Mansoor Ijaz: Politicized Intelligence

NRO ^ | 4/15/04 | Mansoor Ijaz

[Quilla]

Who the hell picked the dupes on the committee?

[Steve_Seattle]

"If you look at the committee members, almost all of the Republican ones are old men who don't have too much of a political or legal background. Thus, they are feckless, lazy and easily cowed by leftist screeching."

It's hardly true that they don't have much of a political background (Gorton, for example, was a long-time U.S. Senator), but they DO seem "easily cowed by leftist screeching." They all seem to be RINO's or borderline RINO's, and two of the defining characteristics of a RINO are (1) to want to be approved by the media and (2) to be a bit full of one's self. Hence they don't want to make waves and want to fortify the image of the commission as something terribly important and professional.

[Truth29]

At this point, who might that someone be? The GOP has let the Commission be skewed and used as a "get Bush" forum. How do we get the horses back into the barn?

[Truth29]

Odd. So why was the offer made to Hamilton rather than an Administration official?

[GulliverSwift]

I didn't say they were all non-politicians. Some of them are. Almost none of them is a lawyer. This matters greatly when being able to come up with talking points on the fly and knowning how to deflect an opponent's move. The Republicans on the committee are like sheep in a forest of wolves. They have no idea just how vicious their "colleagues" are and are continually being eaten alive.

[So Cal Rocket]

In fact, on the same day in September of 1996 that Al Gore sent the airline's lobbyist a letter signaling his intent to roll over, the National Transportation Safety Board reversed its spin and all but ruled out a bomb or missile strike [on TWA 800].

And the name of the "airline's lobbyist"? None other than Linda Daschle, wife of the deeply saddened Senate Minority Leader, Tom Daschle.

[WestCoastGal]

"to want to be approved by the media and (2) to be a bit full of one's self."

Ted Olson said exactly that on Larry King last night. I don't know if transcripts are available for that interview, but it's definitely worth looking up if you didn't see it.

[bcoffey]

"Ms Gorelick is one of the finest members of the commission and one of the most bipartisan members. People ought to stay out of our business"

This is perhaps the most truthful and telling comment to come out of the commission.

"Our business" obviously is not the same as the "people's business." "Our" business is getting our faces in front of the cameras, collecting our outrageously large salaries and stipends (anyone have any idea how much these are?), and promoting our partisan, political agendas.

[So Cal Rocket]

Do you have a source for Kean's quote on Gorelick:

"Ms Gorelick is one of the finest members of the commission and most bipartisan members. People ought to stay out of our business"

I need it for a piece I'm writing.

Regards!
SCR

[pawdoggie]

Mansoor Ijaz is a private citizen, is he not? If it's so blamed important for "the victims' families" to see government officials like Dr. Rice, whose public testimony is necessarily limited by the need to keep classified information secret, why are we not permitted to witness the testimony of a person not affiliated with the government who should not/would not have had access to classified information? Surely Mansoor could be advised not to discuss potentially classified matters (i.e. beyond the things he's already mentioned/written in public). This little bit of secrecy stinks to high heaven. If President Bush can be put under the microscope, why is X-42 immune?

[bcoffey]

Do you have a source for Kean's quote on Gorelick:

I heard a tape of Kean saying it. I believe Fox News played it... made my blood boil.

[MamaLucci]

Welcome, newbie.:)

[pawdoggie]

In fact, on the same day in September of 1996 that Al Gore sent the airline's lobbyist a letter signaling his intent to roll over, the National Transportation Safety Board reversed its spin and all but ruled out a bomb or missile strike [on TWA 800]. And the name of the "airline's lobbyist"? None other than Linda Daschle, wife of the deeply saddened Senate Minority Leader, Tom Daschle. And to piggy back off your comments: since Mr. Ben Veniste says we need to improve on the Warren Commission by investigating tinfoil hat conspiracy theories, why aren't they looking into TWA 800?

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - 9/11

[Velveeta]

"She is in my mind one of the finest members of the commission, one of the hardest working member of the commission and, by the way, one of the most non-partisan and bi-partisan members of the commission," panel Chairman Thomas Kean (search), the former Republican governor of New Jersey, told reporters Wednesday. "So people ought to stay out of our business."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,117173,00.html

[So Cal Rocket]

Thanks for the link... I see Lehman is defending her as well, how discouraging!

[WestCoastGal]

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/8433787.htm


Towards the end of the article.........

[So Cal Rocket]

Thank you WCG!

SCR

[Tilly]

Also, don't forget that a very high paid lobbyist for the Airlines Industry is ... Linda Daschle ...

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!