smugllama's news review
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Ditch the Distraction in Chief (Naomi Klein / The Nation)
"It's not that the President is dumb, which I already knew; it's that he makes us dumb. ... We know this, yet there is something about George W. Bush's combination of ignorance, piety and swagger that triggers a condition in progressives I've come to think of as Bush Blindness. When it strikes, it causes us to lose sight of everything we know about politics, economics and history and to focus exclusively on the admittedly odd personalities of the people in the White House. ... The other day, I was ranting to a friend at The Nation about Kerry's vicious support for the apartheid wall in Israel, his gratuitous attacks on Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and his abysmal record on free trade. "Yeah," he agreed sadly. "But at least he believes in evolution." So do I -- the much-needed evolution of our progressive movements. And that won't happen until we put away the fridge magnets and Bush gags and get serious. And that will only happen once we get rid of the distraction in chief."
"It's not that the President is dumb, which I already knew; it's that he makes us dumb. ... We know this, yet there is something about George W. Bush's combination of ignorance, piety and swagger that triggers a condition in progressives I've come to think of as Bush Blindness. When it strikes, it causes us to lose sight of everything we know about politics, economics and history and to focus exclusively on the admittedly odd personalities of the people in the White House. ... The other day, I was ranting to a friend at The Nation about Kerry's vicious support for the apartheid wall in Israel, his gratuitous attacks on Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and his abysmal record on free trade. "Yeah," he agreed sadly. "But at least he believes in evolution." So do I -- the much-needed evolution of our progressive movements. And that won't happen until we put away the fridge magnets and Bush gags and get serious. And that will only happen once we get rid of the distraction in chief."
Thursday, July 29, 2004
TheDenverChannel.com - News - Fort Carson Soldier: I Was Ordered To Push Iraqis Off Bridge (Denver's ABC channel 7)
"One of four soldiers charged with shoving two Iraqi civilians into the Tigris River where one of them drowned says his superior officers ordered up the incident and told him what to say to officials looking into the death, an Army investigator testified Wednesday"
"One of four soldiers charged with shoving two Iraqi civilians into the Tigris River where one of them drowned says his superior officers ordered up the incident and told him what to say to officials looking into the death, an Army investigator testified Wednesday"
Officer 'ordered Iraq carjacking' (news.com.au)
"A US army sergeant accused of carjacking a sheik's sport utility vehicle in Iraq testified that an officer told him to do it"
"A US army sergeant accused of carjacking a sheik's sport utility vehicle in Iraq testified that an officer told him to do it"
Airport security put real explosives in a piece of luggage to test some
bomb-sniffing dogs. (Odds & Ends)
Problem #1: they lost track of the bag.
Problem #2: it was a real piece of luggage belonging to an unwitting passenger.
bomb-sniffing dogs. (Odds & Ends)
Problem #1: they lost track of the bag.
Problem #2: it was a real piece of luggage belonging to an unwitting passenger.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
IRAN: The Next Big Lie (Eric Margolis)
"The Bush Administration still has not published the White Paper promised by Colin Powell in late 2001 proving Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida were behind 9/11. ... Remember, these latest fevered claims about Iran come from the same "reliable intelligence sources" and neo-conservative hawks that insisted Iraq had a vast arsenal of weapons of mass destruction that threatened the US, and intimate links to al-Qaida. ... Iran quietly aided the US invasion of Afghanistan that overthrew Taliban, and jailed scores of al-Qaida members, including one of bin Laden's sons. Second, the Bush Administration and former Clinton officials are trading accusations that the other was responsible for failing to take action against al-Qaida and ally Taliban prior to 9/11. But what no one admits is that both administrations sent millions in aid to Taliban until four months before 9/11. Why? Because CIA was considering using Taliban and al-Qaida as weapons against Iran and, possibly, China, where a Muslim insurgency was underway in the remote Sinkiang region. That's the major reason no action was taken against Taliban and al-Qaida before 9/11. No one in Washington dares admit to playing footsie with the devil."
