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Bush's Final Jeopardy

By Elizabeth de la Vega, Tomdispatch.com. Posted April 11, 2006.


There's really just one question the media should be asking about the President's involvement in the CIA leak affair -- and it's a doozie.
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The latest in a parade of horrors emanating from the Bush administration appeared Thursday in the form of a revelation buried in papers filed in federal court by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald in his investigation into the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame. I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, now under indictment on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, told the Grand Jury Fitzgerald convened that President Bush had -- via Vice President Cheney -- authorized him to disclose selected information from a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to New York Times reporter Judith Miller, which he did during a private breakfast meeting at the St. Regis Hotel on July 8, 2003.

On Friday, in a press conference that bore a striking similarity to Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First?" routine, President Bush's spokesman Scott McClellan dutifully responded to reporters' questions about the disclosure. No, the increasingly robotic McClellan said, the White House will not comment on an ongoing case. But, he assured the assembled journalists, the President can declassify whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants. So, McClellan implied, it would have been perfectly legal for the President to have taken this action, which he could not, of course, comment on because this was an ongoing case (and so on).

Thus has begun a debate in our media whose starting questions usually run along the lines of: "Is what the President did legal?" or "Does the President have authority to declassify information at will?" (Given the President's failure to deny Libby's allegation, it has largely been accepted as true.) The answer to those questions has generally been: Yes, the President -- as chief executive -- has the authority to declassify information at will.

But it is not only in the TV game show world of Jeopardy! that the correct answer to a problem depends on the question asked. And, as it happens, those are simply not the right questions.

In order to decide what legal issues arise from a given set of facts -- in other words, in order to frame the right questions -- we first have to determine what the facts are. This is what we know, in summary, about the CIA leak case. We know that Valerie Plame's husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson had been an extremely painful thorn in the side of the Bush administration long before he wrote the infamous July 6, 2003 New York Times op-ed that Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald described as having been viewed "in the Office of the Vice President as a direct attack on the credibility of the Vice President (and the President) on a matter of signal importance: the rationale for the war in Iraq."

In March of 2003, Wilson had become increasingly vocal in questioning the administration's reasons for war. In a Nation article and a March 2 appearance on CNN, as well as a March 4 panel on Ted Koppel's Nightline, Wilson argued that the White House wanted to invade Iraq, not because of weapons of mass destruction, but because it wanted to redraw the map of the Middle East. Wilson's criticisms coincided with those of David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, who was questioning the President's false and misleading arguments that aluminum tubes intercepted en route to Iraq had been meant for an Iraqi nuclear program.

Fueling the fire, on March 7, Mohammed El Baradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, had flatly declared that there was no evidence the Iraqis were reconstituting a nuclear-weapons program, pointing out that neither the aluminum tubes claim nor the attempted-purchase-of-uranium-in-Niger claim were valid. Indeed, El Baradei explained, the documents relating to an attempted purchase of uranium were obvious forgeries. The next day, a "senior administration official" was quoted in the Washington Post as saying in response to El Baradei's statement, "We fell for it." Then Wilson appeared again on CNN and said, essentially, that the senior administration official was either lying or incompetent because analysts from several different intelligence agencies already knew of the forgeries.


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Elizabeth de la Vega is a former federal prosecutor. Her pieces have appeared in The Nation, the L.A. Times, Salon, and Mother Jones.

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He lied then and continues to LIE.... Now let's IMPEACH HIM
Posted by: thinkverybig on Apr 11, 2006 12:37 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This administration is such an embarrassment to the entire country that it makes me want to cry. Americans should be outraged at all that has ocurred under President BUSH'S administration. The Republicans impeached Bill Clinton for much less yet they say nothing about BUSH. This country is way off track and it's going to take a revolution for us to get back right.

This shouldn't be about partican politics but serving the people of our country and presently our elected leaders are not doing that. So instead, we need to elect leaders that are honest and truly for the people. But under our present system that might be impossible.... there's too much corruption and more.

It's time for a REVOLUTION.


Soon to come "WeMustChange.org"


Volunteers are welcomes.... email david@thinkverybig.com

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» RE: I beg your pardon, again Posted by: indievoter
» RE:Looks like we got another troll, Cyclone! Posted by: Againstthewindwalking
Nixonian criminals
Posted by: rsaxto on Apr 11, 2006 3:37 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If our US congresspeople and senators were truly servants of the people they would censure, impeach and jail the Nixonian criminals who now infest the white house. That that is not happening is all the proof we need to kick out of office all our reps and senators who do not at least push censure before the 2006 elections. We need to empty both house and senate of all of the corrupt creeps who serve the great god money instead of the best interests of the peoples and environments of the world.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Nixonian criminals Posted by: concerned Canadian
Legal?
Posted by: kgs1947 on Apr 11, 2006 3:44 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Oh, it may well be legal for a president to declassfy documents, but Bush broke the law once again. He DID NOT follow the legal procedures to declassfy any document! Once again, Hi Ho Bushie, rode his pony into battle without preparing for it LEGALLY! Such a drunken fool. He is so inept, he needs to step-down or be impeached NOW. He is a nightmare come true.

