All language subtitles for Americas.Book.Of.Secrets.S02E07_English

af Afrikaans
ak Akan
sq Albanian
am Amharic
hy Armenian
az Azerbaijani
eu Basque
be Belarusian
bem Bemba
bn Bengali
bh Bihari
bs Bosnian
br Breton
bg Bulgarian
km Cambodian
ca Catalan
ceb Cebuano
chr Cherokee
ny Chichewa
zh-CN Chinese (Simplified)
zh-TW Chinese (Traditional)
co Corsican
hr Croatian
cs Czech
da Danish
en English
eo Esperanto
et Estonian
ee Ewe
fo Faroese
tl Filipino
fi Finnish
fr French
fy Frisian
gaa Ga
gl Galician
ka Georgian
de German
el Greek
gn Guarani
gu Gujarati
ht Haitian Creole
ha Hausa
haw Hawaiian
iw Hebrew
hi Hindi
hmn Hmong
hu Hungarian
is Icelandic
ig Igbo
id Indonesian
ia Interlingua
ga Irish
it Italian
ja Japanese
jw Javanese
kn Kannada
kk Kazakh
rw Kinyarwanda
rn Kirundi
kg Kongo
ko Korean
kri Krio (Sierra Leone)
ku Kurdish
ckb Kurdish (Soranรฎ)
ky Kyrgyz
lo Laothian
la Latin
lv Latvian
ln Lingala
lt Lithuanian
loz Lozi
lg Luganda
ach Luo
lb Luxembourgish
mk Macedonian
mg Malagasy
ms Malay
ml Malayalam
mt Maltese
mi Maori
mr Marathi
mfe Mauritian Creole
mo Moldavian
mn Mongolian
my Myanmar (Burmese)
sr-ME Montenegrin
ne Nepali
pcm Nigerian Pidgin
nso Northern Sotho
no Norwegian
nn Norwegian (Nynorsk)
oc Occitan
or Oriya
om Oromo
ps Pashto
fa Persian
pl Polish
pt-BR Portuguese (Brazil)
pt Portuguese (Portugal)
pa Punjabi
qu Quechua
rm Romansh
nyn Runyakitara
ru Russian
sm Samoan
gd Scots Gaelic
sr Serbian
sh Serbo-Croatian
st Sesotho
tn Setswana
crs Seychellois Creole
sn Shona
sd Sindhi
si Sinhalese
sk Slovak
sl Slovenian
so Somali
es Spanish
es-419 Spanish (Latin American)
su Sundanese
sw Swahili
sv Swedish
tg Tajik
ta Tamil
tt Tatar
te Telugu
th Thai
ti Tigrinya
to Tonga
lua Tshiluba
tum Tumbuka
tr Turkish
tk Turkmen
tw Twi
ug Uighur
uk Ukrainian
ur Urdu
uz Uzbek
vi Vietnamese
cy Welsh
wo Wolof
xh Xhosa
yi Yiddish
yo Yoruba
zu Zulu
Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:02,270 --> 00:00:03,300 >> NARRATOR: Dangerous 2 00:00:03,304 --> 00:00:04,344 missions... 3 00:00:04,338 --> 00:00:04,938 >> ALLAN LICHTMAN: It involved 4 00:00:04,938 --> 00:00:07,038 a rogue agency accountable 5 00:00:07,041 --> 00:00:10,511 to absolutely nobody. 6 00:00:10,511 --> 00:00:11,251 >> NARRATOR: ...covert 7 00:00:11,245 --> 00:00:12,245 operations... 8 00:00:12,246 --> 00:00:12,846 >> PETER KORNBLUH: Operations 9 00:00:12,846 --> 00:00:14,116 were being done without the 10 00:00:14,115 --> 00:00:15,115 knowledge of the American 11 00:00:15,116 --> 00:00:17,116 public, but in their name. 12 00:00:17,118 --> 00:00:17,648 >> NARRATOR: ...and 13 00:00:17,651 --> 00:00:18,591 assassinations of American 14 00:00:18,586 --> 00:00:19,716 citizens... 15 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:20,520 >> WEBSTER TARPLEY: American 16 00:00:20,521 --> 00:00:22,521 citizens are killed by drones. 17 00:00:22,523 --> 00:00:23,093 >> NARRATOR: ...at the order 18 00:00:23,091 --> 00:00:25,061 of the President of the United 19 00:00:25,059 --> 00:00:26,529 States. 20 00:00:26,527 --> 00:00:27,127 >> DOUG WEAD: Only a few years 21 00:00:27,128 --> 00:00:28,358 ago, a President of the United 22 00:00:28,362 --> 00:00:30,332 States could not wiretap your 23 00:00:30,331 --> 00:00:32,101 phone without the signature of a 24 00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:33,270 judge. 25 00:00:33,267 --> 00:00:34,767 Now he can kill you without the 26 00:00:34,768 --> 00:00:37,338 signature of a judge. 27 00:00:37,338 --> 00:00:38,608 >> NARRATOR: Just how far can 28 00:00:38,606 --> 00:00:40,536 our nation's chief executive go 29 00:00:40,541 --> 00:00:42,681 in the interest of national 30 00:00:42,676 --> 00:00:44,246 security? 31 00:00:44,245 --> 00:00:47,075 And how much information does 32 00:00:47,081 --> 00:00:49,421 the public have a right to know? 33 00:00:49,417 --> 00:00:49,977 >> KATIE PAVLICH: There are 34 00:00:49,983 --> 00:00:50,753 cover-ups that go on in 35 00:00:50,751 --> 00:00:51,791 Washington, DC, and government 36 00:00:51,785 --> 00:00:53,215 every single day. 37 00:00:53,221 --> 00:00:53,851 >> MARTIN MORGAN: It could have 38 00:00:53,854 --> 00:00:55,224 resulted-- at any time-- in 39 00:00:55,223 --> 00:00:57,133 nuclear war. 40 00:00:57,125 --> 00:00:58,655 >> NARRATOR: There are those 41 00:00:58,659 --> 00:01:00,089 who believe in the existence 42 00:01:00,094 --> 00:01:02,164 of a book. 43 00:01:02,163 --> 00:01:04,633 A book that contains the most 44 00:01:04,632 --> 00:01:07,102 highly guarded secrets of the 45 00:01:07,101 --> 00:01:10,241 United States of America. 46 00:01:10,238 --> 00:01:13,238 A book... 47 00:01:13,241 --> 00:01:14,781 whose very existence is known 48 00:01:14,775 --> 00:01:18,405 to only a select few. 49 00:01:18,412 --> 00:01:21,652 But if such a book exists, 50 00:01:21,649 --> 00:01:24,589 what would it contain? 51 00:01:24,585 --> 00:01:27,585 Secret orders? 52 00:01:27,588 --> 00:01:30,788 Secret missions? 53 00:01:30,791 --> 00:01:34,261 Secret crimes? 54 00:01:34,262 --> 00:01:37,602 Does there really exist 55 00:01:37,598 --> 00:01:41,368 America's Book of Secrets? 56 00:01:50,744 --> 00:01:52,814 >> NARRATOR: Benghazi, Libya. 57 00:01:52,813 --> 00:01:55,723 September 11, 2012. 58 00:01:55,716 --> 00:01:58,216 On the 11th anniversary of 59 00:01:58,219 --> 00:01:59,889 the most devastating terrorist 60 00:01:59,887 --> 00:02:02,217 attack in U.S. history... 61 00:02:02,223 --> 00:02:03,823 (men shouting) 62 00:02:03,824 --> 00:02:05,764 (machine-gun fire) 63 00:02:08,296 --> 00:02:10,456 ...the United States consulate 64 00:02:10,464 --> 00:02:13,474 is overrun by militant rebels 65 00:02:13,467 --> 00:02:17,367 and set ablaze. 66 00:02:17,371 --> 00:02:19,641 American Ambassador Christopher 67 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:22,510 Stevens and three diplomatic 68 00:02:22,510 --> 00:02:24,450 aides are murdered. 69 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,920 The following morning, President 70 00:02:28,916 --> 00:02:30,916 Barack Obama gives a statement 71 00:02:30,918 --> 00:02:32,718 in the Rose Garden, condemning 72 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,490 the attacks, and vowing to bring 73 00:02:35,523 --> 00:02:37,763 the perpetrators to justice. 74 00:02:37,758 --> 00:02:38,388 >> PRESIDENT OBAMA: And make no 75 00:02:38,392 --> 00:02:40,392 mistake, we will work with the 76 00:02:40,394 --> 00:02:42,404 Libyan government to bring to 77 00:02:42,396 --> 00:02:44,726 justice the killers who attacked 78 00:02:44,732 --> 00:02:46,672 our people. 79 00:02:49,370 --> 00:02:50,370 >> REP. MIKE ROGERS: The attack 80 00:02:50,371 --> 00:02:51,941 in Libya appears to be a very 81 00:02:51,939 --> 00:02:53,469 coordinated, military-style 82 00:02:53,474 --> 00:02:54,484 attack. 83 00:02:54,475 --> 00:02:55,405 This was not a-a demonstration 84 00:02:55,409 --> 00:02:57,349 gone bad. 85 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:00,510 >> NARRATOR: Five days later, 86 00:03:00,514 --> 00:03:02,284 United Nations Ambassador Susan 87 00:03:02,283 --> 00:03:04,923 Rice appears on five Sunday 88 00:03:04,918 --> 00:03:07,688 talk shows and blames the attack 89 00:03:07,688 --> 00:03:10,388 on a spontaneous reaction to 90 00:03:10,391 --> 00:03:12,561 an anti-Muslim YouTube video. 91 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:13,890 >> RICE: What sparked the recent 92 00:03:13,894 --> 00:03:16,304 violence was the airing on the 93 00:03:16,297 --> 00:03:18,697 Internet of a very hateful, 94 00:03:18,699 --> 00:03:19,829 very offensive video. 95 00:03:19,833 --> 00:03:20,973 >> NARRATOR: But when 96 00:03:20,968 --> 00:03:22,298 intelligence reports later 97 00:03:22,303 --> 00:03:23,973 indicate that the president and 98 00:03:23,971 --> 00:03:26,441 his staff had earlier evidence 99 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:27,710 that the attack was the work of 100 00:03:27,708 --> 00:03:29,908 al Qaeda, questions begin to be 101 00:03:29,910 --> 00:03:30,940 asked. 102 00:03:30,944 --> 00:03:34,324 Was the American public being 103 00:03:34,315 --> 00:03:35,915 told the truth? 104 00:03:35,916 --> 00:03:37,246 >> WEAD: After the embassy was 105 00:03:37,251 --> 00:03:39,521 attacked in Benghazi, a lot 106 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,390 of people, uh, questioned what 107 00:03:42,390 --> 00:03:43,590 the White House knew and when 108 00:03:43,591 --> 00:03:44,591 they knew it. 109 00:03:44,592 --> 00:03:45,732 >> LICHTMAN: Some claim that 110 00:03:45,726 --> 00:03:47,426 the terrorist attack was covered 111 00:03:47,428 --> 00:03:50,928 up by the Obama administration. 112 00:03:50,931 --> 00:03:52,731 Now, why would the Obama 113 00:03:52,733 --> 00:03:54,343 administration want to cover 114 00:03:54,335 --> 00:03:55,935 this up? 115 00:03:55,936 --> 00:03:58,406 This attack occurred right 116 00:03:58,439 --> 00:04:01,739 before a presidential election. 117 00:04:01,742 --> 00:04:03,012 The last thing the Obama 118 00:04:03,010 --> 00:04:04,750 administration would want would 119 00:04:04,745 --> 00:04:07,005 be embarrassing information 120 00:04:07,014 --> 00:04:09,284 coming out on the eve of the 121 00:04:09,317 --> 00:04:10,747 election. 122 00:04:10,751 --> 00:04:11,621 >> PAVLICH: They blame a YouTube 123 00:04:11,619 --> 00:04:13,449 video for sparking the attack, 124 00:04:13,454 --> 00:04:14,564 but al Qaeda terrorists took 125 00:04:14,555 --> 00:04:16,355 responsibility for it. 126 00:04:26,033 --> 00:04:27,003 >> MICHAEL ISIKOFF: There 127 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:28,640 clearly were intelligence 128 00:04:28,636 --> 00:04:31,366 failures; there clearly was 129 00:04:31,372 --> 00:04:34,442 great confusion about what had 130 00:04:34,442 --> 00:04:35,442 happened. 