DNI Confirmation Hearing: Blair’s East Timor Record ‘Flat Wrong’ « The Washington Independent
Jul 31, 2020595.2K Shares8.7M Views
A big obstacle to retired Adm. Dennis Blair’s confirmation as director of national intelligence concerns his interactions with the Indonesian government as U.S. Pacific Command chief, when it came to East Timorese independence from Indonesia in 2000. Blair defended himself in an interaction with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) saying that he didn’t, as accused, turned a blind eye to Indonesian massacres and carried out his own freelance policy.
Blair: “I carried out the American government’s policies … We decried, and said the torture and killing carried out by Indonesian military and paramilitary groups need to stop … That was my consistent message … All of those meetings were attended by the ambassador … Those who say I was carrying out my own policy … are flat wrong.”
Wyden wants to see those communications.
Paolo Reyna
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Paolo Reyna is a writer and storyteller with a wide range of interests. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies.
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