Pelosi Accusing CIA of Lying to Congress

Frankly, I thinking - expecting the Spies to tell the truth is like expecting a bear not to Crap in the Woods! - but maybe that's just me.

Vyan

Rove is Outraged that NYT Dared to Name a CIA Agent?!

Yes, it may be too ironic to believe - but here it is in black, white and Youtube.

Rove: [T]hey’ve got a very callous view about our nation’s security and interests.

...

Well, I read their explanation. And basically, it sounded to me like they were saying we put his name out there because we decided we could. And I mean, they didn’t have a good explanation for it.

Bad Grand Ole' Lady - Bad Bad!

So just who was this agent and why did they name him? Details over the flip.

In this article describing the interrogation methods used on Khallid Sheik Mohammad, the New York Times takes the extraordinary step of daring to name the interrogator - Deuce Martinez.

WASHINGTON — In a makeshift prison in the north of Poland, Al Qaeda’s engineer of mass murder faced off against his Central Intelligence Agency interrogator. It was 18 months after the 9/11 attacks, and the invasion of Iraq was giving Muslim extremists new motives for havoc. If anyone knew about the next plot, it was Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.

The interrogator, Deuce Martinez, a soft-spoken analyst who spoke no Arabic, had turned down a C.I.A. offer to be trained in waterboarding. He chose to leave the infliction of pain and panic to others, the gung-ho paramilitary types whom the more cerebral interrogators called "knuckledraggers."

Mr. Martinez came in after the rough stuff, the ultimate good cop with the classic skills: an unimposing presence, inexhaustible patience and a willingness to listen to the gripes and musings of a pitiless killer in rambling, imperfect English. He achieved a rapport with Mr. Mohammed that astonished his fellow C.I.A. officers.

So here we have an agent, who didn't use "extreme interrogation" methods who low and behold - actualy produced results, contrary to everything the Bush Administation has been claiming is possible.

No wonder Rove is PO'd, people like Mr. Martinez - who are capable of building a rapport with a vicious killer and convincing him to provide information willingly - aren't supposed to exist.

But they do.

Now why exactly did the New York Times give this man's name? This is their explanation.

The Central Intelligence Agency asked The New York Times not to publish the name of Deuce Martinez, an interrogator who questioned Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and other high-level Al Qaeda prisoners, saying that to identify Mr. Martinez would invade his privacy and put him at risk of retaliation from terrorists or harassment from critics of the agency.

After discussion with agency officials and a lawyer for Mr. Martinez, the newspaper declined the request, noting that Mr. Martinez had never worked under cover and that others involved in the campaign against Al Qaeda have been named in news stories and books. The editors judged that the name was necessary for the credibility and completeness of the article.

Let me re-emphasize that Mr. Martinez never worked undercover and hence was not covered by the IIPA, unlike Valerie Plame Wilson who was covered by the Act.

It is fair to argue that publishing his name might put Mr. Martinez under negative scrutiny, and to emphasize this I will point out that when his name was published in 1998, Richard Clarke became a named target of Al Qeada and subsequently received Secret Service Training and was issued a personal firearm for protection.

To this date, Valerie Plame Wilson has received no such training and has not been issued her own fiream.

Since all three of these people, and their families might be in danger, it isn't unreasonable to ask that all three of them be afforded some level of protection - even if they have to implement that protection on their own.

But then again, to quote a rather fantastical fowl, "they knew the job was dangerous when they took it". No point in crying about it now.

Besides that, what Martinez has accomplished is frankly Heroic. He should be praised for what he's done, not hidden in the shadows where Rove and his Torture-Pornaseur Ilk would like to keep him. This guys deserves a medal. In fact, he deserves the medal that Bush gave to George Tenet.

No, not the same kind - THE SAME ONE! At least this guy earned it.

And just for those of us who are somewhat fact and history challenged, or have completely missed everything being currently said by Scott McClennan, the reason Rove's phony outrage over this is functionally ridiculous is the fact that Rove himself confirmed Plame's status as a CIA employee to two different reporters as noted by Thinkprogress

– Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper said, "Karl Rove told me about Valerie Plame’s identity on July 11, 2003. I called him because Ambassador Wilson [Plame’s husband] was in the news that week. I didn’t know Ambassador Wilson even had a wife until I talked to Karl Rove."

– A week prior to publishing his column which outed Plame, Robert Novak spoke with Rove. Novak brought up Plame’s role at the CIA, and Rove confirmed that Plame worked at the CIA: "I heard that too," said Rove.

Rove acted as Novak's confirmation source (on special double-secret background) after he had initially heard about Plame from Richard Armitage. (And Armitage wouldn't have known about her either if Scooter Libby hadn't been poking around asking his deputy questions about her which ultimately resulted in the INR report which - inaccurately - mentions her involvement in recruiting Joe Wilson for a trip to Niger)

It's frankly amazing to me that Rove can sit there on National TV and claim to be so annoyed with the New York Times because it was the New York Times that initially refused to publish Judith Miller's Story - as told to her by Libby - about Wilson and his Wife. Robert Novak published that story even though the CIA told him not to.

And he did it because of Karl Rove - Hypocrite Extraordinaire.

Vyan

Fitz: There's a Cloud Over the Vice Presidency

As noted today on FDL, Patrick Fitzgerald in is rebutal summation for the Scooter Libby Trial finally revealed exactly who his target in this investigation has been.

The Veep.

There is a cloud over the VP. He wrote those columns, he had those meetings, He sent Libby off to the meeting with Judy. Where Plame was discussed. That cloud remains because the defendant obstructed justice. That cloud was there. That cloud is something that we just can't pretend isn't there.

As he said when he announced his indictedment Libby "kicked dust into the umpire's eye" - but why? To protect his boss who had orchestrated the entire outing of CIA Operative Valerie Plame from behind the scenes. To protect Cheney from charges of Treason.

Fitz summation clearly indicates that the prosecution of Libby for his lies to the FBI and Grand Jury is merely an attempt to gain leverage and flip him into finally telling the truth and dropping a dime on Cheney.

First Prosecutor Zeideberg's laid out the case:

On behalf of defense, Wells elected to give opening. He painted different picture, told you about WH conspiracy to scapegoat Libby. Effort to make LIbby into sacrificial lamb so that Karl Rove would go free. You've heard witnesses testify, you've heard witness after witness, you've heard them testify about one or another conversation with Libby about Valerie Wilson during the time period that Libby claimed he had no memory of Wilson's wife. You heard Russert testify, take an oath and say he never spoke to Libby about Wilson's wife. In direct contrast to what Libby claimed. Now did you hear any evidence about a conspiracy to scapegoat Libby? If you draw a blank, it's not because of a problem with your evidence. I bring that to your attention to remind you that evidence is what happened on witness stand and introduced as evidence. Unfulfilled promises from counsel do no constitute evidence. Fitz told you this is case about lying, and I submit that is right. Not a case about bad memory or forgetting. Libby does claim he forgot 9 separate conversations over a 4 week period, but he also invents out of whole cloth, two conversations that never happened. His conversation with Cooper and his conversation with Russert. That's not a matter of forgetting or misremembering, it's lying.

...

When you consider Libby's testimony, there's a pattern of always forgetting about Wilson's wife. He remembers Ari conversation, talk about future, Miami Dolphins, Remembers the Dolphins, doesn't remember talking about Wilson's wife. Remembers talking about NIE with Judy. Not about wife. Remembers talking about declassification with Addinton, but not the wife. Convenient pattern.

Yes, it's highly convenient and highly purposeful. As I stated regarding the Addington Question, Libby was trying to distance himself as being the source of the Plame leak and deliberately avoid legal jeopardy. We don't currently know if had proof, but he strongly suspected that Wilson's Wife could have been covert, and that he might be liable to the IIPA, which Addington had provided him a copy of and his CIA briefer Schmall had advised both Libby and Cheney of the danger of outing a CIA agent.

"I thought there was a very grave danger to leaking the name of a CIA officer," the briefer from Langley, Craig Schmall, said he told Messrs. Cheney and Libby during a morning session at the vice president's residence. "Foreign intelligence services where she served now have the opportunity to investigate everyone whom she had come in contact with. They could be arrested, tortured, or killed."

Following the initial prosecution closing, defense had it's chance - and apparently Ted Wells came off mostly like a used car saleman who knew he was peddeling a grade C lemon.

He claimed Libby was totally innocent.

A person who makes a statement based on a belief or opinion that is inaccurate, making an honest statement that turns out to be inaccurate. An honest belief is one of the most complete defenses because such an honest belief is inconsistent with the intent to commit the alleged offenses.

In this case, it is a deliberate, purposeful, intent to lie.

I'm just going to review chart I used in opening statement. Walk through quickly.

* Gave best good faith recollection
* Innocent mistakes
* No knowledge that Plame was classified [whether or not she was classified is out of bounds]
* Did not push reporters to write about Valerie Wilson
* Did not leak to Robert Novak, Armitage did [brings up Ari, leaking to Pincus], when Judy says, he worked at WINPAC Libby's not a nut, he wouldn't go out and leak false info
* Libby is innocent and had no motive to lie

No motive to lie? Yeah, that's rich. Well's attempted to make the case an issue of Libby's credibility vs Russert's.

Evidence shows Russert could have known about Wilson's wife, you know Gregory was told by Fleischer.

Correct, it is theoretically possible - even though no one in the trial confirmed this theory. But even if it's true, it's only because Libby had previously TOLD FLIESCHER about Wilson's Wife and claimed it was "hush hush" in the first place. Richard Armitage wouldn't have known (or been able to leak to Novak) if Libby hadn't started making inquiries with Marc Grossman. It's Circular Neo-Con Logic. Libby told Fleischer, who told Gregory who might have told somebody at NBC who also might have told managing editor Tim Russert - and then Russert told Libby - except that he didn't. Either way, all oars on this leaky boat point right back to Libby - and Cheney.

In terms of Russert's credibility, we know he filed misleading affadavit with Hogan when he said he was protecting first amendment. He filed misleading affadavit. Ask yourselves, does that comport with what happened in November.

Russert gave misleading account to public. He never tells the public I had been called by FBI and discussed whole conversation freely.

Finally, Russert has memory problems. He forgot a very important telephone call that involved himself involving the Buffalo news. He had to write public letter of apology, where he had to regret for not recollecting something. He was candid at the time, the only thing that shook that confidence was that he had a note. There's no note in this case, you can't have reasonable doubt. You can't decide that's firm and convincing evidence of guilt.

Yeah, it's all that NBC scumbag Russert's fault. He had an axe to grind with Libby and the Bush Administration - cuz he's from - from - NBC! Yeah, that's the ticket - oh and NBC shot JFK too.

At the end of his closing Well's apparently broke down into tears and cried "Give Libby Back to ME!"