131 00:04:35,443 --> 00:04:36,383 >> MICHAEL GENOVESE: The 132 00:04:36,377 --> 00:04:39,647 administration made a mistake. 133 00:04:39,647 --> 00:04:40,907 They did not have sufficient 134 00:04:40,914 --> 00:04:42,054 security. 135 00:04:42,049 --> 00:04:43,549 People said, "We need more 136 00:04:43,584 --> 00:04:45,054 security..." they didn't get it. 137 00:04:45,052 --> 00:04:46,652 >> NARRATOR: Could the murders 138 00:04:46,654 --> 00:04:48,624 have been prevented? 139 00:04:48,622 --> 00:04:51,462 And why was President Obama 140 00:04:51,459 --> 00:04:53,389 reluctant to blame al Qaeda? 141 00:04:56,797 --> 00:04:57,797 >> PAVLICH: The U.S. consulate 142 00:04:57,798 --> 00:04:59,398 had asked for multiple rounds 143 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,340 of security, was denied it. 144 00:05:03,937 --> 00:05:05,907 The cover-up part comes in when 145 00:05:05,906 --> 00:05:06,866 the administration is 146 00:05:06,874 --> 00:05:09,614 campaigning on the idea that 147 00:05:09,610 --> 00:05:11,380 al Qaeda is no longer a threat 148 00:05:11,412 --> 00:05:13,552 to the United States. 149 00:05:13,547 --> 00:05:15,517 >> TARPLEY: The goal of the 150 00:05:15,516 --> 00:05:17,076 Benghazi September 11 151 00:05:17,084 --> 00:05:19,624 assassinations was to embarrass 152 00:05:19,620 --> 00:05:22,560 Obama, to refute his contention 153 00:05:22,556 --> 00:05:26,386 that al Qaeda was defeated. 154 00:05:26,394 --> 00:05:27,364 Al Qaeda, of course, is not 155 00:05:27,361 --> 00:05:28,831 defeated. 156 00:05:28,829 --> 00:05:29,699 >> PAVLICH: Well, the Vice 157 00:05:29,697 --> 00:05:30,697 President of the United States 158 00:05:30,698 --> 00:05:32,368 told the American people that 159 00:05:32,366 --> 00:05:34,836 it was an intelligence failure. 160 00:05:34,835 --> 00:05:36,835 But they had been told that 161 00:05:36,837 --> 00:05:38,367 the YouTube video had sparked 162 00:05:38,372 --> 00:05:40,112 the attack. 163 00:05:41,509 --> 00:05:42,839 >> NARRATOR: Did the Obama 164 00:05:42,843 --> 00:05:44,913 administration really conceal 165 00:05:44,912 --> 00:05:46,552 al Qaeda's involvement in the 166 00:05:46,547 --> 00:05:48,947 attack on the U.S. consulate for 167 00:05:48,949 --> 00:05:50,519 fear it would undermine the 168 00:05:50,518 --> 00:05:53,418 president's bid for re-election? 169 00:05:53,421 --> 00:05:55,861 Or was there another-- perhaps 170 00:05:55,856 --> 00:05:57,986 even more secret-- reason for 171 00:05:57,991 --> 00:05:59,991 the administration's reluctance 172 00:05:59,993 --> 00:06:02,503 to admit the truth? 173 00:06:05,466 --> 00:06:06,866 >> WEAD: A president would 174 00:06:06,867 --> 00:06:10,537 justify a cover-up if national 175 00:06:10,538 --> 00:06:11,938 security was at stake. 176 00:06:11,939 --> 00:06:14,939 But the problem comes in... 177 00:06:14,942 --> 00:06:16,482 (chuckles) 178 00:06:16,477 --> 00:06:17,677 ...when is the national security 179 00:06:17,678 --> 00:06:18,748 at stake? 180 00:06:18,746 --> 00:06:20,546 And I think presidents are very 181 00:06:20,548 --> 00:06:24,148 elastic about that. 182 00:06:24,151 --> 00:06:25,691 >> NARRATOR: There are some who 183 00:06:25,686 --> 00:06:28,156 believe the attack in Benghazi 184 00:06:28,155 --> 00:06:29,855 was at the center of an even 185 00:06:29,890 --> 00:06:31,890 greater presidential cover-up-- 186 00:06:31,892 --> 00:06:35,562 one involving a secret CIA 187 00:06:35,563 --> 00:06:38,603 outpost located approximately 188 00:06:38,632 --> 00:06:40,732 a mile from the U.S. consulate. 189 00:06:40,734 --> 00:06:42,004 >> PAVLICH: When President 190 00:06:42,002 --> 00:06:44,102 Obama came into office, he 191 00:06:44,104 --> 00:06:45,644 immediately signed an executive 192 00:06:45,639 --> 00:06:47,909 order stopping what they call 193 00:06:47,908 --> 00:06:49,638 "enhanced interrogation torture" 194 00:06:49,643 --> 00:06:52,483 at CIA facilities overseas. 195 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:53,510 What came up in the Benghazi 196 00:06:53,514 --> 00:06:55,754 cover-up is that the CIA was 197 00:06:55,749 --> 00:06:57,519 actually holding prisoners in 198 00:06:57,518 --> 00:06:59,188 the consulate in Benghazi, 199 00:06:59,186 --> 00:07:00,916 which maybe was a reason why 200 00:07:00,921 --> 00:07:02,661 there was an attack. 201 00:07:02,656 --> 00:07:03,516 >> LICHTMAN: Apparently, 202 00:07:03,524 --> 00:07:04,934 the compound in Benghazi was not 203 00:07:04,925 --> 00:07:05,985 really a consulate. 204 00:07:05,993 --> 00:07:07,633 Many believe it was primarily 205 00:07:07,661 --> 00:07:11,471 a CIA operation. 206 00:07:11,465 --> 00:07:14,195 And nobody exactly knows what 207 00:07:14,201 --> 00:07:17,741 the CIA was doing in Benghazi. 208 00:07:17,738 --> 00:07:20,068 And whether CIA activities 209 00:07:20,073 --> 00:07:23,543 were involved with sparking this 210 00:07:23,544 --> 00:07:25,054 terrorist attack on the 211 00:07:25,078 --> 00:07:28,218 compound. 212 00:07:28,215 --> 00:07:29,545 >> NARRATOR: Is it possible 213 00:07:29,550 --> 00:07:31,220 that the CIA facility near 214 00:07:31,218 --> 00:07:33,088 the Benghazi consulate was 215 00:07:33,086 --> 00:07:34,956 the real target of the al Qaeda 216 00:07:34,955 --> 00:07:38,785 attack on September 11? 217 00:07:38,792 --> 00:07:41,962 If so, why? 218 00:07:41,962 --> 00:07:44,032 Was the compound involved in 219 00:07:44,031 --> 00:07:46,971 covert operations? 220 00:07:46,967 --> 00:07:49,097 And is this the secret being 221 00:07:49,102 --> 00:07:51,942 covered up by the White House? 222 00:07:54,207 --> 00:07:55,207 >> LICHTMAN: Some have 223 00:07:55,208 --> 00:07:57,778 speculated that the CIA in Libya 224 00:07:57,778 --> 00:07:59,978 was recruiting rebel fighters. 225 00:07:59,980 --> 00:08:03,050 In other words, if there is 226 00:08:03,050 --> 00:08:04,790 a cover-up with respect to 227 00:08:04,785 --> 00:08:07,115 Benghazi, it likely comes from 228 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,990 the CIA and, uh, is still 229 00:08:09,990 --> 00:08:11,260 ongoing. 230 00:08:11,258 --> 00:08:12,788 >> TARPLEY: Ambassador Stevens 231 00:08:12,793 --> 00:08:15,103 had his last meeting with a 232 00:08:15,095 --> 00:08:16,595 Turkish diplomat. 233 00:08:16,597 --> 00:08:18,267 Now why would the U.S. 234 00:08:18,265 --> 00:08:20,095 ambassador be meeting a Turkish 235 00:08:20,100 --> 00:08:21,640 diplomat in the terror capitol 236 00:08:21,669 --> 00:08:23,669 of Libya? 237 00:08:23,671 --> 00:08:25,611 The CIA was in Benghazi to 238 00:08:25,606 --> 00:08:27,806 direct the shipment of weaponry 239 00:08:27,808 --> 00:08:30,738 from Gaddafi's arms depots and 240 00:08:30,744 --> 00:08:33,214 guerilla fighters to Turkey so 241 00:08:33,213 --> 00:08:34,513 those could be sent into Syria 242 00:08:34,548 --> 00:08:36,018 to overthrow Assad. 243 00:08:36,016 --> 00:08:37,716 The embarrassing thing about 244 00:08:37,718 --> 00:08:39,248 this, of course, for the Obama 245 00:08:39,252 --> 00:08:40,822 administration is that they are 246 00:08:40,854 --> 00:08:43,224 caught doing this. 247 00:08:43,223 --> 00:08:44,633 >> SENATOR RAND PAUL: Is the 248 00:08:44,625 --> 00:08:46,225 U.S. involved with any, uh, 249 00:08:46,226 --> 00:08:48,156 procuring of weapons, transfer 250 00:08:48,161 --> 00:08:50,261 of weapons, buying, selling, 251 00:08:50,263 --> 00:08:52,133 anyhow transferring weapons to 252 00:08:52,165 --> 00:08:55,165 Turkey out of Libya? 253 00:08:55,168 --> 00:08:58,038 >> HILLARY CLINTON: To Turkey? 254 00:08:58,038 --> 00:09:01,578 I do not know. 255 00:09:01,575 --> 00:09:03,175 >> TARPLEY: Concerning 256 00:09:03,176 --> 00:09:06,176 the attack on the U.S. consulate 257 00:09:06,179 --> 00:09:07,719 and CIA post in Benghazi, 258 00:09:07,715 --> 00:09:09,575 Libya, the attempt to pin this 259 00:09:09,583 --> 00:09:12,323 on Obama is pure, big-lie 260 00:09:12,319 --> 00:09:14,049 propaganda. 261 00:09:14,054 --> 00:09:16,124 CIA asset kills ambassador, 262 00:09:16,123 --> 00:09:18,733 CIA assets run away. 263 00:09:18,726 --> 00:09:20,726 That's nothing to do with Obama. 264 00:09:20,728 --> 00:09:22,598 It has to do with the CIA. 265 00:09:22,596 --> 00:09:23,626 >> PAVLICH: Everything goes 266 00:09:23,631 --> 00:09:24,601 back to the President in 267 00:09:24,598 --> 00:09:25,768 the United States. 268 00:09:25,766 --> 00:09:27,196 So, what his Cabinet does, what 269 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:28,940 his department does, what his 270 00:09:28,936 --> 00:09:30,336 departments within the federal 271 00:09:30,337 --> 00:09:32,337 government do... eventually is 272 00:09:32,339 --> 00:09:34,679 his responsibility. 273 00:09:34,675 --> 00:09:35,805 >> NARRATOR: Was the attack on 274 00:09:35,809 --> 00:09:37,879 the U.S. consulate in Benghazi 275 00:09:37,878 --> 00:09:39,648 perpetrated by al Qaeda 276 00:09:39,647 --> 00:09:41,207 operatives who had been secretly 277 00:09:41,214 --> 00:09:43,684 working with the CIA? 278 00:09:43,684 --> 00:09:46,154 And is this the reason why the 279 00:09:46,153 --> 00:09:48,093 Obama administration was quick 280 00:09:48,088 --> 00:09:50,088 to blame the attack on a 281 00:09:50,090 --> 00:09:52,030 15-minute YouTube video? 282 00:09:54,327 --> 00:09:57,097 >> TARPLEY: After Benghazi and 283 00:09:57,097 --> 00:09:58,967 around the time of the election, 284 00:09:58,966 --> 00:10:01,366 a whole series of top admirals 285 00:10:01,368 --> 00:10:03,938 and generals get fired. 