"The Bush Administration still has not published the White Paper promised by Colin Powell in late 2001 proving Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida were behind 9/11. ... Remember, these latest fevered claims about Iran come from the same "reliable intelligence sources" and neo-conservative hawks that insisted Iraq had a vast arsenal of weapons of mass destruction that threatened the US, and intimate links to al-Qaida. ... Iran quietly aided the US invasion of Afghanistan that overthrew Taliban, and jailed scores of al-Qaida members, including one of bin Laden's sons. Second, the Bush Administration and former Clinton officials are trading accusations that the other was responsible for failing to take action against al-Qaida and ally Taliban prior to 9/11. But what no one admits is that both administrations sent millions in aid to Taliban until four months before 9/11. Why? Because CIA was considering using Taliban and al-Qaida as weapons against Iran and, possibly, China, where a Muslim insurgency was underway in the remote Sinkiang region. That's the major reason no action was taken against Taliban and al-Qaida before 9/11. No one in Washington dares admit to playing footsie with the devil."
Monday, July 26, 2004
Torture charge mercenary 'works for Rumsfeld' (Nick Meo / Independent.co.uk)
"An American mercenary caught running a private torture chamber in Kabul claimed he was working for Donald Rumsfeld before the first day of a trial yesterday that could land him in an Afghan prison for 20 years. Jonathan Idema, a former Green Beret, said he had Pentagon approval for what Kabul authorities called a private anti-terrorist campaign. US authorities in Afghanistan have called him a mercenary and denied official links the day before he was arrested. Mr Idema said he had been abandoned by the US government, telling reporters: "The American authorities absolutely condoned what we did; they absolutely supported what we did."
"An American mercenary caught running a private torture chamber in Kabul claimed he was working for Donald Rumsfeld before the first day of a trial yesterday that could land him in an Afghan prison for 20 years. Jonathan Idema, a former Green Beret, said he had Pentagon approval for what Kabul authorities called a private anti-terrorist campaign. US authorities in Afghanistan have called him a mercenary and denied official links the day before he was arrested. Mr Idema said he had been abandoned by the US government, telling reporters: "The American authorities absolutely condoned what we did; they absolutely supported what we did."
'P2OG' allows Pentagon to fight dirty (David Isenberg / Asia Times)
"The Pentagon's Defense Science Board (DSB) conducted a 2002 "Summer Study on Special Operations and Joint Forces in Support of Countering Terrorism". Excerpts from that study, dated August 16, were leaked and obtained by the Federation of American Scientists, which posted them on their website. The study urges the Pentagon to "take the terrorist threat as seriously as it takes the likelihood and consequences of major theater war", urging officials to launch secret missions and intelligence operations to penetrate and disrupt terrorist cells abroad. ... It recommends the creation of a super-Intelligence Support Activity, an organization it dubs the Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group (P2OG), to bring together CIA and military covert action, information warfare, intelligence and cover and deception."
"The Pentagon's Defense Science Board (DSB) conducted a 2002 "Summer Study on Special Operations and Joint Forces in Support of Countering Terrorism". Excerpts from that study, dated August 16, were leaked and obtained by the Federation of American Scientists, which posted them on their website. The study urges the Pentagon to "take the terrorist threat as seriously as it takes the likelihood and consequences of major theater war", urging officials to launch secret missions and intelligence operations to penetrate and disrupt terrorist cells abroad. ... It recommends the creation of a super-Intelligence Support Activity, an organization it dubs the Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group (P2OG), to bring together CIA and military covert action, information warfare, intelligence and cover and deception."
Thursday, July 22, 2004
The Pakistan connection (Guardian)
"There is evidence of foreign intelligence backing for the 9/11 hijackers. Why is the US government so keen to cover it up? "
"There is evidence of foreign intelligence backing for the 9/11 hijackers. Why is the US government so keen to cover it up? "
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
How has the US been spending other people's billions? (Guardian)
"Mr Waxman has a question on Iraq. In fact, he has several - and in typically robust fashion, he is demanding answers. What he wants to know is whether the Bush administration has been fiddling with Iraq's oil revenues. He wrote to the Republican chairman of the reform committee on July 9, suggesting there was a serious case to answer. Subpoenas should be issued, he said, "to investigate potential mismanagement of the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) by the United States". In particular, Mr Waxman is curious about "the [Bush] administration's last-minute 'draw-down' of billions of dollars from the DFI for unspecified expenses" prior to last month's transfer of sovereignty. "For example, $1bn was withdrawn from the DFI during the last month of the CPA's existence for unspecified 'security' purposes." The administration provided no information about how these funds would be spent, Mr Waxman says, and has yet to do so. He is also exercised by the results of a belated audit of the DFI's accounts that concluded they were "open to fraudulent acts" and lacked "transparency". In all, the CPA earmarked more than $6bn of Iraqi funds in the last two months of its existence."
