Liberals Get Perle, At Least For Now

The left has been after Richard Perle for some time, most recently focusing on an alleged “conflict of interest” relating to his work on behalf of Global Crossing and its proposed sale of assets to a group of Asian investors. I haven’t followed this story closely enough to be able to explain what the alleged “conflict” is, but tonight the liberals got their man, as Perle resigned as Chairman of the Defense Policy Board, a group which advises the Pentagon.
Donald Rumsfeld accepted Perle’s resignation as chairman but said that he had asked Perle to remain as a board member.
The BBC offers its typically helpful take on events, for those who may be in doubt as to how this story should be interpreted:
“A former assistant secretary of defence under Ronald Reagan, Mr Perle was nicknamed the ‘Prince of Darkness’ for his opposition to arms control.
“Mr Perle had also not only argued for the need to go to war with Iraq, he had strongly suggested that the Iraqis would put up minimal resistance.
“BBC correspondent Jon Leyne says that his days of power in Washington now appear to be over.”
Perle has been shown by history to have been right about arms control; I am not aware that he ever counselled that the Iraqis would put up “minimal resistance;” and I am quite sure that Perle’s “days of power” are by no means over, since he is one of the ablest men in Washington.