What is the reason for this

[TNOE]

Watching the news shows last night - major topic being the Iraqi abuse scandel -

Given everything this administration does is so calculated, they only let out what they want let out - HOW and WHY did this become such a major shit storm? Not that it shouldn't be of course, but they held on to this information since January - and now allow it to be released - WHY? To cover up our defeat in Falluja - to cover up the farce of the 9/11 hearings with both Cheney & Bush testifying together....

Did they "miscalculate" the reaction? Did they figure this story would blow over and his supporters would become their usual apologists for Bush* - what? What are your thoughts - I'm really stumped on this one.

[bryant69]

1. My personal theory

They are good at the political game, but far from infalliable, and Karl Rove (who's the political brains of this operation) doesn't have as much control over what happens in Iraq as he'd like.

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

[skooooo]

2. I'm not sure they're all that..

...in control anymore. I mean, they were initially expecting this photo thing to be "no big deal" and brushed it off for the first few days. So, I mean, they're trying to shape the agenda but having limited success, imo.

Now George has to realize that he's not just lying and f-ing up the American people who can be "managed", he's got the whole world REALLY pissed at him. Spin this one, chimp.

[toddzilla]

3. The whole bush administration is given far, far too much credit..

I think people overestimate rove and his whole machine. They really think they can get away with anything. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but eventually theres just too much evidence to ignore, and they are rapidly approaching the sinking of their ship.

[Vladimir]

4. I think Rove's tactic is to keep

Iraq kicked, no matter whether the news is good or bad. I remeber reading an editorial to the effect that:

- Bush leads on foreign policy in polls but loses on domestic issues

- This is irrespective of how weel that foreign policy is doing

- Hence Bush's ratings rose in April because Iraq was on telly more; even though it is a disaster it makes people more likely to have Iraq as their primary election consideration.

- Hence, Rove's plan is to keep talking about Iraq, and to make sure that when people vote in November they vote on foreign policy, not domestic issues. Then Bush wins, regardless of how bad a shape Iraq is in.

- So in effect, the obvious may well be true here: they don't really care when this gets out and the military asked CBS to sit on it for a few weeks while they 'sorted out' Fallujah, or the hostages, or whatever.

[seabeyond]

5. we have been conditioned to say january, it is not

it is nov 1 that they were told about it and went out then. january and feb with report was just ways of making it look like a smaller amount of time, but nov 1 the whistle blower first gave this info to them.

so remember not january, nov 1 they have been sitting on this

[TNOE]

9. Good point

I'm hearing "January"...... but it really was November.

[CWebster]

6. Clue

They wouldn't get away with as much as they do if the Democrats sounded the alarms instead of endorsing Bush'sworld view all along.

[lectrobyte]

7. allow it to be released? my own pet theory is that these...

things have a way of leaking out whether they want them to or not.

Maybe payback from the CIA for blowing someone's cover? Maybe someone with a moral compass that's not completely demagnetized? Maybe just enough accumulated mass of photos and rumors circulating in the internet age to go "critical"? Maybe the dreaded Karmic Hammer of retribution?

[TNOE]

8. Well that is my conclusion also

due to the conscious of one or a few - the cat was let out of the bag - but given this administration's penchant for threats, bullying, etc., am still surprised CBS was allowed to air it. Joe Wilson openly stated that many reporters were not allowed to report on his story due to threats of being fired, etc.

Wondering if this will become another reasons for "censorship" - see what letting the world know what was really going on got us (them)... Joe Wilson also stated that he heard from a very high Republican official - that we have seen nothing yet in Iraq once the furror of these photos takes hold.

[central scrutinizer]

10. Thank the internet, again

According to reports, CBS was bullied into sitting on the story, but then it started leaking out on the internet. To salvage what little of their credibility and self esteem was left, they ran the story.

[rocktivity]

11. CBS sits on story, it turns up on Internet...a coincidence, I'm sure

Ya think?

I mean, there's no reason to believe that CBS had no reason to believe that they would EVER be allowed to run the story, is there?

;)
rocknation

[TNOE]

12. However it happened

Thank God it did. Hopefully this treatment has been stopped for the most part now - but it should have never started - and Bush* should have put a stop to it the minute he found out!

[central scrutinizer]

13. but one of those tortured prisoners

might have been hiding the WMD's.