"Mr Waxman has a question on Iraq. In fact, he has several - and in typically robust fashion, he is demanding answers. What he wants to know is whether the Bush administration has been fiddling with Iraq's oil revenues. He wrote to the Republican chairman of the reform committee on July 9, suggesting there was a serious case to answer. Subpoenas should be issued, he said, "to investigate potential mismanagement of the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) by the United States". In particular, Mr Waxman is curious about "the [Bush] administration's last-minute 'draw-down' of billions of dollars from the DFI for unspecified expenses" prior to last month's transfer of sovereignty. "For example, $1bn was withdrawn from the DFI during the last month of the CPA's existence for unspecified 'security' purposes." The administration provided no information about how these funds would be spent, Mr Waxman says, and has yet to do so. He is also exercised by the results of a belated audit of the DFI's accounts that concluded they were "open to fraudulent acts" and lacked "transparency". In all, the CPA earmarked more than $6bn of Iraqi funds in the last two months of its existence."
US 'exploring Iranian 9/11 role' (BBC)
"President George W Bush has said the US is exploring whether Iran had a role in the 11 September 2001 terror attacks. "We will continue to look and see if the Iranians were involved," said Mr Bush." Bahaha!
"President George W Bush has said the US is exploring whether Iran had a role in the 11 September 2001 terror attacks. "We will continue to look and see if the Iranians were involved," said Mr Bush." Bahaha!
US Congress Pressed to Tighten Anti-Corruption Laws in Wake of Equatorial Guinea Oil Scandal (National News)
"A Senate report found that a prominent Washington bank helped top officials of the West African nation of Equatorial Guinea steal hundreds of millions of dollars in oil revenues."
"A Senate report found that a prominent Washington bank helped top officials of the West African nation of Equatorial Guinea steal hundreds of millions of dollars in oil revenues."
Learn The Code (Sidney Blumenthal/Guardian Unlimited)
"The Senate intelligence committee report is the Da Vinci code of the Iraq war. Some of the clues are in plain sight but unless one knows how to read them they remain cryptic. Deletions, covering one-fifth of the report, and omissions, stretching endlessly, are as significant as what's included. The storyline is jumbled into incoherence, the main characters are often spectral and it's all extremely dangerous... But buried in the appendix, Senator John D Rockefeller, Democrat of West Virginia, included an account of an internal operation against the CIA conducted by the under-secretary of defence, Douglas Feith, an entrenched neo-conservative. While the CIA composed a report on the Iraq-al-Qaida connection, which the administration still trumpets, and for which the intelligence community could never find proof, Feith held briefings trashing the CIA on its impending report. Then, without informing the CIA, Feith's version was presented to the deputy national security adviser and vice-president."
"The Senate intelligence committee report is the Da Vinci code of the Iraq war. Some of the clues are in plain sight but unless one knows how to read them they remain cryptic. Deletions, covering one-fifth of the report, and omissions, stretching endlessly, are as significant as what's included. The storyline is jumbled into incoherence, the main characters are often spectral and it's all extremely dangerous... But buried in the appendix, Senator John D Rockefeller, Democrat of West Virginia, included an account of an internal operation against the CIA conducted by the under-secretary of defence, Douglas Feith, an entrenched neo-conservative. While the CIA composed a report on the Iraq-al-Qaida connection, which the administration still trumpets, and for which the intelligence community could never find proof, Feith held briefings trashing the CIA on its impending report. Then, without informing the CIA, Feith's version was presented to the deputy national security adviser and vice-president."
t r u t h o u t - Grand Jury Subpoenas Halliburton Records (truthout / Reuters)
A U.S. grand jury issued a subpoena to Halliburton Co. seeking information about its Cayman Islands unit's work in Iran, where it is illegal for U.S. companies to operate.
A U.S. grand jury issued a subpoena to Halliburton Co. seeking information about its Cayman Islands unit's work in Iran, where it is illegal for U.S. companies to operate.
