[Ninong]

November 8, 2005

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi
Iraqi National Congress
c/o The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown
3100 South Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007

Dear Mr. Deputy Prime Minister:

In the months leading up to the present conflict in Iraq,information from your close circle of associates was a key element in the Bush Administration's effort to convince the public of the need to go to war. As one of the leading Members of the Iraqi National Congress, you were responsible for providing a major portion of the information the Bush Administration used to persuade Members of Congress and the American people that a war with Iraq was neccessary.

Most notably, an "Iraqi chemical engineer" designated"Curveball" supplied hundreds of pages "firsthand" descriptions of mobile biological and chemical weapons facilities to the United States Defense Intelligence Agency. Secretary of State Colin Powell later used this information in his February 2003 address to the United Nations detailing the state of Iraq's weapons programs.

Since then, the Congress and the American public havedetermined that these "firsthand" accounts were entirely fabricated. Moreover, we have learned that "Curveball" is, in fact, the brother of one of your top lieutenants within the Iraqi National Congress. Secretary Powell has since apologized for the use of such "intelligence" in making his case for the invasion of Iraq. However, neither you nor your associatees have ever fully accounted for the role you played in the buildup to this war, or for the $340,000 you and your associates received every month from the United States intelligence community for your efforts in gathering "evidence."

We respectfully request that you make yourself available to usto explain the details and reasons for your involvement in the manipulation of intelligence as the Bush Administration pushed for war. It is vital to the integrity of both our democracies that the truth behind these terribly destructive events be known.

In 2002, you told the New York Times that the Iraqi people"are grateful to President Bush for liberating Iraq, but it is time for the Iraqi people to run their affairs." As members of Congress and concerned citizens, we, too, seek an end to this war and a conclusion to the violence that has plagued both our countries for years. Your cooperation in this investigation will serve as an invaluable aid to the American people as we labor towards a final resolution in Iraq.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi
Page Two
November 8, 2005

We therefore encourage you to meet with us during your visitto the United States this week, explain your actions to the public, and help the people of both Iraq and the United States to understand why we are at war today. Please reply through the Judiciary Committee Democratic office, 2142 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, (tel: 202-225-6504; fax: 202-225-4423).

Sincerely,
John Conyers, Jr.
Maurice Hinchey
George Miller
Raul M. Grijalva
Chris Van Hollen
Susan Davis
Michael McNulty
Grace Napolitano
Lloyd Doggett
Ted Strickland
Ellen Tauscher
Jim McDermott
Jay Inslee
Marci Kaptur
Jan Schakowsky
Donald Payne
Cynthia McKinney
Hilda Solis


P.S. -- Anyone unfamiliar with Ahmed Chalabi can learn a lot about him here: http://thinkprogress.org/2005/11/08/...ordid-history/

[Ninong]

McCain on CNN This Morning



S. O'BRIEN: There was a report last week in the "Washington Post" that talked about these secret prisons in Europe.

MCCAIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Are you aware of these prisons?

MCCAIN: No.

S. O'BRIEN: Not at all?

MCCAIN: I did not know anything about it.

S. O'BRIEN: Which means what, then? I mean if other senators -- are you going to start hearings on this? Obviously you would like to be aware, yes?

MCCAIN: Well, I think the Intelligence Committee chairman and ranking member were told -- at least that's the media reports that I have -- but I think the American people ought to know if we're doing that kind of thing.

[Ninong]

CNN now. Ed Henry:

Trent Lott stunned reporters by declaring that this subject was actualy discussed at a Senate Republican luncheon, Republican senators only, last Tuesday, the day before the story ran in the Washington Post.

Lott noted that Vice President Cheney was also in the room for that discussion and Lott said point blank "a lot of it came out of that room last Tuesday, pointing to the room where the lunch was held in the capitol." He added of senators "we can't keep our mouths shut."

He added about the vice president, "He was up here last week and talked up here in that room right there in a roomful of nothing but senators and every word that was said in there went right to the newspaper." He said he believes when all is said and done it may wind up as an ethics investigation of a Republican senator, maybe a Republican staffer as well.

Senator Frist's office not commenting on this development. The Washington Post not commenting either.

[Ninong]

CNN:

Senate Majority Leader Frist telling reporters he has not officially signed the letter that he and Hastert drafted earlier today...

[Ninong]

The CIA is asking the Justice Department to investigate the unauthorized release of classified information involving the Washington Post's article of November 2nd. describing the CIA's "black sites." http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/...obe/index.html

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Ninong

CNN:

Senate Majority Leader Frist telling reporters he has not officially signed the letter that he and Hastert drafted earlier today...

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has signed a letter calling for an investigation into who leaked information about secret CIA prisons to the Washington Post, after earlier denying that he has signed it, CNN reported Tuesday evening.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert has also signed the letter. Any investigation is now up to the respective chairmen of the House and Senate intelligence committees.

The Republican leaders have called only for an investigation into who leaked the information, not into why the United States has set up secret prisons overseas.