So this is all just one sad mistake. Libby simply forgot about 9 different conversations he had about Wilson's Wife working at CIA, and Russert can't be trusted since he's from the evil NBC. It's all so unfair. Oh Pharoah have mercy - Let my Libby go!

Don't sacrifice Scooter LIbby for how you may feel about the war in Iraq or Bush Administration. Treat him the way he deserves to be treated. He worked every day to be NSA for this country. Analyze it fairly. Fight any temptation for your views if you're a Democrat or whatever party. This is a man who has a wife kid. He's been under my protection for the last month. Just give him back. Give him back to me, give him back.

[Wells gets all choked up, crying.]

Comments from the Press Room as reported by FDL:

He did a much better job of the crying thing in the tobacco trial... This time he really didn't sell it

Atter this Well's retreated to the defense table with his hand over his head, never looking up or apparently paying attention while Fitz went into his rebuttal, which he started out on fire, and woke the jury up fully.

Madness. Madness. Outrageous. The govt brought a case about 2 phone calls? And they just want you to speculate? The defense wishes that were so. Saying it, Saying it loudly, pounding the table, doesn't change the facts.

Is this case about 2 reporters, that's it? Is this about a one on one he said she said?

It's a he said he said he said he said she said she said she said he said (shows the graphic of nine people)

Is this the greatest coincidence in the world. That the only person he said he talked to forgot it. It's not one on one, it's all the evidence taken together.

...

No one wished this, but if Tim Russert were run over by a bus and went to that great newsroom in the sky, you could still find plenty of evidence that Libby was not surprised when [claims] he heard this from Russert.

Fitz then goes on to lay out all the other evidence and witnesses who specifically discussed "Wilson's Wife" with Libby, including notes made by the VP on a copy of Wilson's op-ed.

Have they done this sort of thing?

Send an Amb to answer a question?

Do we ordinarily send people out pro bono to work for us?

Or did his wife send him on a junket?

Yes, they - the CIA - often do this sort of thing. During the Presidency of George Bush Sr. Dick Cheney himself went on a "junket" with then State Dept official Richard Clark (As documented in his book "Against All Enemies") to convice the Saudi's to allow the U.S. to store equipment and supplies on thier soil as a method to help deter the Soviet Union from invading as they had with Afghanistan. That trip helped put in place the infrastructure that was later fully utilized during the first Gulf War. These weren't questions that Cheney wrote, they were marching orders, they were talking points.

Fitz knows this too.

First bullet–It is not clear who sent Wilson. "Or did his wife write him on a junket" A day or two after [Cheney] writes this, he makes it the number one talking point. The question of who sent Wilson is important, it's the number one bullet. There's something funny. They don't want to talk about the wife.

Or rather, they don't want to be caught talking about Wilson's wife since they know damn well that she could be covert. She is specifically left out of the talking points that Cheney provide Cathie Martin, but when she balks at revealing information from the then still classified NIE -- Libby gets the ball and starts making the contacts Ari Fliescher, whom he's never had lunch with before, and with reporters such as Miller and Cooper.

Conincidence? Hmm, I think not.

At a certain point Fitz starts to get dangerously close to the NOC question.

Importance Remember the others things going on. He had ten conversation with nine people. He's asking Schmall about. He's monitoring Hardball. He's not watching other things. He's remembering Rove telling him. Why is that important? It goes into his brain, bc that's important. VP cuts out column, he makes note on Dowd column. One thing that's really important, Schmall told him, this is a big deal, every intell service, whether innocent or not, they could arrest, torture, kill them. If you're sitting on the beach as a 21 year old, and you say, what you did, that can get people killed. If someone brought to your attention, you could get some people killed, that better be important, certainly NSA to VP in time of war.

At this point Well's was still doing his "oh woah is my defendant" act with his hand over his face. His co-council Jeffries realizes that Fitz is dangerously close to making statements that Valerie Wilson was an undercover agent, which has been ruled inadmissable by the court previously. Sheepishly he requests a sidebar, but not an outright objection since Well's has to do that - and he's still in crying jag-land. The question of whether this would be an appealable issue, which would require a timely objection be made during trial, seems somewhat open to me.

After the sidebar, Fitz continued.

Just so we're perfectly clear, I'm talking about Libby's state of mind. They're saying he's like a 21 year kid not remembering anything after the summer. Schmall did not know about Plame. He's saying that if this happens, you can get people killed. For his state of mind, When you're reading about a front company being exposed. Isn't that important? They want to tell you the wife wasn't important until later. They're saying it was important enough to read on July 14. Important when someone tells you, harm can happen and unimportant when facts prove defendant told a lie.

Go get 'em Fitz. That's when he brought it home.

Is this about a bunch of madmen, two men. Or is about something bigger, Is it about someone to whom Wilson's wife wasn't a person, but an argument. He focused on it June 23, July 8, July 7, focused on it when he talked to Addington. His boss thought it was important. His boss thought it was important. Did his boss forget about the wife/ One of the first thing he wrote, did his wife send him on a junket. They both talked to a briefer about it. You can't believe that 9 witnesses remember 10 conversations the same way. There is no conspiracy. There is no memory problem. He remembers a conversation that did not happen. But forgets all of his. He had a motive to lie, and he lied in a way that exactly matches his motive. You don't forget something on Thursday that you've passed along on Monday and Tueday. You don't forget about important arguments. You know they talked about a cloud over the VP.

DON'T YOU THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE ENTITELD TO ANSWERS. If as a result his wife had a job, she worked at CPD, She gets dragged into newspapers. People want to find out was a law broken when people want to know, who did it. What role did Defendant play? What role did VP play? He told you he may have discussed this with VP. Don't you think FBI deserves straight answers?

When you go in that jury room, you common sense will tell you that he made a gamble. He threw sand in the eyes o fthe FBI. He stole the truth of the judicial system. You return guilty You give truth back.

And thus the Prosecution completed it's closing statment. If the jury isn't nullified, it's quite likely IMO that they will return a guilty verdict. Perjury cases can be difficult and usually require at least two persons who can confirm that the defendant made deliberately false statements. This is why President Clitnon could never have been convicted for his statements at the Jones deposition or the Starr Grand Jury because it quite literally was He Said/She Said. But as Fitz pointed out - there are 9 other He's and She's besides Libby and they all agree.

Libby's description of how things occured is simply not possible, it's not a memory lapse - it's a series of lies meant to protect Libby and the VP from criminal liability.

Unfortunately for them that effort has failed. If Libby is convicted he will have to face Fitz on his sentencing. Certainly he will appeal and it's quite possible that he will be pardoned just like Susan McDougal who after enduring years of pressure to LIE from Starr was pardoned by President Clinton

Maybe. Eventually.

In the meanwhile - he'll be in the vice - looking at a possible sentence of 30 years for perjury and obstruction. He'll be in the perfect position to cut a deal. Will he break and give up the Veep or will he hold his ground as Susan did? Some indication in his defense case already indicates he may be ready to bolt, and if he does... All hell's gonna break loose for Cheney.

I've already got the popcorn out, this is going to get good in just a few more days.

Vyan

When Did Libby/Cheney realize that Plame was Covert?

This is the question of the year, and a core issue for the ramifications of the Libby Perjury Case.

Unfortunately the issue of Plame's status has so far been left off-the-plate since this isn't an espionage or treason case (as it should be).

Still, based on much of the testimony that has been given so far quite a few clues can be gleaned. Libby's principle defense is that he simply forgot that he already knew Valerie Plame-Wilson worked at the CIA and that'd had already told several people including Judy Miller, the VP's chief media person (Cathie Martin) and Ari Fleischer days before the conversation where he claims Tim Russert told him about Plame on July 10th.

So is he forgetful or just an f-ing liar? And if he's lying - why?

As I discussed in this diary, the revelation of the covert CIA operative is serious business. As far as I'm concerned it's Treason,. Classified information - except by a Whistleblower when a Crime has been committed - should not be shared with persons without the proper clearance and a specific need to know.

Sharing classifed information with people who have a proper clearance isn't a problem - but clearly at some point someone who shouldn't have known about Valerie's status found out about it, that conversation is our breach point.

Further under Federal Law.

Whoever, having or having had authorized access to classified information that identifies a covert agent, intentionally discloses any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the
United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

But exactly where was the breach? Much like a suspense novel, this story has many twists and turns - this is my own attempt to try and straighten some of this pretzel out if only for my own understanding.

June 10th

In trying to find out who had gone to Niger based on the Nicholas Kristof article Libby first contacted Marc Grossman at the State Dept, who told him that the person who went was Joe Wilson in late May.

From emptywheel on FDL.

Went to ask Armitage about it first.

Armitage said he didn't know a thing about it either.

Sent an email to Asst Secretary for Intelligence and Research [Ford] and African Affairs [Kansteiner]

African Affairs and INR both said they knew all about it. Got both of these emails back.

[Grossman seems almost sheepish, his shoulders raised, soft-spoken]

They said they knew it was Wilson, they knew he had reported back to the government.

Grossman went to Armitage with the information. Grossman then called Libby to give him "some of the answer."

I told him that "yes, actually people at State did know about such a trip."

Gave him Wilson's name. May have apologized that he didn't know. I told him that I had these two emails, fuller story yet to be told, I'd give a fuller story.

Reached out to Wilson, did it on the same day.

"I happen to know Joe Wilson, is it okay to just call him up"

Now isn't this an interesting and novel idea - why not just give Wilson a call, eh? Grossman did exactly that and Wilson told him that he thought that the Office of the Vice President had initiated the request for his trip, only because that's what the CIA told him.

Grossman's inquiry itself seems to be what produced the INR Report which mentioned the trip as well as Wilson's wife Valerie.

Information about Joseph Wilson's wife?

I recall reading Valerie Wilson was employed at CIA.

Mrs. Wilson was in the Chair of those meetings. Plame described as WMD manager type.

According to the report, she was the organizer of the Ambassador Wilson's trip.

"I thought this was pretty interesting. Odd that she worked at the agency and was involved in the organization of the trip."

Grossman thought it was not appropriate.

He remembers telling Libby about it the next time he attended a Deputies meeting at WH. June 11, 12:00-12:45 Afghanistan Deputies committee meeting

So here we have the first possible breach. The problem here is that the INR report was a) Wrong because Valerie did not "Chair" the meeting, she didn't even attend the meeting except for a brief introduction and b) ot didn't mention her covert status.

Still the INR memo itself was classified, so even mentioning any involvement by Valerie at all was by extension also classified. This is something that should have been mentioned by Grossman but may or may not have been.

From the Wapo.

The material in the memo about Wilson's wife was based on notes taken by an INR analyst who attended a Feb. 19, 2002, meeting at the CIA where Wilson's intelligence-gathering trip to Niger was discussed.

The memo was drafted June 10, 2003, for Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman, who asked to be brought up to date on INR's opposition to the White House view that Hussein was trying to buy uranium in Africa.