Bush Approves Nuclear Retaliation (NewsMax)
(2003): National Security Presidential Directive 17, dated Sept. 14
President Bush signed a secret order last September that allows for the use of nuclear weapons in response to biological or chemical attacks, the Washington Times reported Friday. The Times quoted the document as saying, "The United States will continue to make clear that it reserves the right to respond with overwhelming force - including potentially nuclear weapons - to the use of [weapons of mass destruction] against the United States, our forces abroad, and friends and allies." A modified version of the document was released Dec. 11. It closely parallels the classified version but changed the phrase "including potentially nuclear weapons" to "including through resort to all of our options."
(2003): National Security Presidential Directive 17, dated Sept. 14
President Bush signed a secret order last September that allows for the use of nuclear weapons in response to biological or chemical attacks, the Washington Times reported Friday. The Times quoted the document as saying, "The United States will continue to make clear that it reserves the right to respond with overwhelming force - including potentially nuclear weapons - to the use of [weapons of mass destruction] against the United States, our forces abroad, and friends and allies." A modified version of the document was released Dec. 11. It closely parallels the classified version but changed the phrase "including potentially nuclear weapons" to "including through resort to all of our options."
At Riggs Bank, a Tangled Path Led to Scandal (Herald Tribune)
The Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has concluded that Riggs executives and bank regulators failed to monitor suspicious financial transactions involving hundreds of millions of dollars. The scrutiny of the bank involves accounts it held for Gen. Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator, and for the Saudi Arabian Embassy. Moreover, regulators never considered fining Riggs in 2002 or referring the Pinochet accounts to law enforcement officials, according to Senate records and testimony. The comptroller's lead Riggs examiner at the time, R. Ashley Lee, took an executive position at Riggs later that year. In May, regulators fined Riggs $25 million for failing to adequately monitor suspicious activities, the largest such penalty ever imposed on an American bank. According to federal investigators and the Senate report, that service mirrored what the bank provided General Pinochet: massive, no-questions-asked transfers of cash into offshore shell corporations that Riggs created.
The Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has concluded that Riggs executives and bank regulators failed to monitor suspicious financial transactions involving hundreds of millions of dollars. The scrutiny of the bank involves accounts it held for Gen. Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator, and for the Saudi Arabian Embassy. Moreover, regulators never considered fining Riggs in 2002 or referring the Pinochet accounts to law enforcement officials, according to Senate records and testimony. The comptroller's lead Riggs examiner at the time, R. Ashley Lee, took an executive position at Riggs later that year. In May, regulators fined Riggs $25 million for failing to adequately monitor suspicious activities, the largest such penalty ever imposed on an American bank. According to federal investigators and the Senate report, that service mirrored what the bank provided General Pinochet: massive, no-questions-asked transfers of cash into offshore shell corporations that Riggs created.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
The interim Prime Minister of Iraq (portland indymedia center)
A bigraphical timeline of Mr. Allawi, former Baathist, former agent for MI6 and CIA, former terrorist. This is an improvement?
A bigraphical timeline of Mr. Allawi, former Baathist, former agent for MI6 and CIA, former terrorist. This is an improvement?
Congresswoman Corrine Brown denounces the Republican Party for stealing the election in Florida (First Coast News)
"Representative Brown said, "I come from Florida, where you and others participated in what I call the United States coup d'etat. We need to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Over and over again after the election when you stole the election, you came back here and said get over it. No we're not going to get over it and we want verification from the world." Those comments drew an immediate objection from Republican members of the House. Leaders moved to strike her comments from the record. The House also censured Brown which kept her from talking on the House floor for the rest of the day."
"Representative Brown said, "I come from Florida, where you and others participated in what I call the United States coup d'etat. We need to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Over and over again after the election when you stole the election, you came back here and said get over it. No we're not going to get over it and we want verification from the world." Those comments drew an immediate objection from Republican members of the House. Leaders moved to strike her comments from the record. The House also censured Brown which kept her from talking on the House floor for the rest of the day."
Monday, July 19, 2004
No 10 admits Hutton cover-up
(Colin Brown, Kim Sengupta and Andrew Grice/independent.co.uk)
Downing Street admitted yesterday that MI6 embarked on an unprecedented cover-up after it withdrew intelligence supporting the Government's dossier on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction because it was unreliable.
