SMOKESCREEN? Secret Saddam tapes (allegedly old),Abu Ghraib photos (old)..

[Nikki Stone 1]

There seems to be a lot of "look over there!" going on today. Is it covering up the Cheney story?

[land of the free]

1. I can't imagine they'd volunteer any more Abu Ghraib photos

by choice. There is no way that having more photos showing how some of our military has tortured prisoners helps the administration. Particularly when they're still debating over the budget (and more money for Iraq and Afghanistan)and the Patriot Act.

Back when the initial photos were relased, Rummy had warned us that more photos would get out, and they were much worse than the torture shown in the first photos. I'd wondered what happened with them, and when they'd see the light of day. Anyway, more photos just helps to bolster the claim that Military Intelligence directed this torture as a systematic policy, as opposed to the story of "rogue soldiers" who came up with these techniques on a whim.

However, whenever I hear of another Saddam or Al Qaeda tape (especially for Saddam), I figure that it was released for a reason. "Don't forget to be very frightened, America... and allow the * administration to do whatever they want!" Ugh.

[Nikki Stone 1]

2. We seem to be thinking along the same lines, I am sure there are

worse photos than the ones that were released.

This is all about covering a probably drunk VP shooting someone in the face.

[land of the free]

3. Maybe not

becuase I meant that I don't think they'd release more Abu Ghraib photos. That story (and its implications on budget, Bush's policies, and GOP popularity) is far more damaging than Cheney's accident could be.

But I agree that the "Saddam WMD tapes" thing is a crock that is only meant to try and deflect attention away. Everytime the public starts to get really angry at Bush (and I'm talking about a vast majority of Americans, not us "angry Democrats"), then they wheel out another so-called terrorist threat. They were laughed at about the LA bombing plot, so they might as well try doing something with Saddam.

[Nikki Stone 1]

4. Sorry if I misunderstood. They do seem to be grasping at straws

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