Senator May Block Successor to Defense Policy Chief Feith

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/22/AR2005062201989.html

Senator May Block Successor to Defense Policy Chief Feith

By Bradley Graham
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 23, 2005; Page A25

The senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee has warned the Pentagon that he may block the nomination of a new defense policy chief unless documents involving the departing policy head -- Douglas J. Feith -- are turned over for review.

The action by Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) threatens to hold up another important presidential appointment as lawmakers remain deadlocked with the Bush administration over the nomination of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations. That dispute, too, involves Democratic requests for documents the White House has refused to surrender.

In this instance, Levin is trying to press a probe, begun two years ago, into how Feith and his subordinates shaped the administration's view of the relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda before the U.S. invaded Iraq.

Levin has criticized Feith for portraying the relationship as more extensive and significant than U.S. intelligence agencies thought at the time. Administration officials have defended Feith's prewar efforts as reflecting a legitimate attempt to provide an alternative analysis. The Pentagon produced many documents that Levin requested, but has withheld others, citing confidentiality and legal concerns.

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[seafan]

1. OSP! OSP! OSP!

Now THIS is what I like to read just before midnight! Go, Senator Levin!!!

[Pirate Smile]

2. .

"Levin launched his inquiry in June 2003, after Armed Services Committee Republicans declined to participate. Last October, he issued a 46-page report that faulted Feith for misrepresenting to Congress the view of U.S. intelligence agencies about the relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. Levin complained at the time about the difficulty he and his staff had obtaining documents for the inquiry, saying in an Oct. 6 letter to Rumsfeld that the Pentagon's "delays and refusals are intolerable and unacceptable."

[DeepModem Mom]

3. kick

[EFerrari]

4. We should support Levin if we ever want the truth.

Feith's desk was the portal for the dirty tricks in the Pentagon, hotwired to the White House.

[RamboLiberal]

5. Go Levin - Get those records - especially after Rove's crap

:kick: