The Lost War - where have all the true liberals gone

The Washington Post article on The Lost War along with comments by Ross I was reminded of Gary Webb. You may have remembered the story of Gary Webb, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who wrote a series of stories linking the CIA to crack cocaine trafficking in Los Angeles. He was a true liberal and liberal who was murdered. Let's be clear Markos C. A.Moulitsas is no Gary Webb. So lets take a look back at Gary Webb.

As reported by Democracy Now, Gary Webb's 1996 series in the San Jose Mercury News titled "Dark Alliance" revealed that for the better part of a decade, a Bay Area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to Los Angeles street gangs and funneled millions in drug profits to the CIA-backed Nicaraguan Contras.

It provoked a fierce reaction from the media establishment, which denounced the series. Following the controversy, San Jose Mercury News executive editor demoted Webb within the paper. He resigned and pushed his investigation even further in his book "Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion."

• Robert Parry, veteran investigative journalist and author of the new book "Secrecy & Privilege: Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq." For years he worked as an investigative reporter for both the Associated Press and Newsweek magazine. His reporting led to the exposure of what is now known as the "Iran-Contra" scandal.
  - Read Robert Parry's article: "America's Debt to Journalist Gary Webb"

Past Democracy Now Coverage:

• 7/1998 - The CIA-Contra Cocaine Connection
• 5/1998 - Gary Webb -- Dark Alliance Interview Part II
• 5/1998 - CIA Crack Connection Reporter Releases New Book
• 2/1998 - Analysis of C.I.A. Report On Its Involvement in Drug Trafficking
• 12/1997 - Gary Webb Resigns From the San Jose Mercury News

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AMY GOODMAN: we're joined on the telephone now by Bob Parry, veteran investigative journalist, wrote for AP and Newsweek. His reporting led to the exposure of what's now called the Iran-Contra scandal. His latest book is called Secrecy and Privilege: The Rise of the Bush Dynasty to Watergate and Iraq. Welcome to Democracy Now!

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