[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]

CommentaryGeneralON 2ND THOUGHT

On 2nd Thoughts: No Jail house for president

By Othello B. Garblah

Liberia’s President George M. Weah departed the country on Friday, March 17 to honor an invitation by US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief, Bill Burns following the latter’s visit here early this year.

Unlike regular official visits where the nation is kept updated with the President’s activities abroad via dispatches or press releases accompanied by videos, photographs, and social media posts, this visit had none to show.  

The inconspicuous nature of the President’s meeting at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia, U.S.A. has left much room for speculations.

Some Liberians at home and abroad are suggesting that the president was placed under investigation to answer to crimes of money laundering, extrajudicial killings, plundering the country’s resources, drug trafficking, and the like.

Others say the president was summoned to be given the matching order, but instead was given a deal of his presidential lifetime support by the CIA for the establishment of a CIA sub-headquarters, but all of these remained speculations.

President Weah was accompanied by Amb. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Cllr. Musah Dean, Minister of Justice; Maj. Gen (Rtd). Daniel Ziankahn, Minister of National Defense; Mawine Diggs, Minister of Commerce and Industry; Ledgerhood Julius Rennie, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism; Samuel D. Tweah, Jr., Minister of Finance and Development Planning; and Lenn Eugene Nagbe, Commissioner of Liberia Maritime Authority.

Sources close to the Langley say, no member of the President’s delegation except for Cllr. Dean and his private lawyer, Deputy Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa who traveled solo via Accra were said to have attended what has been speculated as interrogation of Mr. Weah by the CIA.

[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]

But why would the CIA want to investigate a sitting president?

Historically, the CIA is not noted for inviting sitting presidents to its headquarters for investigation or for coronating same as its agent.

What the CIA is noted for historically is its alleged roles in the assassination of dictators around the world and installing puppets of the US in place of those dictators.

Since the 19th century, for instance, the United States government has participated and interfered, both overtly and covertly, in the replacement of many foreign governments.

In the latter half of the 19th century, the U.S. government initiated actions for regime change mainly in Latin America and the southwest Pacific, including the Spanish–American and Philippine–American wars.

At the onset of the 20th century, the United States shaped or installed governments in many countries around the world, including neighbors Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

In short, there would have been no need for much publicity if the CIA had found president Weah as a person of interest.

There are many ways the spy agency would have gotten at President Weah as it has operated in the past if its intention is to have him answer to alleged atrocious crimes committed under his watch.

However, could it have been possible that the CIA intended to tell the President to his face how his actions and inactions are affecting the US interests in the sub-region? That too could have been done quietly as the CIA is well known for its secret operations.

But none of the above is known except for the speculations coming out of Langley that Mr. Weah had been placed under investigation to the delights of many.

From all indications, it appears that there are some Liberians who would have celebrated the arrest of the president since in their mind that would have been the right thing to do.

Weah and his delegation are expected back home on Tuesday, March 28, the press statement pertaining to this much-speculated visit would only clarify or leave room for more questions than answers. Until then, we will never know what really transpired at Langley.

[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=2] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=3] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=4] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=5] [bsa_pro_ad_space id=6]

One Comment

Back to top button