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2005-11-08 Home Front: Politix

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Posted by Steve 2005-11-08 12:17|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11136 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Hey Steve, No one protects them anymore.This is treason.Take Priest throw her in jail and if she doesen't spill, charge her!!!!

Posted by ARMYGUY 2005-11-08 13:20|| 2005-11-08 13:20|| Front Page Top

#2 They should also be investigating the NY Times story on the CIA's prisoner transfer flights.

Posted by Tibor 2005-11-08 15:08|| http://incompetenttibor.blogspot.com]">[http://incompetenttibor.blogspot.com] 2005-11-08 15:08|| Front Page Top

#3 Took the words right out of keyboard, Tibor. They outed a whole freakin' active covert OPERATION all while pitching a bitch about Valerie Effing Plame.

Posted by eLarson 2005-11-08 15:38|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2005-11-08 15:38|| Front Page Top

#4 They could do us all a huge favour and padlock the front door of the NY Times, with Plame and Wilson stuck inside.

Posted by Besoeker 2005-11-08 15:42|| 2005-11-08 15:42|| Front Page Top

#5 So -- how do we DEMAND that MSM cover this story? There has just got to be a way to force them to cover this at least half as much as Phame -- this is really a much more serious problem, as we do know, national security has been compromised and agents have had to be brought home.

What can we do, other than post on the net? That doesn't get the attention this deserves. This is Reps opening it -- they must really go after that reporter or this entire investigation will be forgotten in less than 2 weeks. Just like Sandy Burger.

Posted by Sherry 2005-11-08 16:57|| 2005-11-08 16:57|| Front Page Top

#6 Here's a WaPo semi-internal self critique published by Gene Weingarten. You'll want to read the whole thing, but here's his thoughts on Dana's article:

1. A story by Dana Priest disclosing the existence of a shadowy web of U.S.-run prisoner interrogation camps so secret that it will surprise some of the most powerful people in this country and the world. This story is so potentially explosive that we actually aren't telling everything we know, for the sake of world peace.

Thanks for nothing, WaPo. And Gene, don't strain your deltoids patting yourself on the back.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2005-11-08 17:16|| 2005-11-08 17:16|| Front Page Top

#7 Oops: Link.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2005-11-08 17:16|| 2005-11-08 17:16|| Front Page Top

#8 Anonomous sources should be eliminated and the media should have to disclose sources for confirmation just too open to abuse in the current situation. These leakers have committed treason and it pisses me off that only now after Plame and the politics are the Repubs ready to prosecute what they should have been prosecuting from the begining. I can remember many such stories the outing of our tap on all cell phones by NSA, the Stealth Satelite, special ops here and thier, and this and more and more. They all should be prosecuted to the fullest for TREASON yes I said treason. National security should be above a good story or politics or ELSE.

Posted by C-Low 2005-11-08 18:05|| 2005-11-08 18:05|| Front Page Top

#9 CIA staff (including Ms. Plame) are prohibited by law from using their knowledge for political purposes, but their spouses (like Joe Wilson) are not. Georgia Senator Zell Miller wants to change that. Include in that (Miller's proposed amendment, named after Ms. Valerie!) MSM folks leaking and punish - PUNISH - some leakers, and the leaks will stop.

Ask Joe Stalin. Well, maybe that's a bad example....

Posted by Bobby 2005-11-08 20:48|| 2005-11-08 20:48|| Front Page Top

#10 By KATHERINE SHRADER, Associated Press Writer
37 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The CIA took the first step toward a criminal investigation of a leak of possibly classified information on secret prisons to The Washington Post, a U.S. official said Tuesday.

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The agency's general counsel sent a report to the Justice Department about the Post story, which reported the existence of secret U.S. detention centers for suspected terrorists in Eastern Europe.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue deals with classified information, said the referral was made shortly after the Nov. 2 story. The leak investigation into the disclosure of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame's identity came about through the same referral procedure. The Justice Department will decide whether to initiate a criminal investigation.

Post spokesman Eric Grant said the newspaper had no comment.

On Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert called for a congressional investigation into the disclosure of the existence of the secret prisons.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sidestepped questions on secret prisons, saying the United States was in a "different kind of war" and had an obligation to defend itself.

If the Post story is accurate, "such an egregious disclosure could have long-term and far-reaching damaging and dangerous consequences, and will imperil our efforts to protect the American people and our homeland from terrorist attacks," wrote Frist, R-Tenn., and Hastert, R-Ill., asking for a joint leak probe by the Senate and House intelligence committees.

The newspaper's story of a week ago said the CIA has been hiding and interrogating some of its most important al-Qaida captives at a Soviet-era compound in Eastern Europe, part of a covert prison system set up by the agency four years ago that at various times has included sites in eight countries. Those countries, said the story, include several democracies.

"If the leadership determines that we should investigate the leak, it would be much like the 9/11" commission, said Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., who did not dispute a reporter's suggestion that a probe would raise First Amendment press-freedom issues.

Such an investigation would become "very difficult when you're getting into matters like this," said the senator.

Roberts also said he would support hearings into the importance of maintaining a covert agent's cover, a topic triggered by the leak of Plame's identity, eight days after her husband accused the Bush administration of manipulating prewar intelligence to exaggerate the Iraq threat.

Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said the House and Senate committees with normal jurisdiction should conduct any hearings, not a bicameral committee as suggested in the letter of the two Republican leaders.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said any such joint investigation should also investigate possible manipulation of prewar intelligence on Iraq.

"If Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Frist are finally ready to join Democrats' demands for an investigation of possible abuses of classified information, they must direct the House and Senate Intelligence Committees to investigate all aspects of that issue," said Pelosi.

The letter asked, concerning the leak of information about prisons, "What is the actual and potential damage done to the national security of the United States and our partners in the global war on terror?"

"We will consider other changes to this mandate based on your recommendations," Frist and Hastert wrote.

The letter said the leaking of classified information by employees of the U.S. government appeared to have increased in recent years, "establishing a dangerous trend that, if not addressed swiftly and firmly, likely will worsen."

"We are hopeful that you will be able to accomplish this task in a bipartisan manner given general agreement that intelligence matters should not be politicized," it added.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said Republicans "should be focused on the illegality of these prisons, not the revelation of the illegality."

The allegations about secret prisons prompted denials from governments in the former Soviet bloc. Such prisons, European officials say, would violate the continent's human rights principles.

While not confirming the existence of secret prisons, Rice told reporters, "We, our allies, others who have experienced attacks, have to find a way to protect our people."

The administration has protected itself "within the constraint of the Constitution and cognizant of our values," said Rice. "The United States holds to these values today as strongly as we ever have."

Posted by Besoeker 2005-11-08 21:04|| 2005-11-08 21:04|| Front Page Top

#11 Finally, dueling investigations. Popcorn, anyone?

Posted by Curt Simon 2005-11-08 21:17|| 2005-11-08 21:17|| Front Page Top

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