WASHINGTON: The House on Wednesday narrowly approved a $124 billion war spending bill that would require American troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq by Oct. 1, setting the stage for the first veto fight between President George W. Bush and majority Democrats. Only hours after General David Petraeus, the commander in Iraq, told lawmakers that he needed more time to gauge the effectiveness of a troop buildup there, the House voted 218 to 208 pass a measure that sought the removal of most combat forces by next spring. Bush has said unequivocally and repeatedly that he will veto it. "This bill is a statement that Congress will no longer fund the war as it exists today," said Representative Louise Slaughter, the New York Democrat who is chairwoman of the Rules Committee, as she opened the debate. Republicans accused Democrats of establishing a "date certain" for America's defeat in Iraq. "There will be no greater event to empower radical Islam than our retreat and defeat from Iraq," said Representative Jeb Hensarling of Texas, leader of a conservative wing of House Republicans.
WASHINGTON: The House on Wednesday narrowly approved a $124 billion war spending bill that would require American troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq by Oct. 1, setting the stage for the first veto fight between President George W. Bush and majority Democrats.
Only hours after General David Petraeus, the commander in Iraq, told lawmakers that he needed more time to gauge the effectiveness of a troop buildup there, the House voted 218 to 208 pass a measure that sought the removal of most combat forces by next spring. Bush has said unequivocally and repeatedly that he will veto it.
"This bill is a statement that Congress will no longer fund the war as it exists today," said Representative Louise Slaughter, the New York Democrat who is chairwoman of the Rules Committee, as she opened the debate. Republicans accused Democrats of establishing a "date certain" for America's defeat in Iraq.
"There will be no greater event to empower radical Islam than our retreat and defeat from Iraq," said Representative Jeb Hensarling of Texas, leader of a conservative wing of House Republicans.
The Democrats in Congress are beginning to make their newly-won muscle count, with two developments that further increase the pressure on the Bush administration. The house of representatives' committee on oversight and government voted to serve Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, with a subpoena to force her to testify on the White House's pre-war claims that Iraq was trying to buy uranium. Meanwhile, the house judiciary committee voted granted immunity to a former aide to Alberto Gonzales to testify on why eight federal prosecutors were fired. The two moves show that the pace of investigation is stepping up. The granting of immunity to Monica Goodling - who had earlier refused to testify for fear of incriminating herself - is significant, a further move pressing the embattled attorney-general Gonzales. President Bush has previously declared his support and confidence for Gonzales - but Goodling's testimony may reveal the basis for the firings, and any political involvement of the White House. The subpoena that could be served on Rice opens another can of worms: the vexed and inaccurate claim that Iraq had attempted to buy uranium from Niger as mentioned in the president's 2003 state of the union address. It was that issue that led to the outing of CIA employee Valerie Plame and the eventual conviction for contempt of Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's chief of staff.
The Democrats in Congress are beginning to make their newly-won muscle count, with two developments that further increase the pressure on the Bush administration. The house of representatives' committee on oversight and government voted to serve Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, with a subpoena to force her to testify on the White House's pre-war claims that Iraq was trying to buy uranium. Meanwhile, the house judiciary committee voted granted immunity to a former aide to Alberto Gonzales to testify on why eight federal prosecutors were fired.
The two moves show that the pace of investigation is stepping up. The granting of immunity to Monica Goodling - who had earlier refused to testify for fear of incriminating herself - is significant, a further move pressing the embattled attorney-general Gonzales. President Bush has previously declared his support and confidence for Gonzales - but Goodling's testimony may reveal the basis for the firings, and any political involvement of the White House.
The subpoena that could be served on Rice opens another can of worms: the vexed and inaccurate claim that Iraq had attempted to buy uranium from Niger as mentioned in the president's 2003 state of the union address. It was that issue that led to the outing of CIA employee Valerie Plame and the eventual conviction for contempt of Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's chief of staff.
So it's a good deal for Goodling, but possibly not such a good deal for the prosecution.
