.Court Filing Reignites Debate Over Iraq Intelligence
Court papers filed in Washington allege that President Bush authorized the disclosure of sensitive information about Iraq to a reporter. What is to be secret, or not secret, is ultimately a presidential decision.
Classifying a document in the U.S. government is easy. There are probably thousands of rubber stamps marked "secret" or "top secret" scattered in the offices of U.S. government agencies. But declassifying a document is hard - unless you are the president.
According to a filing in a U.S. federal court, Lewis Libby, Vice-President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, says he leaked key parts of a classified National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq to a reporter on the vice-president's authorization and with President Bush's approval.
White House officials will not comment directly on the matter. However, spokesman Scott McClellan said the president can declassify anything he sees fit. "The president of the United States has the authority to declassify information. I also indicated to some reporters earlier today that the president would never authorize the disclosure that he felt could compromise our nation's security," he said.
Steven Aftergood, director of the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists says that it is correct that the president has that authority. But, he adds, presidents have been known to leak information for political purposes. "It happens with some frequency, I would say. And, obviously, it's a temptation for any president to take advantage of the information at his disposal to advance his agenda. Nevertheless, it's not what the classification system is for. Classification is to protect the national security, not to provide political advantage," he said.
Ten days after Libby is reported to have disclosed the information to then-New York Times reporter Judith Miller, portions of the October 2002 intelligence estimate on Iraq were formally released to the media on July 18, 2003. The information concerned Iraq's alleged bid to obtain uranium from Africa for nuclear weapons. Saddam Hussein's supposed acquisition of weapons of mass destruction was a key rationale for the U.S. attack on Iraq, but the weapons turned out to be nonexistent. Officials now admit the intelligence on Iraq was flawed.
The court papers filed by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald say the information was leaked to rebut claims by critics that the intelligence on Iraq's nuclear ambitions had been exaggerated by the administration.
Spokesman McClellan said declassifying portions of the intelligence estimate was, as he put it, "in the public interest" to rebut allegations that the administration manipulated prewar intelligence. "There were irresponsible and unfounded accusations being made against the administration suggesting that we had manipulated or missed that intelligence. That was flat-out false," he said.
But Larry Wilkerson, who was chief of staff to then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, tells VOA that the information in the 2002 estimate about Iraq trying to procure uranium from Africa had already been discredited by the time it was leaked in July of 2003. "All that business about Africa, period, yellowcake from Africa, period, was thoroughly discredited, regardless of the source. At least in our eyes it was, and certainly in the secretary of state's eyes it was," he says.
The State Department's Intelligence and Research Branch had in fact filed a dissenting view in the 2002 estimate, included in the declassified excerpts, saying there was no compelling evidence that Iraq was engaged in a concerted effort to acquire nuclear weapons.
VOA
This latest story in the leak case is so disturbing that I had not even wanted to post anything about it, it's been at least a few days since I first saw it. But every time I see it I'm reminded of that press briefing where Bush stood there and told us that he was looking into it and would fire the leaker knowing full well that he had in fact authorized it. To think that the guy could stand there and lie to the american public about a matter of national security sends chills down my spine. It's beyond the anything I had ever experienced. I know that public officials are cynical, but this guy can look you straight in the eye and tell you a lie.
Classifying a document in the U.S. government is easy. There are probably thousands of rubber stamps marked "secret" or "top secret" scattered in the offices of U.S. government agencies. But declassifying a document is hard - unless you are the president.
According to a filing in a U.S. federal court, Lewis Libby, Vice-President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, says he leaked key parts of a classified National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq to a reporter on the vice-president's authorization and with President Bush's approval.
White House officials will not comment directly on the matter. However, spokesman Scott McClellan said the president can declassify anything he sees fit. "The president of the United States has the authority to declassify information. I also indicated to some reporters earlier today that the president would never authorize the disclosure that he felt could compromise our nation's security," he said.
Steven Aftergood, director of the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists says that it is correct that the president has that authority. But, he adds, presidents have been known to leak information for political purposes. "It happens with some frequency, I would say. And, obviously, it's a temptation for any president to take advantage of the information at his disposal to advance his agenda. Nevertheless, it's not what the classification system is for. Classification is to protect the national security, not to provide political advantage," he said.
Ten days after Libby is reported to have disclosed the information to then-New York Times reporter Judith Miller, portions of the October 2002 intelligence estimate on Iraq were formally released to the media on July 18, 2003. The information concerned Iraq's alleged bid to obtain uranium from Africa for nuclear weapons. Saddam Hussein's supposed acquisition of weapons of mass destruction was a key rationale for the U.S. attack on Iraq, but the weapons turned out to be nonexistent. Officials now admit the intelligence on Iraq was flawed.
The court papers filed by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald say the information was leaked to rebut claims by critics that the intelligence on Iraq's nuclear ambitions had been exaggerated by the administration.