286 00:10:03,937 --> 00:10:05,707 Petraeus is out. 287 00:10:05,706 --> 00:10:06,836 General Allen. 288 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,380 Admiral Stavridis at NATO. 289 00:10:09,376 --> 00:10:10,906 The head of the Missile Defense 290 00:10:10,911 --> 00:10:11,981 Agency. 291 00:10:11,979 --> 00:10:13,379 General Carter Ham, the head of 292 00:10:13,380 --> 00:10:15,220 U.S. AFRICOM. 293 00:10:15,215 --> 00:10:16,215 There's a whole series of 294 00:10:16,216 --> 00:10:17,946 high-profile careers that 295 00:10:17,951 --> 00:10:19,991 mysteriously come to an end in 296 00:10:19,987 --> 00:10:22,717 the autumn of 2012. 297 00:10:22,723 --> 00:10:24,193 And nobody has come up with a 298 00:10:24,191 --> 00:10:25,991 satisfactory explanation. 299 00:10:25,993 --> 00:10:27,233 The public has not been told 300 00:10:27,227 --> 00:10:29,157 the entire truth. 301 00:10:31,965 --> 00:10:32,995 >> NARRATOR: Are the details of 302 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:34,940 the attack on the U.S. consulate 303 00:10:34,935 --> 00:10:36,995 in Benghazi really part of 304 00:10:37,004 --> 00:10:39,214 a presidential cover-up? 305 00:10:39,206 --> 00:10:42,006 And if so, is it to protect 306 00:10:42,009 --> 00:10:44,009 American interests and national 307 00:10:44,011 --> 00:10:45,811 security? 308 00:10:45,813 --> 00:10:47,383 Or is the reason purely 309 00:10:47,414 --> 00:10:49,384 political? 310 00:10:49,382 --> 00:10:50,882 >> GENOVESE: Most cover-ups are 311 00:10:50,884 --> 00:10:52,394 for presidential gain or to 312 00:10:52,385 --> 00:10:53,345 protect the president, either 313 00:10:53,353 --> 00:10:55,023 personally or politically. 314 00:10:55,022 --> 00:10:55,962 >> RONALD GOLDFARB: All 315 00:10:55,956 --> 00:10:57,156 governments like to operate in 316 00:10:57,157 --> 00:10:58,157 secret, and whether you come in 317 00:10:58,158 --> 00:10:59,158 as a liberal or conservative, 318 00:10:59,159 --> 00:11:00,229 once you're in power, 319 00:11:00,227 --> 00:11:01,997 you seem to prefer to 320 00:11:01,995 --> 00:11:03,425 operate in the shadows, 321 00:11:03,430 --> 00:11:04,830 or secretly. 322 00:11:04,832 --> 00:11:05,432 >> GENOVESE: There's a great 323 00:11:05,432 --> 00:11:06,432 temptation to think, "I have to 324 00:11:06,433 --> 00:11:08,173 save my political behind and 325 00:11:08,168 --> 00:11:10,168 so what I'll do is I'll declare 326 00:11:10,170 --> 00:11:11,170 something secret that shouldn't 327 00:11:11,171 --> 00:11:12,441 be." 328 00:11:12,439 --> 00:11:14,879 Sometimes you get away with it. 329 00:11:14,875 --> 00:11:17,845 But once it starts to unravel, 330 00:11:17,845 --> 00:11:19,375 it almost certainly becomes 331 00:11:19,379 --> 00:11:20,979 completely unraveled and 332 00:11:20,981 --> 00:11:22,281 the president suffers greatly-- 333 00:11:22,282 --> 00:11:24,322 either impeachment or his place 334 00:11:24,317 --> 00:11:26,287 in history. 335 00:11:37,397 --> 00:11:39,267 >> NARRATOR: Washington, D.C. 336 00:11:39,266 --> 00:11:42,866 June 17, 1972. 337 00:11:42,870 --> 00:11:44,400 The Watergate office and 338 00:11:44,404 --> 00:11:46,874 apartment complex. 339 00:11:46,874 --> 00:11:49,414 Five burglars break in to 340 00:11:49,409 --> 00:11:51,409 photograph documents and plant 341 00:11:51,411 --> 00:11:53,151 listening devices at the 342 00:11:53,146 --> 00:11:54,816 Democratic National Committee 343 00:11:54,815 --> 00:11:56,975 headquarters located inside the 344 00:11:56,984 --> 00:12:00,354 landmark building. 345 00:12:00,353 --> 00:12:02,423 A security guard notices tape 346 00:12:02,422 --> 00:12:04,092 covering the latches on the 347 00:12:04,091 --> 00:12:05,961 office doors. 348 00:12:05,959 --> 00:12:07,289 The burglars are caught 349 00:12:07,294 --> 00:12:11,874 red-handed and arrested. 350 00:12:11,865 --> 00:12:14,095 Upon questioning, the police 351 00:12:14,101 --> 00:12:16,371 discover that the men-- later 352 00:12:16,369 --> 00:12:17,969 identified as a clandestine 353 00:12:17,971 --> 00:12:20,141 group known as the "White House 354 00:12:20,140 --> 00:12:22,310 Plumbers"-- are operating on 355 00:12:22,309 --> 00:12:24,109 behalf of President Richard 356 00:12:24,144 --> 00:12:27,514 Nixon's re-election campaign. 357 00:12:27,514 --> 00:12:28,554 >> DON FULSOM: The White House 358 00:12:28,548 --> 00:12:31,018 Plumbers were experts at 359 00:12:31,018 --> 00:12:32,988 break-ins and other illegal 360 00:12:32,986 --> 00:12:34,516 activities. 361 00:12:34,521 --> 00:12:36,861 Their main function for Nixon 362 00:12:36,857 --> 00:12:38,557 was to stop the types of leaks 363 00:12:38,558 --> 00:12:41,558 that occurred when, for example, 364 00:12:41,561 --> 00:12:43,131 the Pentagon Papers were 365 00:12:43,130 --> 00:12:46,330 disclosed by Daniel Ellsberg. 366 00:12:46,333 --> 00:12:47,573 They, in a somewhat humorous 367 00:12:47,567 --> 00:12:50,537 fashion, put a sign on their 368 00:12:50,537 --> 00:12:53,167 door at the White House in 369 00:12:53,173 --> 00:12:55,143 a secret location that just 370 00:12:55,142 --> 00:12:59,412 said "Plumbers." 371 00:12:59,412 --> 00:13:00,352 >> TIMOTHY NAFTALI: The Plumbers 372 00:13:00,347 --> 00:13:02,047 included a former CIA 373 00:13:02,049 --> 00:13:04,019 intelligence officer named 374 00:13:04,017 --> 00:13:05,817 E. Howard Hunt. 375 00:13:05,819 --> 00:13:07,449 E. Howard Hunt recruited some 376 00:13:07,454 --> 00:13:09,364 Cubans that he'd worked with, 377 00:13:09,356 --> 00:13:12,456 uh, in the early 1960's when the 378 00:13:12,459 --> 00:13:14,159 Eisenhower administration and 379 00:13:14,161 --> 00:13:15,801 then the Kennedy administration 380 00:13:15,829 --> 00:13:19,829 tried to overthrow Fidel Castro. 381 00:13:19,833 --> 00:13:22,843 When the Watergate burglars are 382 00:13:22,836 --> 00:13:24,936 arrested by the Washington 383 00:13:24,938 --> 00:13:29,078 police in June of 1972 and their 384 00:13:29,076 --> 00:13:32,176 names reach the White House, 385 00:13:32,179 --> 00:13:35,849 Nixon knows who E. Howard Hunt 386 00:13:35,849 --> 00:13:37,179 is. 387 00:13:37,184 --> 00:13:40,054 He understands immediately the 388 00:13:40,053 --> 00:13:41,993 challenge to him. 389 00:13:41,989 --> 00:13:43,919 >> NARRATOR: A few days after 390 00:13:43,924 --> 00:13:46,064 the arrest of the Plumbers, 391 00:13:46,059 --> 00:13:47,389 President Nixon's 392 00:13:47,394 --> 00:13:49,464 press secretary Ron Ziegler 393 00:13:49,462 --> 00:13:51,602 dismissed the event as a "third- 394 00:13:51,598 --> 00:13:54,398 rate burglary attempt." 395 00:13:54,401 --> 00:13:55,941 The cover-up soon to be known 396 00:13:55,936 --> 00:13:59,406 simply as "Watergate" had begun. 397 00:13:59,406 --> 00:14:01,606 >> NIXON: I neither authorized 398 00:14:01,608 --> 00:14:03,478 nor encouraged subordinates 399 00:14:03,476 --> 00:14:05,606 to engage in illegal or 400 00:14:05,612 --> 00:14:07,512 improper campaign tactics. 401 00:14:07,514 --> 00:14:08,954 >> LICHTMAN: The big question is 402 00:14:08,949 --> 00:14:11,419 why did the Nixon administration 403 00:14:11,418 --> 00:14:14,448 care so much about covering up 404 00:14:14,487 --> 00:14:16,657 a petty burglary? 405 00:14:16,656 --> 00:14:19,656 The reason they cared is that 406 00:14:19,659 --> 00:14:22,159 the Watergate break-in was the 407 00:14:22,162 --> 00:14:26,572 tip of the iceberg of a raft of 408 00:14:26,566 --> 00:14:30,036 illegal, immoral and abhorrent 409 00:14:30,037 --> 00:14:32,937 activities being conducted by 410 00:14:32,973 --> 00:14:36,583 the Nixon administration. 411 00:14:36,576 --> 00:14:37,636 >> NARRATOR: If the reason for 412 00:14:37,644 --> 00:14:40,284 the break-in at DNC headquarters 413 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:42,050 was to get information on the 414 00:14:42,049 --> 00:14:44,449 campaign activities of Democrat 415 00:14:44,451 --> 00:14:47,051 nominee George McGovern, Nixon's 416 00:14:47,054 --> 00:14:49,994 supporters needn't have worried. 417 00:14:49,990 --> 00:14:52,290 The Republican incumbent won by 418 00:14:52,292 --> 00:14:55,462 a landslide. 419 00:14:55,462 --> 00:14:58,472 Still, persistent questions 420 00:14:58,465 --> 00:15:01,125 remained about the break-in. 421 00:15:01,134 --> 00:15:03,204 And Democrats-- as well as the 422 00:15:03,203 --> 00:15:05,473 American media-- would not let 423 00:15:05,472 --> 00:15:07,072 the story go. 424 00:15:07,074 --> 00:15:08,544 >> MORGAN: In the spring of 425 00:15:08,541 --> 00:15:10,081 1973, in the aftermath of 426 00:15:10,077 --> 00:15:11,947 these break-ins, there was an 427 00:15:11,945 --> 00:15:13,005 exposรƒยฉ piece written for 428 00:15:13,013 --> 00:15:14,253 The Washington Post by Woodward 429 00:15:14,281 --> 00:15:15,481 and Bernstein. 430 00:15:15,482 --> 00:15:17,082 And this piece revealed the 431 00:15:17,084 --> 00:15:19,094 possibility of there having 432 00:15:19,086 --> 00:15:20,686 been a presidential cover-up 433 00:15:20,687 --> 00:15:22,087 associated with the Watergate 434 00:15:22,089 --> 00:15:25,629 break-ins. 435 00:15:25,625 --> 00:15:29,495 >> NARRATOR: On May 17, 1973, 436 00:15:29,496 --> 00:15:31,496 the Democrat-controlled Senate 437 00:15:31,498 --> 00:15:33,098 began hearings to investigate 438 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:35,500 the break-in. 439 00:15:35,502 --> 00:15:37,502 And soon, the focus boiled down 440 00:15:37,504 --> 00:15:40,744 to one crucial question. 