When Congressmen David Bonior, Mike Thompson, and Jim McDermott travelled to Iraq in 2002, Saddam Hussein's intelligence operatives picked up the tab, the federal government alleges. Read my piece on National Review Online on how the trio's ideological tourism carried on a shameful tradition of junkets to totalitarian nations by leftists willing to excuse the misdeeds of America's enemies.

Nice article, and nice publicity for the brand.

Let's not forget that in 1983 Donald Rumsfeld also visited Iraq, personally met with Saddam Hussein, and didn't discourage Iraq from using chemical weapons against Iranians. In 1982 Iraq was removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Also, in what sense was Saddam Hussein's Iraq our "enemy?"

Hussein's Iraq fought two wars against the United States, bombed our ally Israel, cheered 9/11, killed 37 sailors in its attack on the U.S.S. Stark, and may have plotted to assassinate George H.W. Bush. I think it was misguided for the U.S. to invade Iraq. I think it is also misguided to not recognize Hussein as an enemy.

What two wars are you talking about?

I don't recognize Hussein as an enemy, but if Hussein is an enemy then you would also have to conclude that Donald Rumsfeld is a traitor.

Let's not forget that in 1983 Donald Rumsfeld also visited Iraq, personally met with Saddam Hussein, and didn't discourage Iraq from using chemical weapons against Iranians. In 1982 Iraq was removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

I don't recognize Hussein as an enemy, but if Hussein is an enemy then you would also have to conclude that Donald Rumsfeld is a traitor.

Donald Rumsfeld was, from 1977-2001, employed as an executive in a succession of business concerns. That was his primary employment. The Reagan and Bush Administrations put him on a series of advisory committees and special commissions. He was also appointed a special envoy by the Reagan Administration in 1983-84 and was dispatched to Iraq in that capacity. The United States had no diplomatic relations with Iraq from 1967 to 1985 so diplomatic contacts had to occur through various ad hoc arrangements, including that one.

It should be noted that treason is singular in that it is the only crime expressly defined by the federal Constitution. Any statutory law elaborating on the crime of treason has to be congruent with those specific constitutional clauses. Since the United States was not at war with Iraq in 1983 and since he was (though primarily employed by the G.D. Searle Co.) an official envoy of the United States Government, you would have to propose that he conspired with the Iraqi government on that visit to make war on the United States. That is nonsensical.

The Reagan and Bush Administrations did make an effort to reach some sort of practical modus vivendi with the Iraqi Government in 1982-90. That effort was revealed a failure in August 1990 and a policy of force and containment was thus adopted. Intelligent people react to changes in circumstance.

Art,

During the 1980s Donald Rumsfeld was also a member of COG in which he dealt with how to maintain government -- and suspend the Constitution -- in the event of a "national emergency."

Our policy toward Iraq in the 1980s was primarily about maintaining the balance of power in the region -- prevent the Iranian revolution from spreading beyond its borders -- and had little to do with establishing permanent diplomatic relations.

Intelligent people should adjust to changing circumstances, and that is why war against Iraq in 2003 was even more ridiculous than in 1983 -- a year in which Iraq was actually waging war and producing and using chemical weapons. Saddam's Iraq was never an enemy of the United States.

Yeah. Saddam loved the U.S. He was a true friend in the region. Too bad his own people decided to execute such an asset.

It was most likely not illegal. 31CFR575 authorized travel for persons on official US business and does not appear to preclude the use of funds from blocked entities. Actually, it was a very poorly considered regulation, but there was likely no violation of US sanctions.