Bush hiding another damning report on Iraq until after the Nov. election

[bigtree]

Democrat says CIA suppressing Iraq report

By GREG MILLER
LOS ANGELES TIMES

WASHINGTON - The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee accused the Bush administration Thursday of suppressing a classified intelligence report that paints a "grim" picture of the situation in Iraq.

Rep. Jane Harman, D-El Segundo, sent a letter to CIA Director Michael Hayden requesting the release of the report and charging that the agency was withholding the information out of political considerations.

"I believe that the intelligence community has produced an in-depth intelligence review of Iraq, but that the material has been stamped 'draft' and will not be finalized" until after the November elections, Harman said in the letter, which was released by her office. "The integrity of the organization you lead is at stake."

The letter underscores the political tensions in Washington over intelligence reports that have provided fodder for Democrats in their criticism of the Bush administration's foreign policy and management of the war in Iraq.

In a conference call with reporters, Harman said she had few details on the document but is "confident" a completed draft is being held at the CIA.


http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061006/NEWS/610060327/1033/NEWS01

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[bryant69]

1. And somehow I'm not surrpised

hell they won't release it at all if they can get away with it - or if they do it will be dumped out on a garbage day.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Virginia Dare]

2. Senator John Warner not painting a rosey picture either...

it pisses me off that they will get away with this until after the elections. Iraq has fucking fallen apart, it is irretrievable.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/05/AR2006100501645.html

[bigtree]

3. we need our House back

where impeachment originates

[Botany]

4. It is gonna come out ..... we might be losing Baghdad

The 2nd Article is in the "Marine Times." Even Fox will have to cover "Losing
Baghdad."

By TERRY MCCARTHY

Oct. 5, 2006 — How bad is bad? After six weeks away from Iraq and returning to Baghdad, I find the city appears much worse than when I left.

Last week, according to a U.S. military spokesman, Baghdad experienced more attacks from car bombs and improvised explosive devices than at any other time this year. In the last five days, 14 U.S. soldiers have died in Baghdad, numbers that haven't been seen in the city since the 2003 invasion.

ABC's local Iraqi staff tell us there are an increasing number of neighborhoods they no longer dare to visit.

The U.S. military said the reason for the increased casualty rate is that U.S. troops are now aggressively engaging the enemy, and they expected some push back.

When extra U.S. troops first arrived in August, they concentrated on Sunni areas and had considerable success in restoring peace. But now that they have moved into Shiite areas, the resistance has increased.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2533451&page=1

Senators (Warner & Levin): Iraq situation bleak (U.S. losing Baghdad)
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-21 ...

Senators: Iraq situation bleak

Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee offered bleak assessments Thursday of the situation in Iraq and of chances of any near-term withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the armed services committee chairman, said Iraq “is imply drifting sideways” because the new government has been unable to exercise the reins of power or find a way to disarm the secular militias that are endangering lives.

Warner flatly declared that the U.S. is “losing the Baghdad campaign” as the number of casualties rises.

“War grinds on and we taking distressing tolls of life and limb every day,” he said.

Warner said something big needs to happen to jump start the government so it regains some hope after last year’s elections. He suggested another vote on a referendum for the Iraqi people about whether and how long they want U.S. troops to rema

[bobbieinok]

5. so what about the 4000 (?) soldiers based in Alaska who were

supposed to come home and then as they were ready to get on the plane they were sent to Baghdad for an additional 6 months??????

[jwirr]

6. Why is no one using the 'freedom of information" act?

[bigtree]

7. I don't know that there isn't someone doing that.

Harman and others have been deep into this. I'd be surprised if she and others have left anything out, or ruled anything out.

[Virginia Dare]

8. I know from experience...

the Bush Administration has shit all over the FOIA Act, much like so many other things. They've been sued a couple of times over it, but it's costly and takes a lot of time.

Also, remember the story about the removal of previous declassified documents from the archives?

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB179/