Terror Guy’s National Security Pony
24 February 2006 7:46 am by Taylor Marsh
Terror Guy's National Security Pony
Did the Bush administration “authorize”
the leak of classified information to Bob Woodward? And did those leaks damage
national security?
Murray
Waas
 |
| The roof has fallen in on Terror Guy. |
Whenever things go wrong, who you gonna call? Terror Guy!
President Bush is out in full force today, giving a “war
on terror” speech to try and deflect from the Dubai port disaster.
National security is nothing but President Bush's personal propaganda
tool, trotted out whenever he needs a lift. After the last two weeks he needs
it. Terror Guy and Deadeye both have two black eyes. So, bring on a “war
on terror” speech, with national security the Republican Party's political
tool and nothing more. Just look at their incompetence for the evidence.
But despite Terror Guy's national security political campaign,
we've seen he's only a trick pony with only one talent, talking a good game,
while not being able to put anything into action that actually works. As Juan
Cole stated earlier this week, Iraq is now at an “apocalyptic” point.
The incompetence of Bush's national security agenda lying in rubble across the
Middle East from Iraq to Iran to Hamas' victory.
Blasted across Fox “News” network, Terror Guy and his
beedie little eyes are on the march to restore competence in the face of incompetence,
as national security is yet again the cloth of the day, after the president's
latest bungling on the Dubai deal shows how desperately out of touch he really is.
How could a president misjudge the reaction of the American people
on Dubai managing our ports so thoroughly? The level of incompetence seen through
Katrina has reached a critical mass because now Bush is so out of touch he doesn't
even get why average people flipped out over this issue. The Dubai port debacle
unmasked the nature of Bush's national security strength, which is paper thin
in reality.
A veto rescinded. A presidency at its lowest ebb. The only thing
Bush can do is get in his Terror Guy costume. But with a backdrop of a disintegrating
Iraq, the disastrous business deal of letting a 9/11 linked country handle our
most vulnerable front, we are seeing the truth behind Bush's cartoon Terror Guy facade.
Senator Rockefeller held his tongue before, but he isn't keeping his latest letter under lock and key.
This time he's striking out hard. Compliments of ThinkProgress,
this nuclear missive went straight to “John,” as in John Negroponte,
our Director of National Intelligence, which under George W. Bush has been made into
the Director of White House propaganda. No wonder Rockefeller is charged up:
“… I am surprised and puzzled,
however, that Director Goss chose to lay the blame for this damage on what
he describes as misguided whistleblowers. Clearly 'leaks' and damaging revelations
of intelligence sources and methods are generated primarily by Executive Branch
officials pushing a particular policy, and not by the rank-and-file employees
of the intelligence agencies.“For confirmation we need look no
further than press reports from the past few days. On February 9th, the National
Journal reported that I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby told a grand fury that he was
'authorized' by Vice President Cheney and other White House superiors to disclose
classified information from a National Intelligence Estimate to the press
to defend the Administration's use of pre-war intelligence in making the case
to go to war in Iraq.“This blatant abuse of intelligence
information for political purposes is inexcusable, but all too common. Throughout
the period leading up to the Iraq war the Administration selectively declassified
or leaked information related to Iraq's acquisition of aluminum tubes, the
alleged purchase uranium, the non-existent operational connection between
Iraq and al Qaeda, and numerous other issues.“The leaks associated with the Iraq
war were a continuation of a pattern of using classified material for political
gain that began after the September 11 attacks. In his 2002 book, Bush at
War, Bob Woodward described almost unfettered access to classified material
of the most sensitive nature. … …(snip)
“And of course, we have the case
of the December leak related to an NSA warrantless surveillance program. Rather
than offering no comment on the press stories, as is normally done when classified
information is leaked, the President chose to selectively declassify aspects
of the program that would allow for a public relations campaign to score political
points. The President has for the past two months used previously classified
information about this program to bolster his political position while simultaneously
denying Congress access to information needed to fully understand and evaluate
the program.“To my dismay, your Principal Deputy,
General Michael Hayden, has been a key participant in this White House public
relations strategy intended to deflect criticism of the NSA program. … …“Given the Administration's continuing
abuse of intelligence information for political purposes, its criticism of
leaks is extraordinarily hypocritical. Preventing damage to intelligence sources
and methods from media leaks will not be possible until the highest levels
of the Administration cease to disclose classified information on a selective
basis for political purposes. …”
Leaking intelligence information for partisan gains. Using national security
as armor you put on and trumpet, when the reality is incompetence in the extreme.
These aren't just words. Again, look at the apocalyptic week we've had in Iraq. The
level of incompetence in the war goes back years. Look at what's happened in
the Middle East since George W. Bush took office. Then look at the Dubai deal,
which shows an out of touch president, yet again. From 9/11 to Iraq to Katrina
to not understanding what the Dubai deal would mean to the American people, it's staggering.
A leader who actually knows the facts on national security and understands them wouldn't make such dangerous mistakes time and again.
Sen. Rockefeller's letter came before the Dubai port deal exploded, but it
is instructive to remind us that Terror Guy is just a partisan cartoon character, with nothing of substance to back up the convenient facade.
President Bush has been out of touch for a long time, with his incompetence
showing itself in event after event. Terror Guy is now unmasked for the partisan,
incompetent, substance-free cartoon character he has been all along, except now
we've got real life tragedy to go along with our words. Just role the tape of
our lives over the last years of Bush's presidency.
Democrats, carpe Diem, baby. Seize this day.