The point is that there's no real precedent for criminal convictions of major players in a situation like this. So if Goodling remains loyal there's a good chance she won't serve time, even if she lies.
The most worrying precedent is the Libby trial. And it's not clear yet if Bush is planning a pardon.
Goodling is the lunatic who said 'I don't want them to have my fingerprints' after testifying. Unless she's been deprogrammed since then, her first loyalty will always be to the theocrats. All it takes is a quiet aside promising a pardon and she'll do as ordered.
Far from being a prize, she could easily turn out to be a Trojan horse for the testimony. If she admits that it was mostly her idea, she's now free to go, and it becomes harder to pin the blame higher up.
The Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court to impose tighter restrictions on the hundreds of lawyers who represent detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and the request has become a central issue in a new legal battle over the administration's detention policies. Saying that visits by civilian lawyers and attorney-client mail have caused "intractable problems and threats to security at Guantánamo," a Justice Department filing proposes new limits on the lawyers' contact with their clients and access to evidence in their cases that would replace more expansive rules that have governed them since they began visiting Guantánamo detainees in large numbers in 2004. The filing says the lawyers have caused unrest among the detainees and have improperly served as a conduit to the news media, assertions that have drawn angry responses from some of the lawyers. The dispute is the latest and perhaps the most significant clash over the role of lawyers for the detainees. "There is no right on the part of counsel to access to detained aliens on a secure military base in a foreign country," the Justice Department filing argued.Under the proposal, filed this month in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the government would limit lawyers to three visits with an existing client at Guantánamo; there is now no limit. It would permit only a single visit with a detainee to have him authorize a lawyer to handle his case. And it would permit a team of intelligence officers and military lawyers not involved in a detainee's case to read mail sent to him by his lawyer.The proposal would also reverse existing rules to permit government officials, on their own, to deny the lawyers access to secret evidence used by military panels to determine that their clients were enemy combatants. Many of the lawyers say the restrictions would make it impossible to represent their clients, or even to convince wary detainees -- in a single visit -- that they were really lawyers, rather than interrogators.
The Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court to impose tighter restrictions on the hundreds of lawyers who represent detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and the request has become a central issue in a new legal battle over the administration's detention policies.
Saying that visits by civilian lawyers and attorney-client mail have caused "intractable problems and threats to security at Guantánamo," a Justice Department filing proposes new limits on the lawyers' contact with their clients and access to evidence in their cases that would replace more expansive rules that have governed them since they began visiting Guantánamo detainees in large numbers in 2004.
The filing says the lawyers have caused unrest among the detainees and have improperly served as a conduit to the news media, assertions that have drawn angry responses from some of the lawyers.
The dispute is the latest and perhaps the most significant clash over the role of lawyers for the detainees. "There is no right on the part of counsel to access to detained aliens on a secure military base in a foreign country," the Justice Department filing argued.
Under the proposal, filed this month in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the government would limit lawyers to three visits with an existing client at Guantánamo; there is now no limit. It would permit only a single visit with a detainee to have him authorize a lawyer to handle his case. And it would permit a team of intelligence officers and military lawyers not involved in a detainee's case to read mail sent to him by his lawyer.
The proposal would also reverse existing rules to permit government officials, on their own, to deny the lawyers access to secret evidence used by military panels to determine that their clients were enemy combatants.
Many of the lawyers say the restrictions would make it impossible to represent their clients, or even to convince wary detainees -- in a single visit -- that they were really lawyers, rather than interrogators.
And so many people thought he'd be out by now.
Gonzo is a style of reportage, filmmaking, or any form of multimedia production in which the reporter, filmmaker or author is intrinsically enmeshed with the subject action (rather than being a passive observer). The style was popularized by Hunter S. Thompson Origin The term "Gonzo" is often misattributed to Hunter S. Thompson, but was in fact first used by Boston Globe reporter Bill Cardoso, who, after reading Thompson's The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved, proclaimed "That is pure Gonzo!" (According to Cardoso, 'Gonzo' is South Boston Irish slang describing the last man standing after a drinking marathon.[1] However, this usage is more likely inspired by the 1960 hit song Gonzo by New Orleans R&B keyboardist James Booker.)
