Did anyone see Brokaw ask Bush about Chalabi?

[Cocoa]

I was puzzled by Bush's last sentence, and disappointed that Brokaw didn't follow up. What is the relevance of Chalabi's citizenship status?

The way he said it, it seemed to me he was suggesting that somehow Chalabi can't be touched because he's not a U.S. citizen, but of course that makes no sense.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5146260/

<snip>

Brokaw: “Ahmed Chalabi has been a principal figure from the beginning of the war in Iraq. He has now been identified as a suspect in a spy case involving Iran. His funding has been cut off.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘I told you so.’ On the other hand, his admirers are saying he's a victim of a CIA vendetta. Which is it?”

Bush: “The FBI is investigating the allegations. And we'll find out soon. And there's very-- they are serious allegations, that somebody might have passed on sensitive information to this man who then shared it with the foreign government.

“And if that's the truth, then justice should be done to the person that passed on secrets. Mr. Chalabi's not a U.S. citizen.”

[swag]

1. Well then put a sack over Chalabi's head and force masturbation!

Isn't that SOP for non-citizens, Mr. Bush?

Unless of course they're Saudis, and then you charter planes for them.

[Vickers]

2. "then justice should be done to the person that passed on secrets"

Georgie, will you be whistling that tune when the Plame leak begins to bite you and your buddies in the ass?

[salin]

3. I guess passing state secrets to citizens who don't have clearance

isn't a problem... but passing them to a foreigner... now that is a problem.

Simplistic idiot - in the briefing that is probably as complex as they could get him to realize the problem was... things like state secrets going to Iranians... that could disallow us from knowing what the Iranians are doing per Nukes (remember those old wmds, georgie)... all of that was probably to complex for him to grasp. But telling state secrets to a man who was a foreigner (and bud of my buddies)... now that is serious.

[comsymp]

4. OMG, I actually agree with *

The way I read it, and feel, is "screw Chalabi- find and fry the American official who..."

[mtnester]

18. Snipe Hunt

Finding the "official" that told Chalabi will be about the same kind of snipe hunt that the Plame incident has become. No worry about punishment if you have no intention of finding out who, or you know already and have no intention of letting anyone else know.

This administration makes my head spin worse than the scene from the Exorcist.

[comsymp]

21. No doubt

But it's pretty damn rare to hear him actually say something I agree with- that's enough of a shocker- even though I know he's lying again.

Jan 20th is a long way off and it's gonna be a long, hot summer- and probably a longer, cold winter before Liberation Day comes. So, sometimes ya just gotta grab whatever small glimmer of hope there is.

[LittleApple81]

5. It is so hard for me to even read Bush*'s answers... but of course

he wants to evade the Chalabi thingy... and Brokaw is no better than Russert...
But at the end, this is something we can use:

Brokaw: “Thank you, Mr. President.”

Bush: “Tom.”

Brokaw: “You think of yourself as a Ronald Reagan Republican?”

Bush: “Think of myself as a George W. Republican, different era.”

[shraby]

7. What about state secrets...the

war in Iraq plans that the Saudi ambassador was allowed to see????

[TacticalPeek]

6. Now I see where Mr. Potatohead acquired his bulldog instinct

for the killer followup question.

Nice finesse, Tom. Enjoy the fat retirement, you and Jack "Call it for Bush!" Welch.

[FleshCartoon]

8. I think Chalabi has a British citizenship. (n/t)

[Cocoa]

10. but it's a non sequitur isn't it?

I thought Brokaw should have asked, "So what?"

[FleshCartoon]

11. No doubt, the answer was intended...

...to side-step the entire issue. But I'm not surprised that a prominent member of the "liberal media" didn't push it.

[DainBramaged]

9. "And we'll find out soon"

I find it interesting how he prioritizes felonies involving 'Non-citizens' over those by members of his staff that destroyed Valerie Plame's network.

[AP]

12. Chalabi's going to Gitmo so that we never know the truth???

He get's tried in a miltiary court?

Is Bush saying, "don't expect to hear any more about this"?

[Kahuna]

13. What American law applies to Chalabi. He can't be charged with..

treason or spying as he is not a U.S. citizen. Why do you find that hard to believe?

[Eric J in MN]

14. Chalabi is wanted in Jordan for embezzlement. While the US

Chalabi is wanted in Jordan for embezzlement.

While the US is occupying Iraq and Chalabi is in Iraq, why can't the US hand him to the Jordanians?

[TacticalPeek]

15. IANAL, but I don't think US citizenship is required to be charged

in any criminal matter. We might ask Manuel Noriega.

Our Constitution doesn't seem to care about it, explicitly, for treason:

Article III

Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.


But there are other espionage laws and laws of war that would apply. Obviously, there are sanctions against behavior such as is alleged of Chalabi et al. I'd guess that's one of the reasons spies are equipped with suicide pills (or needles).

[Spazito]

16. Interesting, it is very serious that top secret material was given to...

Chalabi, a foreigner, but no problem giving the Iraq war plans to a Saudi, also a foreigner.

[buycitgo]

17. come on, you don't expect that wormdrop to ever place himself

in a situation where he's going to be pressed for an answer, do you?

at least on this side of the Atlantic

that goes for the debates, as well

are we getting stuck with that shill Lehrer again?

will there BE any debates?

and speaking of what a scumsuckwad Brokaw is, did anybody see Amy Goodman's most excellent appearance on Brian Lamb's show tonight

make sure to see the rerun, coming up in an hour, I think

quite a story about Brokaw, Richard Holbrooke, and her award at some foreign press dinner; not to be missed

[BabsSong]

19. I saw it and took it as a smirk

In other words he knows this now one of the bizillion "investigations" launched over the last four years on just about everything and which eventually just disappear down a rat hole. And he was saying in essence "and if we find he is guilty nothing will happen to my buddy anyhow 'cause he isn't a US citizen" (in other words--ha, ha, clowns, this is another of my shell and pea games). After all who cares where this stuff goes if Bush gets re-elected; and Bush knows that too.

[Cocoa]

20. I'm thinking this is a big one

the RW press is freaking out, and I think the Tenet resignation is related to Chalabi.

[gulliver]

22. "justice should be done" = "punishment should be administered"

Bush has a weird formulation there. Justice should be "done to" someone.