VP's prewar role drawing attention; some allege misuse of Iraq intelligenc

[Nambe]

Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services

--- As the White House fends off questions about whether the administration misused prewar intelligence, lawmakers and analysts are increasingly scrutinizing the role played by Cheney. Some are asking if Cheney, one of the most powerful figures in the administration and perhaps the most influential vice president in history, went too far in making the case for war.

Cheney has drawn attention for several reasons, among them his prewar visits to CIA analysts, which some say pressured those analysts to exaggerate the Iraqi threat; his involvement in the claim that Iraq was seeking to buy uranium from Niger; and his strong prewar statements, some of which are now in question, on Iraq's weapons programs. ---

"One would think if Cheney was on some sort of noble pursuit of the truth and really wanted to get into details, he would have noticed that INR had very loud and lengthy dissents on some critical pieces of Iraq intelligence," Thielmann said.

"You'd think he might want to hear from us," he added. "It never happened, of course, because Cheney wasn't engaged in an academic search for truth." ---

"These visits were unprecedented," wrote three Democratic members of Congress in a July 21 letter to Cheney. "Normally, vice presidents, yourself included, receive regular briefing from (the) CIA in your office and have a CIA officer on permanent detail. There is no reason for the vice president to make personal visits to CIA analysts."

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said two weeks ago at a hearing of the House Intelligence Committee that he knew of "at least three" intelligence analysts who said they felt pressured to draw dramatic conclusions about Iraq. ---

[jamesinca]

1. He has been suspiciously quiet lately

Not out there sabre rattling so much any more these days is he. Make fund raising speeches and that is it. Maybe Rove yanked a knot in his butt.

[Nambe]

4. Cheney promoted premptive strikes again yesterday in a speech.

That is mentioned in this article and is probably why this article was written. He also defended the reasons for attacking Iraq in yesterday's speech to young repugs.

[pfitz59]

2. What about KBR? (IE: Halliburton)

Cheney's corruption is the bigger story! No-bid multi-billion dollar contract to the company which is still paying Cheney a salary (uh - deferred compensation). Pound the drum on the here and now. Our troops are already at war, so prior actions are somewhat moot! Real story is the $ millions in kickbacks Cheney abnd Shrub are getting for post-war contracts! The $170 million Shrub is raising for his UNOPPOSED primary is quid-pro-quo if ever there was one! Hammer them where in matters most, in the pocket book.

[PaDUer]

5. Not surprised..

as I said in other threads, sheeney's been doing things behind * back for himself, while playing the game w/ *..trouble is, * been used as a puppet by pops and sheeney..way back, I said that when * found out what sheeney's doing and has been used, droplets of shit will fall..however, sheeney and entourage are the same thugs in pops administration who had to finish what they started..Do you think * really won--we know he didn't..Lil * struts around like king tut, but is really being given the "bone"...also note how that administration has all been jumping ship one by one..Truth is drip, drip, dripping, however, the "gravy" has already started back when the deals were made but the people didn't see it and the downpour has yet to come..

I'd like to know the connection w/ Dianne Feinstein's? hubby w/ this...he also "won" some of the contracts...who/what is he really??

[TacticalPeek]

3. Another case of the wisdom of our Constitution.

Prohibiting President and Vice President to be from the same state. Except it should have added ", really". Probably thought the transparent scam by aWol and unka dick would never be tolerated.

Oh, that's right, they were thinking that a free press was in the mix.

[kainah]

8. Glad to see there are others

who refuse to forget that devious dick lied about living in my beloved state of Wyoming so that he could still count the Texas electoral votes. The vp committed perjury in either WY (when he signed the oath swearing he lived in WY) or in TX (when he signed the oath swearing his home was his principal residence, therefore entitled to the homestead exemption.) If he'd done this to get a hunting license in Wyoming, we'd go after him. But, hey, just to be VP????? :shrug:

[SideshowScott]

6. *Sigh* Just another story the whore Press WIll Bury and Ignore

Sorry if i dont have much hope for our press to dig deeper into a story like this..Ive just seen the press look the other say everytime i see a story that has the potential show what a bunch of crooks the Bush team is..I really think the Bush/Rove/Cheny have dirt on members of the press ala the dead zone to keep them silent

[jpak]

7. Cheney is a souless bloodsucker

He MUST be impeached.

[hedda_foil]

9. This is page one in today's Chicago Tribune.

It's a Trib article on the Knight Ridder wire. This is BIG guys.

[IndianaGreen]

10. How about impeaching our war criminal of a VP?

If those Democrats in Congress are too fearful of saying the "I" word as far as Bush is concerned, as Bob Graham has done, perhaps they will find the cojones to call for impeachment hearings on Cheney. If Cheney's role is not "high crimes and misdemeanors" then nothing is, except for sexual indiscretions by Democrats.

[zekeson]

11. So, if impeachment goes to vote

does Cheney get to cast the down to party-line deciding vote? I'm sorry, as much as I would love it, theonly way to get rid of these thugs is to vote them out with a resounding bounce. Then, with control of the Pres and Senate we should make certain the whole * cabal gets war crime trials. Start with Poppy.

[IndianaGreen]

12. An impeachment hearing will have to be covered by the media

No matter how much they have whored themselves, they wouldn't passup a chance for ratings. The hearings will also call into question the entire PNAC agenda the Bush regime has been followed.

If you are not on TV, you don't exist!

[Clyde39]

13. It's time for another Watergate investigation

Surely there are a few media folks who care about the dissolution of our country and will push ahead through the closed doors!

[Gin]

14. Poor Dickster...nobody believes a word he says...

gin