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What Sparked Today's Closed Session? Email Print

By S M Dixon
11/01/2005 05:15:45 PM EST

Senator John D, Rockefeller, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, sent out a press release last week about PlameGate that may have led to today's closed Senate session:
These very serious charges go to the heart of whether administration officials misused intelligence by disclosing an undercover CIA agent.  They also heighten concerns that the administration engaged in a pattern of misusing intelligence to make the case for going to war with Iraq.  

To date, Congress has completely failed to answer these critical questions.  The fact is that at any time the Senate Intelligence Committee pursued a line of questioning that brought us close to the White House, our efforts were thwarted.  If my Republican colleagues are not prepared to undertake a full and serious congressional investigation into the potential misuse of intelligence, then I regretfully conclude that we have no choice but to pursue an outside independent investigation.  The American people deserve answers and they want the truth.


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What Sparked Today's Closed Session? | 8 comments (8 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Phase 2 of Iraqi Lies Bombed Senate (5.00 / 3)
Senator Reid closed the Senate under Rule 21

Essentially (and I'm in a hurry, sorry) The ISG, Iraq Study Group, looked under every grain of sand for WMD and concluded in October of 2003 that they just were not there. And the SCSIwas born.

The plan involved two reports: Phase 1 aimed to identify the intelligence community's pre-war failures.  Phase 2 would investigate the use of the pre-war intelligence and determine if the
White House had manipulated it to justify invading Iraq.

Phase 1, all 600+ pages of it, was completed in July of 2004. Essentially, it was all the CIA's fault. Please note, I attempted to plow through the Iraq section, specifically the yellowcake and Niger deal. Some parts, like the aluminum tubes. are analyzed to the 9th degree. The forged documents, yellowcake in Niger section suffers in the opposite direction. The order is not chronological and the meaning is so vague that I was more confused than I had started out. Also, most of the endnotes were "classified intelligence reporting". I havent't had time to check this, but there could be some correlation on dates in the endnotes and Libby's troubles.

Phase 2 is a mystery.  Sen Robert (R) KS has more or less refused to conduct the investigation. His co-chair is Sen Rockefeller (D) WV.  Sen Rockefeller was told last year that Roberts was too busy before the election.  They would do it after.  Well, it's been a year since the election.

Viola, Rule 21.

Have to run. Hope this helped.

All it takes to fly is to hurl yourself at the ground... and miss. (Douglas Adams)

by scoophound on 11/01/2005 06:37:11 PM EST

Oops... (none / 0)
It was actually a rhetorical question, and now I feel like an ass because I did a poor job of communicating that and you went to a great deal of trouble. Thank you, though; mucho brownie points for that amazing summary!

by S M Dixon on 11/01/2005 09:22:41 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I'm over it (none / 0)
Guess I should have known that (written with sheepish grin).

On the other hand, it was the first time attempting something like that, so thanks for the compliment.

All it takes to fly is to hurl yourself at the ground... and miss. (Douglas Adams)

by scoophound on 11/02/2005 04:47:34 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I am also hoping that there are some Republicans (none / 0)
who joined the Democrats in this.  I had heard that a simple majority could vote to adjourn the closed session thus journalists were saying it wouldn't last long.  I think it lasted well over an hour so apparently Frist couldn't get his simple majority.  May be wishful thinking but if Repubs are involved also, the Bush administration is in the process of collapsing.

by macmcd on 11/01/2005 07:55:49 PM EST

Some GOPsters must have broken ranks... (none / 0)
...Because it would have taken a simple majority to end the session, but it lasted two hours and ten minutes.

I'd love to know who...

by KingMob on 11/01/2005 09:18:30 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I think Harry (the Cobra) (none / 0)
launched a pre-emptive strike against continued majority rule.

Timing is everything.  And Harry certainly seems to have good instincts, here.  There is a point during every arrogant majority rule when a successfully mounted challenge usurps power and the majority never quite regains their balance.

Think I saw a lot of lame ducks go wobbly today on the Hill, like they'd been hit on the head.

Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle. FDR

by btyarbro on 11/01/2005 08:22:18 PM EST

It was like a movie, but without the pop corn (none / 0)
"Think I saw a lot of lame ducks go wobbly today on the Hill, like they'd been hit on the head."

Lovely, wasn't it?

by KingMob on 11/01/2005 09:21:14 PM EST

[ Parent ]
There are few things (none / 0)
as entertaining as Republicans "off message" with no script.

Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle. FDR

by btyarbro on 11/02/2005 09:02:25 AM EST

[ Parent ]
What Sparked Today's Closed Session? | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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