Demagogue

The Carpetbagger links to this LA Times article on the fact that Robert L. Earl, a key player in the Iran/Contra Affair, is now serving as chief of staff to the acting deputy secretary of Defense. As the Times piece notes, "Earl has clearance to review the kinds of classified documents he once destroyed."

The article also contain this gem

On Capitol Hill and in the Pentagon, the few who were aware of Earl's past expressed little concern about his fitness for his current job.

"This was nearly two decades ago," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. "And he has served ably for many years in the department and in industry."

You can read all about Walsh's role in Iran/Contra here in the Independent Counsel's final report on the scandal

On Saturday, November 29, 1986, Earl was interviewed about Iran/contra by two FBI agents. During the interview, Earl made a number of false statements. Earl falsely stated that he merely "suspected"' but did not know that North was diverting the profits from the arms sales to the contras. In addition, Earl falsely stated that he did not observe North or anyone else in suite 302 engaging in an unusual destruction or shredding of documents in November 1986. Earl subsequently admitted that he lied to the FBI agents in this interview.

Less than twenty years ago, Earl was granted immunity and testified that he, among other things, was involved in selling weapons to Iraq and diverting the proceeds to the Contras, lied to the FBI and destroyed documents.

And since then, "he has served ably for many years in the [Defense]department and in industry."

Um ... that is not a qualification; that is exactly the problem.