The Plame Affair

Why? Well, because this Washington Post column by Victoria Toensing is one of the best I’ve ever read on this business.

And it’s important that this story be written, because it’s confusing. The New Zealand Herald with their group of fact checkers wrote in an article laughing about free speech rights in the US:

The most famous case involved Valerie Plame, the CIA officer whose identity was leaked to journalists in 2003 – a criminal offence.

A grand jury finally charged Vice-President Cheney’s top aide Lewis “Scooter” Libby, whose perjury trial is nearing its climax in Washington.

Three high-profile correspondents have testified, including Judith Miller, a former New York Times reporter who spent 85 days in jail for contempt rather than reveal her source, apparently none other than Libby, although Plame’s name was first leaked by Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, cleared because he was unaware of her covert status.

How wrong can they be? This stoopid affair needs airtime no matter how sick of it we all are because the misinformation out there on it is heartbreaking!

Once again bloodthirstyliberal has an excellant re-cap.

someone who didn’t do it is on trial for something that isn’t even a crime.

UPDATED: With the link fixed.

The War

Mark Steyn today writes in the Suntimes concerning “Why the Iraq war is turning into America’s Defeat”. He mentions all that’s been going on including Murtha’s idiocy and the latest resolution(s). Here’s what struck me today. He mentions that the NYTimes is a) worried now that Moqtada is in Iran because there will be more chaos in Iraq without his militia working hard to keep things calm, and b) they seem surprised that Iran is aiding both Shiites and Sunnis!

Today also, in the NYTimes is an article about, well, here’s the title.

Iran’s Chance: U.S. Troubles in Iraq Create Opening for Regional Shift

Um, can I can “Duh” here?

Essentially this “news analysis” piece by Michael Slackman describes how Iranians might feel that instead of them meddling in Iraq’s affairs, it’s instead the US doing the meddling. They were there first. The article seems to explain to the US govt how our being there in Iraq has created a chance for Iran to gain influence in the region.
The crux being “George Bush went into Iraq with dreams of creating a stable Shiite majority country in the area while Iran is seeing this as an opportunity. Bush is too slow to see this, but don’t worry, i’ve written it all out for him.”

It appears to me that the press thinks the US Government is a bunch of idiots. I can only assume that follows down to all of our intelligence and military. Don’t we all not only remember, but even hear it now in some cases…..how evil the US is because we support bad guys in many areas of the world? And why do we do that?

Yes, we supported Saddam. Why? Well read the NYTime’s article today and it explains it quite simply. Of COURSE the US govt knows that by ousting Saddam it set Iran up to have hope that they can then swoop in. Of COURSE the US knows that Iran is helping both Shia and Sunni in Iraq right now because they are trying to foment chaos so that the US citizens will give up and insist on going home! And look who’s not surprised by Congress’s resolution last week. Iranian press.

I said that 2 years ago!

Gal Luft of the Washington Post today (2/18/07)has an item suggesting that instead of buying oil now for the Strategic National Reserve we should instead prepare ANWR for future use.
(via bloodthirstryliberal)

From Terri in September 2005:

I’m ok with opening up ANWR for the emergency use. ie. Saudi Arabia decides to sell all of its oil to China and leave us out. But that means you get the mechanisms in place and then let it sit. Congress isn’t proposing that, or even another refinery, (which is another reason for higher prices due to the shutdowns in the south). They are proposing more drilling.

And Republican argued with me over that plan…..what say they now?