Traitorgate Update: Rummy's Memo Is A Big Drip!

[frank frankly]

This leaked memo from Rummy to his neocon inner-circle is very big. I don't remember a memo of this importance and candor ever being leaked since the war began. Someone torpedoed Rummy. That's the second time in two weeks, if you include his cluelessness about Chevron Condi's reshuffle that changed his position. These are public embarrasments.

It's been a while since I felt they were taking any heat at all. I've been dismayed to see Traitorgate lose apparent momentum, but I think this is a steady drip of information that is setting the stage, the media stage, for some of these neocons to get fired. Although, after the very bad sign that was Arnold's victory, I am happy for anything.

When I am reduced to rooting for the CIA, especially the dirty parts of the CIA, I will take whatever crumbs I can find. The BFEE has to go. I hope our Democratic candidates seize on this within the news cycle.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-10-22-defense-memo-usat_x.htm

[Junkdrawer]

1. Was it leaked, or just handed out...

Leak?

I'm confused. Everybody seems to be screaming about how this Rumsfeld memo was "leaked." But was it leaked? Or was it simply released?

UPDATE: I'm scanning everything that's being written about this "leak," and I'm still not seeing evidence that it was "leaked." (That evidence may be out there and I'm just missing it.) But what I see in the USA Today story is this: "Three members of Congress who met with Rumsfeld Wednesday morning said the defense secretary gave them copies of the memo and discussed it with them." This is not how you handle a confidential internal memorandum, is it, if you don't want it to see the light of day.

And when the Pentagon spokesman's reaction isn't outrage, but praise for his boss, you have to wonder. (I'm referring to this from USA Today: "Pentagon spokesman Lawrence DiRita declined to comment specifically on the memo, but he said Rumsfeld's style is to "ask penetrating questions" to provoke candid discussion. 'He's trying to keep a sense of urgency alive.'")

I could certainly be wrong, but isn't it possible that we're all falling for a "leak" story here, when actually this dissemination was something that Rumsfeld may have desired?

....

Fox is reporting that Rumsfeld was "livid" that his memo made it onto the front pages. Meanwhile the Defense department has a press release out on its website. Nowhere does the word "leak" appear. Nowhere there (or anywhere else) do we see anyone--from Rumsfeld on down using the word "leak" (or any word like it) or asking for an investigation of how the memo got out. The most we see, in the midst of the DoD's defense of Rumsfeld's comments, is the Pentagon spokesman's assertion that he was "surprised" by the USA Today story.



http://www.isthatlegal.org/archives/2003_10_19_isthatlegal_archive.html#106684727306378912

[frank frankly]

6. I thought I read that and I'll look for it, Junkdrawer

I agree there is a big difference in the words.

[BuckeFushe]

2. Since the Senate investigation committee decided that Bush didn't

misrepresent the intelligence given to them by the CIA and NSA, it appears the agencies have taken matters into their own hands. This is a lose/lose battle for the Shrub house.

as always, many thanks to the genius of MoPaul

[maha]

3. You are right.

Somebody in the Pentagon leaked that memo to torpedo Rummy!

HEE HEE HEE!

The chickens are coming HOME to ROOST!

[Cha]

4. WE're all "reduced to rooting for the CIA"!

Go CIA! These Things take time ..and it won't go away until it's over.

[cliss]

5. This is definitely bad news

for Rums-filled. After all the effort and energy spent on the "good news Iraq" campaign, this is a severe blow to the administration. Of couse, the rest of them are probably saying the same thing in their memos.

And yes, it would appear that someone really does despise Ole Rum. What can he say now? And how incredibly embarrassing to Bush, who didn't really care that much about the Plame leak. He promised the "leaks" would stop. And then, this.

Rums-felled needs to go. But, so do all of them. Which one should he fire?

[BuckeFushe]

9. Looks like the "Good Morning Iraq" campaign just hit a land mine

[snippy]

7. On CNBC they said that the DOD spent all day leaking that Rummy

leaked the memo. All the talking heads said it was a shot by Rummy at Rice and an attempt at inflating his own importance. Brian Williams said that there were at least "a couple of journalists" walking around Washington who knew the motives of the leaker.

[frank frankly]

8. well, if Rummy leaked it, he just made himself look like an idiot

I did not see this memo as complementary. It will be hard to spin this into a positive.

[snippy]

11. The talking head take was that Rummy's memo was meant to show

a need to transform the military in order to fight terrorism more effectively and that such transformation needed to be coordinated with the overall war on terrorism and that such transformation and coordination was beyond Rice's responsibilities and capabilties as National Security Advisor.

[frank frankly]

12. it made him sound like a clueless lunatic!

this will be damaging to Rummy

[RuB]

10. Maybe Rummy's saying, "Why should I held that moran Bushie get reelected"

Or its a diversion away from some other story.

[Stephanie]

13. I don't understand how this relates to Traitorgate

What's the connection?

[Beetwasher]

14. It's Another Leak!

I wonder what the security clearance is on those memos?

Not that I necessarily disagree w/ the motives of the leaker, but the question remains; are these clowns competent to run this country when they're letting nat'l security secrets be leaked all over the place.

I could see this leak being related in that perhaps it was instigated by the CIA as yet another shot at the cred of the admin.

I posted about systematically neutralizing key players before by tying them up w/ serious scandals. This could put Rummy on the serious defensive and fits right in w/ that theory.

Systematically Neutralizing Key Players:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=451343

[Stephanie]

15. I remember that post and I thought you were right on

At least I hope you are. If somebody is strategically working to pick off the neo-cons one by one I am all for it.

I still don't think this is part of Traitorgate, but it's a good story anyway.

[Noordam]

16. Also remember Rummy has pissed off a lot of Generals in

the Pentagon. And some of them have a collection of his "snowflake" emails.

[julka]

17. Aaron Brown just asked the CNN pentagon guy 'why the leak?'

and the ONLY thing he could guess was that of the pentagon spin: that it shows how strong a leader is Rumsfeld, how in command of the situation he is.

not one single word about any other possible interpretation.

do these people have somebody else shave them in the morning?

how can they look at themselves in the mirror?

[frank frankly]

19. it is easy to look in the mirror when you have no reflection

:kick:

[David Zephyr]

18. I'm Suspicious The Leak Was Intentional to Dilute the Criminal Wilson Leak

The jury is out on this with me for the time being.

Will Ashcroft now include this "leak" into his "investigation" of the spiteful crime committed against Wilson's wife? Will the small investigative resources now focused on the criminal "leak" against Wilson now be burdened to look at this also? If so, then the leak was intentionally done to fuzz up the Wilson investigation with another "leak".

[Cat Atomic]

20. What does "does CIA need a new finding?" mean?

It's in Rumsfeld's memo. I'm unclear as to what he's saying.

[frank frankly]

21. that is what I would like to know

:kick: