Cheney overrules Rice on Iran prisoners.

[babylonsister]

And the all-important question is why. Does Cheney need human bargaining chips for future plans?

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/14/cheney-overrules-rice-on-iran-prisoners/

Cheney overrules Rice on Iran prisoners.

Via TPM, the Los Angeles Times reports:

After intense internal debate, the Bush administration has decided to hold on to five Iranian Revolutionary Guard intelligence agents captured in Iraq, overruling a State Department recommendation to release them, according to U.S. officials.

At a meeting of the president’s foreign policy team Tuesday, the administration decided the five Iranians will remain in custody and go through a periodic six-month review used for the 250 other foreign detainees held in Iraq, U.S. officials said. The next review is not expected until July, officials say. . . .

Differences over the five Iranians reflect an emerging divide on how to deal with Iran. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went into the meeting Tuesday advising that the men be freed because they are no longer useful, but after a review of options she went along with the consensus, U.S. officials say. Vice President Cheney’s office made the firmest case for keeping them.

Related article here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3215938&mesg_id=3215938

[partylessinOhio]

1. Cheney is playing "Decider?"

I knew that, he always has.
:thumbsdown:

Condoho is a fool. She always has to walk five steps behind the men.

[solara]

2. The Dick will do anything to catapault his war with Iran

The Iran 5 could be bargaining chips.. or fodder or fuel or just the Dick's sadistic way of reminding Iran that he has POWER. Indeed. :sarcasm:

:kick: & rec




INVESTIGATE IMPEACH INDICT IMPRECATE INCARCERATE :banghead:

[Eugene]

3. This should erase all doubt that Dick Cheney runs this administration.

And Cheney's henchmen will do whatever they want, no matter how dubiously legal.
Derailing any diplomacy with Iran is an added bonus.

Condoleezza Rice has some good intentions, but she is completely ineffectual.

[Raven]

4. If she had any integrity or common sense, she'd resign.

She's the Secretary of State for Christ's sake.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. and if she had any ability, Darth would have her out on her ear

because then she would pose a danger to Darth and his plans.

Luckily for him, and unluckily for the world at large, the US and all inhabitants of the muddle east, she has no ability either.

[Poiuyt]

5. I thought Cheney's influence was supposed to be declining

I think he's still the most powerful man in the country. And by that I mean he gets what he wants.

[Bucky]

7. Apparently he metastasized

[Disturbed]

8. Has the Red Cross has access to these Detainees?

An Iranian Ambassador that was released a day before the UK Sailors were released by Iran claimed that he was tortured by the CIA in Iraq. Now I wonder if the Red Cross has ever spoken to him while he was being detained?