Author and Husband of Outed CIA Agent to Speak at Willamette

The title of Joseph C. Wilson's IV talk is "Speaking Truth to Power: The War in Iraq and the WMD Lie." Wilson also wrote "What I Didn't Find in Africa."

Photo Courtesy: Penn State

(SALEM) - Former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, author of "The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife`s CIA Identity" and "What I Didn't Find in Africa," a book that accuses the Bush administration of manipulating intelligence about Saddam Hussein's weapons programs to justify an invasion of Iraq, will speak at Willamette University, Wednesday, April 5th, at 7:00 PM in Smith Auditorium.

Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council from June 1997 until July 1998, Wilson was responsible for the coordination of U.S. policy to the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

He was one of the principal architects of President Clinton`s historic trip to Africa in March 1998.

Wilson was a member of the U.S. Diplomatic Service from 1976 until 1998.

His early assignments included Niamey, Niger; Lome, Togo; the State Department Bureau of African Affairs and Pretoria, South Africa.

From 1998 to 1991, Wilson served in Baghdad, Iraq, as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy.

During "Desert Shield" he was the acting Ambassador and was responsible for the negotiations that resulted in the release of several hundred American hostages.

He was the last official American to meet with Saddam Hussein before the launching of "Desert Storm."

Wilson will also take questions from the audience after his presentation and will be available for book signing.

With a Willamette ID, the first ticket is free and subsequent tickets are $5 beginning March 27th. Tickets for the general public are $5 beginning March 29th.

Tickets are available at the information desk in university center.