Spokesman McClellan said declassifying portions of the intelligence estimate was, as he put it, "in the public interest" to rebut allegations that the administration manipulated prewar intelligence. "There were irresponsible and unfounded accusations being made against the administration suggesting that we had manipulated or missed that intelligence. That was flat-out false," he said.
But Larry Wilkerson, who was chief of staff to then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, tells VOA that the information in the 2002 estimate about Iraq trying to procure uranium from Africa had already been discredited by the time it was leaked in July of 2003. "All that business about Africa, period, yellowcake from Africa, period, was thoroughly discredited, regardless of the source. At least in our eyes it was, and certainly in the secretary of state's eyes it was," he says.
The State Department's Intelligence and Research Branch had in fact filed a dissenting view in the 2002 estimate, included in the declassified excerpts, saying there was no compelling evidence that Iraq was engaged in a concerted effort to acquire nuclear weapons.
VOA
This latest story in the leak case is so disturbing that I had not even wanted to post anything about it, it's been at least a few days since I first saw it. But every time I see it I'm reminded of that press briefing where Bush stood there and told us that he was looking into it and would fire the leaker knowing full well that he had in fact authorized it. To think that the guy could stand there and lie to the american public about a matter of national security sends chills down my spine. It's beyond the anything I had ever experienced. I know that public officials are cynical, but this guy can look you straight in the eye and tell you a lie.
posted by madtom at 10:26 PM
7 Comments:
Like all good Bush haters, which describes much of the press as well, you completely mischaracterize the story. The quote was a response to a claim that the identity of an undercover agent was revealed (no proof and no indictment that such even happened despite great effort and expense to prove it and despite MANY stories and comment saying that was what the president approved releasing). What the president MAY have approved, which is well within his powers to do, was the release of info to counter the politically motivated LIES told by Wilson, and they have been proved to be lies, with the information that was declassified and widely disseminated that same week. Associate yourself with the facts and divorce yourself from a desire to make things appear as nefarious as possible, and you will see this is a smear job of epic proportions.
Try this--state the known facts and the chronology of events while making the accusations and you will see that they do not support one another. What is Libby being accused of? Misstating under oath who he told and who told him that Wilson's wife got Wilson the job of going to Niger through her job at the CIA------that is IT! He isn't being tried for revealing state secrets or revealing the identiy of a CIA undercover operative despite months and millions spent trying to prove he did just that. The answer to the question of why a political hack like Wilson would be sent on such a mission to Niger and whether a reporter was the original source for the fact that Wilson's wife was the answer is the ONLY thing Libby is being accused of. All the rest is MSM and Democrat wet dreams. More reason why they should be dismissed by logically thinking people everywhere.
First I am not a "Bush hater" I do not hate Bush, I do not even know Bush, I have never had dinner with the guy or anything. I happen to like four wheel drive trucks, and fishing, hunting and all sorts of stuff that I am sure would make us great friends. I opposes many of his policies. So don't try and corner me in to your renditions of what I am or might not be.
What the president MAY have approved, which is well within his powers to do, was the release of info to counter the politically motivated LIES told by Wilson
Can you name those lies. No you can not all you can do is claim lies but non are forthcoming, Maybe you can rant about the time line of how he was chosen or something. But Everything Wilson said has been proven out. Even the administration has admitted that much. Only illogical party hacks would dismiss.
Find out the facts. I won't argue it here since others have done it exhaustively, not the least of which was a Senate investigation. It seems you know how to use a search engine. Start with Joe Wilson is a Liar and go from there. Then read some of the translated documents and interviews of former Saddam lackeys. Or, just have someone throw another shovel full of whatever you have chosen to cover your head with and continue to talk out of your ass.
" Senate investigation."
What investigation? more like the fox watching the henhouse
And I guess you would believe "Saddam lackeys."
over NATO sources. And I would think that since you are the one making the claims that you would be the one to offer evidence to support your claims. But no worry I will look at the search in question, I am sure I have seen it all before or heard it over and over on Rush, so I will look and see if I find anything remotely believable.
I am still amazed how quickly you people will through someone to the wolves, someone who had a long distinguished career serving presidents of both parties, and now all of a sudden when he said something against "you God" the man you worship, all of a sudden he's a "liberal hack" It must have been an emasculate conversion.
According to the former Niger mining minister, Wilson told his CIA contacts, Iraq tried to buy 400 tons of uranium in 1998.
Powerline
Amazing "According to the former Niger mining minister"
This is your evidence the mining minister know what Wilson told the CIA, sure that's the ticket, and mind you the mining minister is not in charge of the uranium mines the French are, so I'm sure he knows all about the deal.
here is a report that outlines many of the so called lies and matches them up with your so called Senate report.
I still have not seen anything to support your claims, you may want to supply your own links because I have yet to come up with anything credible.
Here is Joe Wilson's bio
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