Be INFORMED

Monday, March 19, 2007

The White House and Congress To Butt Heads?

    This should be an interesting week as the White House and the Congress will not doubt be butting heads over the House's  bill that would pull troops from Iraq if it passes, which it most certainly will.

    The Lawmakers know that Bush will veto the bill and some  have said that this is just a charade.

    National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley said, "If we do a premature withdrawal, then what we have is a situation where the Iraqi forces cannot handle the situation, which is the case now. We have Iraq as a safe haven for terrorists who will destabilize the neighbors and attack us."

Rep. John Murtha ( D-Pa.) , "They talk about us micromanaging. They've mismanaged the war so badly, they put the commanders in impossible positions. The public wants us out. They spoke in the last election. They're ignoring the mandate that the public gave the Congress of the United States, and in the end, they're going to have to redeploy." Source

   Of course we had Defense Secretary Gates on CBS " Face The Nation " saying, "Frankly, as I read it, the House bill is more about withdrawal regardless of the circumstances on the ground than it is about trying to produce a positive outcome."

   The White House is also slightly angry that the Democrats have added a few more items to the bill for funding that has nothing to do with the war funding.

   I generally do not support adding non-related items to any kind of bill, but if this it what it takes to get those criminals in the White House to do something, then I say go for it.

   Let Bush veto this bill if it makes it that far, because then he looks like the liar that he has always been. By vetoing this bill, Bush makes himself and the rest of the Republicans look bad for not funding the U.S. troops over a few petty items added to the measure.  Petty is not the correct wording here, as most of these items are needed since Bush has forgotten about the needs in the United States in order to fund his " war for profit ".

 

 

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Sunday, March 18, 2007

More Oversight From The Bush Administration

   Here's an example of oversight from the Bush administration concerning  CIA operative Valerie Plame in 2003.

Transcript from The Raw Story
Published: Friday March 16, 2007

REP. WAXMAN: Are you aware if there's any investigation that ever took place in the White House about the release of this classified information?

MR. KNODELL: I am not.

REP. WAXMAN: Do you know whether Karl Rove, the president's senior political adviser, came forward and reported what he knew about the breach of Mrs. Wilson's identity? After all, we learned that Mr. Rove talked about her identity with at least two journalists, Robert Novak and Matthew Cooper of Time Magazine.

MR. KNODELL: Mr. Chairman, I have no knowledge of any investigation within my office.

REP. WAXMAN: Okay. How long have you been in that office?

MR. KNODELL: Since August of 2004.

REP. WAXMAN: Since August of 2004 -- two-and-a-half years. And were you aware in the last two-and-a-half years that this was an issue for which there was a lot of concern?

MR. KNODELL: Yes, Mr. Chairman. I was.

REP. WAXMAN: Did you learn that from people in the White House?

MR. KNODELL: Through the press.

REP. WAXMAN: Through the press.

Mr. Leonard, the regulations seem clear. It says that officials like Mr. Rove have an obligation to report security violations. Mr. Knodell, wouldn't there have to be a report that would have been filed in your office?

MR. KNODELL: If we were notified there would be, sir. Yes.

REP. WAXMAN: Okay. So if you were notified, a report would be on file. Is that right?

MR. KNODELL: Correct.

REP. WAXMAN: And you don't know if there's one on file?

MR. KNODELL: That's correct.

REP. WAXMAN: Is that correct -- you don't even know if there's one on file?

MR. KNODELL: There is not one on file.

REP. WAXMAN: There is not one on file.

MR. KNODELL: That's correct.

REP. WAXMAN: You know that there is no report on file that classified information was disclosed and that report was about Fleischer or Rove or all the other names?

MR. KNODELL: Mr. Chairman, not within the Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness.

REP. WAXMAN: Okay.

REP. WAXMAN: Last question to Mr. Knodell: Was any corrective action taken -- was any disciplinary action taken against Mr. Rove failing to report his knowledge of the breach of Mrs. Wilson's identity?

MR. KNODELL: No, Mr. Chairman.

REP. WAXMAN: No, no action was taken or no, you don't know?

MR. KNODELL: No action was taken.