441 00:15:40,740 --> 00:15:41,710 >> HOWARD BAKER: What did 442 00:15:41,708 --> 00:15:42,978 the president know and when 443 00:15:42,976 --> 00:15:44,636 did he know it? 444 00:15:44,644 --> 00:15:45,184 >> ISIKOFF: "What did the 445 00:15:45,178 --> 00:15:46,578 president know and when did the 446 00:15:46,579 --> 00:15:48,179 president know it?" 447 00:15:48,181 --> 00:15:50,521 And it's since then become the 448 00:15:50,517 --> 00:15:53,647 key question that investigators 449 00:15:53,653 --> 00:15:56,363 have asked in every presidential 450 00:15:56,389 --> 00:15:58,529 scandal ever since. 451 00:15:58,525 --> 00:15:59,985 >> LICHTMAN: That phrase comes 452 00:15:59,993 --> 00:16:02,103 from a Republican senator, 453 00:16:02,095 --> 00:16:03,995 Howard Baker. 454 00:16:03,997 --> 00:16:05,397 And that question was actually 455 00:16:05,398 --> 00:16:07,728 fed to him by his council, 456 00:16:07,734 --> 00:16:09,744 Fred Thompson, later also a 457 00:16:09,736 --> 00:16:11,596 United States Senator. 458 00:16:11,604 --> 00:16:13,544 And the notion was, "Look, the 459 00:16:13,540 --> 00:16:17,540 buck stops with the president." 460 00:16:17,544 --> 00:16:18,754 >> NARRATOR: When it was 461 00:16:18,745 --> 00:16:20,545 revealed during the hearings 462 00:16:20,547 --> 00:16:22,377 that Nixon had recorded nearly 463 00:16:22,382 --> 00:16:24,152 all of his conversations 464 00:16:24,151 --> 00:16:26,421 in the Oval Office, the Senate-- 465 00:16:26,419 --> 00:16:28,659 and the media-- began a feeding 466 00:16:28,655 --> 00:16:31,355 frenzy for information. 467 00:16:31,358 --> 00:16:33,258 Did Richard Nixon order the 468 00:16:33,260 --> 00:16:36,160 Plumbers to break in to the DNC 469 00:16:36,163 --> 00:16:37,803 headquarters? 470 00:16:37,797 --> 00:16:40,797 Or, if not, did he orchestrate a 471 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:42,670 cover-up in an effort to 472 00:16:42,702 --> 00:16:45,712 protect his reelection campaign? 473 00:16:45,705 --> 00:16:47,405 >> KORNBLUH: Let me just say, 474 00:16:47,407 --> 00:16:49,277 these tapes cover a lot more 475 00:16:49,276 --> 00:16:51,036 than just Watergate. 476 00:16:51,044 --> 00:16:52,654 They revealed a lot about what 477 00:16:52,645 --> 00:16:54,305 Nixon knew and when he knew it, 478 00:16:54,314 --> 00:16:56,584 about all sorts of sordid and 479 00:16:56,583 --> 00:16:57,783 illegal and unethical foreign 480 00:16:57,784 --> 00:17:01,254 policy operations. 481 00:17:01,254 --> 00:17:02,694 His discussions with Henry 482 00:17:02,689 --> 00:17:04,659 Kissinger about operations 483 00:17:04,657 --> 00:17:07,787 in Chile, and the U.S. role in 484 00:17:07,794 --> 00:17:09,434 overthrowing a democratically 485 00:17:09,429 --> 00:17:10,799 elected government there. 486 00:17:10,797 --> 00:17:12,727 There are tapes about Cambodia 487 00:17:12,732 --> 00:17:13,732 and Laos. 488 00:17:13,733 --> 00:17:15,673 There are discussions about the 489 00:17:15,668 --> 00:17:16,838 illegal wiretapping that they 490 00:17:16,836 --> 00:17:18,336 were doing. 491 00:17:18,338 --> 00:17:19,808 >> WEAD: The list that Richard 492 00:17:19,806 --> 00:17:22,476 Nixon had someone make on the 493 00:17:22,475 --> 00:17:24,205 number of Jews that worked in 494 00:17:24,211 --> 00:17:26,181 his government, for example. 495 00:17:26,179 --> 00:17:27,409 All this is being verbalized 496 00:17:27,414 --> 00:17:28,724 with people sitting there. 497 00:17:28,715 --> 00:17:30,715 And they had no idea it's being 498 00:17:30,750 --> 00:17:32,450 tape recorded. 499 00:17:32,452 --> 00:17:33,822 >> KORNBLUH: The tapes 500 00:17:33,820 --> 00:17:37,360 themselves serve as a truth 501 00:17:37,357 --> 00:17:39,627 serum, if you will, for history 502 00:17:39,626 --> 00:17:41,456 on what Richard Nixon's 503 00:17:41,461 --> 00:17:45,231 presidency was all about. 504 00:17:45,232 --> 00:17:46,632 >> NARRATOR: In the decades 505 00:17:46,633 --> 00:17:48,643 since the Watergate scandal, 506 00:17:48,635 --> 00:17:50,635 numerous conspiracy theories 507 00:17:50,637 --> 00:17:52,707 continue to circulate as to 508 00:17:52,705 --> 00:17:54,205 Richard Nixon's numerous 509 00:17:54,207 --> 00:17:56,307 secret activities. 510 00:17:56,309 --> 00:17:57,779 >> FULSOM: One of Richard 511 00:17:57,777 --> 00:17:59,647 Nixon's cover-ups was his 512 00:17:59,646 --> 00:18:02,246 relationship with Bebe Rebozo, 513 00:18:02,249 --> 00:18:04,379 who befriended Nixon in the 514 00:18:04,384 --> 00:18:05,894 1950s. 515 00:18:05,885 --> 00:18:07,745 He was the guy who contacted 516 00:18:07,754 --> 00:18:10,494 mafia figures on Nixon's behalf, 517 00:18:10,490 --> 00:18:12,530 made deals. 518 00:18:12,525 --> 00:18:14,455 Rebozo served as the middleman 519 00:18:14,461 --> 00:18:16,661 in several dealings with 520 00:18:16,663 --> 00:18:18,733 Howard Hughes. 521 00:18:18,731 --> 00:18:21,271 One example, a bribe from 522 00:18:21,268 --> 00:18:24,668 Howard Hughes to Nixon's 523 00:18:24,671 --> 00:18:28,511 brother Donald of $205,000, 524 00:18:28,508 --> 00:18:30,538 to set up a chain of hamburger 525 00:18:30,543 --> 00:18:31,913 stands. 526 00:18:31,911 --> 00:18:33,481 A friend of Howard Hughes tells 527 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,480 me that the money actually 528 00:18:35,482 --> 00:18:37,552 went directly to Richard Nixon 529 00:18:37,550 --> 00:18:41,150 for his personal use. 530 00:18:41,154 --> 00:18:42,294 >> GENOVESE: Watergate, in its 531 00:18:42,289 --> 00:18:44,419 narrowest sense, was just 532 00:18:44,424 --> 00:18:46,394 the break-in of the Democratic 533 00:18:46,393 --> 00:18:47,693 headquarters at the Watergate 534 00:18:47,694 --> 00:18:49,364 complex. 535 00:18:49,362 --> 00:18:51,702 They wanted to get into Larry 536 00:18:51,698 --> 00:18:53,428 O'Brien's office. 537 00:18:53,433 --> 00:18:54,433 O'Brien was the chair of the 538 00:18:54,434 --> 00:18:55,704 Democratic Party. 539 00:18:55,702 --> 00:18:56,702 And they thought that Larry 540 00:18:56,703 --> 00:18:58,713 O'Brien, who had business ties 541 00:18:58,705 --> 00:19:00,805 with Howard Hughes, might have 542 00:19:00,807 --> 00:19:02,507 the dope on what Nixon and 543 00:19:02,509 --> 00:19:04,239 Nixon's brother were getting 544 00:19:04,244 --> 00:19:06,184 from Howard Hughes. 545 00:19:09,716 --> 00:19:10,716 >> NARRATOR: The Watergate 546 00:19:10,717 --> 00:19:12,387 break-in-- and the attempt to 547 00:19:12,385 --> 00:19:14,785 cover it up-- ultimately led to 548 00:19:14,787 --> 00:19:17,517 Richard Nixon's resignation as 549 00:19:17,524 --> 00:19:20,534 President of the United States. 550 00:19:20,527 --> 00:19:21,727 >> NIXON: I shall resign the 551 00:19:21,728 --> 00:19:23,328 presidency effective at noon 552 00:19:23,330 --> 00:19:26,270 tomorrow. 553 00:19:26,266 --> 00:19:27,566 >> KORNBLUH: This is a cover-up 554 00:19:27,567 --> 00:19:29,867 of a crime that brought down 555 00:19:29,869 --> 00:19:31,739 the President of the United 556 00:19:31,738 --> 00:19:33,808 States, led to the resignation 557 00:19:33,806 --> 00:19:35,876 of a President of the United 558 00:19:35,875 --> 00:19:37,275 States. 559 00:19:37,277 --> 00:19:39,347 And it reverberates continually 560 00:19:39,346 --> 00:19:41,346 through the history of 561 00:19:41,348 --> 00:19:43,578 presidents thereafter and to our 562 00:19:43,616 --> 00:19:46,986 current day. 563 00:19:46,986 --> 00:19:47,986 >> GENOVESE: The roots of 564 00:19:47,987 --> 00:19:49,487 Watergate can be found in the 565 00:19:49,489 --> 00:19:50,789 personality and the character of 566 00:19:50,823 --> 00:19:52,333 Richard Nixon. 567 00:19:52,325 --> 00:19:53,755 And when he got into power, he 568 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,460 didn't have the kinds of 569 00:19:56,463 --> 00:19:57,503 constraints that most of us 570 00:19:57,497 --> 00:19:58,367 would have. 571 00:19:58,365 --> 00:19:59,365 He thought that politics was 572 00:19:59,366 --> 00:20:00,866 war, and he thought that 573 00:20:00,867 --> 00:20:01,897 political adversaries were 574 00:20:01,901 --> 00:20:05,771 enemies out to get him. 575 00:20:05,772 --> 00:20:06,772 >> NARRATOR: But if the 576 00:20:06,773 --> 00:20:08,443 Watergate scandal was simply a 577 00:20:08,441 --> 00:20:09,981 consequence of Richard Nixon's 578 00:20:09,976 --> 00:20:13,306 personal paranoia, is it safe 579 00:20:13,313 --> 00:20:15,783 to say that political espionage 580 00:20:15,782 --> 00:20:17,922 and so-called "dirty tricks" are 581 00:20:17,917 --> 00:20:20,987 now a thing of the past? 582 00:20:20,987 --> 00:20:22,457 >> WEAD: If there was an 583 00:20:22,455 --> 00:20:24,015 American Book of Secrets, and 584 00:20:24,023 --> 00:20:25,593 you turned to the pages of 585 00:20:25,592 --> 00:20:27,462 Watergate, I think you would be 586 00:20:27,460 --> 00:20:29,600 very disappointed. 587 00:20:29,596 --> 00:20:31,656 I think what you would find is 588 00:20:31,664 --> 00:20:35,474 this president got caught and 589 00:20:35,468 --> 00:20:36,998 subsequent White Houses became 590 00:20:37,003 --> 00:20:39,513 much more sophisticated. 591 00:20:39,506 --> 00:20:42,476 But not much changed. 592 00:20:42,475 --> 00:20:44,805 And I can tell you personally 593 00:20:44,811 --> 00:20:46,811 of incidents where spy 594 00:20:46,813 --> 00:20:48,553 organizations were run in an 595 00:20:48,548 --> 00:20:50,618 opponent's political campaign, 596 00:20:50,617 --> 00:20:52,947 long after Watergate, um, 597 00:20:52,952 --> 00:20:55,522 infiltrating the opposition. 