Who Ordered the Code Red on Wilson?

Maybe one of the best movies of modern day cinema holds in it what I believe may be one of the most important scenes of any film. Jack Nicholson playing the role of Col. Nathan Jessup, the Big Kahuna at the Gitmo Military Base in Cuba, is testifying in a case where his soldiers are being tried for murdering a fellow soldier who was threatening to disclose some ugly things that go on at the military base. Orders came to discipline this insubordinate soldier, and in the course of that so called "Code Red", the soldier accidentally died. Under cross examination the prosecutor for the Army questioned the Colonel about the "Code Red" and about who gave the order to give the "Code Red" to the soldier. The Colonels response was powerful and moving...
Col. Jessep: Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to. Col. Jessep: You want answers? Kaffee: I think I'm entitled. Col. Jessep: You want answers? Kaffee: I want the truth. Col. Jessep: You can't handle the truth.

What he was referring to was that the things that are done to protect this great country are not always pretty, moral, or socially acceptable, but they are done for the benefit of the whole...even if someone gets hurt in the process. A Real world example of this unspoken policy could be the Karl Rove incident. In an attempt to keep the American people supportive of The War in Iraq, the Bush Administration felt that former Ambassador Joe Wilson could be sacrificed. And I will hope, for the time being, that the Bush Administration did that for the greater good of the country rather than for their own betterment. Joe Wilson was threatening our War in Iraq policy, and that was endangering the country, so the administration needed to discredit him fast to shut him up.

The fireworks may come if we ultimately find out that President Bush himself had a hand in this "Code Red" against Mr. Wilson, either that he knew about, gave the OK, or actually ordered the smear campaign against Joe Wilson and then vehemently denied knowing anything about it. The truth on that matter is yet to come out.

History being what it is, this silly little pissing match may seem like political folly having no real meaning or point, yet if instead of a media smear campaign against a dissenter, what if we put Joe Wilson in Gitmo (Guantanomo Bay Prison) with the other terrorists...because if your not with us, your against us. Governments that lash back at its citizens for speaking out against its leaders or policies are exactly what we are fighting for in Iraq and other places around the world.

At the end of the movie, Colonel Jessup gets arrested for ordering the "Code Red" even if it was for what he believed was the security of the country.