P.S. -- What these morons don't seem to understand is that members of their own staff leak this stuff (via fax) to the indie press all the time. So I guess now Dr. Frist will have to say that that's not his official signature. Maybe he should just stick to making eye contact with blind women from now on. Or go back to "adopting" cats from the SPCA for his personal medical experimentation.

[schrocat]

Dude.
When you really get down to it...
Cheney leaked again...



I wonder if every Republican Senator had the appropriate security clearance to receive Big Time's pep talk.

[Ninong]

Is it even required that a member of Congress receive a security clearance? Obviously all of the members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees are exposed to top secret information all the time but does that require a formal security clearance? I'm not so sure about that. It's an interesting question. How could one possibly function as a United States Senator if one were NOT qualified to receive a top secret security clearance? Maybe just the members of the intelligence committees receive security clearances???

The interesting point you raise is that Cheney may have discussed details of one of the CIA's so-called "black programs," officially known as Special Access Programs (SAP). Information on these programs is extremely limited to only a few individuals with top secret clearance AND a need to know. He may have been telling them about all the useful information we got from waterboarding some of the al-Qaida guys. Some of it was useful and some of it was just lies. All of this is common knowledge and has been for the past three or four years (we started this BEFORE we invaded Iraq), but I don't think anyone has officially acknowledged it so openly before.

[Ninong]

...then why is Patrick Fitzgerald calling back his Chief of Staff for more questioning?


WASHINGTON D.C. - Filipino American Susan Ralston, chief of-staff to presidential adviser Karl Rove, is one of nearly two dozen White House officials - including President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney - believed to have knowledge about the outing of Central Intelligence Agency operative agent Valerie Plame.

Ralston, Rove's right-hand man, is scheduled to appear again before Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald who is investigating the circumstances surrounding the leak of Plame's identity in the media.

Plame's work in the CIA was revealed after her husband Ambassador Joseph Wilson challenged President Bush's reasons for going to war in Iraq. Exposing an agent is a crime as it endangers the agent's life as well as the security of his or her family.

Ralston appears to be a person of critical interest in the investigation, just like her boss Rove.



http://www.philippinenews.com/news/v...194d4960b18353

Just wondering, that's all.




P.S. -- Additional details that were not mentioned in that Philippine News article:

Ralston previously worked as a personal secretary to Jack Abramoff, the Republican power lobbyist being investigated for allegations of defrauding Indian tribes who was recently indicted on conspiracy and wire fraud charges. While working with Abramoff, Ralston arranged fundraisers and events at Washington MCI Center skyboxes for members of Congress. Ralston communicated with Rove on Abramoff’s behalf on tribal affairs, though she is not accused of wrongdoing.

Fitzgerald wants to question Ralston again about several telephone calls Rove allegedly made to a few reporters, including syndicated columnist Robert Novak, lawyers close to the investigation say. Novak first disclosed the identity of undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson in his July 14, 2003 column.

Furthermore, the attorneys said that Fitzgerald wants Ralston to clarify some of her previous testimony regarding statements she made about a phone call Rove had with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper.

Ralston testified that Cooper’s name was not noted in the call logs from Rove’s office, those familiar with the case say.

Ralston told the grand jury that Cooper’s call to Rove was transferred to Rove’s office by the White House switchboard. She testified that the call was not logged by Rove’s office because Cooper had not called Rove’s office directly.

Sources say that Fitzgerald has obtained documentary evidence proving that scenario does not jibe with other unrelated calls to Rove’s office that were also transferred to his office by the switchboard but were logged.

[Ninong]

Remember this one back in 2002? http://www.globalpolicy.org/wtc/libe...0824senate.htm

Do you remember who they caught that time? http://justoneminute.typepad.com/mai...elby_life.html

They were expecting to catch a "traitorous" liberal Democrat and instead they caught a "traitorous" conservative Republican.

Only this time they know in advance that the guilty party will be a Republican and a member of the United States Senate. I don't know if I would go so far as to label his actions traitorous, maybe he's just had enough of Cheney's lies.

Believe it or not, some of the blogs are betting it was McCain who leaked. If that's the case, then the neo-cons will almost certainly push for the investigation because they hate him with a passion and don't want to be put in the uncomfortable position of having to deal with him as a factor in 2008.

I have no idea who it was but I would be surprised if it was McCain. Maybe it was Chuck Hagel or maybe it was someone else, but if it really was McCain, that would be a surprise.

P.S. -- Wasn't it considerate of Sen. Lott to bring this important matter to everyone's attention? He has been so helpful lately, what with suggesting that it's time for Karl Rove to relinquish his official White House duties and now letting us all in on what took place between Vice President Cheney and the Republican Senators in that private pro-torture confab. Always the southern gentleman, Sen. Lott believes that Rove and Cheney had a big part in his being forced to step down as Majority Leader and now he's just repaying the kindness. Has anyone asked him about Dr. Frist's little stock troubles lately? I'm sure he must have some thoughtful advice for his dear friend and former protege and I would love to hear it.