The description of Wilson's wife and her role in the Feb. 19, 2002, meeting at the CIA was considered "a footnote" in a background paragraph in the memo, according to an official who was aware of the process.

It records that the INR analyst at the meeting opposed Wilson's trip to Niger because the State Department, through other inquiries, already had disproved the allegation that Iraq was seeking uranium from Niger. Attached to the INR memo were the notes taken by the senior INR analyst who attended the 2002 meeting at the CIA.

I've often wondered why this analyst included this information in his notes at all. Valerie's involvement in the trip was peripheral at best, she had introduced her husband to others at CPD but didn't herself attend the meeting between them and Joseph where it was ultimately decided that he should go to Niger and investigate the claims made by the forged documents.

The analyst met Plame at the start of the meeting, but quite possibly didn't know she was a covert operative when the wrote his own notes.

June 11th

What also seems to have occured so far based on the testimony is that a second breach actually occured directly between the CIA and OVP. Specifically between Robert Grenier the CIA's top man on Iraq, (their "Mission Manager") and Scooter Libby.

Grenier himself found out after Libby contacted him about the Kristof article which hinted at Wilson's Niger trip, and was actually somewhat flustered to receive a call directly from the Office of the Vice President

Grenier's testimony...

June 11 phone message that Scooter Libby called.

I wouldn't have recalled the message. But I recall I got a message at my office.

202 456-9000 was Libby's number.

The message is up, he identifies the writing of his secretary.

That was the first time this had ever happened that he got a call from Libby.

I placed the call to Mr. Libby.

He told me that there was an individual by name of Wilson "was going around town speaking to the people in the press" and claiming that he had been sent by the CIA. What else did he tell you.

He also said that Wilson was "claiming" that Wilson had been told that the only reason they were dispatching him was bc of interest expressed by OVP.

Did he tell you what he wanted.

He wanted me to verify for him whether or not there was truth to that story.

And whether it was true that CIA had done so was because of interest expressed by VP.

How did Libby refer to individual. By name or title?

By name. Joe Wilson, as I recall.

Did he say what Wilson's basis of knowledge for claim that VP had sent him.

People in CIA had told him this.

Q. What was Libby's tone of voice?

Even, serious, concerned about this.

He sounded a little aggreived. A certain accusatory tone when he stated this.

So Grenier is now tasked with finding out about Wilson and his trip.

Q. What did you know of the trip.

It was the first I had heard of it.

Libby didn't say, but it was clear he wanted answers right away.

This was the first time he called me, it was probable that I would see him in the next day or two. To me it was the way he reacted when he said Wilson was speaking to the press, it suggested that he needed the info sooner rather than later so he could get out in front of this story.

I attempted to call an info who I thought would have info.

This individual was working in CounterProliferation Division.

Who was it?

Kevin (using just first name)

There was a unit devoted to Iraq WMD. Keving was Deputy Chief of that unit.

Q. What happened when you called Kevin.

I spoke to someone besides Kevin. Since I also knew the Chief of that unit, I may have asked to speak to him. I asked this individual to convey these questions to Kevin. I don't recall who I was speaking to, I don't think it was anyone I knew.

I got a response shortly thereafter.

I'm very wobbly on sequence in time.

It was probably within a couple of hours.

I don't recall who I spoke to when they called back. I didn't know that person either. The person was fully knowledgable.

This person explained that in fact we, CIA, had sent Wilson to Niger to get info to determine whether or not Iraq attempted to purchase uranium.

Q. Did they give any more info?

Explained in a fair amount of detail when he went where he went, those kind of details.

While in fact OVP had been very interested in this, interest had been expressed also by State and Defense.

I felt I had all the information and more to respond to the request by Mr. Libby.

Q. The individual at CPD, did they also bring up Wilson's wife.

Mentioned to me that she was working within the unit at CPD that had sent Wilson.

That's why they knew about Wilson and why he was sent.

Q. Did the Ambassador's wife's name come up?

No, I'm certain that person did not tell.

Was that info that was new to you?

Yes.

So yet again, this time from the CIA side Plame is mentioned in connection with Wilson's trip - but neither her covert status or her name were brought up. Grenier didn't know Wilson or her or her status, but Libby wasn't very patient getting his answers.

I didn't speak to Libby right away, I may have attempted to call his office. I had a following meeting at 4:15 that afternoon. I didn't get through to him.

What type of meeting. One of our regular Iraq update meetings where we briefed DCI the latest from Iraq.

I was concerned about not getting back to Libby before my 4:15 meeting.

Q. What happened at the meeting.

Someone came to the door and beckoned for me to come out. Had a note from Libby to call him right away.

I had never been pulled out of a meeting with DCI before.

I thought oh dear, I had wanted to initiate the contact. I wanted to appear forthcoming.

Two reasons to be concerned about getting back to him.

1. Senior Admin official, want to be as forthcoming as possible.

2. it appeared that Libby thought CIA may have behaved badly wrt Wilson trip.

Called him back.

Got him on the phone.

Told him that it was true, CIA had sent Wilson.

How much else I said I don't recall. I may have mentioned debrief was written up.

Second major point I made the people had verified that not only OVP, but also requests as well from State and Defense.

Q. What was his response to hearing that State and Defense had also been interested.

Asked if CIA would be willing to release that publicly.

I believe I did mention only in passing about Wilson's wife. In fact Wilson's wife works there and that's where the idea came from.

Oops!!

But here's the thing, Grenier originally didn't remember telling Libby that "Wilson's wife works at CPD". He forgot to tell the FBI once the investigation into the leak began.

Q. When you were first interviewed by FBI. Were you asked if you had discussed Wilson's wife with Libby. I'm sure the topic came up.

My response was that I didn't clearly remember.

I believe, thinking back that I probably had said I relayed this information to Libby. But I couldn't say for certain.

In connection with your GJ testimony 2004, do you recall what you said what your memory was about saying about Wilson's wife.

I said I may have.

Q. Some time after you testified in the GJ in January 2004. Did you continue to think about that question?

I was going over it in my mind. I was hoping that I hadn't mentioned anything to Mr. Libby, I really didn't remember anything new. But what I did remember was the way I felt immediately after.

I briefly felt guilty, that I had relayed too much information. I was going through a mental justification about why it was alright to have relayed this to Mr. Libby.

Q. What part were you having concerns about. Having mentioned that Wilson's wife worked at the CIA, revealing the identity of an agency officer, although it was indirect.

I didn't know her name, so I didn't give her name, but by saying Joe Wilson's wife worked at the CIA, I was revealing the identity of a CIA officer. It wasn't absolutely necessary, that is information that we guard pretty closely, and if we don't have to say it, we don't.

Q. You went through a mental justification. Senior Govt official, has every security clearance known to man. He may have met this person in the course of his business, this person may have briefed him. Did you come to any conclusions?

It wasn't as if one day I had a revelation. But as I thought about it over time, as I remembered specifically I developed a growing conviction that I had said it, I said to myself wake up and smell the coffee.

That's some strong brew I would think. Since Libby's defense is based on "faulty memory" the defense attorney's had a field day with this point.

The Defense also grilled Grenier over whether he knew, or told Libby that Plame was a covert operative.

J You didn't mention the name of Mr. Wilson's wife. You didn't mention anything to Mr. Libby whether Mr. Wilson's wife was covert.

G No

J Covert in simple terms means undercover.

G Yes.

J CIA has lots of employees who are not covert.

G Yes

J You heard she was a "staff person" correct?

G No, I heard she was working in that unit. Could have meant staffer, an analyst on loan, could have meant a number of different things, didn't ask for clarification.

J THe person you talked to gave no indication that Wilson's wife was covert. Correct?

G Yes.

And Libby wasn't the only one Grenier told about Wilson's wife.

J You testified you spoke with someone named Cathie.

G Yes

J You're certain that this conversation with Harlow [CIA Pubic Affairs] and Cathie happened on June 11.

More on Harlow and Cathie later.

On redirect Fitz's team dug out the crucial nugget.

Z If the person at the CPD that you spoke to did not tell you Wilson's wife was covert. Why were you feeling uncomfortable.

G Because I knew that that person could be undercover. We were talking about a unit in DO the vast majority of whose employees are undercover.

Let's repeat that point the vast majority of people at CPD - are Undercover.

Grenier knew it, that's why he started feeling guilty - he didn't know for sure, but he knew damn well it was a possibility. Chances are so did Libby and so did Cheney.

Now we've had two seperate people confirm Wilson's trip and confirm his Wife's involvment in it, although both were somewhat wrong. She didn't send him, but he did go because she introduced him to others at CPD. The distinction was lost on many.

Now that Libby has gathered his facts the OVP began to formulate it's counter-spin strategy. Enter Vice Presidential Assistant of Public Affairs Cathie Martin.

She describes quite a bit of conversations concening Joseph Wilson going all the way back to May 6th.

F Did there come a time when you learned who the former ambassador was?

M learned it to be Joe Wilson from Bill Harlow. He's [the CIA] equivalent of Public Affair or Comm director. Or was, sorry.

F Can you place an exact date.

M No precise date, I believe it happened bt May 6 and the time he appeared on MTP and identified himself as Joe Wilson on July 6. I specifically remember not being surprised by who he was on MTP. I knew his name already.

Martin was apparently told by Harlow about Plame's connection to Wilson's trip.

H First was pleasant [emphasizes] I had never spoken to him before, talked about press reports, I was asking him, "we didn't send him." so I was saying to him, you must have sent him, who is this guy, what are you saying to the press, they're not taking my word for it. I remember him being, I didn't know who he [Wilson] was either, but apparently his name is Joe Wilson he was a charge in Baghdad, and his wife works over here. I understand charge to be diplomat who works overseas. Had been a charge, former is my recollection of what that meant. Has notes, but the notes don't have a precise date.

Martin then reported what she'd heard from Harlow to Cheney and Libby - and Libby confirms Harlow.

Asked to see VP and shortly thereafter told him and Scooter was there as well, told them what I had learned. It was the same day. I remember going into VP's office Scooter was there which was pretty normal. He told me Ambassador's name and apparently he was a charge and his wife works at CIA. Don't remember any specific response.

This means that Wilson's Wife being at CIA was now becoming common knowledge among the Veeps office, including Cheney who was in the room when Scooter told Martin.

Martin then used Harlow to find out which reporters were working on this story in order see where to best plant their own version of events, but first they had to put together their talking points.

M Week of July 7, meeting with VP on the Hill, we had another staff meeting, so we were in on Capitol Hill. Talked to VP about press inquiries and reports related to Wilson matter. He dictated to me what he wanted me to say.

Published on board.