598 00:20:55,522 --> 00:20:57,462 It still goes on. 599 00:21:08,301 --> 00:21:09,301 >> NARRATOR: Abbottabad, 600 00:21:09,302 --> 00:21:11,042 Pakistan. 601 00:21:11,037 --> 00:21:14,567 May 2, 2011. 602 00:21:14,574 --> 00:21:16,584 Shortly after 1:00 a.m. local 603 00:21:16,576 --> 00:21:19,506 time, Osama bin Laden-- 604 00:21:19,512 --> 00:21:21,512 the founder of al Qaeda and 605 00:21:21,514 --> 00:21:23,524 mastermind behind the deadliest 606 00:21:23,516 --> 00:21:25,846 terrorist attack ever on U.S. 607 00:21:25,852 --> 00:21:28,992 soil-- is killed during a raid 608 00:21:28,988 --> 00:21:30,918 on his compound. 609 00:21:32,992 --> 00:21:35,062 The raid is the result of a 610 00:21:35,061 --> 00:21:36,731 top-secret mission called 611 00:21:36,729 --> 00:21:40,529 Operation Neptune Spear. 612 00:21:40,533 --> 00:21:41,873 >> PRESIDENT OBAMA: Tonight, I 613 00:21:41,868 --> 00:21:42,998 can report to the American 614 00:21:43,002 --> 00:21:45,342 people, and to the world, that 615 00:21:45,338 --> 00:21:46,768 the United States has conducted 616 00:21:46,773 --> 00:21:48,613 an operation that killed Osama 617 00:21:48,608 --> 00:21:50,408 bin Laden, the leader of 618 00:21:50,410 --> 00:21:52,550 al Qaeda. 619 00:21:52,545 --> 00:21:53,605 >> NARRATOR: The success of 620 00:21:53,613 --> 00:21:55,083 the mission offers a prime 621 00:21:55,081 --> 00:21:56,681 example of where keeping a 622 00:21:56,683 --> 00:21:58,823 secret-- even from the American 623 00:21:58,818 --> 00:22:01,548 public-- pays off. 624 00:22:01,554 --> 00:22:04,624 But when does legitimate secrecy 625 00:22:04,624 --> 00:22:08,634 end and a cover-up begin? 626 00:22:08,628 --> 00:22:10,628 When does the American 627 00:22:10,630 --> 00:22:12,770 government flirt with criminal 628 00:22:12,765 --> 00:22:15,595 behavior, even in the name of 629 00:22:15,635 --> 00:22:17,635 national interest? 630 00:22:17,637 --> 00:22:18,637 >> PAVLICH: There's a difference 631 00:22:18,638 --> 00:22:20,838 between a cover-up and citing 632 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:22,040 national security in order to 633 00:22:22,041 --> 00:22:24,641 keep the American people safe. 634 00:22:24,644 --> 00:22:26,054 Cover-ups are used to cover up 635 00:22:26,045 --> 00:22:28,575 bad behavior and poor 636 00:22:28,581 --> 00:22:30,051 decisions-- not to help the 637 00:22:30,049 --> 00:22:32,119 country, but to help the 638 00:22:32,118 --> 00:22:34,048 commander in chief. 639 00:22:36,823 --> 00:22:38,693 >> NARRATOR: Another case of 640 00:22:38,691 --> 00:22:40,791 a top-secret mission that became 641 00:22:40,793 --> 00:22:43,603 a scandalous cover-up began 642 00:22:43,596 --> 00:22:45,596 in the early 1980s... 643 00:22:45,598 --> 00:22:46,968 >> OLIVER NORTH: I do. 644 00:22:46,966 --> 00:22:47,866 >> NARRATOR: ...under 645 00:22:47,867 --> 00:22:49,797 then-President Ronald Reagan. 646 00:22:52,138 --> 00:22:54,468 It involved the covert sale of 647 00:22:54,474 --> 00:22:56,614 arms to so-called "moderates" 648 00:22:56,609 --> 00:22:59,409 within the government of Iran in 649 00:22:59,412 --> 00:23:01,452 exchange for the Iranians' help 650 00:23:01,448 --> 00:23:03,878 in freeing seven Americans held 651 00:23:03,883 --> 00:23:06,153 hostage by a militant terrorist 652 00:23:06,152 --> 00:23:07,752 group. 653 00:23:07,754 --> 00:23:08,764 >> MORGAN: In the negotiations 654 00:23:08,755 --> 00:23:09,615 about the release of these 655 00:23:09,622 --> 00:23:11,122 hostages, there was an 656 00:23:11,123 --> 00:23:12,163 indication on the part of the 657 00:23:12,158 --> 00:23:13,628 Iranian group that they needed 658 00:23:13,626 --> 00:23:14,626 certain weapons. 659 00:23:14,627 --> 00:23:17,827 They needed some arms. 660 00:23:17,830 --> 00:23:19,030 The Reagan administration then 661 00:23:19,031 --> 00:23:21,631 sought to provide the weapons 662 00:23:21,634 --> 00:23:22,974 that were needed by the 663 00:23:22,969 --> 00:23:23,969 Iranians. 664 00:23:23,970 --> 00:23:26,770 That began a process that we 665 00:23:26,773 --> 00:23:28,043 historically refer to now as 666 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,640 "arms for hostages." 667 00:23:30,643 --> 00:23:31,643 >> GENOVESE: The problem was, we 668 00:23:31,644 --> 00:23:32,654 delivered a plane full of 669 00:23:32,645 --> 00:23:34,605 military equipment, and they 670 00:23:34,647 --> 00:23:36,447 didn't release a hostage. 671 00:23:36,449 --> 00:23:38,049 The United States comes back 672 00:23:38,050 --> 00:23:39,050 and goes, "Hey, wait a minute, 673 00:23:39,051 --> 00:23:40,191 where-where's the hostage?" 674 00:23:40,186 --> 00:23:41,646 "Well, we need more." 675 00:23:41,654 --> 00:23:44,064 So another plane is delivered, 676 00:23:44,056 --> 00:23:45,486 and they release a hostage. 677 00:23:45,492 --> 00:23:47,062 We think, okay, this is working. 678 00:23:47,059 --> 00:23:48,059 The problem is, right after they 679 00:23:48,060 --> 00:23:49,160 released one hostage, they took 680 00:23:49,161 --> 00:23:50,661 another. 681 00:23:50,663 --> 00:23:51,663 This happened three consecutive 682 00:23:51,664 --> 00:23:53,004 times before we figured out what 683 00:23:52,999 --> 00:23:54,029 they were doing. 684 00:23:54,033 --> 00:23:56,203 We were played for fools. 685 00:23:56,202 --> 00:23:57,672 >> NARRATOR: But why was the 686 00:23:57,670 --> 00:23:59,940 Reagan administration so willing 687 00:23:59,939 --> 00:24:02,879 to sell arms to a nation openly 688 00:24:02,875 --> 00:24:06,475 hostile to the United States? 689 00:24:06,479 --> 00:24:09,179 The answer may lie 8,000 miles 690 00:24:09,181 --> 00:24:13,051 away... 691 00:24:13,052 --> 00:24:14,192 in the Central American 692 00:24:14,186 --> 00:24:17,216 country of Nicaragua, where a 693 00:24:17,223 --> 00:24:19,533 bloody war was taking place 694 00:24:19,526 --> 00:24:21,686 between the Communist-controlled 695 00:24:21,694 --> 00:24:23,904 government and opposition forces 696 00:24:23,896 --> 00:24:27,096 known as Contras. 697 00:24:27,099 --> 00:24:29,899 Reagan believed strongly that 698 00:24:29,902 --> 00:24:32,512 the Contras deserved American 699 00:24:32,505 --> 00:24:34,565 funding and support. 700 00:24:34,574 --> 00:24:37,714 Unfortunately, any such funding 701 00:24:37,710 --> 00:24:40,510 had been banned by Congress. 702 00:24:40,513 --> 00:24:41,783 >> GENOVESE: They passed what's 703 00:24:41,781 --> 00:24:43,221 called the Boland Amendment, 704 00:24:43,215 --> 00:24:44,975 which forbad any use of 705 00:24:44,984 --> 00:24:46,824 American funds in any way 706 00:24:46,853 --> 00:24:48,723 to the Contras. 707 00:24:48,721 --> 00:24:50,061 >> LICHTMAN: Blocked from 708 00:24:50,056 --> 00:24:53,126 spending official government 709 00:24:53,125 --> 00:24:56,725 money on the war in Nicaragua, 710 00:24:56,729 --> 00:24:58,129 the Reagan administration went 711 00:24:58,130 --> 00:25:00,270 to great lengths to find 712 00:25:00,266 --> 00:25:03,936 outside sources of funding 713 00:25:03,970 --> 00:25:06,870 to support the Contras. 714 00:25:06,873 --> 00:25:07,813 >> GENOVESE: And so he went 715 00:25:07,807 --> 00:25:09,007 to one of his operatives-- a guy 716 00:25:09,008 --> 00:25:10,738 named Ollie North, a bizarre 717 00:25:10,743 --> 00:25:12,143 little colonel-- and he said, 718 00:25:12,144 --> 00:25:13,214 "We've got to keep the Contras 719 00:25:13,212 --> 00:25:14,982 together, body and soul." 720 00:25:14,981 --> 00:25:16,551 North took that as marching 721 00:25:16,549 --> 00:25:18,989 orders, and he said, "What a 722 00:25:18,985 --> 00:25:19,985 great idea. 723 00:25:19,986 --> 00:25:21,146 We'll take the funds that we 724 00:25:21,153 --> 00:25:24,823 get from the sale of weapons and 725 00:25:24,824 --> 00:25:28,604 give it to the Contras." 726 00:25:28,595 --> 00:25:29,595 >> NARRATOR: There were those in 727 00:25:29,596 --> 00:25:31,026 the president's inner circle 728 00:25:31,030 --> 00:25:32,970 who argued that the elaborate 729 00:25:32,965 --> 00:25:35,565 scheme-- while shady-- was 730 00:25:35,568 --> 00:25:37,998 perfectly legal, at least in 731 00:25:38,004 --> 00:25:40,614 a technical sense. 732 00:25:40,607 --> 00:25:42,977 The arms to Iran would be sold 733 00:25:42,975 --> 00:25:45,605 not by the United States, but 734 00:25:45,612 --> 00:25:48,282 by the Israelis. 735 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,150 Residual money would, in 736 00:25:50,149 --> 00:25:52,819 turn, be used to secretly 737 00:25:52,852 --> 00:25:56,662 finance the Nicaraguan rebels. 738 00:25:56,656 --> 00:25:57,916 >> KORNBLUH: Oliver North was 739 00:25:57,924 --> 00:25:59,864 the central bureaucratic and 740 00:25:59,859 --> 00:26:02,659 operational manager for both 741 00:26:02,662 --> 00:26:04,862 the sale of arms to Iran and the 742 00:26:04,864 --> 00:26:07,034 illegal support and financing of 743 00:26:07,066 --> 00:26:09,296 the Contras. 744 00:26:09,301 --> 00:26:11,071 Either one of those things 745 00:26:11,070 --> 00:26:12,200 could've led to Ronald Reagan's 746 00:26:12,204 --> 00:26:14,614 impeachment. 747 00:26:14,607 --> 00:26:16,907 His aides all understood this. 748 00:26:16,909 --> 00:26:17,809 >> LICHTMAN: Right from the 749 00:26:17,810 --> 00:26:21,280 start, the Iran-Contra operation 750 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:24,280 was organized as a cover-up, 751 00:26:24,283 --> 00:26:27,093 and a truly significant 752 00:26:27,086 --> 00:26:28,886 cover-up, because it involved 753 00:26:28,888 --> 00:26:31,158 the creation of a rogue agency 754 00:26:31,157 --> 00:26:34,827 within the government itself. 