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» RE: Legal? Posted by: thinkverybig
» RE: Legal? Posted by: Guy
Impeachment?
Posted by: Beverly on Apr 11, 2006 4:17 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We all are now aware of how decieving our present administration is and the mess that we're involved with in Iraq because of all of this. It's very obvious that our present form of government's going downhill and many Americans want America back to our forefathers original plan.

If we were to impeach President Bush, that would only put Chaney at the top, which would be just as disasterous. In order to achieve a complete ridence of all the corruption in our White House, it would be necessary to remove many more besides Bush/Chaney.

By the time all the procedures were in place,etc., it would be the end of Bush's term. All the time, effort and cost to the American public would have been wasted. All we can do is hope that Bush doesn't use his "over inflated power and lack of common sense and more decieving lies" to get us into another "war".

His itching trigger finger seems to be just waiting to shoot us into another destructive mess with Iran. He's already created another "Vietnam" by attacking Iraq, under the guise of "freeing it's people". He's gone way beyond using common sense, as all efforts should've been concentrated on the real terrorist who attacked us, "Bin Laden"!

Bush appears to me as a person who was given a position of power, but reaches out beyond his boundries, doesn't follow the protective rules, and now believes he can do anything, anytime, and nobody can stop him.

Shame on those who elected this man who has brought such disgrace upon our Nation!

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» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: waves999
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: aussidawg
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: goldennugget
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Asmodeus
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: alternetleslie
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Weston
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Impeachment? Posted by: MT512
We better take a good look at ourselves here.
Posted by: Prophit on Apr 11, 2006 4:44 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Are we, as a nation, primarily a bunch of sociopaths? Its what we elected in Cheney and Bush, so maybe its us in the end. I am finding more and more everyday people who have no ethics, moral judgement, and thus no outrage at these upfront and avowed violations of law by our leaders.

Even the most educated and sophisticated thinkers have left their moral compass behind when it comes to law breaking. If "they" think its ok to ignore, then they spend their time justifying the "breaking of the law" rather than "changing" the law. So how do we expect our leaders to be any different?

It maybe why we are passive about these issues that at some time in the past we would have rose up to protest against. Not now! Every man/women/child for him/herself is the order of the day. We are deteriorating into a nation of libic lizards. Sorry, but lately that is how it seems we are going in almost every area of our lives and I think our leaders simply reflect that.

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» RE: We better take a good look at ourselves here. Posted by: Aposterioriperception
Kate_24
Posted by: Kate_24 on Apr 11, 2006 5:07 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am currently working on my thesis which deals with this whole Wilson-Plame-Miller-Libby and-too-many-other-people-who-are-involved thing. It is frustrating because everytime I think I have it, someone comes along and reveals something that is not actually all that shocking (Come on, did anyone really believe GWB was not involved in this in the first place?), but opens up entire new fields of questions I need to consider.

Watergate only took two years from the break-in to Nixon's resignation. And a lot of the things the Bush administration have done seem infinitely worse than breaking into the DNC's headquarters. The Plame story is now in its fourth year, counting from the time Wilson was sent to Niger to investigate claims regarding the Niger-Iraq-uranium link ...

Beverly wrote: "We all are now aware of how decieving our present administration is ..." - and I can't help but think: Yeah, that's what I've been telling people all along. The thing is: No one really listens.

One would think that Libby's recent revelation would finally get the White House under some pressure, would finally start some real outrage at the administration. (Because the story really isn't about revealing some CIA agent's identity, but about making up and exaggerating reasons for a "preemptive" war.) But from over here (I'm in Europe), everything seems as calm as usual. Is that a misperception? Or are the media and the broader public really not willing to finally open their eyes?