(Colin Brown, Kim Sengupta and Andrew Grice/independent.co.uk)
Downing Street admitted yesterday that MI6 embarked on an unprecedented cover-up after it withdrew intelligence supporting the Government's dossier on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction because it was unreliable.
Friday, July 16, 2004
NZ cuts ties with Israel over spies (News.com.au)
"NEW Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark has imposed diplomatic sanctions on Israel after two suspected Israeli spies were jailed for passport fraud. Ms Clark said the actions of the Israeli men were unacceptable and had breached NZ sovereignty and international law. 'New Zealand condemns without reservation these actions by agencies of the Israel Government,' she said. Sydney-based Eli Cara, 50, and Uriel Zoshe Kelman, 31, were jailed for six months after admitting trying to unlawfully obtain a New Zealand passport. Ms Clark said that the NZ Government had 'very strong reasons' to believe the two men were acting on behalf of Israel's intelligence services."
"NEW Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark has imposed diplomatic sanctions on Israel after two suspected Israeli spies were jailed for passport fraud. Ms Clark said the actions of the Israeli men were unacceptable and had breached NZ sovereignty and international law. 'New Zealand condemns without reservation these actions by agencies of the Israel Government,' she said. Sydney-based Eli Cara, 50, and Uriel Zoshe Kelman, 31, were jailed for six months after admitting trying to unlawfully obtain a New Zealand passport. Ms Clark said that the NZ Government had 'very strong reasons' to believe the two men were acting on behalf of Israel's intelligence services."
Florida Lawmaker Says 2000 Election 'Stolen' (Yahoo)
"Think the passions from the 2000 presidential election have cooled? Certainly not in the House, which voted Thursday to strike a Florida representative's words from the record after she said Republicans "stole" that closely fought contest. The verbal battle broke out after Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., proposed a measure barring any federal official from requesting that the United Nations formally observe the U.S. elections on Nov. 2"
"Think the passions from the 2000 presidential election have cooled? Certainly not in the House, which voted Thursday to strike a Florida representative's words from the record after she said Republicans "stole" that closely fought contest. The verbal battle broke out after Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., proposed a measure barring any federal official from requesting that the United Nations formally observe the U.S. elections on Nov. 2"
Four on Ethics Panel Accepted DeLay Money (Guardian Unlimited)
"Four of the five House ethics committee Republicans investigating Majority Leader Tom DeLay have accepted money in the past from the fund-raising operation involved in the complaint against him. "
"Four of the five House ethics committee Republicans investigating Majority Leader Tom DeLay have accepted money in the past from the fund-raising operation involved in the complaint against him. "
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
At Odds (Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball / MSNBC)
Both the FBI and civil-liberties groups are worried that Edwards, and possibly Kerry, will use their campaign to promote the formation of a new domestic spy agency.
Both the FBI and civil-liberties groups are worried that Edwards, and possibly Kerry, will use their campaign to promote the formation of a new domestic spy agency.
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Senate "Report" White-Washes "Bad Intelligence" Story for the White House; Former CIA Director Tenet Set Up as "Patsy" as Media Ignore Real Culprits. (Mike Hersh / InformationClearingHouse.info)
Mike puts forth an excellent argument against everything you're hearing in the news about faulty intelligence.
Mike puts forth an excellent argument against everything you're hearing in the news about faulty intelligence.
Friday, July 02, 2004
It's illegal: top defence lawyer (The Australian)
"The group of Arab and foreign lawyers engaged to defend Saddam Hussein has ignited a furious debate over the legality of the special Iraqi tribunal, and claims the process will inevitably lead to the former dictator's conviction and execution. ... So far the defence has not been recognised by the Iraqi authorities, and they have not been allowed to meet Saddam or see any court papers. "We are facing clear legal violations in this trial and do not recognise this tribunal," Mr Rashdan said. "Any trial is illegal and unjust and is based on an aggression that took place against Iraq. On what basis was the court set up? Who appointed the judges?" He claimed the bench had been bribed by the US-led coalition force. ... "We fear a legislation of circumstance: the goal is obviously to execute Saddam Hussein as quickly as possible." Iraqi President Sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar said his Government had already approved the reinstatement of the death penalty."