755 00:26:34,827 --> 00:26:36,827 >> NARRATOR: In November 1986, 756 00:26:36,829 --> 00:26:38,299 information about the 757 00:26:38,297 --> 00:26:41,167 arms-for-hostages scheme began 758 00:26:41,167 --> 00:26:44,297 to leak, so much so that an 759 00:26:44,303 --> 00:26:46,043 embarrassed President Reagan 760 00:26:46,038 --> 00:26:48,678 quickly set up a special review 761 00:26:48,675 --> 00:26:51,635 board to look into the matter. 762 00:26:51,644 --> 00:26:54,184 Oliver North and his activities 763 00:26:54,180 --> 00:26:55,680 would be the focus of most of 764 00:26:55,682 --> 00:26:57,852 the investigations, which was 765 00:26:57,850 --> 00:26:59,720 made more difficult when the 766 00:26:59,719 --> 00:27:01,849 Marine lieutenant colonel later 767 00:27:01,854 --> 00:27:03,394 admitted to shredding thousands 768 00:27:03,389 --> 00:27:05,189 of documents related to the 769 00:27:05,191 --> 00:27:08,661 case. 770 00:27:08,661 --> 00:27:11,861 In 1988, North was indicted on 771 00:27:11,864 --> 00:27:14,204 16 felony counts, and later 772 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,240 convicted of three: aiding in 773 00:27:16,235 --> 00:27:18,395 the obstruction of Congress, 774 00:27:18,404 --> 00:27:21,144 shredding official documents and 775 00:27:21,140 --> 00:27:24,140 accepting illegal payment. 776 00:27:26,879 --> 00:27:29,079 His convictions, however, were 777 00:27:29,081 --> 00:27:31,951 vacated, since his testimony had 778 00:27:31,951 --> 00:27:33,891 been protected under an earlier 779 00:27:33,886 --> 00:27:36,256 grant of immunity. 780 00:27:36,255 --> 00:27:38,415 In the end, several high-ranking 781 00:27:38,424 --> 00:27:39,894 members of the Reagan 782 00:27:39,892 --> 00:27:41,432 administration were either 783 00:27:41,427 --> 00:27:44,157 indicted, convicted, or had 784 00:27:44,163 --> 00:27:46,033 their careers forever tarnished 785 00:27:46,032 --> 00:27:49,142 by the affair and the cover-up. 786 00:27:49,135 --> 00:27:51,765 But what about Ronald Reagan? 787 00:27:51,771 --> 00:27:53,911 Is it possible that the 788 00:27:53,906 --> 00:27:55,436 President of the United States 789 00:27:55,441 --> 00:27:57,711 was as innocent of the 790 00:27:57,710 --> 00:27:59,450 Iran-Contra scheme as he 791 00:27:59,445 --> 00:28:02,305 claimed? 792 00:28:02,314 --> 00:28:04,124 >> REAGAN: We did not, repeat, 793 00:28:04,116 --> 00:28:06,246 did not trade weapons or 794 00:28:06,252 --> 00:28:10,062 anything else for hostages. 795 00:28:10,056 --> 00:28:11,916 >> LICHTMAN: Nobody knows 796 00:28:11,924 --> 00:28:14,064 exactly what Reagan's role and 797 00:28:14,060 --> 00:28:15,930 responsibility was in 798 00:28:15,928 --> 00:28:17,928 Iran-Contra. 799 00:28:17,930 --> 00:28:19,200 Reagan claims he didn't know 800 00:28:19,198 --> 00:28:20,728 anything about what was going 801 00:28:20,733 --> 00:28:21,933 on. 802 00:28:21,934 --> 00:28:23,904 Most historians don't believe 803 00:28:23,936 --> 00:28:25,136 that. 804 00:28:25,137 --> 00:28:27,737 >> WEAD: This goes to the skill 805 00:28:27,740 --> 00:28:30,480 of Ronald Regan as a politician 806 00:28:30,476 --> 00:28:34,006 and-and as an actor. 807 00:28:34,013 --> 00:28:35,823 Nobody can really prove what 808 00:28:35,815 --> 00:28:37,275 the president knew and when he 809 00:28:37,283 --> 00:28:38,953 knew it. 810 00:28:38,951 --> 00:28:40,451 The theory is put forward that 811 00:28:40,452 --> 00:28:42,222 this was some rogue operation 812 00:28:42,221 --> 00:28:44,061 going on, that the president 813 00:28:44,090 --> 00:28:46,090 didn't know. 814 00:28:46,092 --> 00:28:48,492 That has not been my experience 815 00:28:48,494 --> 00:28:50,164 in the White House. 816 00:28:50,162 --> 00:28:51,162 I don't care who the president 817 00:28:51,163 --> 00:28:54,103 is; the information flows to 818 00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:55,770 the top. 819 00:28:55,768 --> 00:28:56,768 >> MORGAN: One theme that runs 820 00:28:56,769 --> 00:28:58,169 current between many of these 821 00:28:58,170 --> 00:28:59,840 scandals is the idea of 822 00:28:59,839 --> 00:29:02,369 plausible deniability-- that a 823 00:29:02,374 --> 00:29:03,844 presidential administration will 824 00:29:03,843 --> 00:29:06,813 authorize a clandestine mission 825 00:29:06,813 --> 00:29:09,183 only as long as they maintain a 826 00:29:09,181 --> 00:29:11,351 level of plausible deniability. 827 00:29:11,350 --> 00:29:12,520 That they can say, "I do not 828 00:29:12,518 --> 00:29:14,048 recall the details of this 829 00:29:14,053 --> 00:29:15,253 meeting." 830 00:29:15,254 --> 00:29:16,394 >> WEAD: It's theatrics to 831 00:29:16,388 --> 00:29:18,518 think a special assistant to the 832 00:29:18,524 --> 00:29:21,994 president can launch a project 833 00:29:21,994 --> 00:29:24,134 that would attempt to overthrow 834 00:29:24,130 --> 00:29:27,070 a government and circumvent 835 00:29:27,066 --> 00:29:29,136 the United States Congress. 836 00:29:32,338 --> 00:29:34,408 >> NARRATOR: But why-- less than 837 00:29:34,406 --> 00:29:36,506 two decades after President 838 00:29:36,508 --> 00:29:38,538 Richard Nixon's humiliating 839 00:29:38,544 --> 00:29:42,014 resignation-- would Ronald 840 00:29:42,014 --> 00:29:44,254 Reagan put his presidency, his 841 00:29:44,250 --> 00:29:47,350 party, and arguably the entire 842 00:29:47,353 --> 00:29:50,293 nation at such great risk? 843 00:29:50,289 --> 00:29:51,159 >> GENOVESE: The Reagan 844 00:29:51,157 --> 00:29:53,227 administration was a conviction 845 00:29:53,225 --> 00:29:54,425 presidency. 846 00:29:54,426 --> 00:29:55,896 Very principled conservatives 847 00:29:55,895 --> 00:29:57,425 who had a very strong 848 00:29:57,429 --> 00:29:59,399 ideological bent. 849 00:29:59,398 --> 00:30:01,568 And that justified doing almost 850 00:30:01,567 --> 00:30:03,037 anything, even when it was 851 00:30:03,035 --> 00:30:04,565 illegal. 852 00:30:04,570 --> 00:30:06,110 >> NARRATOR: There are even 853 00:30:06,105 --> 00:30:08,035 those who claim that the real 854 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,380 cover-up wasn't the involvement 855 00:30:10,376 --> 00:30:12,906 of President Ronald Reagan, but 856 00:30:12,912 --> 00:30:15,312 the more secret involvement of 857 00:30:15,314 --> 00:30:16,924 a man who had been the former 858 00:30:16,916 --> 00:30:19,046 director of the CIA: 859 00:30:19,051 --> 00:30:21,551 Vice President George Herbert 860 00:30:21,587 --> 00:30:25,517 Walker Bush. 861 00:30:25,524 --> 00:30:26,864 >> TARPLEY: The reality of the 862 00:30:26,859 --> 00:30:29,259 Iran-Contra affair is all of 863 00:30:29,261 --> 00:30:32,131 this was directed from the 864 00:30:32,131 --> 00:30:34,031 White House by Vice President 865 00:30:34,066 --> 00:30:36,396 George H.W. Bush. 866 00:30:36,402 --> 00:30:38,172 Oliver North was directly 867 00:30:38,170 --> 00:30:40,210 attached to his staff, Oliver 868 00:30:40,206 --> 00:30:42,876 North was later selected to be 869 00:30:42,875 --> 00:30:45,075 the fall guy, and above all 870 00:30:45,077 --> 00:30:46,877 prevent the scandal from 871 00:30:46,879 --> 00:30:49,079 reaching George H.W. Bush, 872 00:30:49,081 --> 00:30:50,351 who, of course, was preparing 873 00:30:50,349 --> 00:30:52,219 his run for president in, uh, 874 00:30:52,218 --> 00:30:54,088 in 1988. 875 00:30:54,086 --> 00:30:56,086 >> WEAD: As a historian who 876 00:30:56,088 --> 00:30:58,288 admires Ronald Regan, I think 877 00:30:58,290 --> 00:30:59,890 he knew all of it. 878 00:30:59,892 --> 00:31:02,092 I just can't conceive of a 879 00:31:02,094 --> 00:31:04,434 president giving up that kind of 880 00:31:04,430 --> 00:31:06,900 power or forfeiting that kind of 881 00:31:06,899 --> 00:31:08,299 power. 882 00:31:08,300 --> 00:31:09,500 Iran-Contra turned into a 883 00:31:09,501 --> 00:31:12,101 cover-up because the president's 884 00:31:12,104 --> 00:31:15,984 men and women around him claimed 885 00:31:15,975 --> 00:31:17,335 he didn't know about it. 886 00:31:17,343 --> 00:31:18,483 The president himself played 887 00:31:18,510 --> 00:31:20,450 along with it. 888 00:31:20,446 --> 00:31:21,446 >> DAN WEBB: Do you have any 889 00:31:21,447 --> 00:31:23,117 recollection of approving for 890 00:31:23,115 --> 00:31:25,115 John Poindexter to send these 891 00:31:25,117 --> 00:31:26,587 specific letters to Congress? 892 00:31:26,585 --> 00:31:27,445 >> REAGAN: Well, again, it's a 893 00:31:27,453 --> 00:31:28,453 case of memory. 894 00:31:28,454 --> 00:31:30,394 I... I don't recall. 895 00:31:41,633 --> 00:31:43,303 >> NARRATOR: Washington, D.C. 896 00:31:43,302 --> 00:31:46,672 July, 2004. 897 00:31:46,672 --> 00:31:49,182 President Bill Clinton's former 898 00:31:49,175 --> 00:31:51,435 national security advisor, Sandy 899 00:31:51,443 --> 00:31:54,513 Berger, is brought before the 900 00:31:54,513 --> 00:31:56,653 U.S. Justice Department on 901 00:31:56,648 --> 00:31:58,718 charges of illegally removing 902 00:31:58,717 --> 00:32:00,517 classified documents and 903 00:32:00,519 --> 00:32:02,649 presidential papers from the 904 00:32:02,654 --> 00:32:06,194 National Archives. 905 00:32:06,192 --> 00:32:08,692 They had been requested as part 906 00:32:08,694 --> 00:32:11,204 of Congress's investigation into 907 00:32:11,197 --> 00:32:13,197 the murder of nearly 3,000 908 00:32:13,199 --> 00:32:15,529 Americans... 909 00:32:15,534 --> 00:32:18,474 on September 11, 2001. 910 00:32:20,739 --> 00:32:22,009 >> MORGAN: Sandy Berger was 911 00:32:22,008 --> 00:32:24,208 conducting some research in 912 00:32:24,210 --> 00:32:25,080 the National Archives. 