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» Curiouser and curiouser Posted by: Artkansas
» RE: Curiouser and curiouser Posted by: Kate_24
» RE: Curiouser and curiouser Posted by: kryptx
» RE: Kate_24 Posted by: Weston
» RE: Kate_24 Posted by: Asses of Evil
» RE: Kate_24 Posted by: monkeywrench
» RE: Distractions Posted by: Kate_24
» RE: Kate_24 Posted by: Asses of Evil
» RE: Kate_24 Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Kate_24 Posted by: Monika
» RE: Kate_24 Posted by: Asses of Evil
Another Thing
Posted by: O.B.Server on Apr 11, 2006 6:02 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What I keep reading is that revealing Plume's CIA identity was supposed to embarass or in some way punish her husband. I don't get it. Am I missing something? How is that going to bother him? Is losing covert status such a horrible thing?

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» RE: Another Thing Posted by: saphil@yahoo.com
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: jimb
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: Ed Lammers
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: kryptx
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: jontan88
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: woodford54
» Yes -- you're missing a great deal. Posted by: AdamSelene40
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: starsister7
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: awakeallready
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: Beverly
» RE: Another Thing Posted by: jsa9
Bartram
Posted by: sbartram on Apr 11, 2006 6:09 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
To me the unasked question is, "Given that Bush and Cheney are proven willing to declassify secret information to refute claims against them for purely political purposes, why is it not reasonable to assume that the NSA spying is for uncovering dirt on political opponents?"

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» RE: Bartram Posted by: covalentbonded
» RE: Bartram Posted by: kryptx
Religious Fundamentalist Fascism
Posted by: figuremechanic on Apr 11, 2006 6:16 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The hashing and rehashing of the same old tired story that didn't wash then and doesn't wash now diminishes the mind and bores the reader. The fact is that Hussein was trying to buy the yellow dirt from Niger to produce uranium. Our daughter was in the Peace Corps in the back bush of Niger and the movement of the yellow dirt is done regularly through the bush to rogue nations and villages heavy with Al Qaeda under the cover of corrupt African governments seeking to destroy the West and the dreams of freedom for women, children and men world wide. Fascism is on the rise in despotic nations that seek to gain free reign and domination over the most vulnerable of societies as a first step toward eventual regional conflict, destabilization and accession to power through such tyranny. That's fascism. That is what the so-called "insurgents" seek to gain in Iraq. If they can do so there and form coalitions with Iran and Syria and other satellite rogue states seeking regional destabilization, their fascism can be exported to all continents and societies through their proven successful terrorist tactics.

Some are asleep at the wheel and choose to hide their heads in the sand and live in denial about the historical path and transcendence of facism as a political/military complex. We're fortunate to have leadership in this country that takes an America-first position to protect us from such fascism and to promote liberty and justice and freedom to all women, children and men around the world. I don't understand what part of that the extreme Left doesn't get...

Valerie Plame was a newsreader in an office in the CIA. She looked at magazine articles. Cushy job with good pay and benefits. I wish the rest of us could have such perks out here in the working world so we don't have to live paycheck to paycheck while the corporations slash our benefits and sell our jobs overseas to communist slave labor.

(I also believe government is paid too much and all federal employees and politicians should be paying into our social security system.)

Plame's husband is a political hack and always has been and has done nothing but seek to sell his contrived ideas, deceits and book for profit and greed beyond his previously well paid salary and government perks.

Old news rehashed continuously really says more about the writers than the old news, as the generation of ideas is stagnated through such folly. The truth is that some want us to live in denial of the truth of what is occurring in the world and the hatred that is fomented by the enemies of those of us who believe that every woman, child and man on the planet deserves the opportunity that freedom and democracy provide to them. Such "REVOLUTION" is a good thing when it is propelled by the likes of the current administration and we as a nation of people who are seeking to promote the revolutionary ideas and concepts of freedom and democracy to those middle east nations and peoples who have been denied such opportunities for centuries because of the paternalistic religious fundamentalisms of the Church States that have dominated the masses there for so many centuries, keeping their people in ignorance and poverty for their own paternalistic and selfish religious opinions and beliefs. What does the Hard Left have against freedom and democracy for those millions of women and children who are treated as chattel, tortured, maimed, raped and killed around the world under the protection of the Church States and their religious fundamentalist fascism?

Perhaps if some of those on the Left put as much energy into fighting fascism as they do to promoting angst and socialist notions because of their obsession with partisan politics, they might be viewed as an asset rather than a liability to the independent and freedom-valuing minds of the world.

