Where’s the Outrage?

Keith Olbermann’s Bushed segment reminds all of us of the many, many, many scandals of the Bush Administration. There seems to be a new one every week.

CIA torture tapes - seems another CIA detainee states that he was taped

Jose Padilla - the dirty bomber. The Bush Administration wanted life. They didn’t get anywhere close. I don’t know if Padilla desired to get life or not. I do know that the judge that sentenced him to 17 years criticized the government’s handling of the case.  I was kinda surprised that Glenn Greenwald didn’t have something on this.  I’m sure that he will today.
Gonzo-Gate - Alberto Gonzales is the gift that keeps on giving. The House and Senate ethics committees are looking into whether congressional republicans tampered with witnesses who were preparing to testify before Congress.

 

 Bushed - CIA recordings, jose padilla and Gonzo [1:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Countdown, National Intelligence, US Attorneys by ecthompson
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So, a new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran is released. Rumors that the VP’s office has tried to suppress this document for over a year. Bush takes the Sargent Schultz (Hogan’s Heroes) defense. We speak with Faiz Shakir from the Center for American Progress and the blog, Think Progress, about the NIE and the Bush administration. We cover this and other topics. Enjoy!!

Remember I’m on iTunes and several other podcasting services.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 12-08-07 [50:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, National Intelligence Estimate, Podcasts by ecthompson
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As usual, we only get half of the story.  Waterboarding worked.  We got information which disrupted several plots.  On the other hand, Brian Ross of ABC News didn’t really ask about false information that sent federal agents on wild goose chases.  He didn’t mention that Abu Zabayduh was mentally disturbed from a head injury that he suffered years earlier.  He also didn’t mention that James Risen reported that the FBI was getting good information out of Zabayduh without torture.

Why did this CIA operative speak out now?  Do you smell a book deal in the air?

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From ABC News:

A leader of the CIA team that captured the first major al Qaeda figure, Abu Zubaydah, says subjecting him to waterboarding was torture but necessary.

In the first public comment by any CIA officer involved in handling high-value al Qaeda targets, John Kiriakou, now retired, said the technique broke Zubaydah in less than 35 seconds.  (more…)

 

 ABC News interview [4:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Al Qaeda, National Intelligence, Torture by ecthompson
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The White House is either stupid or lying. Keith Olbermann points out that these are the only 2 options for anyone who has followed politics.

 

 Special Comment - NIE and the truth [8:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Countdown, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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First, I applaud NBC Nightly News for trying to place the newest National Intelligence Estimate into context. I have spliced yesterday’s Nightly News together with tonight’s.  I think that the picture of what’s going begins to come into focus.

Secondly, so, what happened?  How did this happen?  Didn’t we hear World War III rhetoric just recently?  I find it very interesting that the intelligence community put this report out.  You know that the Bush administration had to have fought to keep it under wraps.

I would like to add since Hillary Clinton was getting beaten up in an NPR debate that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is a terrorist organization.  We have known this for more than 10 years (Read Richard Clarke’s book Against All Enemies.)  So, that isn’t the question.  The question is why do we label this organization now.  It is fact that the IRG has supported several terrorist groups in the region.  Why does the Senate in concert with the White House vote on this now?  If it isn’t to support Bush’s case for “strong, aggressive” action then what was the purpose?

Finally, it is time to pull in the reigns on the Bush administration.   Yes, there are problems in Iran.  Yes, they have a leader who is crazy and playing to his base (the Iranian leader…who did you think that I was talking about).  We, the American people, has an opportunity to get our foreign policy right.  I think that the Intelligence Community has no desire to be the scapegoat again.  This is why they forced the issue and wouldn’t cave under pressure.

Update:  There are those on the other side of the political spectrum who claim that Progressives are dancing in the streets.  Stating that Progressives believe that Iran poses no threat to the region or to anyone.  Wrong.  There are those that hear whatever they want to hear.  The key is we need diplomacy.  Real diplomacy to get Iran to open its borders so that we can see what’s inside.  With the crazy man at the helm we have to assume that he means some of what he is saying.  Hopefully, through engagement we can convince Iran that being a rouge nation is only fun on TV.

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From WaPo:

President Bush asserted today that Iran’s nuclear program remains a danger to international security despite an assessment in a new U.S. intelligence report that the Tehran government stopped work four years ago on a suspected effort to build nuclear weapons.

