Breaking through the smoke and mirrors
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid invoked rule 21, demanding a closed session of the Senate to discuss why the investigation into whether or not the administration manipulated or exagerated intelligence information in order to further their case for the invasion of Iraq was not moving forward.
It's been a year and a half since the Senate Intelligence Committee committed in writing to continue the investigation, yet phase II has failed to materialize. Emboldened by the indictment of Cheney's former Chief of Staff, Scooter Libby, Democrats have taken the intitiative and invoked what some call guerilla tactics. You know, similar to what Newt Gignrich and his cronies relied on when the Republicans were in the minority.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist expressed his rightous indignation, saying it's a slap to the face to invoke this rule without advance warning. And we all know how Frist relies on advance warning, given the insider trading allegations he's currently facing.
At issue particularly are the intelligence reports used to tie Iraq to Al-Qeada and Iraq's ability to manufacture weapons of mass destruction and their nuclear capabilities.
This may have been a "stunt" as so many republicans are claiming, but it was effective and needed. Ever since Libby's indictment was announced, the Bush administration has been trying to divert attention away from the issue to avoid falling further into disfavor with the American public - first with the Alido shuffle, then with his bird flu proposal. I guess they're worried about the avian flu mutating with the avarice and apathy flu strains now so prevalent among republicans.
So now the Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman, Pat Roberts, has agreed to take the issue off the back burner and begin work next Tuesday to light a fire under phase II. Not sure whether it'll do any good, as he's been accused of dragging his feet to help the administration, but at least this "stunt" helped bring the issue back to the attention of the media and the general public, and nullified the smoke and mirror attempt to divert attention to other matters.
It's been a year and a half since the Senate Intelligence Committee committed in writing to continue the investigation, yet phase II has failed to materialize. Emboldened by the indictment of Cheney's former Chief of Staff, Scooter Libby, Democrats have taken the intitiative and invoked what some call guerilla tactics. You know, similar to what Newt Gignrich and his cronies relied on when the Republicans were in the minority.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist expressed his rightous indignation, saying it's a slap to the face to invoke this rule without advance warning. And we all know how Frist relies on advance warning, given the insider trading allegations he's currently facing.
At issue particularly are the intelligence reports used to tie Iraq to Al-Qeada and Iraq's ability to manufacture weapons of mass destruction and their nuclear capabilities.
This may have been a "stunt" as so many republicans are claiming, but it was effective and needed. Ever since Libby's indictment was announced, the Bush administration has been trying to divert attention away from the issue to avoid falling further into disfavor with the American public - first with the Alido shuffle, then with his bird flu proposal. I guess they're worried about the avian flu mutating with the avarice and apathy flu strains now so prevalent among republicans.
So now the Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman, Pat Roberts, has agreed to take the issue off the back burner and begin work next Tuesday to light a fire under phase II. Not sure whether it'll do any good, as he's been accused of dragging his feet to help the administration, but at least this "stunt" helped bring the issue back to the attention of the media and the general public, and nullified the smoke and mirror attempt to divert attention to other matters.
posted by Wyld Card at
6:43 PM
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