Lance Wrightman
figuremechanic@yahoo.com

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» RE: No, but you got yours from AM radio Posted by: figuremechanic
» I think that say it all Posted by: brunowe
» RE: I think that say it all Posted by: Astroboy
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: civil rights 1
» Mine, too... Posted by: GreenLibbie
» RE: Mine, too... Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: Mine, too... Posted by: kryptx
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: ConnecttheDots
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: Pseudo Morals
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: civil rights 1
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» Negligence Posted by: brunowe
» RE: Negligence Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: kelly.nickell
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: kelly.nickell
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: civil rights 1
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: Bush comitted TREASON!!! Posted by: Againstthewindwalking
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: figuremechanic
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: kelly.nickell
» RE: eligious Fundamentalist Fascism Posted by: ConnecttheDots
» Good Job Lance Posted by: Narco-NYC
Revolution, Impeachment and the Failure of the Republic
Posted by: howardadoughty on Apr 11, 2006 6:28 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Other writers urge revolution (whatever that might mean in 21st century America), impeachment (admirable, but plainly impossible while the Republican Party controls all three branches of government), and the adoption of a parliamentary system (also admirable, but likewise impossible unless the historical tape were to be rewound and a time-traveller could be sent back to tell the "founders" what mischief lay ahead). Ben Franklin, of course, was pessimistic and Thomas Jefferson spoke darkly of the need to revitalize the tree of liberty by regularly spilling the blood of tyrants and patriots. Such rhetoric, of course, is merely rhetoric.

So, what to do?

The first priority is to organize for the coming congressional elections. As a foreigner who hasn't set foot in your Republic for some years, I do not presume to advise you about precise tactics; but it is clear that Republicans must be defeated wherever possible and that weak Democrats must go down as well.

No small task! But there must be some states in which elections cannot be stolen. Robust effort and solid planning might yield pleasant results.

Then (were both the House of Representatives and the Senate to produce a slim Democratic majority, one of which is not Joe Lieberman), it would be useful to initiate impeachment proceedings.

I am no expert, but it seems that Article 2, section 4 of your Constitution allows the impeachment of the President and of the Vice-President and all civil officers of the USA, thus permitting (in theory) a "clean sweep." So, to say that impeaching Bush would only lead to a Cheney presidency is false.

But that is not the main point, nor is the complaint that impeaching Mr. Bush would take too much time and money. Compared to the attack on Iraq, impeachment costs would be "chump change," and would have significant symbolic effects.

And who knows? Though Mr. Bush seems immune to self-doubt and exempt from a sense of humiliation when criticized by mere mortals, the prospect of being hauled before the Senate to explain himself might get to him. Seeing what was in store, Mr. Nixon cut and ran, and Mr. Bush is surely no more courageous than "Tricky Dick."

The real point is not to drive Mr. Bush from office, probably a practical impossibility. It is to make it impossible for him to govern by tying him and his friends up judicial proceedings for two years. Impeaching Mr. Clinton took the wheels off his presidency while he was preoccupied Mr. Starr. Mr. Bush might also be hobbled.

Also, full international exposure Mr. Bush's misdeeds and the prospect of a dramatic public cleansing of your highest office could do much good in the eyes of former and future friends abroad.

After 9/11, the most people in most of countries felt deep and genuine empathy with you. Mr. Bush spit in all our faces. It is left to your citizens to fix things.

There is a downside. Mr. Bush has his quivering finger on the button. Were he to face a serious challenge, it would be foolish to think him incapable of a nuclear hissy-fit and attempting to precipitate Armageddon. So, we might need faith in the wisdom of your military leaders and hope that someone would stop him or, at least, refuse to follow orders.

Seriously, though, I doubt (or I seriously hope) that Mr. Bush would adopt such a rapturous plan. Meanwhile, an emboldened legislature could mess up his (and Cheney's) timing, distract them and ensure both that Iran does not get "nuked" and that the democratic governments of such vaguely "leftist" countries as Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia in this hemisphere do not share the fate of Juan Bosch or (much worse) Allende.

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» Impeachment unlikely Posted by: brunowe
» RE: Impeachment unlikely Posted by: cyclone
» Cook Political Report Posted by: brunowe
» RE: Cook Political Report Posted by: aussidawg
» RE: Cook Political Report Posted by: matilda
» I am among those simply waiting... Posted by: GreenLibbie
Why would Libby give his boss away?
Posted by: byron on Apr 11, 2006 6:49 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
He is already indicted for perjury. Why should he admit he was ordered to leak the information? It seems like he is setting GWB up for public condemnation, which might give strength to other charges. Have the powers behind the throne decided it's time for GWB to go?

I don't want Cheney holding the reins either, but unless illegality is resisted, it will happen again. It's why Elie Wiesel hunted the former Nazis; people asked him, why bother? He did it so his children would never have to go through that again.

Cheney will get his turn too.

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The 'E' word is missing.
Posted by: kirkmuse on Apr 11, 2006 7:01 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Many people have called the Bush-Cheney Administration
dishonest and incompetent. I say that they are also evil.
Evil to the bone.