In a White House news conference, Bush argued that Iran continues to develop the capability to enrich uranium and that this know-how ultimately could be transferred to a new clandestine weapons program.

“Look, Iran was dangerous,” Bush said. “Iran is dangerous. And Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”  (more…)

 

 Iran and our NIE [5:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, National Intelligence, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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Valerie Plame’s new book is out today.

Plame said - “There is no doubt that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons.”  This is true.  We have known that for over 10 years.

Q&A with Keith Olbermann

Did George Tenet know about the leak before he referred the case to Justice?  She didn’t know.

Did the media, who published so much information surrounding the leak, did they get any of it right?  Many stories were right.  The Libby trial revealed the relationship between the media and the administration.  There was no confirmation of stories that the White House feed the media.

A lot of her book was redacted.  Ms. Plame believes that the CIA will not acknowledge that she worked at the CIA before 2003.  She believes that it is an ongoing effort to diminish her importance.

This is a very good interview.  It is 1000% better than the Katie Couric thing.

 

 Countdown - Valerie Plame [8:19m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, National Intelligence by ecthompson
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Most informed Americans understand that Valerie Plame Wilson was a CIA operative. She was outed by Robert Novak because he wasn’t too bright. Yes, the Bush administration had feed her name to him (Richard Armitage didn’t really feed him her name but that’s a very long story). He had several warnings that intelligence reporters would have known what was up. Novak didn’t.

Anyway, so Valerie’s name is released. We all know the aftermath. She and her husband are smeared by the Right Wing. She does testify before Congress and clearly states that she was covert at the time of her outing. What I didn’t know what that Al Qaeda wanted to kill her. Larry Johnson, an ex-CIA agent, posted a story last night that Al Qaeda wanted to kill Valerie.

From Larry Johnson - In 2004 the FBI received intelligence that Al Qaeda hit teams were enroute to the United States to kill Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and Valerie Plame. The FBI informed Valerie of this threat. This was just more “good” news piled on the fact that her intelligence career was in shambles, that intelligence assets she had recruited/managed were destroyed, and that she was unable to rebut publicly false and malicious smears of her character and reputation by a bunch of partisan Republican hacks. As the mother of two pre-school children, her first thoughts were about protecting her kids. She took the threat seriously and asked for help.

When the White House learned of these threats they sprung into action. They beefed up Secret Service protection for Vice President Cheney and provided security protection to Karl Rove. But they declined to do anything for Valerie. That was a CIA problem.

Johnson went on to note that the CIA didn’t do squat. Whatever happened to we protect our own? Oh, that’s the Army. What about we will not leave anyone behind? That’s the Marines. Shouldn’t the CIA have something similar? The Brad blog has some further information here. Still, I find this whole thing amazing.

Tags: Bush Administration, National Intelligence, Valerie Plame by ecthompson
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No duh. The National Intelligence Estimate told us this a while ago. The British have figured out that we need to change direction or lose the War on Terror. I’m wondering if President Bush will read this report.

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From Yahoo.com:

Six years after the September 11 attacks in the United States, the “war on terror” is failing and instead fueling an increase in support for extremist Islamist movements, a British think-tank said on Monday.

A report by the Oxford Research Group (ORG) said a “fundamental re-think is required” if the global terrorist network is to be rendered ineffective.

“If the al Qaeda movement is to be countered, then the roots of its support must be understood and systematically undercut,” said Paul Rogers, the report’s author and professor of global peace studies at Bradford University in northern England. (more…)

 

 Do we torture? [1:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: National Intelligence Estimate, War on Terror by ecthompson
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Well, it is a start but I’M NOT buying it.  We have seen over the past 18 - 24 months Republicans have come out and said the most thoughtful things only to back pedal when the voting starts.  Let’s see John Warner has to say when the rubber meets the road.  He has talked tough before.  We have been down this road.

A new National Intelligence Estimate has come out.  It doesn’t say anything that thoughtful progressives haven’t been saying for years.  The Republicans want us to believe that we aren’t getting the straight scoop from Iraq.   It is hard to know what’s going on.  Everything is so confusing.  As Tucker said the other day, this is the most difficult war to cover as a journalist in history.  Horse-Hockey.  The bottom-line is - are Iraqis returning to their country by the thousands?  That’s the bottom-line.  If Iraqis are still leaving their country by the thousands for whatever reason then problems in Iraq aren’t fixed.  It is that simple.  They have the real scoop.  They know it isn’t safe.

