News Confused - News Clarified

With all the various issues flying, it is hard to keep track of who's on first. Let's just look at some of the news in brief.

Is anyone really surprised that Karl Rove is a source of the leaking the identity of Valerie Plame? I don't think so, but now he is in the news (or at least his name is). I am getting a bit frustrated with him continuously being referred to as an "advisor" to Bush. Please recall that George paid Rove with a real position in the government by appointing him the Deputy White House Chief of Staff in February of 2005. He has his own office, sits in officially on policy meetings, etc. He is no longer just an advisor.

What does the Chief of Staff do? Well according to American Presidency.org:

"The chief of staff is a system manager: boss of none but overseer of everything. His effectiveness depends upon his ability to follow through on several principles. Beyond the chief of staff, there is only the President to try to knit his administration into a coherent set of institutions -- and the President has vastly graver, and "undelegatable," responsibilities."

So what, specifically, does the Chief of staff do? Once again according to American Presidency.org: "controls the President's schedule;" "controls the President's doorway;" reviews all papers coming out of the President's office, controls information flows to Congress from the Whitehouse. Sounds like a bit more than an "advisor" to me.

Other News
The U.S. Congress is rethinking Proposed Cuts In Mass-Transit Security Funds in the wake of the transit system bombings in Britain. Oh duh, the Madrid bombings weren't enough of a warning? Just remember, "you are more secure" because "we are fighting them over there."

Lot's of folks are upset by CNOOC's bid to take over Chevron, but is it just false protestations? Is this really reflective of a US attempt to infiltrate China's oil and banking interests using CNOOC as a cover for a deeper U.S. ploy? Conspiracy theory? Maybe, but take a look at this article from the Washington Post - Bush Adviser Helped Law Firm Land Job Lobbying for CNOOC:

"The involvement of James C. Langdon Jr., chairman of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and a major Bush fundraiser, underscores the tangled Washington connections beneath CNOOC Ltd.'s bid. Both CNOOC and its rival for Unocal, Chevron Corp., have enlisted lobbyists and public relations professionals with deep ties to the Bush White House and Republican leaders in Congress. Wayne L. Berman, a principal lobbyist for Chevron, is a Bush "Ranger," having raised at least $200,000 for the president's campaign. His wife, Lea, is the White House social secretary."

...
"The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on the national security implications of the CNOOC bid. One of the committee's senior members and a prominent China hawk, Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), vowed to raise questions of Lang don's involvement, saying, "Unfortunately, corporate dollars often transcend national security."" [emphases mine]

Is Iran going to train Iraqi troops or not?

On July 7, 2005 we got the odd news that Iran was going to help train Iraq's security forces. Yes, Iran, who the Bush administration is waving the threat of preemptive attack over. According to the report, it seemed to be a mutual agreement. The statement was issued jointly by the Iranian Defence Minister Admiral Ali Shamkhani, and the Iraqi Defence Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi.

Apparently the agreement had not been cleared by the U.S. overlords as al-Dulaimi now announces that Iran will not train Iraqi troops Now this is truly a bizarre report as the announcement on July 7th was issued by bothShamkhani andal-Dulaimi, but the article of July 12th states:

"Iraq's defense minister said Monday that a military agreement reached with Iran last week does not include any provision for the Iranian armed forces to help train Iraqi troops, contradicting reported assertions by his Iranian counterpart."

The BBC article on 7/07 states:

"Among other areas of co-operation, Mr Shamkhani listed mine clearance, anti-terrorism, identifying those still missing from the Iran-Iraq war and training and re-equipping the Iraqi army."

In fact, Iraq approached Iran on the issue, seeking forgiveness for Hussein's actions against Iran and even discussing reparations to Iran. Dulami stated at the news conference ""I have come to Iran to ask forgiveness for what Saddam Hussein has done. The same has to be done with Kuwait and all Saddam Hussein's victims,".

Oh Well, maybe Hussein isn't the only one who uses body doubles. Given the rate of attack on Iraqi officials, it might not be a bad idea - except for the doubles.

Last, but not least
Another criminal joins the Bush administration. Confessed Iran-Contra Figure Lands Sensitive Pentagon Post. Robert Earl, who admitted destroying documents from the Iran-Contra scandal has been appointed as chief of staff for Deputy Secretary of Defense John England. I guess that there is a place for those "loyal to the cause" in the Bush administration. After all, they have so many "special skills." See kiddies, crime does pay - if you are connected to the big boys.

Who else has found a comfy place in the Bush Administration?

Elliott Abrams - Head of Middle East Bureau of the National Security Council.

John M. Poindexter regularly consults the Pentagon.

John Negroponte - Now the Director of National Intelligence (formerly US representative to the UN and then head of the new US embassy in Iraq.

There are others, but who is counting. After all, as (this time) retired Senator Rudman (R - NH) who was on the committee that investigated Iran-Contra said:

" But he said of those involved: "If they've led exemplary lives since then, I think in this country we tend to allow them to make one mistake…. It's a little different than murder, rape or grand larceny. That's my take on Robert Earl.""

After all, it only resulted in the death and torture of tens of thousands of people, and posed a direct challenge to the Constitution of the United States. One has to wonder, who Rudman thinks "counts" and what "exemplary" means.

Posted by rowan at July 12, 2005 8:17 AM | TrackBack | [eMail this article!] |