CBS Fires Former Iraq Commander for Speaking Out Against Bush Policies in Iraq (VIDEO)

CBS says they fired Major General Batiste because he engaged in advocacy, but critics say CBS is holding him to a different standard than their other consultants.

(NEW YORK) - It took CBS two weeks to fire Don Imus for calling a college women's basketball team "nappy headed hos," but it only took them two days to fire Major General John Batiste for speaking out against the president and his policies on the war in Iraq.

Batiste, a Republican, commanded troops in Iraq in 2004 and 2005. He left the Army on a mision to speak out against what he calls "the president's reckless policy in Iraq." A short time after that, CBS hired him as a part-time consultant.

But then last week, Batiste appeared in a VoteVets.org TV ad speaking out against the president on Iraq. Just two days later, CBS fired him.

"It's censorship, pure and simple," Moveon.org stated. They say they are going to rally over 100,000 people to send messages demanding that CBS re-hire Major General John Batiste by the end of the week.

As in the case of Don Imus though, supporters of Batiste are well served to remember that CBS is a business, not a democracy, and they are not necessarily bound to keep any employee around that they deem should no longer work there.

Still, the move by CBS to dismiss the General who commanded forces in Iraq does seem consistent with other similar firings in the federal government. Several notable generals have spoken out publicly against the course of the war in Iraq, they appear to have learned to wait until they are out of the military to do it however.

CBS says they fired Major General Batiste because he engaged in advocacy, but critics say CBS is holding him to a different standard than their other consultants.

One example is former White House communications director Nicolle Wallace, a consultant to CBS who is known for using her position to push White House talking points.

It was also reported that she was advising the McCain campaign, yet CBS did nothing when she appeared as a consultant on their network to promote his candidacy. The Brookings Institution's Michael O'Hanlon also appeared on CBS as a consultant while advocating in favor of President Bush's escalation plan.

Major General John Batiste is not the first general to speak out against policies in Iraq. Recently a number of generals and military leaders have spoken out, including Reagan's former NSA director, General William Odom, Vietnam veteran Major General Mel Montano and another former general from Iraq—retired Major General Paul Eaton.
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SEE THE COMMERCIAL THAT LED TO THE GENERAL'S FIRING BELOW, COURTESY OF YOUTUBE
Video

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Albert Marnell May 18, 2007 11:08 am (Pacific time)

These are not theories Rosenberg, they are fact. You have not researched one thing that proves 9/11 was planned a long time ago. Bankers, Industrialists, Parts of Government and parts of Intelligence do this kind of thing from time to time. The C.I.A. goes all over the world to assassinate and stir up trouble for different reasons. You really think that they would not knock down a few buildings and kill a few people domestically for what they consider to be in THEIR best interests? I believe that you work for some low level domestic intelligence. The problem is that you know alot of detail but put it in a meat-grinder to stop the flow of TRUTH AND FREEDOM. DO YOU HATE THIS COUNTRY ROSENBERG?

Albert Marnell May 18, 2007 10:26 am (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, Did I mention Bush once or say Bush only or say blueprints created during the Bush reign. These things have been cooked up for many years prior to 9/11. I do not have much time today but check out Operations Northwoods. I would be surprised if you already have not. You know that governments sponsor Reichstag type domestic terrorism and then blame it on another group. 9/11 was just far more sophisticated than anything Hitler manufactured in February 1933. The main rulers and creators of this kind of thing are the bankers. If you read about the history of the Rothchilds extensively, you will see that people like them are the ones that decide when and how to start and end wars. The next in line are the industrialists and then the figureheads like presidents and kings.

Rosenberg May 18, 2007 8:15 am (Pacific time)

People am I missing something? You far left kool aid drinkers constantly claim how incredibly stupid Bush is (he does have an MBA[back in the days when you actually had to perform academically!] and was smart enough to fly high performance jets), but that he was also involved in arranging the 911 scenario, and he managed that shortly after taking office? In the Dianostic Survey Manual, you will find the answers to why you profess these absurd theories...there is no remedy for you...sorry.

Coral Anika Theill May 18, 2007 2:58 am (Pacific time)

Presidential Criticism This quote was part of an editorial President Theodore Roosevelt wrote for the "Kansas City Star" durning World War I. "The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." "Roosevelt in the Kansas City Star", 149, May 7, 1918

Rosenberg May 17, 2007 11:59 am (Pacific time)

Marnell your 11:14 a.m. post says reams about you. Thanks for dispelling any other assessment(s) I might have had.

Albert Marnell May 17, 2007 11:14 am (Pacific time)

9/11 was government sponsored terrorism. I do not need documentaries like "Terrorstorm" or the dozens of others to tell me it was a fraud. Certain parts of government, the military and industry secretly sponsored attacks on their own soil for a greater agenda. The FRAUD of 9/11 was very sophisticated and people just kept eating up the propaganda on T.V. The London bombings were also intelligence and government fraud as an excuse to profit by invasions and erosions of civil rights. I told my friends many years before 9/11 that something bad was coming related to some Arab nation or China and that it would be very different than a conventional war. Even declassified government documents point to more than a foreknowledge of 9/11 and an actual plan. I am sure about 10 of your have seen the documents that say, "What we need is something like a new Pearl Harbor." This was cooked up by the New World Order of a few people of the Global Elite. It is not that complicated and this bantering about politics is a waste of time. Right now Ruppert Murdoch is 100% behind Hillary Clinton so it is very unlikely that she will not be elected the next president. Ron Paul is being discredited by Rupperts powers and ultimately, Ruppert Murdoch who is already one of your leaders as is David Rockefeller and will continue to be in power while the foolish Americans think that they have a real government for the people, by the people, of the people etc.