"The group of Arab and foreign lawyers engaged to defend Saddam Hussein has ignited a furious debate over the legality of the special Iraqi tribunal, and claims the process will inevitably lead to the former dictator's conviction and execution. ... So far the defence has not been recognised by the Iraqi authorities, and they have not been allowed to meet Saddam or see any court papers. "We are facing clear legal violations in this trial and do not recognise this tribunal," Mr Rashdan said. "Any trial is illegal and unjust and is based on an aggression that took place against Iraq. On what basis was the court set up? Who appointed the judges?" He claimed the bench had been bribed by the US-led coalition force. ... "We fear a legislation of circumstance: the goal is obviously to execute Saddam Hussein as quickly as possible." Iraqi President Sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar said his Government had already approved the reinstatement of the death penalty."
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Bush Aides will review leak notes (David Jackson / The Dallas Morning News)
"White House lawyers will review phone logs and other records supplied by presidential aides before turning the documents over to the Justice Department officials conducting the investigation into who leaked a CIA undercover operative's identity, officials said Monday. ... President Bush underscored his concern about the leak Monday, telling reporters: "We're talking about a criminal action." ... Mr. Schumer and other Democrats have called for an outside special counsel, questioning whether Attorney General John Ashcroft can fairly investigate his patrons at the White House."
"White House lawyers will review phone logs and other records supplied by presidential aides before turning the documents over to the Justice Department officials conducting the investigation into who leaked a CIA undercover operative's identity, officials said Monday. ... President Bush underscored his concern about the leak Monday, telling reporters: "We're talking about a criminal action." ... Mr. Schumer and other Democrats have called for an outside special counsel, questioning whether Attorney General John Ashcroft can fairly investigate his patrons at the White House."
Plamesville Diary: Cover-Up!(Open Source Politics / Mark A. R. Kleiman)
"In the news likely to dominate the current news cycle, the President, whose supporters have been arguing for ten days now that revealing Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA undercover officer was somehow not a crime, calmly announced that it was, indeed, a crime. ... All the documents concerning the Wilson trip and conversations about it that White House staff was ordered on Friday to produce by close of business Tuesday will not be going to the Justice Department. No, they're going to White House Counsel -- that is, to the lawyers for the President, who must be considered a likely suspect, at least as a co-conspirator or accessory. ... So the Bush team plans to give itself two weeks to plan its cover-up, having as a starting basis a full set of the relevant documents, so that they can make sure that any lies they tell can't be easily disproven."
"In the news likely to dominate the current news cycle, the President, whose supporters have been arguing for ten days now that revealing Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA undercover officer was somehow not a crime, calmly announced that it was, indeed, a crime. ... All the documents concerning the Wilson trip and conversations about it that White House staff was ordered on Friday to produce by close of business Tuesday will not be going to the Justice Department. No, they're going to White House Counsel -- that is, to the lawyers for the President, who must be considered a likely suspect, at least as a co-conspirator or accessory. ... So the Bush team plans to give itself two weeks to plan its cover-up, having as a starting basis a full set of the relevant documents, so that they can make sure that any lies they tell can't be easily disproven."
Valerie Plame: Houston, We Have Confirmation (Mark A. R. Kleiman)
"a 'senior Administration official' who confirms that two 'top White House officials' called at least six journalists to tell them the name of an undercover CIA officer, and that they did so 'purely and simply for revenge' on her husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson, for his role in revealing the Yellowcake Road fiasco. I suppose this could be worse for the Administration, but it's hard to see how. First, there seems to be no doubt that the leak occurred, that some of Bush's top people were responsible, and that Plame was undercover. That means that at least two people close to the President are facing potential ten-year prison sentences. ... The Post story also mentions calls for a special counsel to investigate. It's going to be very, very hard for Ashcroft to say "no" to that one, I think."
"a 'senior Administration official' who confirms that two 'top White House officials' called at least six journalists to tell them the name of an undercover CIA officer, and that they did so 'purely and simply for revenge' on her husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson, for his role in revealing the Yellowcake Road fiasco. I suppose this could be worse for the Administration, but it's hard to see how. First, there seems to be no doubt that the leak occurred, that some of Bush's top people were responsible, and that Plame was undercover. That means that at least two people close to the President are facing potential ten-year prison sentences. ... The Post story also mentions calls for a special counsel to investigate. It's going to be very, very hard for Ashcroft to say "no" to that one, I think."