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From NYT:

A stark assessment released Thursday by the nation’s intelligence agencies depicts a paralyzed Iraqi government unable to take advantage of the security gains achieved by the thousands of extra American troops dispatched to the country this year.

The assessment, known as a National Intelligence Estimate, casts strong doubts on the viability of the Bush administration strategy in Iraq. It gives a dim prognosis on the likelihood that Iraqi politicians can heal deep sectarian rifts before next spring, when American military commanders have said that a crunch on available troops will require reducing the United States’ presence in Iraq.

But the report also implicitly criticizes proposals offered by Democrats, including several presidential candidates, who have called for a withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraq by next year and for a major shift in the American approach, from manpower-intensive counterinsurgency operations to lower-profile efforts aimed at supporting Iraqi troops and carrying out quick-strike counterterrorism raids.  (more…)

 

 Warner bring troops home [2:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Iraq, National Intelligence by ecthompson
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I have not had a chance to read the report.  I’ll have an analysis and video later on today.  It seems that Congress mandated that the CIA release this report.  I find it interesting that the CIA didn’t stonewall Congress like the White House is.  I wonder why?

Director Hayden released a statement here. 

The OIG Report on CIA accountability.  I have not read the report but I bet most of the blame will land on George Tenet. 

Tags: 9-11, National Intelligence by ecthompson
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Say it ain’t so? Why? Ed Schultz has started a campaign to send ping-pong balls to certain members of Congress who need to grow a pair. I’m trying to image why we would have to expand FISA? The only thing that the Administration can’t spy on is my dreams. I hope that the Dems are afraid that the Bush administration are going to call them soft on terror. The charge is silly and easily fought. We have to be thoughtful about protecting this country and not to try to rush some piece of garbage to the President.

BTW, what’s the rush? Why do we have to have this legislation to the President by Friday?

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From NYT:

“Congress needs to take its time before it implements another piece of antiterrorism legislation it will regret, like the Patriot Act,” said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. “The Bush administration clearly has abused the FISA powers it already has and clearly wants to go back to the good old days of warrantless wiretapping and domestic spying. Congress must stop this bill in its tracks.”

The administration says that digital technology and the globalization of the telecommunications industry have created a legal quandary for the intelligence community. Some purely international telephone calls are now routed through telephone switches inside the United States, which means such “transit traffic” can be subject to federal surveillance laws requiring search warrants for any government eavesdropping. (more…)

Tags: National Intelligence, Terrorism by ecthompson
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I interviewed Senator Daschle just before the mid-term elections in October of last year.  We talked about his long term as Democratic leader of the Senate.  He discussed the Patriot Act and the new powers that the White House wanted to stuff into the bill at the last minute.  These new powers were rejected but later approved by the more compliant and less constitutional loving Republican Congress.  Very informative interview.  Give it a listen.

 

 Tom Daschle interview [11:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: National Intelligence, Party Politics, Podcasts, Terrorism by ecthompson
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Oh, let me count the ways -

• Al Qaeda is on the run.
• We have taken away their sanctuary.
• Bin Laden is hiding a cave somewhere
• he has been marginalized.

A sneak peak at the National Intelligence Estimate reveals that Al Qaeda may be stronger than in 2001 and they are alive and well in Pakistan. How many lies has the Bush Administration told? Enough to make me want to spit!!!

I have said this time and time again. I wrote it in my book - A Letter to America. I said that we didn’t finish off Al Qaeda. Give the middle finger to Al Qaeda in Iraq. They don’t matter (at least not now). Bin Laden matters. His structure matters. These guys should either be rotting in a jail somewhere (after a fair American trial) or they should be dead.

The fact that we are still talking about Osama Bin Laden is a failure of leadership. It is a dereliction of duty. It is treason. Now, where is Ann Coulter and that loud mouth from the Weekly Standard, William Kristol? I would love for them to explain this. On second thought, I can’t take any more lies. Send them to Gitmo as enemy combatants.

