Iraq Commission Could Pose Serious Threat to Bush

[Barrett808]

Iraq Commission Could Pose Serious Threat to Bush
By Alan Elsner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An independent commission to investigate intelligence failures before last year's invasion of Iraq (news - web sites) being demanded by Democrats could pose a serious political threat to President Bush.

But analysts said with Bush's Republicans in control of both houses of Congress he stood a good chance of avoiding such an investigation, which would keep the issue alive in the run-up to November's presidential election.

"The administration wants as little attention as possible paid to the process by which they concluded that war with Iraq was a good idea," said Steven Walt, dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

"A commission would keep the issue in the news for another year. That's the last thing they want," he said.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040129/pl_nm/iraq_usa_commission_dc&cid=615&ncid=1480

[central scrutinizer]

1. Typical of Republicans

The party is more important than the country, always.

[UpInArms]

2. and if they stonewall an independent commission

that should be brought to the front of everyone's attention at every turn.

This Republican administration and Republican Congress has failed to uphold its duty to the American people by refusing to expose the failures of leadership or intelligence in its determination to wage war.

No honor, integrity, accountability.

Killing our young and saddling the rest with huge debt.

[montanacowboy]

3. They are already stonewalling the 9-11 Commission

so what's just another commission? nothing to them and I am sure the wimpy Dems won't pursue it....

[daleo]

4. In a democracy, this should not even be a question

If the public doesn't have the right to know about how these 'mistakes' were made on the lead up to war, then what does it have the right to know?

[wryter2000]

5. Another repub to break ranks?

If another republican were to break ranks (the first being McCain), the call for a commission will pick up speed, per the article. Who might do that? One of the New Englanders (Snowe, Chaffee)? Arlen Specter? Do we really need just one more republican with some integrity to blow this thing sky high?

BTW, the article is currently rankes 5.0.

[yellowcanine]

6. And that is why Bush will try to prevent this.

If Bush didn't have something to hide you would think he would want to know why the intelligence was crappy.
Stonewall, obfuscate, delay......

[louis-t]

8. And then.......

refuse to extend the time limit and hurry the report (as with 9/11 investigation).

[doubleyoi]

10. not hide so much as admit...

Bush had intelligence that said both things, he CHOSE to believe that Iraq had WMD and just selected the intel that backed that up. It should be impossible for the president to lay this off on the CIA. Last I checked, they had barely provided anyone with anything despite considerable pressure. The OSP and the chickenhawks at State (Bolton) and Defense (Rummy, Feith, Perle, Wolfowhatever) were giving the intel, all ably UN-reviewed by our intrepid National Security Advisor Dr Rice, who allowed the greatest intelligence lapse, disconnect, gap etc. since Custer said he was going to surround all those Indians.

[Plaid Adder]

7. I got news for them:

The deaths in Baghdad will keep this issue in the news for an entire year and beyond, whether there's an investigation or not.

They wanted this war, so I hope they like soaking in it,

The Plaid Adder

[pacifictiger]

9. this is par for the course

It was Cheney who was in charge of the senate committee to investigate the republican iran/contra dealings. He closed it prematurely too after a couple of scapegoats lower down on the food chain had been named. Why do you think he disagrees with the freedom of information act.