1. Not clear who authorized travel
2. Did not travel at my request
3. A0parently unpaid
4. Never saw document allegedly trying to verify
5. He was convinced Niger could not have provided uranium to Iraq but in fact they did in 1980s 200 tons under IAEA seal
6. No written report
7. VP unaware of trip, conclusions, until Spring 03
8. As late as October considered judgment was that SH [Saddam Hussein] had indeed undertaken vigorous effort to acquire uranium from Africa–according to NIE.

There's a question mark in the margin, F asks, did he dictate question mark.

M I didn't know if I could use that (#8) because it was classified.

If Martin knew what was in the NIE, she too must have had clearance - and it's very interesting that she questioned a) whether classified material could be released and b) that the links to Plame weren't included in thier official talking points indicating that they knew it was too classifed to publically reveal.

But during this period between May 7th and July 7th as the OVP was setting up it's push back plan -- Scooter Libby met with Judith Miller.

June 23rd.

So far in the trial everyone involved who has heard of Ms. Wilson has a security clearance - we haven't gone from what we used to call at my old defense contractor job "Black World to White World".

That didn't last.

F Did there come a time when you met with Libby

Miller: In OEOB, June 23. (Voice waivers)

M Mr. Libby appeared agitated and frustrated and angry

F HOw could you tell

M He's a lowkey and controlled guy, what he said made me think I was correct. He was concerned that CIA was beginning to backpdal to distance self from unequivocal estimates it provided before the war through a "perverted war of leaks."

F Did the topic of Joseph Wilson come up

F What do you recall was said

M His office had learned that he had been sent overseas, initially referred to as clandestine guy. VP had asked about a report in Winter 2002, in Africa, CIA hd sent Mr Wilson out to investigate claim.

F Was Libby saying VP sent WIlson

M the contrary. He said that VP did not know that Mr Wilson had been sent.

2:29

F What he said about Winter 2002 and how it related to trip.

M There had been reports, a report had gone up to the Hill indicating that Iraq hunting for uranium in Niger. VP had asked about those reporters, agency had taken upon itself to find out more. In the beginning he referred to Wilson as clandestine guy.

F Mr. Wilson's wife (voice not in great shape)

M Yes, when he was discussing intell reporting, he said his wife (referring to Wilson) worked in the bureau

F What did you understand bureau to mean

M I was a little unsure, My understanding was FBI, but the context it was clear he was referring to CIA.

F Any particular bureau?

M I thought he was using bureau to refer to Non proliferation bureau, but I wasn't sure.

Ladies and Gentlemen - we have an offical breach. Classified info has been passed to an unauthorized source. Technically it doesn't matter if Plame were covert or not, the document that originally linked her involvment, the INR, is classified. But if she were - and she was - this is much worse but did Libby (or Cheney) know this? Did they like Grenier have a guilty suspicion? The preverbal "Holy Sheep Shit" moment? Stay tuned.

July 6th

Wilson's NYT Op-ed "What I didn't find in Africa" is published.

July 7th

The Press is going postal and White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer is getting a flurry of questions. He stuck to the talking points.

P Monday July 7, were you asked questions that morning regarding the charges, can you tell us about that?

Fl in that gaggle, a reporter asked "what's the WH's reaction." There's zero, nada nothing new here, other than we now know the name. I added the VP did not send this person, CIA sent on his own volition.

P further questions about 16 words?

Fl later, given this oped, on that question I had been previously told not to repeat the WH's "we're standing by the 16 words." I knew the ground was shifting, the worst place to stand as PS is where the ground is shifting. I punted, I said sort of yes and no. And said I'd have to get back to him.

On the very same day, the day after Wilson's Op-ed, Fleischer who had already announced has departure, had lunch with Libby for the very first time.

Fl I had announced I was going to be leaving, "Spend time with family." Shortly after Mr. Libby asked to go to lunch.

P enters govt. exhibit, schedule for that day.

12:00 lunch with Libby

P was it routine to have lunch engagemnts.

Fl typically I would eat at my desk.

P had you ever had lunch with Mr. Libby

Fl no sir

Fl our relationship good, I liked Mr Libby, I did not consider him as a source, when I asked him questions, he would tell me to ask Dr. Rice NSA.

P notwithstanding your relationship with Libby was good.

Fl yes

P where and who was present?

Fl just Libby and me

P was anything discussed

Fl my plans what I was going to do in the private sector. Talked about sports, football, both fans of the Dolphins. I don't remember if I brought up or Libby brought up the briefing. I said I got asked about Wilson. I said what I was asked by the OVP to say. What I recall Libby saying to me, reiterated that VP did not send Wilson. Amabssador Wilson got sent by his wife, she works at CIA, Works in CPD, I recall that he told me her name. This is hush hush this is on the QT.

Fleischer, not having the same security clearance as Libby and not being familiar with the inner-workings of CIA didn't realize the significance of "She works in CPD" where The Vast Majority of People are Undercover.

Libby wasn't normally a source for Fleischer, and in this case he interpreted the "This is hush hush on the QT" language to mean - "Leak it to reporters, don't let them know where it comes from".

P what did you understand Libby to mean by hush hush

Fl I thought it was kind of odd. My sense was Libby was saying it was kind of newsie, no one knows.

P did you understand that it was classified

Fl absolutely not. There's a very strict protocol when classified info is spread, my experience, when someone conveyed info that I was authorized to hear, it was always, "this is classified you're authorized to hear." When it's oral, people always say, "this is classified you cannot use it."

That night the WH delegation took off in AF1 & 2 on a trip to Africa. Eventually a copy of the INR Memo written in response to Libby's query to the state dept via Marc Grossman is faxed to the plane and received by Colin Powell.

July 8th

Normally Cathie Martin would be the one to make calls to reporters and begin pushing the VP's talking points, but in this case Libby personally took the lead instead - leaving Martin on the sidelines.

M Going to VP to give an update, it was an unscheduled visit, talked to VP and Scooter, I wasn't getting any calls directly, Mitchell and Martin doing pieces for Evening News. Discussed with them should we try to talk to them and make sure they don't repeat the things we think are false. Should we make sure we're part of the story. General consensus was "yes" and Scooter would call them back. And Libby would call them back. VP made the decision to have Scooter call them back. Went into VP ante-office, Scooter has a little office there. Scooter called one of the reporters, I was there for the portion of one of the calls. I believe this was July 8. I left, I had a lot of phone calls I still needed to return. I was still not certain about NIE and was a little uncomfortable talking about the NIE and I was aggravated that Scooter that I was calling reporters and I wasn't.

So exactly why was it that Cheney decided to have Libby take charge and directly contact reporters? Was it because he wanted Libby to push the "Wilson's wife sent him" meme out to Reporters unwittingly through Fleischer and others knowing Martin's obvious qualms information from classified sources and that it was quite possible, although not yet confirmed yet in the trial, that they knew she was possibly, probably covert?

Was this Cheney's idea since he was the one who decidered Libby into this position?

The answer to those questions just might be found in David Addington's Testimony. Three key points - first, Libby wanted to know if the President could declassify something.

F were you aware controversy on SOTU

A I wouldn't say spring

F Were you involved

A Yes. Took place in COS office to VP, West Wing, larger office in OEB. Very small office, probably about the size of your table. Question asked, did Pres have authority to declassify information. The answer was yes. It's clear a President has authority, I cited a specific case. In that case, court said Dept of Navy v. Egan. Pres by virtue of role as Commander in Chief. Flows directly from Constitution and therefore I said Pres does have the authority even though there is a separate provision, although there are procedures, that would not prevent Pres from declassifying something. It's open and shut. Libby didn't give context. he just asked question about Pres' power.

F DId Libby give you an idea of what he was going to do with info

A No.

Since portions of the NIE and INR were still at this point classified, not to mention Valerie Wilson's CIA status, Libby has thus confirmed that they could be released by the White House if the President chooses to declassify them. This authority was extended to the VP under executive order in late March 2003.

Second, Libby also asked Addington, since he'd previously worked at CIA about CIA employees.

F Conversation about CIA paperwork

A Asked if someone worked at CIA, would there be records. Normal for him to ask me bc he knew I worked at the CIA. Kind of paperwork would depend on whether you were on the Operations or Analytical side. On operational side, CIA officers are not just free to use whoever they want, need to get approval, requesting permission to use someone, would generate paperwork approval. On analytical side there'd be a letter of instruction or contract. In any case, this is the govt, when you spend money, there's a money trail. I did tell him also it had been 20 years since I worked at the CIA.

This indicates to me that Libby was still fishing for info on how Wilson was sent, and the answer was that it couldn't be simply on a whim or as a result of nepotism - it had to be approved. He had to know, or at least suspect, at this point that the core of the entire smear on Joe and Valerie Wilson was baseless. There was no way that Plame could have personally dispatched her Husband to Niger to look for uranium as if she was asking him to take out the garbage or put down the toilet seat.

Not that such he thing has ever really stopped people in the Vice President's Office.

Third, did Libby suspect that Valerie might be undercover? Yes he did, since he asked Addington about it.

A: He asked me how you would know if you met someone from CIA if they were undercover. I responded when I worked out there, you'd ask if someone if they were undercover. He asked if they introduced themselves how you'd know. I told him you wouldn't know unless you asked or saw a piece of paper that said it was classified. (Like the INR Report!) I volunteered to him I could get him a copy of IIPA that makes it a crime to reveal identity of covert agent. I took it to his office and gave it to him.

Simply by asking the question Libby has shown that he suspects that Valerie Wilson might be undercover - and Addington has informed him that revealing the ID of a covert operative is a Crime, he even gave him a copy of the law.

Ohhhh shit-burger.

Exactly when these conversations with Addington took place wasn't clear from the testimony I read, but the timing could be crucial - particularly since on this very same day July 8th, we had our second breach.

Libby talked to Judy Miller Again.

F Discussion about Mr. Wilson's wife on this occasion.

M Two streams of reporting on uranium and efforst by Iraq to aquire uranium, first stream reports like Wilson, –then made an aside, Wilson's wife works at WINPAC Weapons Intelligence Nonproliferation and Arms Control, specifically focused on WMD.

F Before June 23, had you ever heard that Wilson's wife worked at CIA.

M Not before that meeting

F On July 8, any new info

M WINPAC was new

WINPAC was also a Lie By this point Libby has personally been told twice that Wilson's Wife worked at CPD, not WINPAC. CPD is part of the CIA's Directorate of Operations where the Spy's work, WINPAC is not.

This deception may have been a way for Libby to distance himself from this breach, if Plame was covert, it's something that might be better for a reporter like Miller (or her collegues) to discover on their own once they'd gotten wind of it.

Did Libby tell Judy he'd gotten his information from other reporters? Nope.

F Any discussion of learnign this from other newspaper reporters.

F discussion about NIE

M Defended NIE, based on reporting from many different sources He said classified version even stronger, it was not at all equivocal. Said if anything classified was stronger.

Ok, yet again - a total f-ling lie. The classified version of the NIE has very significant doubts about the Niger Yellowcake from State, doubts which were part of why they didn't think Wilson even needed to go to Africa.

F Any qualification, any place where a doubt would be expressed

M Yes, didn't know classified or unclassified, said INR had expressed doubts about uranium hunting, alleged uranium hunting activities, had been included in appendix. What he was saying was that these doubts not prominently featured. He said policy makers had not seen them

Ok, well that's true - but oh by the way - all this shit was still classified!

In for a penny (with Plame) in for pound with the INR I guess.

On the same day that Libby was meeting and leaking to Miller about Plame for the second time, Richard Armitage (who wouldn't have even known about Wilson's Wife if not for Libby's call to his deputy, sat down and created breach number three with Robert Novak.

July 10th

Libby and Russert have a phone coversation, Libby says "Russert told me that Wilson's Wife works at CIA" - Russerts says the subject never came up.

Somebody is a LIAR.

July 11th

Air Force One, still in mid trip. The Press is still going balistic over Wilson's Op-ed. From Flieschers testimony.

P July 11, Dr. Rice, press gaggle on same subject.

Fl On a trip abroad, I'd ask NSA to go to the back of the plane to address press. Dr. Rice came to the back. That was contentious, Press asking how could this happen? You're the WH, mistakes like this shouldn't happen. Dr. Rice said something that had not been previously said, Had DCI wanted those words to come out, it would have come out. Now WH seems to be blaming CIA for words not getting taken out.

In point of fact the DCI (George Tenet) did want those words to come out, and they had been taken out of the President's Cincinati Speach, only to be re-inserted allegedly by Rice's then deputy Stephen Hadley.

Later on Air Force One, Fleischer heard a second reference to Wilson's Wife, this time from WH Communications Director Dan Barlett (I would surmise based on the INR which had been faxed to the plane)

P Did you hear someone on AF1 make another reference to Wilson's wife.

Fl Staff cabin, Dan Bartlett, Comm Dir, reading a different document. He said, "I can't believe he or they are saying that the VP sent Amb Wilson to Niger, his wife sent him, she works at CIA. He said this in front of me.

P Would you characterize this as a conversation?

Fl Dan was venting. That became the second reference I learned, I overheard. I don't recall who was there.

P What was your reaction?

Fl I heard all this before. Never seemed very newsie. The one thing it backed up my statement, VP didn't send Ambassador, he was sent by his wife. I had one more nugget to back up that statement.

So now having heard about Wilson's Wife twice, and without any indication that this was classified information - Fleischer passed it on to reporters, just as Libby had hinted he should do.

P Were you in Uganda. Can you tell us if you had an occasion to talk to reporters by the side of the road.

Fl President walking toward second event. Meeting with young children who were going to sing songs. A group of reporters on the side of the road. I recall I said to these reporters, If you want to know who sent Amb Wilson to Niger, it was his wife, she works there. Tamara Lippert Newsweek, David Gregory and John Dickerson, Time Magazine.

P was this a formal interview?

Fl One of the many conversations I had with the press, the event was not one I had to be there. You sidle up to reporters and chat what was on their mind. Maybe this will address some of these issues about how people got sent. This backs up WH statement.

That's breach number four.

July 12th

Libby and Miller speak again.

F what do you remember

M I remember telling him that I didn't think I was going to write a story about it, the NYT wasn't interested in pursuing Plame story. We talked about retraction of 16 words. It was more following up on other two conversations. Don't have specific memory of other things

Breach Five!

Seeing that Judy is the nail in the coffin for Libby - his defense team went after her with a Hockey Mask and Meat Cleaver on her various Memory Issues.

July 14th

Robert Novak's Column revealing Valerie Plame's CIA connection was published.

At the WH the issue of Wilson's Wife came up yet again between Libby and his CIA briefer Craig Schmall. Normally the briefings were written and provided in binders to Libby and the Vice President. When questions would arise, if Schmall couldn't answer it immediately he would make a note in his copy of the binders's table of contents.

F has introduced this TOC, We've gone over the Tom Cruise [about Germany and the Scientologist] and complaint about the briefing

Schmall reads from the TOC: "Why was the [ex. Schmall explains] Amb told this was VP office question? Joe Wilson Valerie Wilson."

S Just Libby and myself were in the room that day.

S No recollection of this conversation independently.

F Stipulation July 14 2003 was a Monday.

This time though the question is coming from Libby wondering who in CIA told Wilson that the Vice President requested his trip.

Like Grenier, Schmall had a great deal of missing information. Much of this is understandable since he briefed Libby and sometimes Cheney six times a week for months. Recalling any specific conversation is like asking when the last time you asked your wife to pass the salt.

Again the defense went to town on that, even suggesting that Schmall lack of recollection may have been a ruse of some kind.

The 14th was also Ari Fleischer's last day at the White House. Two months later once the CIA investigation of the leak began, Fleischer freaked. Then lawyered up.

Fl I saw article in NYT that CIA asked DOJ into investigation of identity of covert CIA agent. Went online at WaPo, read very big story about CIA asking for criminal investigation. I read that article.

P Was the person identified?

Fl As I recall it was Amb Joseph Wilson's wife. I was absolutely horrified. I thought I may have played a role in outing, oh my god did I play a role in outing a CIA officer, even though I had no idea that she was classifed or covert,

P What did you do?

Fl I contacted counsel.

Eventually Fleischer cut an immunity deal with Patrick Fitzgerald, and did so without offering a standard "proffer" indicating what he had to trade. Essentially he arranged to skate on having been part of the leak - telling David Gregory about Plame working at CIA - in exchange for promising to tell the truth.

Both Grenier and Fleischer's reactions to realizing they may have aided in blowing the cover of covert CIA officer stands in very stark Contrast to Libby's - which was to go and run behind his "Tim Russert and/or Matt Cooper Told Me" line after being essentially warned of the potential consequences by Addington and IIPA and his own briefer who stated...

"I thought there was a very grave danger to leaking the name of a CIA officer," the briefer from Langley, Craig Schmall, said he told Messrs. Cheney and Libby during a morning session at the vice president's residence. "Foreign intelligence services where she served now have the opportunity to investigate everyone whom she had come in contact with. They could be arrested, tortured, or killed."

Both Grossman and Grenier have admitted to telling Libby about "Wilson's Wife" working at CPD under oath. Martin, Fleischer and Miller all heard Libby repeat this information before the alleged conversation with Russert.

Everyone involved has said he was aggitated and/or aggrieved over the issue - shoving his own press person out of the way to handle the issue personally. It was eating away at him, and quite likely the Vice President.

It's possible that Libby and Cheney, like Fleischer, Armitage, Grossman and Grenier didn't specifically know that Plame was a covert operative - but it's clear by their actions, leaving her out of the official talking points yet using her as a talking point anyway at every possible oppurtunity, that like Grenier they suspected it.

Libby's conversations with Addington practically clinch this, and it's from this point that their subsequent actions and deliberate lies make the best sense especially if the Plame smear was directed by the Vice President himself, which based the sidelining of Martin - it just might have been.

Libby's lies to the Grand Jury were likely an act of Sepuku designed to shield the Vice President, and possibly even the President who atually did declassify part of the NIE to rebut Wilson at Libby's request. This also makes sense with the defense strategy to toss Stephan Hadley and Karl Rove under the boss rather than the Veep - both of them have already been connected to the 2004 pre-election coverup that Bush was warned that his Uranium claims were not true prior to the SOTU, so they're easy targets for redirecting blame without getting too much blow-back all over the Veep.

Of course there's still the possibility the Libby has a swiss cheese memory, but even though the trial has some ways to go I'm betting on the former. Maybe that's just me.

Vyan

P.S. Go Buy Anatomy of Deceit

Libby Trial: Opening Statements

And it's he said: he said...

With Patrick Fitzgerald claiming that Libby "wiped out" a memo of Cheney's.

Fitzgerald said Cheney told his chief of staff, “Scooter” Libby, in 2003 that the wife of Iraq critic and former ambassador Joseph Wilson worked for the CIA, and that Libby spread that information to reporters. When that information got out, it triggered a federal investigation.

“But when the FBI and grand jury asked about what the defendant did,” Fitzgerald said, “he made up a story.” Fitzgerald alleged that Libby in September 2003 “wiped out” a Cheney note just before Libby's first FBI interview when he said he learned about Wilson and his wife, CIA operative Valerie Plame, from reporters, not the vice president.

Meanwhile Libby's attorney Theodore Well's claims that Libby isn't the villain of this story - Karl Rove is.

Attorney Theodore Wells said Libby went to Cheney in 2003 and complained that the White House was subtly blaming him for leaking Plame’s identity to columnist Robert Novak.

“They’re trying to set me up. They want me to be the sacrificial lamb,” Wells said, recalling the alleged conversation between Libby and Cheney. “I will not be sacrificed so Karl Rove can be protected.”

Yet apparently he was sacrificed and will soon be on the witness stand claiming faulty memory when he was asked by the FBI about his conversations with various reporters.

It should make for an interesting month.

Vyan

The Curveball Psy-Ops Campaign

A brand new report from the Washington Post details the story of "Curveball", an Iraqi defector held by German authorities who was the one and sole source for claims of WMD's still in Iraq.

Regardless of what Rick Sanitorium believes, these claims were false, and in a repeat of the events reported by Vanity Fair which led to the false "16 Words" in the President's 2003 State of the Union Address, even after attempts to have these incorrect claims scrubbed were made by top CIA officials - they returned stronger than before.

Coincidence? I think not.

Vanity Fair reported just a couple weeks ago that claims of Iraq reconstituting it's nuclear program by purchasing unprocessed uranium from Niger were not a "mistake", they were part of a deliberate and planned Psy-Ops Campaign against the American People and the World.

For more than two years it has been widely reported that the U.S. invaded Iraq because of intelligence failures. But in fact it is far more likely that the Iraq war started because of an extraordinary intelligence success--specifically, an astoundingly effective campaign of disinformation, or black propaganda, which led the White House, the Pentagon, Britain's M.I.6 intelligence service, and thousands of outlets in the American media to promote the falsehood that Saddam Hussein's nuclear-weapons program posed a grave risk to the United States.

Now, this WaPo report indicates that the Niger claims may not have been the only gambit in this campaign. According to our old friend Tyler Drumheller, former Chief of the CIA Covert Operations in Europe, he personally removed references from Colin Powell's UN speach which came from the German held defector "Curveball".

In late January 2003, as Secretary of State Colin Powell prepared to argue the Bush administration's case against Iraq at the United Nations, veteran CIA officer Tyler Drumheller sat down with a classified draft of Powell's speech to look for errors. He found a whopper: a claim about mobile biological labs built by Iraq for germ warfare.

Drumheller instantly recognized the source, an Iraqi defector suspected of being mentally unstable and a liar. The CIA officer took his pen, he recounted in an interview, and crossed out the whole paragraph.

A few days later, the lines were back in the speech. Powell stood before the U.N. Security Council on Feb. 5 and said: "We have first-hand descriptions of biological weapons factories on wheels and on rails."

How similar is this to the event leading to the Niger/Uranium claims?

In addition, Vanity Fair has found at least 14 instances prior to the 2003 State of the Union in which analysts at the C.I.A., the State Department, or other government agencies who had examined the Niger documents or reports about them raised serious doubts about their legitimacy--only to be rebuffed by Bush-administration officials who wanted to use the material. "They were just relentless," says Wilkerson, who later prepared Colin Powell's presentation before the United Nations General Assembly. "You would take it out and they would stick it back in. That was their favorite bureaucratic technique--ruthless relentlessness."

But even Wilkerson didn't realize at the time that Niger claim wasn't the only false one that the Bush Administration was intent on pushing through no matter what.

From Wapo.

Drumheller, who is writing a book about his experiences, described in extensive interviews repeated attempts to alert top CIA officials to problems with the defector, code-named Curveball, in the days before the Powell speech. Other warnings came prior to President Bush's State of the Union address on Jan. 28, 2003. In the same speech that contained the now famous "16 words" on Iraqi attempts to acquire uranium, Bush spoke in far greater detail about mobile labs "designed to produce germ warfare agents."

The warnings triggered debates within the CIA but ultimately made no visible impact at the top, current and former intelligence officials said. In briefing Powell before his U.N. speech, George Tenet, then the CIA director, personally vouched for the accuracy of the mobile-lab claim, according to participants in the briefing. Tenet now says he did not learn of the problems with Curveball until much later and that he received no warnings from Drumheller or anyone else.

"No one mentioned Drumheller, or Curveball," Lawrence B. Wilkerson, Powell's chief of staff at the time, said in an interview. "I didn't know the name Curveball until months afterward."

The new revelations by Drumheller are startling, from what I'd previously read and heard, only members of the DIA (Defense Intellignce Agency) had attempted to gain direct access to Curveball (taxi-driver-come-international-spy) through his German intelligence handlers and had been told "We think he's a fabricator". But it now seems that DIA wasn't the only one who heard this.

In late 2002, the Bush administration began scouring intelligence files for reports of Iraqi weapons threats. Drumheller was asked to press a counterpart from a European intelligence agency for direct access to Curveball. Other officials confirmed that it was the German intelligence service.

The German official declined but then offered a startlingly candid assessment, Drumheller recalled. "He said, 'I think the guy is a fabricator,' " Drumheller said, recounting the conservation with the official, whom he declined to name. "He said, 'We also think he has psychological problems. We could never validate his reports.' "

This diary here states that George Tenet knew that the Mobile Lab story was phony even when he personally vouched for it but it's not exactly that simple.

As we could clearly see with the Niger claims, when one career intelligence person would knock them down - others (usually political appointees, but not always) would prop them back up again.

Although no American had ever interviewed Curveball, analysts with the CIA's Center for Weapons Intelligence, Nonproliferation and Arms Control believed the informant's technical descriptions were too detailed to be fabrications.

"People were cursing. These guys were absolutely, violently committed to it," Drumheller said. "They would say to us, 'You're not scientists, you don't understand.' "

Before you can claim that Tenet knew (or that he informed Powell) you have to note exactly what he was told. A request came down from CIA headquarter to Drumheller in Europe asking three quesions:

• Could a U.S. official refer to Curveball's mobile lab accounts in an upcoming political speech?

• Could the Germans guarantee that Curveball would stand by his account?

• Could German intelligence verify Curveball's claims?

Drumheller asked Berlin and was told "There are no guarantees".

"They said: 'We have never been able to verify his claims,' " Drumheller recalled. "And that was all sent up to Tenet's office."

I hate to be a stickler for all those who wish to dump on Tenet and Powell, but that isn't exactly -- This Guy is a FUCKING L.I.A.R. -- language. Sometimes you really do have to shout "LIAR" in the crowded building, as the smoke and and flames start to rise.

When veteran CIA Officer Ray McGovern challenged Donald Rumsfeld a few weeks ago on the issue of Iraqi WMD's - Rumsfeld responded by using Powell and his integrity as a Human Shield.

RUMSFELD: Well, first of all, I haven't lied. I did not lie then. Colin Powell didn't lie. He spent weeks and weeks with the Central Intelligence Agency people and prepared a presentation that I know he believed was accurate, and he presented that to the United Nations. the president spent weeks and weeks with the central intelligence people and he went to the american people and made a presentation. i'm not in the intelligence business. they gave the world their honest opinion. it appears that there were not weapons of mass destruction there.

The highly interesting thing about Rumsfeld's claim here is the that the DIA - the Defense Intelligence Agency, HIS Intelligence Agency - was told the exact same thing about Curveball that Drumheller was told when he spoke to German Intellegence.

Jan 2000-Sept 2001: Curveball's statements are recorded in German, shared with a local Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) team, and sent to the US, where they are translated into English for analysis at the DIA's directorate for human intelligence in Clarendon, Va<. "This was not substantial evidence," one senior German intelligence official later recalls in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "We made clear we could not verify the things he said." The reports are then sent to the CIA's Weapons Intelligence, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Center (WINPAC), whose experts analyze the data and share it with artists who use Curveball's accounts to render sketches.

Rumsfeld didn't just accidentally mention Powell, he knew - or should have known - that Powell was being lied too.

From Commondreams;

The CIA never had access to Curveball. Instead, he was controlled by Germany's intelligence service, which passed along the information it collected to the United States through the Defense Intelligence Agency, a Pentagon spy agency that handled information from Iraqi defectors.

Rumsfeld's Agency got the information first, then passed it on to CIA for further analysis.

And meanwhile at CIA the apparent break in the information flow coming from Drumheller at CIA Europe occurred downstream of both Tenet and Powell - at the Office of Dept CIA Director John McLaughlin. Alarmed by the use of Curveball's information Drumheller made a call.

Drumheller said he called the office of John E. McLaughlin, then the CIA deputy director, and was told to come there immediately. Drumheller said he sat across from McLaughlin and an aide in a small conference room and spelled out his concerns.

But...

In responding to questions about Drumheller, McLaughlin provided The Post with a copy of the statement he gave in response to the [Robb-Silbermann] commission's report. The statement said he had no memories of the meeting with Drumheller and had no written documentation that the meeting took place.

"If someone had made these doubts clear to me, I would not have permitted the reporting to be used in Secretary Powell's speech," McLaughlin said in the statement.

Someone comes to you and tells you that your lone and singular source for Iraqi WMD allegations is a known fabricator and liar and you forget the entire conversation?

Is this anything like Stephen Hadley forgetting to leave the Niger claims out of the State of the Union even after the White House received multiple phone calls and faxes from George Tenet stating that the information shouldn't be used? From Vanity Fair:

According to his Senate testimony, [Tenet] told Hadley that the "president should not be a fact witness on this issue," because the "reporting was weak." The C.I.A. even put it in writing and faxed it to the N.S.C. But somehow, some magical way - the reference to Iraq and Uranium just kept popping back up.

"You would take it out and they would stick it back in. That was their favorite bureaucratic technique--ruthless relentlessness."

You can say that again.

The one point which seems to hang Tenet, who had made assurances to Powell that he could "trust this one" peice of intellegence was a phone call between Tenet and Drumheller on the eve of the UN Speach.

On the eve of the U.N. speech, Drumheller received a late-night phone call from Tenet, who said he was checking final details of the speech. Drumheller said he brought up the mobile labs.

"I said, 'Hey, boss, you're not going to use that stuff in the speech . . . ? There are real problems with that,' " Drumheller said, recalling the conversation.

Drumheller recalled that Tenet seemed distracted and tired and told him not to worry.

Clearly Drumheller thought his previous warnings to McLaughlin had been filtered up the chain of command, and that this little reminder would be sufficient -- but Tenet had already made assurances on the accuracy of the information to Powell. It was far too little, far too late.

Since that time Tenet has adamantly claimed he wasn't informed about the weakness of Curveball as a source.

"Nobody came forward to say there is a serious problem with Curveball or that we have been told by the foreign representative of the service handling him that there are worries that he is a 'fabricator,' " Tenet said in his statement.

And I suspect that from his perspective, Tenet is probably right - nobody told him directly that Curveball was a fabricator, and Drumheller doesn't claim that he did. He told McLaughlin, and McLaughlin apparently told, no one.

This scenario is what happened with Niger Claims, what happened with the WMD claims and also the same problem existed with the claims of connections between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein -- all of which came from one source in U.S. Custody named Ibn Sheihk al-Libi. Whom the DIA said was - wait for it - a Fabricator.

From Newsweek last November:

The new documents also raise the possibility that caveats raised by intelligence analysts about al-Libi's claims were withheld from Powell when he was preparing his Security Council speech. Larry Wilkerson, who served as Powell's chief of staff and oversaw the vetting of Powell's speech, responded to an e-mail from NEWSWEEK Wednesday stating that he was unaware of the DIA doubts about al-Libi at the time the speech was being prepared. "We never got any dissent with respect to those lines you cite ... indeed the entire section that now we know came from [al-Libi]," Wilkerson wrote.

"You would take it out and they would stick it back in. That was their favorite bureaucratic technique--ruthless relentlessness."

Yeah.

Vyan

The Great Red-Blue Divide

This country has long had a large diversity of social and political views, but more and more this divide seems to have become a yawning chasm - a split between not just Left and Right, but Reality and Faith, Science and Fantasy, Compassion and Profit.

Those on the Right complain that Liberals are brainless "moonbats" who've let their pathological hatred of President Bush grow so rabid that they lost all ability to reason, and blindly accept any "Known Fact^tm" that criticizes the President. According to Charles Krathhammer, their suffering from a psychological disoder which he called "Bush Derangment Syndrome".

Maybe it's little surprise that I disagree with that assessment.

I counter that this is merely another excellent example of what the Self-Righteous Wing of the Republican Party has become excellent at accomplishing -- self-deception. Since the last Presidential Election, in fact since the beginning of this Presidency, the entire Republican Party, -not just Bush - have been faced with increasing challenges, challenges of Reality vs their ideology theories, and they have repeated failed.

Moonbats and BDS aside, and I do not deny that there may indeed people people of this type - some who may believe that "No plane ever hit the Pentagon" or "the levee's were blown up" for example, but there are so many many Genuine Facts ^tm that I think when listed back to back and in chronological order, the truth will make itself clear even to many of those who doggedly resist it. The following is humble, and far from perfect, attempt at assembling these facts into a Chronology of Right-Wing Corruption and Deception in the Bush Era

2000

The first issue that widened the divide was clearly the 2000 election and it's long messy aftermath of hanging chads and Superme Court Intervention which cost Al Gore the election despite the fact that he had won the popular vote. Not even everyone on the left automatically believed the allegations of voter intimidation and disenfrachisement that were circulated at the time. Not everyone believed that this election was "stolen" -- or agreed with Michael Moore's assertion that "Gore won Florida" but it did make many people begin to take notice of this President and his actions.


Many people began almost immediately to distrust him - much of Europe was greatly concerned by his record 163 executions while Texas Governor - but only a few thought that the contentiousness of the 2000 election would become "standard-operating procudure" for the entire nation over the next 4 or more years.


(Since the 2000 election several studies of the ballots have occured, most have indicated that Gore had a slim numerical advantage if both undervotes and overvotes had been included in the count -- but that Gore would have lost if his vote challenge, which focused only on undervotes in certain counties, had his original request been allowed to go forward by the Supreme Court. A more recent study of overvotes with right-in preferences indicates that Gore may actually have won Florida by as many 30,000 votes. One of the Bush foot soldiers who helped stop the Florida Recount was John Bolton.)

2001

• In January the Bush Administration ignored warnings that their greatest challenge would be "dealing with Osama Bin Ladin and al Qaeda", refusing to have a briefing or meeting on the issue for 8 months and instead chose to spend their entire first NSA briefing discussing Iraq and how to oust Saddam.
• Vice-President Cheney participates in a Energy Task Force, whose attendies are shrouded in Secrecy, and which according to subsequent reports included a discussion of carving up Iraqi Oil Fields for American Companies after the removal of Saddam.
  
• When the "California Energy Crisis" occured as a result of corrupt practices by companies such as Enron - the Bush Administration refused to consider caps to prevent prince gauging, a decision which ultimately cost California $50 Billion. Money which still hasn't been paid back.
  
• In order to boost the flagging post DotCom/Enron economy, Bush implements the first round of tax cuts (which inordinately benefits those who don't need them), almost immediately this results in a dramatic reversal of the Federal Budget surplus which had existed sinced 1998, and a return to defecit spending.
  
• Bush ignored the August 6th, 2001 PDB warning that "Bin Laden Determined to Attack within the U.S." He took no action. Shook no trees, connected no dots.
  
• 9-11 Attack occurs while Bush reads "My Pet Goat" to school children in Florida.
  
• On Sept 12th Bush asks NSC Counter-Terrorism Chief Richard Clark about 9-11 "See if Saddam did this. See if he's linked in any way..." Clark does look into it, and finds nothing. Cheney concurs on Meet the Press that there is no evidence that Saddam had anything to do with 9-11.
  
• Bush submits the U.S. Patriot Act to Congress which significantly enhances the powers of the government to conduct domestic surveillance and intelligence gathering... but still unsatisfied by the additional powers granted by the act Bush secretly authorizes NSA wiretaps of U.S Citizens without requesting warrants from the FISA Court. The CIA also begin it's Rendition program which allows for terrorist detainees to be held in Secret Foreign U.S. Prisons, without access to legal council or protection from human rights abuses.
  
• Less than two months after the 9-11 attack, while Bush claims to want "Osama bin Laden Dead or Alive", he began redeploying vital assests and troops from Afghanistan to Iraq (despite there beingl no evidence of a link to Saddam). This shift ultimately allowed Bin Laden to escape Tora Bora.

2002

• By Feb of 2002 the Defense Intelligence Agency had determined that the one person who had made claims linking 9-11 and Al-Qaeda to Saddam Hussein was a fabricator and couldn't be trusted, yet President Bush continued to make claims linking Saddam to al-Qaeda & 9-11 for the next 2 years (More recently he has said he "never made any such claim").
• President Bush signs a Feb 2002 Memo stating that the Geneva Conventions did not apply to al-Qaeda or Taliban detainees, and that their humane treatment should be contigent upon "Military Neccesity", not the Constitution, U.S. Law or even the Uniform Code of Military Justice which strictly forebids the "maltreatment" of prisoners.
  
• March 2002, Ambassador Joe Wilson returns from African at the request of the CIA and reports that claims that Iraq had attempted to by processed Uranium Ore (Yellowcake) were false. After several months of inaction by the Bush Administration, he eventually writes an Op-Ed on his trip, his veracity and credibility were attacked by the Bush Administration, his wife's status as a CIA Employee was leaked to the press and reported by Robert Novak. The CIA refers the matter to the Justice Dept for Investigation. Meanwhile Under Secretary of State John Bolton arranges to have Jose Bustani, a Brazillian diplomat fired because he insisted on sending weapons inspectors to Iraq.
  
• President Bush says "He's not that concerned with Osama bin Laden", and opposes formation of the 9-11 Commision to investigate the attack.
  
• In Mid 2002, George Tenet and Condoleeza Rice meet with their British Counterparts who reported back to Tony Blair that the "that U.S. was determined to go to war with Iraq, and that the "[wmd intelligence] facts were being fixed around [that] policy".
• Information that Iraq continued to maintain WMD's and/or weapons programs were being provided by a single source - an expatriate Iraqi being held by German Intelligence code-named "Curveball", who had been determined to be "unreliable" by the Defense Intellegence Agency, yet his claims were heavily relied upon in the National Intelligence Estimate that was provided to Congress prior to their vote on the Iraq War Resolution.
• Even without the doubts concerning Curveball, the complete Classified NIE contained significant dispute from the State Department and Department of Energy concerning the continuing of Iraq Nuclear programs involving the suspicion by the State Deparment's Intelligence Division (INR) that the Niger purchase documents were forged (a view reached independantly from Joe Wilson's claims), and that the aluminum tubes were not intended to be used for centerfuges - however these concerns were not included in the unclassified version of the report that was provided to full membership Congress
  
• By late 2002, President Bush with Tony Blair's support had begun pushing the UN to take action on Iraq and managed to get Resolution 1441 passed which authorized the UNSOM Weapons Inspectors to return.
• October 2002 Guantanamo officials "request that additional techniques beyond those in the field manual be approved for use." against terrorist suspects who have been captured in Afghanistan.
  
• Bush submits the Iraq Force Resolution (HJ 141) to Congress which deviates significantly from the Constitutional Process which grants Congress the sole authority to declare war and instead shifts the power to be made based on a "Presidential Determination" of Saddam Hussein's full disclosure of his weapons and compliance to all relevant UN Resolutions. The resolution passes, but requires that the President must first ensure that all diplomatic means have been exhausted before using force - a point that is thoroughly hammered home by Sen John Kerry.
  
• December 2002 Rumsfeld - in accordance with the memo previously signed by President Bush suspending the Geneva Conventions- prescribes new interrogation policy for Guantanamo, authorizing "stress positions," hooding, 20-hour interrogations, removal of clothing, exploiting phobias to induce stress (e.g., fear of dogs), prolonged isolation, sensory deprivation, and forced grooming. These techniques soon spread to Afghanistan and later to Iraq. Later that month FBI officials begin to complain to Defense Department of abuses at Guantanamo and of Afghan detainees killed during interrogation in U.S. custody at Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistan.

2003

• During his State of the Union Address, President Bush utters the infamous 16-words claiming that Iraq had attempted to purchase Uranium from Africa in order to build nuclear weapons although this language had previously been removed from the speech at the repeated request of George Tenet - the information remained Unconfirmed and was based on a document already suspected as being a forgery. The claim was reportedly removed, then placed back in the speech by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.
• January 2003 Rumsfeld rescinds blanket approval of some techniques but indicates techniques may continue based on his individual case approval. Rumsfeld designates a "Working Group" to assess legal, policy and operational issues for detainee interrogation in the "war on terrorism."
  
• Dept. Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz tells Congress "To assume we're going to pay for [The Iraq Conflict and Reconstruction] all is just wrong." He says that estimates of $95 Billion are "too high".
  
• Bush Adminstration Officials such as Secretary of State Powell and Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley continue to claim that Iraq has developed and retains Chemical and Biological weapons, quoting interviews with an Iraqi defector, General Hussein Kamel, but fail to mention that during these interviews Kamel also stated that he had personally ordered the Iraqi Stockpiles of chemical weapons destroyed way back in 1991 following the first Gulf War.
  
• After four months of searching in February of 2003 the UNSCOM and IAEA inspectors had found absolutely nothing - no mobile biological labs, (only a set of al-samoud missles which they promptly destroyed) - supporting the claim that Saddam either possessed WMD's, WMD programs or a Nuclear program. They called the US provided intelligence information - "garbage".
• Iraq provides a full disclosure document of their current weapons programs, which indicates that they "Have No wmd's" - the Bush Administration flatly rejects it.
• Although the Bush Administration has repeatedly claimed that "everyone had the same information" concerning Iraq's WMD programs, including France, Germany and Russia - President Bush decides not to seek a second authorization from the UN for further action against Iraq due to the opposition of France, China and Russia. He begins to form the "Coalition of the Willing" (CPA). (Germany also opposes military action, a position which is quite telling since Curveball, the primary source for allegations of Iraq WMD's, remained in German custody - if they didn't believe him, why did we?)
  
• April 2003 Rumsfeld approves 24 of the recommended techniques for use at Guantanamo, including dietary and environmental manipulation, sleep adjustment, false flag and isolation.
• Secret No-Bid Reconstruction Contracts offered to Kellog-Brown & Root (KBR), a Haliburton Subsidiary (Dick Cheney's former company), in preparation for a post-Saddam Iraq.
  
• March 2003, Bush makes a determination that "Saddam can't be trusted" and although the UN inspectors haven't yet finished their job he orders them out of Iraq and on the 19th begins the invasion. Bush and Rumsfeld ignore requests for 500,000 troops by Paul Bremer, and advise from Gen Shinseki that more troops will be needd to "Keep the peace" once the fighting has ended - later claiming that he received "no such requests".
  
• Shock And Awe - estimates vary from 15,000 to 20,000 Iraqis killed in the first few days by U.S. Bombs. The U.S. Attempts many "Decapitation Strikes" against Saddam - all of which fail. Troops who do find 380 tons of explosives at al-Qaqaa - but these were not connected to Chemical Weapons and subsequently left unguarded and looted.
  
• Private Jessica Lynch captured, the news reports that she "fought valiantly" until captured and that her rescue was a "heroic effort" - but subsequent reports show that this story is exaggerated and false.
  
• On May 1st Bush declares Mission Accomplished aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier "Major Combat Operations in Iraq have ended" which was followed by widespread looting in Iraq. Gradually an anti-American Insurgency begins to form and spread from disaffected former members of the Iraqi Military and foreign fighters who in all likelyhood may have been trained by al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and had escaped as U.S. forces were prematurely committed to Iraq.
  
• August 2003 Rumsfeld sends Guantanamo commander (General Sanchez) to Iraq to "gitmo-ize" Iraqi detention facilities, promoting wide-scale deployment of more aggressive interrogation methods in Iraq in order to gain better intelligence information on the insurgency.
  
• Bush tells the growing Iraqi insurgency to "Bring 'em On". They do. Saddam Hussein is captured in a spider-hole, Osama bin Laden isn't.
  
• September 2003 Lt. Gen. Sanchez authorizes 29 interrogation techniques for use in Iraq, including the use of dogs, stress positions, sensory deprivation, loud music and light control, based on Rumsfeld's April 16 techniques and suggestions from captain of military unit formerly in Afghanistan.
• October - December, Torture and serious abuses of detainees take place at Abu Ghraib in a special unit which remains under direct Command of Gen Sanchez. Gen Karpinski, the overall Abu Ghraib commander, is kept "out of the loop". Reporter Sy Hersh in his book "Chain of Command" reveals that the original idea behind the sexually humiliating photos taken at Abu Ghraib, was to use them as blackmail so that the newly released prisoners -- many of whom were ordinary Iraqi thieves or even civilian bystanders rounded up in dragnets -- could be convinced to act as informants against the insurgency. "We operate on guilt, [Muslims] operate on shame," Hersh explained. "
• Rather than being greated as "Liberators" as claimed by VP Cheney, the Iraq invasion "galvanizes al-Qaeda" and begins to "swell their ranks".
  
• The Federal Debt reaches over $6 Trillion.
  

2004

• January 2004 Spc Joseph Darby gives Army criminal investigators a CD containing the Abu Ghraib photographs depicting detainee torture and abuses. Rumsfeld informed.
• The Medicare Prescription Drug Plan passes in the middle of the night after extensive strong-arm tactics by House Majority Leader Tom Delay. Claims are that the plan will only cost $80 Billion, but that estimate quickly inflates.
  
• February 2004 Maj. Gen. Taguba completes investigation; reports of "systematic" and "sadistic,blatant and wanton criminal abuses" at Abu Ghraib.
• April 2004, 60 Minutes II airs segment showing Abu Ghraib photos. The insurgency intensifies. President Bush delays the scheduled Iraqi election to select an interim Parliament.
• June, Transfer of Sovereignty from Coalition Provisional Authority to Interim Iraqi Government is completeed although $20 Billion in Oil Revenues under control of the CPA disappears. Bush is interviewed by Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald concerning the Plame-CIA Lead investigation "The leaking of classified information is a very serious matter."
  
• Rep Tom DeLay is admonished three times by the House Ethics Committee for 1) offering a bribes to get votes on the Medicare Bill, 2) misusing Homeland Security resources in order to get a quorum of vote on Texas Redistricting (which alone gained the Republicans 5 additional seats), and 3) accepting inappropriate gifts from lobbyist such as Jack Abramoff.
  
• August 2004, Rumsfeld-appointed panel reports Rumsfeld interrogation policy led to confusion in the field as to what techniques were authorized; also reports that civilian Defense Department leaders failed in their interrogation and detention duties.
• Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld offers his resignation in the wake of Abu Ghraib, President Bush rejects it.
• The New York Times delays reporting the NSA Wiretap Story after the Publisher and Editor are called to the Oval Office by President Bush.
  
• The FDA finds and notes contamination problems with the creation of the 2004 flu vaccine. Yet, consistent with a general Bush policy to back-down on regulatory enforcement, they choose to ask that company to volantarily resolve the problem. They didn't. It eventually requirse the intervention of British authorities, who oversaw the flu manufacturing plant, to do something to protect the public and the result was aflu vaccination crisis.
• Bush debates Presidential Challanger John Kerry and claims that he never said he "Doesn't think about Osama bin Laden". Kerry is accused of being a "flip-flopper" and fails to respond to the "Swift Boat Vets" who accuse him of falsifying the after-action report which led to his medal awards in Vietnam, and making false claims to Congress concerning "atrocities" which occured during the War, even though all available documentation and transcripts of testimony support Kerry's account he' s defeated in a close contest after exit polls initially indicate a Kerry victory and there are yet again, rampant allegations of voter disenfranchizement and tabulation errors in both Florida and Ohio. As a result Senator Barbara Boxer pratically stages a revolt in Congress.
  
• November, CIA's full investigation of Iraq WMD's (The Dulfer Report) is completed and indicates that Saddam Hussein did not have chemical weapons, nuclear weapons or any current programs to reconstitute these weapons. Bush claims that it doesn't matter, that the War was justified even without the WMD's because "Hussein was still a threat".
• U.S. Forces take back the city of Fallajah from insurgents in a violent battle, during the fight White Phosphorous is used on the civilian populace, including children, resulting chemical reaction that burns the flesh off of people.
  
• December, the First Iraqi Election Occurs with massive turnout, although exactly what and who is being voted on remains unclear. Iraq War Price tag tops over $100 Billion. Donald Rumsfeld is asked "Why are we forced to scavenge for Armor" while visiting the troops in Kuwait.
  
• The Federal Debt reaches $7 billion.
  

2005

• An Audit indicates that Iraq CPA "lost" another $8.8 Billion in funds.
• Using documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, the ACLU sues Donald Rumsfeld (and others) for their involvment in Prisoner Abuse at Guantanemo and Abu Ghraib.
  
• President Bush after "winning" re-election decides he now has "political capital, and he's going to spend it" - on turning Social Security into a Privatized/Personallized investment system. His plan dies on the vein - just like nomination of Harriet Meyers to the Supreme Court, which is knocked down by the far-right wing of his own party. Bush is Official a Lame-duck, and things really start to go sour.
  
• Prepacked News Reports designed to support Bush Administration agenda items are found to have been provided by the Goverment and presented on local news stations as genuine.
  
• The Terry Schiavo Controversy explodes and halts the functioning of Government. President Bush dramatically flies back to Washington in the dead of night to sign emergency legislation designed to allow a Federal Judicial Review of the case. Heart Surgeon and apparently closet Neurologist Bill Frist claims "she seems to be conscious and reacting to the light" after reviewing a few minutes of video tape. Talking points are circulated on the Senate Floor about how this is a "Bad issue" for democrats. Eventually the ruling that Schavio is indeed in a "permanent vegitative state" is upheld and she is permitted to die as per her own requests (as noted by three witnesses) - the autopsy shows that significant portions of her brain had atrophied and that she was completely blind due to brain damage. President Bush trumpets the "Culture of Life" despite the fact that he had signed the Texas Futile Care Act into Law while Governor of Texas - a Law that takes the decision to maintain the life of patient out of the hands of the family and gives it to the Doctors and Hospital when that patients is unable to pay the bill.
  
• John Bolton is nominated by President Bush as the new Ambassador to the UN. He is reported as a "tough guy" who will "clean up the UN" following the overblown Oil-for-food Scandal, but his nomination hits a snag when it is discovered that he attempted to have a State Department Analyst fired for trying to keep exaggerated claims of Cuban WMD'S from one of his speeches. His nomination is permanently derailed when it's discovered that he attempted to access NSA Intercepts in order to spy on other members of the government. President Bush eventually grants him a recess appointment which expires at the end of the current Congress. Congress never discovers exactly who Bolton was trying to spy on, or why.
  
• Amnesty International, the Worlds Leading Human Rights Organization, calls for the investigation and if found warranted the indictment, prosecution and imprisonment of George Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Douglas Feith, George Tenet and Lt. General Sanchez for International War Crimes for Torture at Guantanemo, Bagram AFB in Afghanistan and Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq.
• New York Times reporter Judith Miller is jailed from refusing to reveal her sources on the Plame-leak, after a personal visit releasing her from promise of confidentiality fromVice President Chief of Staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby she is released and Libby is indicted for Obstruction of Justice, and Perjury. Presidential Dept Chief of Staff Karl Rove remains under investigation.
• Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist calls for an investigation of the Secret Prison Leaks, and even threatens to have the Security Clearance of the two top Democrats in the Senate revoked.
  
• Category 5 Hurricane Katrina hits the Gulf Coast - unlike his dramatic cross-country late night flight in response to Terry Schiavo - President Bush goes to play guitar with a Country Singer. But not to worry, he left Fema Director Michael "you're doing a heck of a job" Brown(ie) in charge. With little to zero Federal help, New Orleans Mayor Nagin manages to evacuate 80% of his resident before the levee failes- still thousands remain trapped by flood in their homes and at the Superdome without food or water. The Department of Homeland Securitytells the RedCross to Stand-down, and FEMA blocked aid to Jefferson Parish - while the one lone FEMA person in New Orleans is practically screaming for help via his Blackberry, and Brownie goes out to dinner. Brown is eventually forced to retire, but not after blaming the problem on everyone else. Gas prices skyrocketed to $3.40/gallon and Bush's approval ratings drop down to 36%.
  
• Bill Frist is investigated for SEC violations.
  
• Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is indicted for money laundering in Texas.
  
• Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleads guilting for accepting $2.1 million in bribes from Defense Contractors, and reportedly wore a wire during the investigation.

2006

• Republican Lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleads guilty for providing bribes to members of Congress, Rep Tom Delay permenently steps down from his leadership post.
  
• After extensive negotiation with Sen John McCain, Bush signs the Torture Ban into law - and then immediately releases a "Signing Statement" that claims that the President isn't required to abide by the law he just signed.
  
• The death toll of U.S. Soldiers in Iraq passes the 2200 mark, and reports indicate that approx 80% of U.S. Casualties could have been prevent with proper armor.
  
• The Federal Debt Tops $8 Trillion, and our future - the future of our children continues to be mortgaged.
  
• New Revelations on the NSA Wiretap story indicate that Defense Attorneys and the Justice Dept are worried that "fruit of the poison tree" arguments may completely scuttile pending and Federal Prosecutions or overturn existing convictions of Terrorist Suspects. (Which IMO would make us considerably less safe than we were previously!!) Meanwhile in a replay of the COINTELPRO Scandal of the 50-70's, the FBI and Pentagon have been domestically spying on U.S. Citizens, including anti-War Protestors, members of PETA, Poverty Relief Agencies, Greenpeace, Gay Military Personnel, and possibly even CNN Reporter Christian Amanpour..and that illegally gathered NSA Wiretap information (aka Poisoned Fruit!) may have been used by these agencies in this spying.
  

Now many of those on the Far Right-wing would have you believe that all of the above is either bad luck, coincidence or a collection of Left-wing smears. And certainly resonable people may certainly disagree with one or more specific points, but I think that if you look at the totality of it all, the ongoing pattern of disregard, negligence, greed and power-mongering not just by Bush, but by his political appointees and many of the major players in the Republican party, it becomes difficult to escape the reality.

This Presidency has been a total disaster of historic proportions, with repercussions which will continue for decades.<>Sadly, escape it many will - by burying deeper and deeper into denial and obfuscation. And so, the divide continues to widen further and further. I fear there is literally nothing that could possibly happen to snap us all back into the same reality once more, if what we've already seen isn't enough.

Vyan