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From WaPo:

Six years after the Bush administration declared war on al-Qaeda, the terrorist network is gaining strength and has established a safe haven in remote tribal areas of western Pakistan for training and planning attacks, according to a new Bush administration intelligence report to be discussed today at a White House meeting.

The report, a five-page threat assessment compiled by the National Counterterrorism Center, is titled “Al-Qaida Better Positioned to Strike the West,” intelligence officials said. It concludes that the group has significantly rebuilt itself despite concerted U.S. attempts to smash the network. (more…)

 

 Return of Al Qaeda [2:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Al Qaeda, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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From NYT:

When Gen. Tommy R. Franks and his top officers gathered in August 2002 to review an invasion plan for Iraq, it reflected a decidedly upbeat vision of what the country would look like four years after Saddam Hussein was ousted from power.

A broadly representative Iraqi government would be in place. The Iraqi Army would be working to keep the peace. And the United States would have as few as 5,000 troops in the country.

Military slides obtained by the National Security Archive under the Freedom of Information Act outline the command’s PowerPoint projection of the stable, pro-American and democratic Iraq that was to be.

The general optimism and some details of General Franks’s planning session have been disclosed in the copious postwar literature. But the slides from the once classified briefing provide a firsthand look at how far the violent reality of Iraq today has deviated from assumptions that once laid the basis for an exercise in pre-emptive war.

The archive, an independent research institute at George Washington University, has posted the slides on its Web site, www.nsarchive.org. (more…)

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I don’t really have much to say on this. Michael Gordon who wrote this article for the Times, covered much of this in his book, Cobra II. We knew the slides were misleading. We just didn’t know how misleading.

Tags: Iraq, Military, National Intelligence by ecthompson
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This is a specialty of the Bush Adminstration.

 

 Countdown - Ignoring the facts, again [6:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Countdown, Domestic Issues, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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The White House asked for a rewrite. Politics, politics, politics. Please, Mr. President, don’t let the truth sneak out.  We can’t handle it!!!

 

 Countdown: NIE and Iran [4:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Countdown, Domestic Issues, Iran, Iraq, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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National Intelligence Estimate has been a political football (like how I snuck a football metaphor in there) since 9/11.  I don’t think that we are getting the whole truth and nothing but the truth with this.  I do believe that the complete NIE would get us more information.  We are getting only what the Bush Administration wants us to see.  In the coming days we should hear some thoughtful comments from Feingold and Rockefeller, both members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

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Analysis from NYT:

The release on Friday of portions of a bleak new National Intelligence Estimate about Iraq’s future left the White House and its opponents vying over whether its findings buttressed their vastly different views about how to arrest the worsening sectarian chaos there.

The assessment, by American intelligence agencies, expressed deep doubts about the abilities of Iraqi politicians to hold together an increasingly balkanized country, and about whether Iraqi troops might be able to confront powerful militias over the next 18 months and assume more responsibility for security.

The analysis, the first such estimate on Iraq in more than two years, described in sober language a rapidly unraveling country in which security has worsened despite four years of efforts by the administration. [Read more →]

Tags: Domestic Issues, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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Sweet Polly Purebread from the Underdog cartoons used to sing Where or where has Underdog gone.  Well, where in the National Intelligence Estimate which is due out in January of 2007.  Most of January is gone.  Wouldn’t you figure that the President would have based his Surge and Accelerate plan on the NIE?

Note: Keith interviews Richard Clarke.

 

 Countdown - NIE [5:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Countdown, Domestic Issues, Iraq, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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I know that there’s a joke here that is so easy to make but I’ll have to pass. Probably a half a dozen of them. But I’m not in the mood for shooting fish in barrels today. I just have a question.

Who’s in charge of intelligence in the Bush Administration?

No, seriously…. Who’s in charge?

Isn’t it worrisome, or telling, or whatever….., that the top two spots at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the office that is supposed to correlate, corroborate, coordinate and otherwise oversee all of the various national intelligence agencies…… that those top two spots are empty. [Read more →]

Tags: Bush Administration, National Intelligence, Security by desertbug
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The president is not bad because information was leaked. The president was mad because information confuses the public. He doesn’t want the public confused. At least, this is the Daily Show’s take.

 

 Information confuses the public [2:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Media, National Intelligence Estimate, The Daily Show by ecthompson
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