the chief executive in line and reminding him how far he can go. witness for example, the blatant manipulation of Obama by Rahm Emmanuel, his first chief of staff.
And the only President who didn’t have a minder? George H.W. Bush, of course, for he was a minder himself. He and the White House staff played Reagan like a musical instrument. In effect, George the first had a twelve year term in office.
And what agency was George HW Bush previously director of, by the way?
To paraphrase Lincoln- A national security state and a Democracy cannot coexist.