Holy Moly! Look At What Waxman's About To Do!

[Oilwellian]

Robert Dreyfuss is a freelance writer based in Alexandria, Virginia, who specializes in politics and national security issues.


Calling all spooks and spies. If you want to help Congress get to the bottom of the scandal over Iraq intelligence, now’s your chance. Later this week, a key member of Congress will issue an all-points call for intelligence analysts to blow the whistle on President Bush, Vice President Cheney and others in the Bush administration who may have distorted, exaggerated, manipulated or lied about intelligence on Iraq in the run up to war.

By creating a “tip line” on his official Web site, Democratic congressman from California Henry Waxman is encouraging current and former U.S. national security officials to come forward and disclose how the administration played with intelligence on Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction and ties to Al Qaeda. A ranking member on the House Committee on Government Reform, Rep. Waxman is making it possible for officials to go on the record or remain anonymous, according to one of his aides.

The announcement that Rep. Waxman intends to ask whistleblowers from the Pentagon, the Central Intelligence Agency and other agencies to come forward will be included in a letter to Rep. Tom Davis, the Virginia Republican who chairs the committee. The letter will also ask Davis to begin an official investigation of how the name of former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame, was leaked to the media. Wilson, a retired diplomat, helped quash forged documents that Iraq sought to buy uranium for bomb-making in Niger, and subsequently Plame, who was an undercover CIA officer, was outed by anonymous U.S. officials.

Waxman’s effort, which is sure to be controversial, is a sign that the simmering scandal about U.S. intelligence on Iraq won’t go away during 2004. The Senate intel committee is locked in a partisan dispute over Republican efforts to stonewall an inquiry into the Bush administration’s use of intelligence to justify war, including the Pentagon’s Office of Special Plans (OSP) and its subordinate intelligence unit. Yet there are signs that more and more disgruntled officials, including CIA officers, may come forward in the weeks to come. In The American Conservative, Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, who has already talked to some reporters, has begun penning a breathtaking account of her year in the Pentagon’s Office of Near East and South Asia affairs, which was headed by Capt. William Luti, a pro-war neocon. The OSP, headed by Abe Shulsky, another neocon, fell under Luti’s shop.
http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/9562

[bpilgrim]

1. excellent idea

:toast:

peace

[David Zephyr]

2. Excellent! Thanks Oaf Of Office!

Waxman rules!

[rumguy]

3. love it

brilliant idea

[hlthe2b]

4. Waxman is a national treasure...

Thank God we've got "safe" seats, as his so that at least some Reps and Senators can actually do the work of the people--something Waxman has always done.

Sending good karma his way....!

[PurityOfEssence]

22. True, yet he voted for the Iraq War Resolution

As did other L.A. area reps Berman, Schiff and Harman.

Waxman's fabulous, and his anger at this administration is a precious natural resource.

[Eloriel]

5. WoW!!

Go, Henry!

[frank frankly]

6. wonderful

but i thought the point was MOOT?

these fuckers gotta go DOWN. thanks, henry, for the inspired idea!!!

[Oilwellian]

7. When I read this story...

I immediately thought of the photo of Wilson and his wife sitting in front of the White House in their convertible. I LOVED that picture and think they were taunting Bush bigtime. If anyone has it, please post it on this thread. Thanks. :D

[RainDog]

8. great news!!!

...and since Perle is now on the record saying the invasion was illegal, can we start proceedings against the Bush administration for war crimes?

just because we have to fix their mess doesn't mean we need to keep them around to screw things up even more.

[bpilgrim]

10. what r u some kinda terrorist

or one of dem dare pinko commies rush has been talk'n bout?

:hi:

peace

[DuctapeFatwa]

9. Waxman should probably avoid air travel

such funny weather we've been having and all...

[Demonaut]

11. No doubt

Waxman has balls, thank God for the few dems on our party who really try to do the right thing.

[oasis]

15. Fortunately his district's in California so he can't get "McKinneyed" out

of office. Go get 'em.

[Bandit]

36. The same California that voted for Ah-nold?

This is not your daddies California. This is the new dumbed down California that is "star-struck" and can't be bothered with truth and common sense. Nobody has a "safe" seat anymore.

[BrotherBuzz]

12. He's the MAN!

I didn't think my opinion of Henry Waxman could grow any higher. It did! He's the man, the patriot, and citizen....Wow, thank you Oaf Of Office for this post.

[Room101]

13. Lets make sure we call and support him !!!!

I will call his office to give my support!!!!

[alfredo]

14. Good new.

Kick

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. ROFL I met a lawyer that specializes in whistle-blower cases

this week. Maybe I should send Waxman some of his cards!

[Cleita]

38. Do California a favor.

Send those cards to Governor Groper's victims. :evilgrin:

[NYC]

17. We need more Waxmans.

Lots more.

[David Zephyr]

18. Maybe We Can Make Wax Molds

And created waxmen and waxwomen. :hi:

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Good for him :)

Glad someone is taking point on this.

[cosmicdot]

20. kick

Henry Waxman

:dem:

[Gemini Cat]

21. Wow! This is GREAT news!!!

Thanks for posting this, it's made my day!

:dem:

[Kerridwyn]

23. Go Waxman!

At last, I can say I'm proud to have my representative as my representative. :)

[Oilwellian]

24. YOU

are so lucky to have him.

[joanski01]

25. Thank you, Rep Waxman.

You are a great patriot.

[laura888]

26. he's one for our side

he's one I trust

[Octafish]

27. Today's GOP really are Treasonous Bastards!

Plame was a NOC working to stop nuclear proliferation and the spread of other WMDs. The formerly leak-proof Bush White House outted her identity in order to send a message to her colleagues in the intelligence community that whistle-blowers would not be tolerated, as well as anyone who goes against the "administration" line. By compromisng Ms. Plame and her network of sub-agents and contacts, the Bush "administration" has compromised the national security of the United States. That is treason. And George W Bush is responsible.

[opihimoimoi]

28. I Nominate Henry for Dem Hero Status

The man is brave and courageous. Smart too.

[tom_paine]

32. I second that nomination, opi!

Be careful and be safe, Henry. If you begin to pose a threat, well, stay away from unscreened windows 50 feet above hard surfaces...

www.frankolsonproject.org/Documents/Assassination%20Manual.html

[Butterflies]

29. Some good news!

I needed to read something positive on this rainy Wednesday morning. Thankyou!

[Native]

30. Kick

[ElsewheresDaughter]

31. it's about fucking time!

[NoKingGeorge]

33. Hope this gets more play than the Condi request.

I was glad when Senator Waxman sent a letter to Condis office requesting her to answer some questions by such and such a time or he would sue for the information. She did not respond, he did not sue.

[onecitizen]

34. Lordy, Lordy, lordy..........

it's about to hit the fan!! Let the games begin.

[dansolo]

35. Waxman may have learned a lesson from Kucinich

I am admittedly not a Kucinich supporter, but I think that his move to stand up to Diebold directly was brilliant. Companies like Diebold act through their proxies in law offices and legislatures. But they were forced to back down when he basically dared them to act against him personally. Up to this point, Waxman has been at the front of the intelligence issue, and he has exhausted every single means within the system to force this administration to accept some responsibility. But with this recent move, he seems to have finally accepted that the system is rigged, and that there will never be a legitimate, impartial inquiry into the blatant misuse of the power of this administration. So he has now decided to try and short cut the system and talk with the people who know directly.

[rucky]

39. Yep! That's how you handle bullies.

play on your own terms.

[Armstead]

37. kick

[Ficus]

40. we need more Waxmans

in Congress. Right on!