[schrocat]

Bush slips even further...calls father pleading for him to "for the love of God trade with me".

via NBC\WSJ poll

According to the poll, Bush’s approval rating stands at an all-time low of 38 percent, a one-point decline since October; in fact, this is the third consecutive NBC/Journal survey showing Bush at an all-time low on his job approval. And it doesn’t stop there: Approval for his handling of the economy (34 percent), foreign policy (35 percent), terrorism (39 percent), and Iraq (32 percent) have all hit rock bottom.

Wow 38.

Even the 's are jumping ship.

I never saw that coming.

[Ninong]

And the GE/Dow Jones poll is usually one of the polls most favorable to Republicans.

[Ninong]

I doubt if his numbers will go up anytime soon. The New York Times will report tomorrow that the Bush Administration lied when they said that we didn't use white phosphorous as a chemical weapon in Falluja. RAI (Italian TV) aired a documentary recently accusing us of using chemical weapons in Falluja and other cities in Iraq. The Administration quickly denied it vociferously. (I like that word. It was one of Bush's words of the week at the time of the battle in Falluja, only he misused it by saying that our troops were fighting vociferously in Falluja. At least he had the pronounciation down.)

Anyway, here's an interesting read: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/11/9/164137/436

Looks like we not only used it as a weapon, we bragged about it. The Administration insists that it was only used to illuminate the battle field. I understand the Italian video is extremely graphic. I haven't seen it and I doubt that I ever will.

[Ninong]

I like what Lindsey Graham had to say about Frist and Hastert calling for an investigation into who leaked the information Cheney gave them on the CIA black sites:

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said: "Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees. The real story is those jails." ...

[Ninong]

... one of the nine pro-torture Republican Senators who leaked the CIA black sites info that Cheney used in his impassioned appeal to them to drop John McCain's anti-torture amendment.

So... Which one of these guys do you think did it?

Wayne Allard - Colorado

Kit Bond - Missouri

Tom Coburn - Oklahoma

Thad Cochran - Mississippi

John Cornyn - Texas

James Inhofe - Oklahoma

Pat Roberts - Kansas

Jeff Sessions - Alabama

Ted Stevens - Alaska


P.S. -- McCain's torture ban amendment passed the Senate by a vote of 90-9. Those guys were the nine in favor of torture.

[Ninong]

...to prevent Republican Senators from leaking classified information. It's a national disgrace, that's what it is. We need to get to the bottom of this and find out who the guilty Republican is.

In the meantime, Sen. Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has "respectfully" requested that the Majority Leader, Dr. Frist, reconsider his request for a bicameral investigation.


Sen. Lott, just trying to be helpful.

[Ninong]

Guess who is advising the other rats to abandon the sinking ship?

Here are a few quotes from his column today:

"...the watchword within the House majority would be: Every man for himself!"

"The antidote to avoid that fate is to keep as far away from President Bush as possible, a lesson underlined by the president's failed election rescue mission for former Virginia state Attorney General Kilgore."

"There was no reason for Republican joy elsewhere Tuesday. The party's big win was the re-election landslide in New York City of Michael Bloomberg, who governs largely as a Democrat."

"In California, the defeat of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ballot issues represented a lost opportunity nationally to curb labor union political power."

"Bush gets the blame. In the days immediately preceding Tuesday's elections, Republican committee chairmen in Congress grew increasingly contemptuous of their president. Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, dismissed Bush's Social Security plan as something to be shelved until after the 2008 presidential election. Rep. Joe Barton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, opposed Bush's requested $7 billion to fight bird flu. Thanks to Virginia, Bush can expect more of the same."

What lefty, commie, pinko, liberal Eastern Establishment, freedom-hating scumbag would write such a thing?

This one: http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak...t-novak10.html

So, yes, it is on-topic after all.

[schrocat]

Nice.



Does the Pat Roberts comments strike you as an admission of guilt?

Maybe someone should start a "Who did it again" thread for the Senate luncheon leaker?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by schrocat

Does the Pat Roberts comments strike you as an admission of guilt?

No, I think Sen. Roberts know all too well the dangers of opening up investigations when you know in advance who the guilty parties will be. He's having a difficult enough time as it is trying to kill that other little investigation that he's been sitting on for 22 months now.

[Ninong]

The Republican Party is coming apart at the seams and it's all being captured on Fox and CNN. First Lindsey Graham says that the important thing about this leak is not the leak itself but the CIA prisons. Then Dr. Frist says exactly the opposite today. According to Frist, he's not interested in what went on in those prisons, he's only interested in finding out who leaked that information.

Then we have Rep. Buyer announcing that veterans will no longer be allowed to testify before the Veterans Affairs Committees. Nice timing Stevie Boy! I wonder if John McCain or Chuck Hagel or any of the other veterans in Congress will have anything to say about this???