Perhaps this administration is the only truly evil administration that we have ever had.

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» RE: The 'E' word is missing. Posted by: drmagal
» RE: The 'E' word is missing. Posted by: Michelle
FishboneSoldier
Posted by: Fishbone Soldier on Apr 11, 2006 7:07 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
People keep saying, "If Bush is impeached, then Cheney will run the show and that would be a disaster!" I counter, isn't Cheney already running the show, anyway? The only difference is that Cheney has no base and his own party will provide him no support whatsoever.

Sure, we'd have two years of deadlock, but at least they wouldn't be able to change anything until '09...

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» RE: FishboneSoldier Posted by: civil rights 1
I think it's the other way around.
Posted by: nehark on Apr 11, 2006 7:29 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Attitudes start at the top. Many people look at our lawless government and wonder what they can do about it, but many more just see it as a license to lawlessness themselves.

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leeann8484
Posted by: leeann on Apr 11, 2006 8:27 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Can a reporter ask Scott Mc-"lie" this question at a press conference. Insist on a yes of no answer. Not specifying Bush but generic and then with whatever answer make it Bush specific.

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Valerie Plame WAS a covert field agent
Posted by: jontan88 on Apr 11, 2006 8:29 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Does anyone really think the CIA would request an investigation if she was just a pen pusher? Her own colleagues have said as much. It's only the rightwing talk show hosts and Fox News (and their slack-jawed gullible believers), attempting to justify Bush's numerous crimes who are spreading this easily verifiable lie (now that Plame's cover has been blown).

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Bayway35
Posted by: bayway35 on Apr 11, 2006 8:42 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Can't we all just... get along...quote...un quote

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» HELL NO! Posted by: Againstthewindwalking
Let me try to break this down for you.
Posted by: kryptx on Apr 11, 2006 9:17 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Suppose I own a business. Let's say it's an organic supermarket. And let's say I'm in the process of selling it. And just suppose that there is a former employee who worked in the loading docks and this employee is accusing me of purchasing non-organic oranges. Clearly this could ruin my business and spoil the sale if it were true, but I know that it is not true. I hold my personal business contracts to be confidential, but in this case it's fit to reveal just the portion of the documents which prove unilaterally that each and every orange was purchased from groves that are completely chemical-free. It's not my responsibility as a business owner to reveal all of my business dealings, and it is my right to reveal whatever I want, whenever I want, and for whatever reason I want. Finally, not only is it legal, it's the right thing to do. If someone is telling lies about me and my company, the sensible course of action (to protect myself, my employees, other companies in close proximity, and any potential buyer of the company) is to present the documents that demonstrate that the person is lying.

But the question remains: did the NIE actually indicate that Wilson's story wasn't true? Here are the Consensus Intelligence Estimate's conclusions (from http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2003_cr/h072103.html):

-----

Confidence Levels for Selected Key Judgments in This Estimate

High Confidence


Iraq is continuing, and in some areas expanding its chemical, biological, nuclear and missile programs contrary to UN resolutions.

We are not detecting portions of these weapons programs.

Iraq possesses proscribed chemical and biological weapons and missiles.

Iraq could make a nuclear weapon in months to a year once it acquires sufficient weapons grade fissile material

Moderate Confidence

Iraq does not yet have a nuclear weapon or sufficient material to make one but is likely to have a weapon by 2007 to 2009.

-----

So do these estimates support Bush's SOTU "16 words"? Not particularly. For that, you'd need to read some other reports (those interested can start with the Senate Intelligence Report on Iraq released July 9, 2004). But do these estimates support the justification for war with Iraq? Absolutely, and without a doubt. So Bush declassified these documents simply to protect his interests against someone who questioned his motives, like anyone would do if they cared about their reputation.

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clinker
Posted by: cottontail on Apr 11, 2006 9:42 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We've become much like a few other societies where breaking the law is no crime, it's getting caught that's the crime. These guys in Washington get caught and still no public outrage. And the U.S. is supposed to be a Christian nation. What a crock. What bothers me more than what our government in Washington has become, is what we have become as a nation. Just one example: Working people have been polled on the Estate Tax issue and most thought repeal a good idea on the grounds that they may some day be rich. Ignoramuses, putting Bush in the White House twice, getting fatter and stupider. If you believe any of this is going to change in the foreseeable future, you're living in dreams. It's going to get worse.

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And now Iran
Posted by: lb on Apr 11, 2006 9:57 AM   
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Valerie Plame was a NOC in Iran. Could this also be designed to make her ineffective and set the stage for Bush to move against Iran?

