Editorial

A Distorted Picture of Adm. Poindexter
 
11 October 2003
The Washington Post
A27

Over the years, as the longtime counsel for Adm. John Poindexter, I have 
read all kinds of distortions and unfair comments about him in various 
publications. Most of the time, these distortions are not worth a response, 
but the Oct. 5 Outlook article by Ted Gup ["Do We Really Want to Stop the 
Leaks?"] deserves some attention. In this article, which is supposed to be 
about the recent leak of a CIA operative's identity, Gup included a 
gratuitous one-sentence shot at Poindexter and some of the work he did at 
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to improve the 
nation's security just before and after Sept. 11, 2001. Then, to make 
matters worse, the Outlook section decided to illustrate Gup's article with 
a photo that supposedly shows Poindexter "testifying before the House 
Inquiry Committee in July" about his role in a DARPA "terrorism futures 
market plan." 

Poindexter has never appeared before a congressional committee on this 
issue. You chose a photo that is more than 16 years old and comes from his 
testimony before the House committee investigating the the Iran-contra 
matter. I am at a loss to understand how professional editors could make 
such an obvious mistake. But I do know that it's a disservice to a man who 
has worked tirelessly to help his country at this crucial time in its history. 

-- Richard W. Beckler 

Washington