Gonzo is a style of reportage, filmmaking, or any form of multimedia production in which the reporter, filmmaker or author is intrinsically enmeshed with the subject action (rather than being a passive observer). The style was popularized by Hunter S. Thompson
Origin The term "Gonzo" is often misattributed to Hunter S. Thompson, but was in fact first used by Boston Globe reporter Bill Cardoso, who, after reading Thompson's The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved, proclaimed "That is pure Gonzo!" (According to Cardoso, 'Gonzo' is South Boston Irish slang describing the last man standing after a drinking marathon.[1] However, this usage is more likely inspired by the 1960 hit song Gonzo by New Orleans R&B keyboardist James Booker.)
WASHINGTON, April 25 -- Escalating his campaign to remain president of the World Bank, Paul D. Wolfowitz accused the bank's board on Wednesday of treating him "shabbily and unfairly," and appealed for more time to defend himself against allegations of favoritism and other matters. Mr. Wolfowitz, increasingly isolated at the bank and facing a board seemingly determined to force his resignation, sent a letter to the head of a board panel dealing with issues affecting his leadership, asking to appear before the board next week in the interest of "fairness to me" and "good governance" at the bank.The letter was described by people who had seen it.Bank officials described many on the 24-member board as having been taken aback by the tough tone of the letter but said the board appeared likely to grant Mr. Wolfowitz at least some of his request, perhaps by allowing him to appear next week, though not necessarily with his newly hired lawyer, Robert S. Bennett.Before Wednesday, the board had seemed to be moving toward some sort of vote as early as this week on Mr. Wolfowitz's ability to continue as president. The board met late Wednesday, but officials said it appeared unlikely to reach any quick conclusions and could put off the response to Mr. Wolfowitz until next week.Compounding the problems for Mr. Wolfowitz, the bank's vice presidents have rebuffed his request for them to set up a committee to advise him on improving his management style. The vice presidents did not want to be co-opted into helping his campaign to stay in office, bank officials said. Although he appears to be more and more beleaguered, Mr. Wolfowitz attended a White House meeting on Wednesday on malaria eradication, and got a new gesture of support from President Bush.
WASHINGTON, April 25 -- Escalating his campaign to remain president of the World Bank, Paul D. Wolfowitz accused the bank's board on Wednesday of treating him "shabbily and unfairly," and appealed for more time to defend himself against allegations of favoritism and other matters.
Mr. Wolfowitz, increasingly isolated at the bank and facing a board seemingly determined to force his resignation, sent a letter to the head of a board panel dealing with issues affecting his leadership, asking to appear before the board next week in the interest of "fairness to me" and "good governance" at the bank.
The letter was described by people who had seen it.
Bank officials described many on the 24-member board as having been taken aback by the tough tone of the letter but said the board appeared likely to grant Mr. Wolfowitz at least some of his request, perhaps by allowing him to appear next week, though not necessarily with his newly hired lawyer, Robert S. Bennett.
Before Wednesday, the board had seemed to be moving toward some sort of vote as early as this week on Mr. Wolfowitz's ability to continue as president. The board met late Wednesday, but officials said it appeared unlikely to reach any quick conclusions and could put off the response to Mr. Wolfowitz until next week.
Compounding the problems for Mr. Wolfowitz, the bank's vice presidents have rebuffed his request for them to set up a committee to advise him on improving his management style. The vice presidents did not want to be co-opted into helping his campaign to stay in office, bank officials said.
Although he appears to be more and more beleaguered, Mr. Wolfowitz attended a White House meeting on Wednesday on malaria eradication, and got a new gesture of support from President Bush.
...and got a new gesture of support from President Bush.