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» RE: And now Iran Posted by: mishanti2
Tying together the President's Bad Day
Posted by: Here and now on Apr 11, 2006 10:24 AM   
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Sources today report that President Bush admitted to treason by leaking intelligence information blowing CIA super secret agent Valerie Plame's cover because Mr President can declassify information on a whim when he needs to create propaganda to support his fraudulent case to go to war to secure Iraqi Oil by allowing back-door access to male prostitute, Jeff Gannon (owner of a male escort service), whom frequented President Bush and other members of the White House. On another note court papers introduced in criminal court today by the Justice department concerning the illegal phone jamming in New Hampshire in 2002 show that Bush campaign operative James Tobin had "special access" to the White House political affairs office purported to be regularly controlled by Karl Rove. In response to these facts and inuendo, the White House sought to distract the American public by not denying any of it & instead announced it is considering the slowly poisoning them by increasing the allowable amount of poisons and toxins in tap water by 300%. While this may only affect the poor and needy, the President's base known as the rich elite need not worry as they can afford bottled water. However the as many as 36 million legal and illegal immigrants protesting coast to coast Monday likely would be affected as the President might have reflected upon the statement "Let them eat cake" but then was distracted by the Fed covering up the declining dollar by no longer reporting on monetary matters.

The official democratic response to all of this: YAWN!

The unofficial democratic response to all of this: EXCELLENT!!!

My response: As Americans we are coming together recognizing that the President, the Republican congress, as well as the Courts has decided to kill America as quickly as possible in order to cover up their misdeeds. However we are taking a stand. We are calling for an immediate recall election this November to undo the harm, the foul play, the lies, the deceit, the greed, and the loss of the American way in order to elect Progressive leaders such as Howard Dean, Bernie Sanders, and other well-meaning Progressive candidates to make a course correction. We need to deal with the very real problems that the nation is facing today as our Republican leaders have failed. They pay American Corporations to send our high-paying jobs overseas, fire our middle class (Ford and GM), and divide our country over fear of the unknown (immigration). Well no more! We demand fairness, integrity, not even the appearance of conflict of interest, and more and better jobs. We seek to turn our decling nation into a positive, progressing nation and return to the best and brightest in the world, bar none. As Americans we will work together as one large community improving ourselves and our lives. Each and every person deserves a single payer universal healthcare program guaranteeing basic, preventative, and restorative healthcare from birth to death. Each person deserves a good retirement based upon their hard work during the productive time of their lives. Each person deserves a full education with 4 year college degree that prepares them for life and for a career, not just a job. Next to last, every person deserves a full stomache filled with safe food and safe water grown in a safe environment. Lastly, we deserve a government of/for/by the people that cares for and protects the well-being of all people, our environment, and our policies foreign and domestic.

Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/10/
whitehouse.leak/index.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/
article/2006/03/31/AR2006033101629_pf.html
http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/
secret_service_gannon_424.htm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060410/
ap_on_go_pr_wh/election_phone_jamming
http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/declining_dollar.html

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Nice try, Elizabeth
Posted by: mn on Apr 11, 2006 10:52 AM   
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This is good work. But it ain't gonna fly in brain-dead America. Nope, sorry. We are *way* past the point of no return. Forget about Watergate, the rule of law, justice, et al. The only way this thing gets fixed is when the next really really bad thing happens. That is what we need to be prepared for. Here on the Left Coast, we are preparing to secede once the head of the dragon is flayed in some way. It was nice being associated with y'all on the Atlantic side of 117 degrees longitude. Come visit once this is all settled down.

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» RE: Nice try, Elizabeth Posted by: kryptx
THREE YEAR OLD NEWS
Posted by: SALLY EVANS on Apr 11, 2006 11:38 AM   
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Is it any wonder that Bush continues to get away with his torture and mass murder? The media continues to print the Valerie Plame story as if it were something new! The U.S. is on a losing merry-go round and is going nowhere at warp speed. All Congressmen who support this SICK REGIME must be gotten rid of. Bush and his gang should be imprisoned for life for their unforgivable actions.

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Again, I YAWN.....
Posted by: albiegf13 on Apr 11, 2006 11:46 AM   
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I did not vote for this administration, although I dont know if we would have been much better off with the Dems in office... However, I am not the least bit outraged by the goings on and the serious damage that it is doing to our country's national security. Things will get a lot worse before they get better. The current administration will not suffer any setbacks from the opposition, that will come from their loyal backers who are now beginning to feel like a bunch of suckers. The problem here is not in the lies, but in the believing. It's not that they lied again, it's that they believed them again.