Rosenberg May 17, 2007 10:01 am (Pacific time)

Look at the current census report and you'll be able to extrapolate our not too distant future here in America. Our attackers just have to wait a little while longer. I was wondering, does anyone out there no when the last Jew or Christian strapped on a bomb and killed a bunch of people? 911 might be a distant memory for some of you, but that was just a warm up...Maybe some of you should ask those leaders you like when are they going to legislate some ways to build more refineries and drill for more oil? How much of the oil/gas profit goes to government taxing authorities? What's the average oil industry profit margin over the last 30 years? How's that profit margin percentage compare with other businesses? When we develop a real shortage of energy, what do you think will happen, not to just our economy, but what civil unrest are we going to have? How many millions of people that are here, who cannot speak english and have very limited skills...what will they do? In Paris they burn tens of thousands of cars! Things are going to get real bad, real quick. Learn to protect yourself people...

Vic May 17, 2007 7:26 am (Pacific time)

Well , if they hate us because of our freedoms , they should be hating us a lot less these days. Maybe thats Bush's plan ...destroy our freedoms so "they" wont hate us.

Albert Marnell May 16, 2007 6:15 pm (Pacific time)

Dear Ashley and Melanie, If you have the time, study the Federal Reserve System on a Google Video and you will find that the global bankers like the Rockefellers, Rothchilds etc. are in control of industry and that our government is just a pile of puppets for the global elite. There really is no United States in the way that you have been deceived to believe. Look at the green money that you have. It is printed by the treasury but owned by private banks. There are 12 regional banks: The Federal Reserve Bank of New York being the largest in the country. They are all privately owned. You and I are serfs for these elite bankers and industrialists. Check it out. Just type Federal Reserve video or Federal Reserve Fraud. You should have no problem finding it.

Albert Marnell May 16, 2007 6:08 pm (Pacific time)

The Treaty of Versailles of the First World War is the cause of most of today's problems. I did have a Vietnam Vet take me back from the airport recently and he had PTSD. Too bad I could not offer him some marijuana. He had severe issues.

ashley May 16, 2007 2:49 pm (Pacific time)

Of Coarse he gets fired. HOW DARE ANYONE SPEAK AGAINST OUR PRESIDENT... US get over it. I cannot wait for Bush to be out of office and it is just a sad, sad thing that the US has to suffer.

Melanie May 16, 2007 2:38 pm (Pacific time)

Both of you visit www.911mysteries.com. Enough said, the US needs to quite arguing with each and stop thinking that Congress and our all mighty Presidents are innocent. Just because the are our Leaders DOES NOT MAKE THEM GODS, Nor DOES IT MAKE THE RIGHT by any means. We do not belong in Iraq, we never did, but now we are there and both our people along with many innocents are murdered every day.

Rosenberg May 16, 2007 1:22 pm (Pacific time)

Wrongo! Marnell, you just don't understand do you? Poor little lost boy. Actually if FDR, and later, Truman, had met with Ho Chi Minh and provided some assistance that he requested he would not have turned to Stalin. As they say the rest is history, i.e. , those that know the real history. You are an idiot Marnell!Why don't you go to a Vietnam Veterans meeting in your area and share with them your viewpoints so they can have a good laugh! The school system sure has inculcated a lot of people with distortion and misinformation, and outright lies...

Albert Marnell May 16, 2007 10:34 am (Pacific time)

Rosy, You recently read that oil is missing; millions of barrels a day. It is going to the likes of BP AMOCO. We were not attacked by Vietnam and the only reason we were there was to protect Western business in Saigon and South Vietnam in general. We were there to profit as Eisenhower predicted.

Rosenberg May 16, 2007 10:09 am (Pacific time)

So where's all that oil? Marnell you know nothing about Vietnam except for what the "real" propagandist's told you...your opinions are based on mythmaking drivel...not your fault, but you should be aware of just one other shortcoming of yours (must be quite a list!!) haha. It's the unions!

Albert Marnell May 16, 2007 9:42 am (Pacific time)

The soldiers are told to behave no differently then the German soldiers during WWII. They break into homes and do whatever they want. We do not get accurate reports and the bottom line is that we have no right to be there. We have ABSOLUTELY no right to be there. It is all about money and a senate and congress that is beholden to aerospace, defense, big oil and are also cowards afraid to loose their positions. I still am amazed that we are occupying Iraq and NO ONE can tell me there is any other reason for it than PROFIT and EXPANSIONISM and BASE BUILDING and RESOURCE CONFISCATION. AMERICA GET THE HELL OUT OF IRAQ! YOU ARE THE DISGRACE OF THE WORLD! THE WAR ON TERROR WAS CREATED AS A PRETEXT TO EXPAND, CONTROL AND PROFIT! IT WILL BACKFIRE AS IT ALREADY HAS. THIS IS VIETNAM #2.

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CBS Fires Former Iraq Commander for Speaking Out Against Bush Policies in Iraq (VIDEO)

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