913 00:32:25,077 --> 00:32:26,677 And it was revealed, ultimately, 914 00:32:26,678 --> 00:32:28,548 that the archival record that 915 00:32:28,547 --> 00:32:29,747 was being held there at the 916 00:32:29,748 --> 00:32:31,348 facility-- he was purging it 917 00:32:31,350 --> 00:32:33,090 of information that tended to 918 00:32:33,085 --> 00:32:34,415 incriminate the Clinton 919 00:32:34,420 --> 00:32:36,360 administration. 920 00:32:39,291 --> 00:32:41,231 >> NARRATOR: During testimony, 921 00:32:41,227 --> 00:32:42,487 Berger admitted to 922 00:32:42,494 --> 00:32:44,434 "inadvertently" putting a total 923 00:32:44,430 --> 00:32:46,630 of five documents related to the 924 00:32:46,632 --> 00:32:48,372 thwarted millennium attack plots 925 00:32:48,367 --> 00:32:50,737 in his briefcase. 926 00:32:50,736 --> 00:32:54,106 >> LICHTMAN: He stole copies of 927 00:32:54,106 --> 00:32:56,236 classified documents and 928 00:32:56,242 --> 00:32:58,582 possibly even some originals. 929 00:32:58,577 --> 00:33:00,047 And some of those may have 930 00:33:00,046 --> 00:33:01,776 included handwritten notations 931 00:33:01,780 --> 00:33:03,620 from the president himself. 932 00:33:03,615 --> 00:33:05,715 These documents related to 933 00:33:05,717 --> 00:33:08,117 analyses of the Clinton 934 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,260 administration's response to 935 00:33:10,256 --> 00:33:12,516 terrorist actions. 936 00:33:15,127 --> 00:33:16,657 >> NARRATOR: But there are those 937 00:33:16,662 --> 00:33:18,732 who maintain that Berger removed 938 00:33:18,730 --> 00:33:21,670 not just a handful of documents, 939 00:33:21,667 --> 00:33:23,797 but dozens of them. 940 00:33:23,802 --> 00:33:26,272 And there are even a few that 941 00:33:26,272 --> 00:33:28,272 allege he removed them not 942 00:33:28,274 --> 00:33:30,284 inadvertently, but by 943 00:33:30,276 --> 00:33:31,606 deliberately hiding them in his 944 00:33:31,610 --> 00:33:34,680 clothes, and even in his socks. 945 00:33:37,283 --> 00:33:39,623 But if so, why? 946 00:33:39,618 --> 00:33:42,288 What could have been so damaging 947 00:33:42,288 --> 00:33:43,818 to President Clinton that would 948 00:33:43,822 --> 00:33:45,422 prompt his former national 949 00:33:45,424 --> 00:33:47,764 security advisor to risk his 950 00:33:47,759 --> 00:33:49,699 entire career? 951 00:33:51,830 --> 00:33:54,370 >> LICHTMAN: Critics say the 952 00:33:54,366 --> 00:33:56,496 Clinton administration had 953 00:33:56,502 --> 00:34:00,512 plenty of overt acts of terror 954 00:34:00,506 --> 00:34:03,106 committed on its watch. 955 00:34:03,109 --> 00:34:05,439 The 1993 attack on the World 956 00:34:05,444 --> 00:34:07,654 Trade Center, the bombings of 957 00:34:07,646 --> 00:34:10,376 American embassies in Africa, 958 00:34:10,382 --> 00:34:13,322 the bombing of the USS Cole. 959 00:34:13,319 --> 00:34:15,649 Despite all of these very 960 00:34:15,654 --> 00:34:17,664 terrible terrorist activities, 961 00:34:17,656 --> 00:34:19,786 the Clinton administration never 962 00:34:19,791 --> 00:34:22,531 launched a concerted campaign 963 00:34:22,528 --> 00:34:25,158 against al Qaeda or other 964 00:34:25,164 --> 00:34:26,674 terrorist elements. 965 00:34:26,665 --> 00:34:29,135 What President Clinton may have 966 00:34:29,135 --> 00:34:31,195 been trying to hide, with 967 00:34:31,203 --> 00:34:32,873 respect to the millennium plots 968 00:34:32,871 --> 00:34:34,541 and other acts of terror, is 969 00:34:34,540 --> 00:34:37,610 that he dropped the ball. 970 00:34:37,609 --> 00:34:38,579 >> SANDY BERGER: I deeply 971 00:34:38,577 --> 00:34:39,677 regret it. 972 00:34:39,678 --> 00:34:41,748 It was mistaken, and it was 973 00:34:41,747 --> 00:34:44,347 wrong. 974 00:34:44,350 --> 00:34:45,550 >> NARRATOR: Berger ultimately 975 00:34:45,551 --> 00:34:47,451 pleaded guilty to a charge of 976 00:34:47,453 --> 00:34:49,423 unauthorized removal and 977 00:34:49,421 --> 00:34:50,721 retention of classified 978 00:34:50,722 --> 00:34:53,362 material, for which he was fined 979 00:34:53,359 --> 00:34:55,689 $50,000 and sentenced to serve 980 00:34:55,694 --> 00:34:58,164 two years of probation and 981 00:34:58,164 --> 00:35:01,574 100 hours of community service. 982 00:35:01,567 --> 00:35:03,597 But why was such an outrageous 983 00:35:03,602 --> 00:35:06,172 offense punished with what many 984 00:35:06,172 --> 00:35:07,612 believed to be nothing more than 985 00:35:07,639 --> 00:35:10,839 a slap on the wrist? 986 00:35:10,842 --> 00:35:12,182 >> GENOVESE: Well, the way our 987 00:35:12,178 --> 00:35:13,578 government is constructed is to 988 00:35:13,579 --> 00:35:15,349 have a rough check and balance 989 00:35:15,381 --> 00:35:17,381 with a rough balance of power. 990 00:35:17,383 --> 00:35:19,393 But since, really, World War Two 991 00:35:19,385 --> 00:35:21,615 and the Depression, that has 992 00:35:21,620 --> 00:35:25,590 shifted towards the presidency. 993 00:35:25,591 --> 00:35:27,631 We're the only superpower, 994 00:35:27,626 --> 00:35:29,256 and when that happens, the 995 00:35:29,261 --> 00:35:30,531 president becomes more 996 00:35:30,529 --> 00:35:31,659 important. 997 00:35:31,663 --> 00:35:33,403 And so we've become, in many 998 00:35:33,399 --> 00:35:35,199 ways, a country with an imperial 999 00:35:35,201 --> 00:35:37,401 presidency, a presidency that 1000 00:35:37,403 --> 00:35:38,743 sometimes thinks it's above the 1001 00:35:38,737 --> 00:35:40,737 law, a presidency that has 1002 00:35:40,739 --> 00:35:42,539 abrogated to itself all sorts of 1003 00:35:42,541 --> 00:35:43,541 powers. 1004 00:35:43,542 --> 00:35:45,282 And that imperial status, which 1005 00:35:45,277 --> 00:35:47,277 is dangerous in a democracy, in 1006 00:35:47,279 --> 00:35:48,649 some ways though was 1007 00:35:48,647 --> 00:35:50,247 inevitable because of the rise 1008 00:35:50,249 --> 00:35:51,419 of American power 1009 00:35:51,417 --> 00:35:53,947 internationally. 1010 00:35:53,952 --> 00:35:57,222 An imperial power, a power with 1011 00:35:57,223 --> 00:35:58,823 its tentacles all over the 1012 00:35:58,824 --> 00:36:01,434 globe, seems to necessitate a 1013 00:36:01,427 --> 00:36:03,497 strong, centralized presidency. 1014 00:36:05,564 --> 00:36:06,834 >> NARRATOR: Has the office of 1015 00:36:06,832 --> 00:36:08,702 President of the United States 1016 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:10,640 become so cynical towards the 1017 00:36:10,636 --> 00:36:13,636 American people and their laws 1018 00:36:13,639 --> 00:36:16,309 that almost all behavior can be 1019 00:36:16,308 --> 00:36:18,508 justified under the guise of 1020 00:36:18,510 --> 00:36:20,850 national security? 1021 00:36:20,846 --> 00:36:22,306 When it comes to the White 1022 00:36:22,314 --> 00:36:24,954 House, do they really believe 1023 00:36:24,950 --> 00:36:27,590 the ends justify the means? 1024 00:36:29,655 --> 00:36:31,455 >> WEAD: Of the last eight 1025 00:36:31,457 --> 00:36:32,987 American presidents before 1026 00:36:32,991 --> 00:36:35,861 Barack Obama, think about this: 1027 00:36:35,861 --> 00:36:37,561 only four of them were 1028 00:36:37,596 --> 00:36:38,796 reelected. 1029 00:36:38,797 --> 00:36:39,997 And of the four who were 1030 00:36:39,998 --> 00:36:43,738 reelected, one was impeached, 1031 00:36:43,735 --> 00:36:47,335 one resigned, and one left 1032 00:36:47,339 --> 00:36:49,709 office in disgrace, with the 1033 00:36:49,708 --> 00:36:51,478 lowest approval rating of any 1034 00:36:51,477 --> 00:36:52,537 president in his last month in 1035 00:36:52,544 --> 00:36:53,554 office. 1036 00:36:53,545 --> 00:36:54,605 Only one president of the 1037 00:36:54,613 --> 00:36:56,483 last eight left with any degree 1038 00:36:56,482 --> 00:36:58,982 of dignity intact, and that was 1039 00:36:58,984 --> 00:37:00,294 Ronald Regan. 1040 00:37:00,286 --> 00:37:03,216 And he experienced Iran-Contra. 1041 00:37:05,624 --> 00:37:06,764 >> NARRATOR: Has the president's 1042 00:37:06,758 --> 00:37:09,028 power-- to work autonomously, 1043 00:37:09,027 --> 00:37:10,827 to bypass Congress, and to 1044 00:37:10,829 --> 00:37:12,899 cover up illegal actions-- only 1045 00:37:12,898 --> 00:37:14,828 grown greater as the United 1046 00:37:14,833 --> 00:37:16,773 States has expanded its presence 1047 00:37:16,768 --> 00:37:18,968 around the globe? 1048 00:37:18,970 --> 00:37:20,770 And is it possible, with the aid 1049 00:37:20,772 --> 00:37:23,012 of new technology and under the 1050 00:37:23,008 --> 00:37:25,508 premise of fighting terror, that 1051 00:37:25,511 --> 00:37:26,981 the president could even conduct 1052 00:37:26,978 --> 00:37:29,518 a secret war? 1053 00:37:29,515 --> 00:37:31,515 A war that would not only be 1054 00:37:31,517 --> 00:37:33,517 fought against foreign enemies, 1055 00:37:33,519 --> 00:37:35,789 but even against American 1056 00:37:35,787 --> 00:37:38,357 citizens here at home? 1057 00:37:49,635 --> 00:37:51,895 >> NARRATOR: Washington, D.C. 1058 00:37:51,903 --> 00:37:55,443 February 6, 2013. 1059 00:37:55,441 --> 00:37:56,841 Under pressure from Congress, 1060 00:37:56,842 --> 00:37:59,412 President Barack Obama agrees to 1061 00:37:59,411 --> 00:38:00,711 allow the Senate and House 1062 00:38:00,712 --> 00:38:02,912 Intelligence Committees to 1063 00:38:02,914 --> 00:38:05,324 review classified legal memos 1064 00:38:05,317 --> 00:38:06,987 regarding a drone strike in 1065 00:38:06,985 --> 00:38:10,085 Yemen in 2011. 1066 00:38:10,088 --> 00:38:13,328 A strike that targeted and 1067 00:38:13,325 --> 00:38:17,095 killed a U.S. citizen. 