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Now is the Time for Congress to Act
Posted by: AfroSappho on Apr 11, 2006 1:03 PM   
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What Bush and Cheney did is clearly criminal. Who in congress will be brave enough to start impeachment proceedings (especially when most of congress are complicit in other crimes=getting us into the war in Iraq)? And why aren't more folks outraged that impeachment proceedings haven't happened yet? Have we Americans lost our ability to become completely outraged or are we continually addicted and seduced by any red herring that flashes across the boob tube?

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You can't frickin' win can you...?!
Posted by: waves999 on Apr 11, 2006 1:10 PM   
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You don’t have to be a liberal to hate George Bush.

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» RE:But it Sure Helps!!!!! Posted by: Againstthewindwalking
US PERSON
Posted by: US Person on Apr 11, 2006 3:29 PM   
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I would like to add an article to the ever growing list of George W. Bush's "high crimes and misdemeanors": abuse of the the classification process of official documents for political purposes, and conspiracy to reveal the identity of a covert agent of the United States in violation of federal statutes protecting their identity

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PUBLIC INTEREST & THE LEAK
Posted by: dherndon on Apr 11, 2006 3:36 PM   
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Granted the President may declasify information. In the case of the NIE document, if Bush believed it was in the PUBLIC INTEREST to declassify it, WHY DID HE NOT COME ON TV AND TELL THE PUBLIC? Would that not have been a better way to inform the PUBLIC than just telling Cheney and having Cheney tell Scooter to tell Miller. Of course, Scooter, failed to tell Miller that what he passed on to her had very recently been declassified so she did time to protect Scooter. Maybe Scooter should have done the chivalrous thing and had a press conference to tell the PUBLIC and avoid putting poor judy on the spot. Or maybe Scott could have passed on the declassified information at his frequently held press conferences. WHY THE SECRECY, IT WAS DECLSSIFIED STUFF?

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Bin Laden?!
Posted by: Astroboy on Apr 11, 2006 4:50 PM   
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Just for the record, Bin Laden may have had something to do with the first and failed attack on the WTC, but he had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11.
Heads up kids - it was the Bush Administration who demolished those buildings. And though it may sound preposterous to many, it's the goddamned fucking TRUTH!!

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» RE: Bin Laden?! Posted by: famouspipeliner
» RE: Bin Laden?! Posted by: covalentbonded
The Bush Adminstration is Bushs**T
Posted by: Jersey Devil on Apr 11, 2006 8:57 PM   
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It has already been proven many times that the Bush Administration lies, cheats and misleads when ever it is convenient and advances their goals. They cannot be trusted to be truthful or open on any subject, at any time, anywhere. They have no creditability, the simple fact is, they lie.

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Bush does not matter.
Posted by: ng1944 on Apr 12, 2006 10:14 AM   
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It is no wonder what Bush is.
But I am surprised by republican party that
there is not a one decent person in republican party
to stand up and say, that's enough.
This is the way Hitler came to power in Germany

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It Was Declassified and Covered in News Stories
Posted by: Campesino on Apr 12, 2006 4:40 PM   
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Granted the President may declasify information. In the case of the NIE document, if Bush believed it was in the PUBLIC INTEREST to declassify it, WHY DID HE NOT COME ON TV AND TELL THE PUBLIC? Would that not have been a better way to inform the PUBLIC than just telling Cheney and having Cheney tell Scooter to tell Miller. Of course, Scooter, failed to tell Miller that what he passed on to her had very recently been declassified so she did time to protect Scooter. Maybe Scooter should have done the chivalrous thing and had a press conference to tell the PUBLIC and avoid putting poor judy on the spot. Or maybe Scott could have passed on the declassified information at his frequently held press conferences. WHY THE SECRECY, IT WAS DECLSSIFIED STUFF?

It was declassified and appeared in news stories about a week later. Judy Miller was given an advanced look and never used it in a story.

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The Iraq War is fundamentally wrong.
Posted by: nbrown on Apr 15, 2006 11:59 AM   
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The Iraq War is fundamentally wrong.

It would not get better with a Democratic president.

It would not get better with even more US troops to kill even more civillians.

It would not get better by replacing Rumsfeld with another coach.

The war is fundamentally wrong.

The only solution is to stop participating in the violence. The only solution is to bring our troops home.

Have a look at my Iraq War Timeline. Deterioration is the only constant in the war. This permanent downward trajectory is based on conditions outside the control of US electoral politics.

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The one question to ask
Posted by: cycledco on Apr 16, 2006 10:18 AM   
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So, our compassionate president and vice president, in the name of telling the true story authorized release of information regarding the intelligence estimate and presumably Valerie Plame.

