There has been some speculation about the timing of the NIE release

[frogcycle]

Along the lines of "what are they up to now?"

People wondering if somehow this is a smokescreen for something else they are about to do.

Another line of thought says it was not done by "they" (busbots) but by their opposition. This line of thought has Gates and/or Rice getting it released, in some sort of palace coup.

It is said Cheney was the one fighting its release, trying to get it rewritten.

Can it be that bush actually has people in his inner (or next-to-inner) circle who know he's nuts and that cheney is even nuttier, and are trying to do something about it?


By the way, I HIGHLY recommend former Sec Def William Cohen's polical thriller Dragon Fire. Fiction written by someone who has been in Gates' position. There is a thinly-veiled character who represents a blend of cheney, rove, and rice. He is the NSA, vying to manipulate the pres into war and hoping for the Sec State job in the second term. The lamebrained pres is the former governor of Fla, and former owner of a pro football team :rofl: The hero, of course, is the SecDef, who has to prevent the scumbags from touching off WWIII.

It has plenty of Machiavellian intrigue in four countries, and ends with the chase scene of all chase scenes - using an SR-71! :rofl:

Maybe Gates read Cohen's book!