1068 00:38:17,095 --> 00:38:19,965 Born in New Mexico, Anwar 1069 00:38:19,965 --> 00:38:22,595 al-Awlaki was a known al Qaeda 1070 00:38:22,601 --> 00:38:24,601 terrorist who was instrumental 1071 00:38:24,603 --> 00:38:26,613 in recruiting American jihadists 1072 00:38:26,605 --> 00:38:28,605 over the Internet. 1073 00:38:28,607 --> 00:38:30,607 Also killed in the strike was 1074 00:38:30,609 --> 00:38:32,309 his 16-year-old son, 1075 00:38:32,344 --> 00:38:34,884 Abdulrahman. 1076 00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:36,010 >> TARPLEY: Drone wars become 1077 00:38:36,014 --> 00:38:38,024 the object of a cover-up when, 1078 00:38:38,016 --> 00:38:39,646 for example, American citizens 1079 00:38:39,685 --> 00:38:41,485 are killed by drones. 1080 00:38:41,487 --> 00:38:43,617 Right, and we have one big 1081 00:38:43,622 --> 00:38:46,492 example: Anwar al-Awlaki. 1082 00:38:46,492 --> 00:38:48,832 That takes you beyond the pale. 1083 00:38:48,827 --> 00:38:50,627 That takes you into the targeted 1084 00:38:50,629 --> 00:38:52,499 assassination of U.S. citizens 1085 00:38:52,498 --> 00:38:55,098 without due process of law. 1086 00:38:55,100 --> 00:38:58,040 That may already be impeachable. 1087 00:38:58,036 --> 00:39:00,706 >> NARRATOR: With a growing 1088 00:39:00,706 --> 00:39:02,506 arsenal of high-tech tools 1089 00:39:02,508 --> 00:39:04,438 available to the White House, 1090 00:39:04,443 --> 00:39:06,853 has the commander in chief 1091 00:39:06,845 --> 00:39:09,975 gained even greater ability to 1092 00:39:09,981 --> 00:39:12,881 wage secret wars and conduct 1093 00:39:12,884 --> 00:39:15,724 covert operations? 1094 00:39:15,721 --> 00:39:17,861 Even when those operations 1095 00:39:17,856 --> 00:39:19,926 target U.S. citizens believed 1096 00:39:19,925 --> 00:39:23,655 to be engaged in acts of terror? 1097 00:39:23,662 --> 00:39:24,202 >> TARPLEY: We have Terror 1098 00:39:24,195 --> 00:39:25,525 Tuesdays at the White House 1099 00:39:25,531 --> 00:39:26,931 every week, with John Brennan 1100 00:39:26,932 --> 00:39:28,672 essentially deciding who's gonna 1101 00:39:28,667 --> 00:39:29,867 live and die. 1102 00:39:29,868 --> 00:39:31,138 Economic sanctions, economic 1103 00:39:31,136 --> 00:39:33,936 warfare, another important part. 1104 00:39:33,939 --> 00:39:35,739 Cyber warfare, color 1105 00:39:35,741 --> 00:39:38,741 revolutions, destabilizations, 1106 00:39:38,744 --> 00:39:41,184 what they call "buck passing." 1107 00:39:41,179 --> 00:39:42,549 If you want to bring down Libya, 1108 00:39:42,548 --> 00:39:43,748 don't attack Libya, let France 1109 00:39:43,749 --> 00:39:45,149 attack Libya. 1110 00:39:45,150 --> 00:39:46,490 You want to bring down Syria, 1111 00:39:46,485 --> 00:39:48,085 get Turkey to do most of the 1112 00:39:48,086 --> 00:39:51,086 dangerous work, and so forth. 1113 00:39:51,089 --> 00:39:52,159 So, this is a different kind 1114 00:39:52,157 --> 00:39:53,687 of foreign policy. 1115 00:39:53,692 --> 00:39:54,832 The drones are at the center of 1116 00:39:54,826 --> 00:39:57,496 it. 1117 00:39:57,496 --> 00:39:58,526 >> NARRATOR: Long-time observers 1118 00:39:58,530 --> 00:40:01,170 of Washington politics know a 1119 00:40:01,166 --> 00:40:03,696 full-fledged cover-up is only 1120 00:40:03,702 --> 00:40:05,072 attempted by the White House as 1121 00:40:05,070 --> 00:40:07,440 a last resort. 1122 00:40:07,439 --> 00:40:10,109 Not only is it less effective-- 1123 00:40:10,108 --> 00:40:12,508 especially in today's 24/7 1124 00:40:12,511 --> 00:40:14,981 information age-- but it is also 1125 00:40:14,980 --> 00:40:17,120 less preferable to two other 1126 00:40:17,115 --> 00:40:19,515 means by which the president or 1127 00:40:19,518 --> 00:40:21,918 his staff may hide the truth: 1128 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:24,160 spin... 1129 00:40:24,189 --> 00:40:27,129 and controlled leaking. 1130 00:40:27,125 --> 00:40:28,125 >> WEAD: Presidents are 1131 00:40:28,126 --> 00:40:29,726 masters... (chuckles) 1132 00:40:29,728 --> 00:40:30,998 ...of the leak. 1133 00:40:30,996 --> 00:40:32,926 It's very valuable. 1134 00:40:32,931 --> 00:40:35,201 They use leaks all the time. 1135 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:36,940 They may wake up in the morning 1136 00:40:36,935 --> 00:40:38,195 and that be the first order 1137 00:40:38,203 --> 00:40:39,743 of business is: what are we 1138 00:40:39,738 --> 00:40:42,738 leaking and how and why? 1139 00:40:42,741 --> 00:40:43,611 >> GENOVESE: A controlled leak 1140 00:40:43,609 --> 00:40:44,739 would be, for example, they'll 1141 00:40:44,743 --> 00:40:46,753 have a staffer call a friendly 1142 00:40:46,745 --> 00:40:47,805 news reporter and say, 1143 00:40:47,813 --> 00:40:49,483 "You know, the president's 1144 00:40:49,481 --> 00:40:50,721 thinking of appointing John 1145 00:40:50,749 --> 00:40:53,079 Smith to be Secretary of X." 1146 00:40:53,084 --> 00:40:54,954 And then they write about that 1147 00:40:54,953 --> 00:40:56,493 the next day in their column, 1148 00:40:56,488 --> 00:40:57,888 and then people start commenting 1149 00:40:57,889 --> 00:40:59,019 on it, and you see, well, oh, 1150 00:40:59,024 --> 00:41:00,764 there's a lot of kickback. 1151 00:41:00,759 --> 00:41:01,759 >> WEAD: There are things that 1152 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:03,160 they want people to find that 1153 00:41:03,161 --> 00:41:04,761 they'll cover up because they 1154 00:41:04,763 --> 00:41:06,163 want them to find them. 1155 00:41:06,164 --> 00:41:07,774 And then there is misdirection 1156 00:41:07,766 --> 00:41:09,026 because they don't want them to 1157 00:41:09,034 --> 00:41:11,174 find something that they're on. 1158 00:41:11,169 --> 00:41:13,769 So that's how sophisticated 1159 00:41:13,772 --> 00:41:16,112 this spy versus spy versus spy 1160 00:41:16,107 --> 00:41:18,007 is at the presidential level. 1161 00:41:18,009 --> 00:41:19,079 >> MORGAN: We are in a brave 1162 00:41:19,110 --> 00:41:21,850 new world of transparency. 1163 00:41:21,847 --> 00:41:22,777 A brave new world where the 1164 00:41:22,781 --> 00:41:24,921 freedom of information is such 1165 00:41:24,916 --> 00:41:26,846 that people expect it at all 1166 00:41:26,852 --> 00:41:28,152 times. 1167 00:41:28,153 --> 00:41:29,593 >> NARRATOR: Have presidential 1168 00:41:29,588 --> 00:41:30,918 cover-ups become so 1169 00:41:30,922 --> 00:41:33,192 sophisticated that the American 1170 00:41:33,191 --> 00:41:35,191 public will never really know 1171 00:41:35,193 --> 00:41:37,063 what goes on behind the doors 1172 00:41:37,062 --> 00:41:39,802 of the Oval Office? 1173 00:41:39,798 --> 00:41:42,598 Are secret operations, covert 1174 00:41:42,601 --> 00:41:45,601 wars, and even political 1175 00:41:45,604 --> 00:41:48,814 assassinations actually being 1176 00:41:48,807 --> 00:41:51,277 perpetrated by the leaders of 1177 00:41:51,276 --> 00:41:53,176 the free world? 1178 00:41:53,178 --> 00:41:55,878 And if so, are they ever 1179 00:41:55,881 --> 00:41:57,881 justified? 1180 00:41:57,883 --> 00:41:58,883 >> JIM RASENBERGER: Presidential 1181 00:41:58,884 --> 00:42:00,294 cover-ups are necessary 1182 00:42:00,285 --> 00:42:02,245 sometimes for American national 1183 00:42:02,287 --> 00:42:03,557 security. 1184 00:42:03,555 --> 00:42:04,685 They're necessary when a 1185 00:42:04,690 --> 00:42:05,890 president has to undertake an 1186 00:42:05,891 --> 00:42:07,931 operation where it has to remain 1187 00:42:07,926 --> 00:42:09,626 secret or the entire operation 1188 00:42:09,628 --> 00:42:11,098 will get blown. 1189 00:42:11,096 --> 00:42:12,156 There are good reasons for 1190 00:42:12,163 --> 00:42:13,163 presidents to do things in 1191 00:42:13,164 --> 00:42:14,674 secret. 1192 00:42:14,666 --> 00:42:15,696 >> MORGAN: There was a time when 1193 00:42:15,701 --> 00:42:17,841 the public was much more 1194 00:42:17,836 --> 00:42:19,706 comfortable with the idea of a 1195 00:42:19,705 --> 00:42:20,835 presidential administration 1196 00:42:20,839 --> 00:42:21,709 that's willing to bend the 1197 00:42:21,707 --> 00:42:23,577 rules and a presidential 1198 00:42:23,575 --> 00:42:24,575 administration that's willing to 1199 00:42:24,576 --> 00:42:25,636 do things in a less than 1200 00:42:25,644 --> 00:42:26,984 transparent way. 1201 00:42:26,978 --> 00:42:28,948 But those days are gone. 1202 00:42:31,082 --> 00:42:32,852 >> NARRATOR: Perhaps the only 1203 00:42:32,851 --> 00:42:34,221 real protection the American 1204 00:42:34,219 --> 00:42:35,989 public can have against an 1205 00:42:35,987 --> 00:42:39,057 unscrupulous or unethical 1206 00:42:39,057 --> 00:42:41,957 commander in chief isn't from 1207 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:44,200 the Constitution, but in the 1208 00:42:44,195 --> 00:42:47,125 form of personal judgment. 1209 00:42:47,132 --> 00:42:48,932 Because only in the voting 1210 00:42:48,934 --> 00:42:51,274 process can the public best 1211 00:42:51,269 --> 00:42:52,999 protect themselves. 1212 00:42:53,004 --> 00:42:55,974 And even then... 1213 00:42:55,974 --> 00:42:58,614 they can never be too sure. 1214 00:42:58,610 --> 00:42:59,380 >> PRESIDENT CLINTON: So help me 1215 00:42:59,377 --> 00:43:00,277 God. 1216 00:43:00,278 --> 00:43:01,148 >> PRESIDENT BUSH: So help me 1217 00:43:01,146 --> 00:43:02,146 God. 1218 00:43:02,147 --> 00:43:03,107 >> PRESIDENT OBAMA: So help me 1219 00:43:03,148 --> 00:43:04,248 God. 1220 00:43:04,249 --> 00:43:05,249 Captioning sponsored by 1221 00:43:05,250 --> 00:43:07,820 A&E TELEVISION NETWORKS 80325

Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.