Posted on 11/01/2005 3:35:36 PM PST by kingattax
WASHINGTON - Democrats forced the Republican-controlled Senate into an unusual closed session Tuesday, questioning intelligence that President Bush used in the run-up to the war in Iraq and accusing Republicans of ignoring the issue. ADVERTISEMENT click here
"They have repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why," Democratic leader Harry Reid said.
Taken by surprise, Republicans derided the move as a political stunt.
"The United States Senate has been hijacked by the Democratic leadership," said Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. "They have no convictions, they have no principles, they have no ideas," the Republican leader said.
Democrats sought assurances that Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas would complete the second phase of an investigation of the administration's prewar intelligence.
After about two hours, senators returned to open session having appointed a six-member task force — three members from each party — to review the committee's progress and report back to their respective caucuses by Nov. 14.
Roberts' committee produced a 511-page report last summer on flaws of an Iraq intelligence estimate assembled by the country's top analysts in October 2002, and he promised a second phase would look at issues that couldn't be finalized in the first year of work.
The committee had started the second phase of the review, Roberts said, but it has not been completed. He said he had intended all along to work on the second phase beginning next week.
In mid-afternoon Tuesday, Reid demanded the Senate go into closed session. The public was ordered out of the chamber, the lights were dimmed, and the doors were closed. No vote is required in such circumstances.
Reid's move shone a spotlight on the continuing controversy over prewar intelligence. Despite administration claims, no weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, and some Democrats have accused the White House of manipulating the information.
Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was indicted last Friday in an investigation that touched on the war, the leak of the identity of a CIA official married to a critic of the administration's Iraq policy.
"The Libby indictment provides a window into what this is really all about, how this administration manufactured and manipulated intelligence in order to sell the war in Iraq and attempted to destroy those who dared to challenge its actions," Reid said before invoking Senate rules that led to the closed session.
Libby resigned from his White House post after being indicted on charges of obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury.
Democrats contend that the unmasking of Valerie Plame was retribution for her husband, Joseph Wilson, publicly challenging the Bush administration's contention that Iraq was seeking to purchase uranium from Africa. That claim was part of the White House's justification for going to war.
As Reid spoke, Frist met in the back of the chamber with a half-dozen senior GOP senators, including Roberts, who bore the brunt of Reid's criticism. Reid said Roberts reneged on a promise to fully investigate whether the administration exaggerated and manipulated intelligence leading up to the war. Reid claimed that Republicans have repeatedly rebuffed Democratic pleas for a thorough investigation.
Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record), R-Miss., a former majority leader, said a closed session was appropriate for such overarching matters as impeachment and chemical weapons — the two topics that last sent the senators into such sessions.
In addition, Lott said, Reid's move violated the Senate's tradition of courtesy and consent. But there was nothing in Senate rules enabling Republicans to thwart Reid's effort.
The Senate had been considering a budget bill when it went into closed session
AP Photo: Senate Majority Leader Bill First, R-Tenn., talks to reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Nov. 1,...
. Republicans have to follow rules, ya know .
The Republicans in the Senate need a testicular transplant, ASAP.
Bend over...grab ankles. GOP lacks cojones. Dem majorities used to hold hearings and lock out Republican committee members. GOP should start using such tactics...and cut staff funding for the Dims too...make them handle their own constituent services, etc.
So, is it over?
nothing but a high level Democrat led pouting session.
Libs have lost and they are desparate for any stain they can apply to the fabric of the administration (pun intended).
harry reid came out of the chamber and didn't see his shadow. six months of winter predicted.
So what BS will they pull on Nov 14?
Well, I just put on Cspan2 on the 'puter and am hoping for fireworks.
Blood in the streets is not always the best solution, no matter how it excites you.
Some day Republicans are going to grow a spine and:
1. Remind the left that every single Democrat of note said in 1998 that Iraq's WMD posed a danger to the United States.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/972389/posts
2. Remind the left that Clinton's Justice Department obtained a federal indictment of Osama bin Laden which stated that AQ had a deal with Iraq. They agreed not to attack Iraq in exchange for weapons development.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985906/posts
3. 9/11 Commission reaffirms Bush administration view of Iraq/AQ ties.
June 21, 2004. RNC.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1157478/posts
4. Long List of Clinton Administration Officials who Believed There was an AQ/Iraq connection.
July 12, 2004. NewsMax.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1169397/posts
5. List of CIA and various Reports regarding Iraq's support for terrorists, terrorism and AQ.
September 16, 2004. The Weekly Standard.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/631slkle.asp
6. Osama bin Laden was considered an Iraqi Intelligence asset.
October 14, 2004. National Review.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1246505/posts
Funny how in the 90's the world was concerned about the growing relationship between OBL and Saddam and now the left is revising history.
Saddam reaching out to OBL
January 1, 1999. Newsweek
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158277/posts
ABC news reports on the Osama/Saddam connections
January 14, 1999. ABC News
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1229608/posts?page=1
Osama and Saddam Work Together
January 27, 1999. Laurie Mylroie interview. She is a former Clinton terrorism czar.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158482/posts
A Much Shunned Terrorist Takes Refuge In Iraq (Abu Nidal)
New York Times. January 1999.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1433610/posts
Western Nightmare: Saddam and OBL versus the World. Iraq recruited OBL.
February 6, 1999. The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,798270,00.html
Saddam's Link to OBL
February 6, 1999. The Guardian
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/866105/posts
Saddam offered asylum to bin Laden
February 13, 1999. AP
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158274/posts
Son of Saddam coordinates with OBL.
Iraqi Special Ops coordinates with Bin Laden's terrorist activities.
August 6, 1999. Yossef Bodansky, National Press Club
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/951911/posts
That and more here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327993/posts?q=1&&page=151
(Based on my observation over the years that no senator is ever at a loss for words, or unable to drop the most serious of charges into the most casual of conversations).
Rule 21 will be invoked again and all of the talking head DNC spinmeisters will be on MSM news shows. Wouldn't surprise me if Bill Clinton, Hillary, Reid, et al. have already booked themselves for that date. This is war...and Frist is a blind man leading a bunch of eunechs into battle as if it were a country club cricket match.
You and I are on the same threads.
Glad to have you on our side.
Just a thought, maybe what they did was start reading FR threads outloud.
Hm. I wonder if there was anything in the rules that said they couldn't quietly pick up their things and leave for the day...? If somebody's kid pitches a tantrum and I can't stop it, I'm SURE not going to hang around and watch it.
Theatre of the Absurd
stay tuned...
We need to flood every Republican with letters. This crap HAS TO STOP!
Why does Bill Frist constantly let the Rat leadership teabag him??
That's a point to ponder if ever there was one.
We need a hard a$$ managing the store in the Senate. Al Gore's gentle brother ain't getting the job done.
...so the Democrats have found a way to keep the Dead Horse alive until Thanksgiving...wonderful (sarcasm OFF)
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