Why then, did these macho straight shooting leaders, who only operate in the name of truth and goodness, allow Judith Miller to rot in prison for so long?

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JOSHUADUDD - INTERNET WHORE
Posted by: cerveny1 on Apr 16, 2006 3:11 PM   
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Funny thing about Alternet.org . . . There is this little click of self-righteous moderators who unilaterally determine what is right and wrong. Those in particular who don't agree with one JOSHUA LUDD and his brand of democracy may find themselves banished to Alternet's Gulag. I don't mind anymore. I have determined that a site frequented by an arrogant, gutless little prick like JOSHUA LUDD is hardly worth my time. I managed to break all of Alternet's fascist and seemingly self-contradictory rules of engagement but then again so did Joshua so I can only conclude that he is some kind of moderator or just a little bitch. Probably both. I'm sure that many of you who have debated with this self-important little prick understand. Having a left-leaning site like this is great and all but when assholes like JOSHUA LUDD run the show it ends up being a My Way or the Highway circle jerk eh JOSH? There can be no dissenting voice with JOSHUA LUDD. He silences you if he disagrees with you – sound familiar? All this discussion about the problems Americans are facing, censorship being one of them, and Fascistnet.org ends up being a microcosm of that very problem.

I challenge Joshua on every occasion because I disagree with him and his beliefs. He and I have both exchanged ad-hominem attacks – he seems to be a real tough guy though, given to Lee Marvin-esque outbursts but yet he whines to a friend and poof I’m gone or maybe he is the BIG PRICK who moderates the whole thing. In any event he actually represents much of what is wrong with this site and to a greater extent, what is wrong with America. We are discussing such topics as War, Racism, Fascism, Sexism, Capitalism, Socialism, etc. and yet are asked to keep the kid gloves on. Funny, one would think that people with enough conviction to come in here and discuss these topics would have thicker skin, and apparently most do except that little BITCH ASS TRICK JOSHUA LUDD. Keep him in mind when he attacks you personally and calls you a “reprehensible, murderous hypocrite” or this little pearl he threw out there – “Good for you. You still didn't serve. As my grandfather... a WW2 vet would say "close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes". Either you served or you didn't, and you, you chickenhawk piece of shit, DID NOT.” Funny Josh is beyond reproach much like our own president and the man he was criticizing in that thread – Colin Powell. Who is going to censure or ban you Josh? What about that post wasn’t a personal attack and profane?

I think many of you would be interested in knowing that Little Joshie is running a pseudo-intellectual pyramid blogging scam – fucking hilarious Josh!!!! What is it called Josh – Blogging for Bucks?? LMAO!!!
No I understand why you have this incestuous little relationship with Alternet.org. You are giving each other the reach-around eh JOSHUADUDD? You’re nothing but a little blog twink are you? This is the real progressive thinker you all are dealing with. WHAT A FUCKING LOSER!! Here’s his pitch spoken like a good little Neo-con:

“Write a blog. Make Money.
There are millions of people who want to work from home but don't know how.There are millions of people who know how to write.There are millions of people who know how to write, but don't know how to make money with it.We KNOW how to make money with content people write. This site was designed to allow YOU to write content which WE will market and we will ALL make money.We'll make the money for you!
Then, we split the money,
50/50. Not only that but we'll also place your ads on the blogs of people you refer to writingUp.”
CHECK IT OUT HERE – PIMP YOURSELF OUT!!
http://www.writingup.com/write_a_blog_make_money

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A check on History, Nixon was not Impeached
Posted by: specs1 on Apr 16, 2006 7:41 PM   
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I am not a historian, but I believe history is very important to learn from... And I do believe the Mr. Bush has lied to the American people in more than one State of the Union Speech and on more than one issue. But, to be fair, Nixon resigned and was never officially Impeached. From the Americanpresident.org web site "...Until the Watergate scandal led to his near impeachment by the House of Representatives and resignation in 1974, he was the dominant politician of the Cold War."

Again, I do believe that Mr. Bush deserves a similar fate as Nixon, but History is very important to learn from so we stop repeating it...

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» Satellite phone tapping Posted by: derfb1
Citizens of America, be Damned...
Posted by: morningstar777 on Apr 17, 2006 4:38 PM   
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Where is our voice?
Where is our freedom?
Where did our rights go?
what has happened to us?
Where is our privacy?
what are they doing now?
where did our right to vote go?
why are we a "damned nation"?

I would like to just think that we have been envaded by aliens,because it is easier. Because to think that our own people have hurt us so badly, is incomprehendable.

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