It writes itself really, doesn't it?
a White House meeting on Wednesday on malaria eradication
Discussing another problem caused by insidious pricks. The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
JERUSALEM, April 25 -- The state comptroller released a report Wednesday accusing the beleaguered prime minister, Ehud Olmert, of improperly helping an associate during his term as minister of trade and industry in a previous government. The state comptroller, Micha Lindenstrauss, has handed the report over to the attorney general, who will decide whether to begin a criminal investigation into the prime minister, a spokeswoman for the state comptroller said.
JERUSALEM, April 25 -- The state comptroller released a report Wednesday accusing the beleaguered prime minister, Ehud Olmert, of improperly helping an associate during his term as minister of trade and industry in a previous government.
The state comptroller, Micha Lindenstrauss, has handed the report over to the attorney general, who will decide whether to begin a criminal investigation into the prime minister, a spokeswoman for the state comptroller said.
Lieutenant colonel faces multiple charges for alleged misconduct in Iraq NBC News has learned that the commander of Camp Cropper, the massive U.S. Army detention center in Baghdad, has been charged with aiding the enemy. The Army tells NBC News that military police arrested Lt. Col. William H. Steele several weeks ago and that he is being held at a detention facility in Kuwait. He now faces an Article 32 hearing, the military's equivalent of a grand jury investigation, to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute him. An Army statement listed these charges against Steele: "One specification of a violation of Article 104, aiding the enemy; one specification of a violation of Article 134, retaining classified material; two specifications of violations of Article 133, conduct unbecoming an officer, for relationships involving an interpreter and another Iraqi female; five specifications of a violation of Article 92, failure to obey lawful orders for wrongfully storing classified materials, improperly marking classified materials, failing to obey an order from a superior officer, possession of pornography and dereliction of duty as an approving official for the expenditure of government funds."
NBC News has learned that the commander of Camp Cropper, the massive U.S. Army detention center in Baghdad, has been charged with aiding the enemy.
The Army tells NBC News that military police arrested Lt. Col. William H. Steele several weeks ago and that he is being held at a detention facility in Kuwait. He now faces an Article 32 hearing, the military's equivalent of a grand jury investigation, to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute him.
An Army statement listed these charges against Steele: "One specification of a violation of Article 104, aiding the enemy; one specification of a violation of Article 134, retaining classified material; two specifications of violations of Article 133, conduct unbecoming an officer, for relationships involving an interpreter and another Iraqi female; five specifications of a violation of Article 92, failure to obey lawful orders for wrongfully storing classified materials, improperly marking classified materials, failing to obey an order from a superior officer, possession of pornography and dereliction of duty as an approving official for the expenditure of government funds."
I suspect there is more going on here than is apparent right now.
A senior U.S. officer has been charged with nine offenses, including aiding the enemy and fraternizing with the daughter of a detainee while he commanded a military police detachment at an American detention facility near Baghdad, the military said Thursday. Army Lt. Col. William H. Steele was accused of giving "aid to the enemy" by providing an unmonitored cell phone to detainees. Steele was the commander of the 451st Military Police Detachment at Camp Cropper, a U.S. detention center on the western outskirts of Baghdad, when the offenses allegedly occurred between October 2005 and February, military spokesman Lt. Col. James Hutton said.
Army Lt. Col. William H. Steele was accused of giving "aid to the enemy" by providing an unmonitored cell phone to detainees.
Steele was the commander of the 451st Military Police Detachment at Camp Cropper, a U.S. detention center on the western outskirts of Baghdad, when the offenses allegedly occurred between October 2005 and February, military spokesman Lt. Col. James Hutton said.
The other charges included unauthorized possession of classified information, fraternizing with the daughter of a detainee, maintaining an inappropriate relationship with an interpreter, storing classified information in his quarters and possessing pornographic videos, the military said. Steele also was charged with improperly marking classified information, failing to obey an order and failing to fulfill his obligations in the expenditure of funds, the military said.
Steele also was charged with improperly marking classified information, failing to obey an order and failing to fulfill his obligations in the expenditure of funds, the military said.
The US military press release is here.
This could be interesting. The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
