Comments Posted By dingo
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i will not argue that Bush did not have the authority to declassify material. He did. But there are a couple points of contention:
1) he selectively declassified it to be "leaked" to certain friendly journalists while still withholding it from the rest of the world claiming it was still classified. Why? It was not "declassified" officially until 10 days after it was leaked by Libby.
2) it was not common knowledge that Plame was a CIA agent. The is a misleading talking point, not the truth. That is why Fitzgerald specifically went back to confirm that she was indeed covert and it was unknown. He interviewed all of her friends and neighbors. Just because Rush says one thing, that doesn't mean it is true (read the indictment)
3) Wilson has never, ever claimed he was sent by Cheney. Another misleading talking point. Re-read the editorial. It says he was asked to go when the vice president's office requested more information be gathered by the CIA. This is all confirmed and is public record now. The VP asked the CIA and then the CIA decided to send Wilson. You cn't make this claim any longer.
4) Bush knew that Libby was directed to "leak" the NIE. Bush knew that the same persona who leaked the NIE was responsible for leaking Plame's name. Bush claimed he had no idea who leaked the name both to the American people and to the investigators when interviewed. Either he really is *that dumb* to have put 2 and 2 together, or he flat out lied. And, even if he is *that dumb*, you can't expect that no one else figured it out and informed him.
the long and short of it is, he didn't break the law by declassifying the info. But he lied. We all know it, and unless he wants to claim tht he really is *that dumb*, he has to either cop to it or be seen as continuing the cover up. If he activley withheld matirial information from Fitzgerald, he may also be guilty of obstruction of justice. He does not need to be under oath for that.
Comment Posted By dingo On 7.04.2006 @ 13:56
