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All 435 House Members Can See Iraq Intelligence -- and Talk on Iraq Next Week
politico.com ^ | 2-8-07 | Mike Allen

Posted on 02/09/2007 12:29:41 AM PST by STARWISE

To the surprise of the Bush administration, the House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously Wednesday night to allow all 435 House members to see the classified version of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq sent to the White House last week. The report is classified in part because it contains information about sources and methods used in intelligence-gathering.

The document will provide fuel for a House debate, scheduled to begin Tuesday, on a resolution of disapproval of President Bush’s plan to boost U.S. troop strength in Iraq. Remarkably, each House member will be given five minutes to speak. The decision to provide such broad access to the microphones is based on the fact that each member got the chance to speak before the Iraq war began, according to House leadership aides.

In announcing the vote to allow all members access to the classified portion of the NIE, the committee said those examining it “will be required to review the document in the Committee's secure offices in the Capitol and sign a secrecy oath.” The members will not be allowed to leave with notes, congressional sources said.

The White House was not informed or consulted about the decision. Such access for members is rare but not unprecedented. The document had been made available to members of several committees with jurisdiction over the intelligence community, but other lawmakers would have needed to request permission to read it. The committee had received written requests from one Republican and one Democrat, plus some other informal inquires, and decided it would be better to allow blanket access instead of voting on each request, congressional sources said.

The report runs about 90 pages, and the Office of the National Intelligence Director released 3 1/2 pages of “Key Judgments” last week. The report, called “Prospects for Iraq’s Stability: A Challenging Road Ahead,” was approved Jan. 29 by the heads of the government’s 16 intelligence agencies. It paints a generally bleak picture of conditions in Iraq and warns that without successful efforts to rein in insurgent violence and political extremism, the overall security situation “will continue to deteriorate” at current rates for the next 12 to 18 months, the period covered by the report.

The decision raised fears among some Republicans that members not used to dealing with classified information might play fast and loose with what they saw. But Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said in a statement: "It is critical that all Members of Congress understand the consensus view of the Intelligence Community on the gravity of the situation in Iraq and the consequences for U.S. troops and our long-term national security interests."


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: buysomediapers; congress; herecometheleaks; intellcomm; intelligence; iraq; mikeallen; nointelligence; stayathomevoters; stuckonstupid
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To: StoneWall Brigade
They made a mistake the pentagon report

That makes no sense. What does that mean?

61 posted on 02/09/2007 6:29:00 AM PST by Theo (Global warming "scientists." Pro-evolution "scientists." They're both wrong.)
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To: STARWISE

Why not just give it to the MSNM and get it over with the Rats will be leaking it.


62 posted on 02/09/2007 6:29:29 AM PST by talkshowamerica (Taking on The Main Stream News media and the Liberal left)
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To: militant2

Great, an article a day for the next two months for the NY times


63 posted on 02/09/2007 6:38:25 AM PST by NoDRodee
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To: STARWISE

You've got that right. Content is one thing...sources and methods quite another. If we read about it in the NYT, the entire Congress MUST be held accountable. Welcome to the Democratic vision of secret-keeping. This positively sucks.


64 posted on 02/09/2007 6:38:49 AM PST by SueRae
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To: Theo

The Today show made a mistake on the pentagon report


65 posted on 02/09/2007 6:44:13 AM PST by StoneWall Brigade (THIS IS THE CALL OF THIS GENERATION. THIS IS AMERICA'S HOUR. SEN. RICK SANTORUM)
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To: NoDRodee

I just can't believe that this is going to be allowed by the White House. This precedent literally de-balls this and all future presidents, in terms of War Powers.

There's got to be more to this story.....I hope!

Militant


66 posted on 02/09/2007 6:51:45 AM PST by militant2 ("From time to time, the tree of Liberty must be nourished with the blood of tyrants!")
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To: Cindy

This is simply horrible, Cindy. I'm stunned. And not a little frightened for agents in the field.


67 posted on 02/09/2007 6:52:49 AM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)
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To: STARWISE
Perhaps they ought to fax copies to Tehran, Riyadh and Moscow while they're at it.

Regards, Ivan

68 posted on 02/09/2007 6:54:25 AM PST by MadIvan (I aim to misbehave.)
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To: STARWISE

You can't even get our reps to READ the bills they are voting on. You can bet this report will be spread far and wide making it useless in the future.


69 posted on 02/09/2007 6:57:44 AM PST by listenhillary (You can lead a man to reason, but you can't make him think)
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To: STARWISE

Why should Kerosene Maxine get to see this? She called Bush a Liar at the recent "anti-war" march.

Man.


70 posted on 02/09/2007 6:57:57 AM PST by sauropod ( "The View:" A Tupperware party in the 10th circle of Hell.)
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To: STARWISE
...it contains information about sources and methods used in intelligence-gathering.

Those methods and sources wlll be in the NYT shortly thereafter, and we'll again find ourselves on the sh** end of the stick.

71 posted on 02/09/2007 6:58:00 AM PST by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: STARWISE
Maybe Congress can have a panel discussing the NIE on Oprah
72 posted on 02/09/2007 6:59:30 AM PST by woofie
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To: StoneWall Brigade

Gotcha. I appreciate your clarifying. Looking forward to seeing how this all pans out....


73 posted on 02/09/2007 7:03:28 AM PST by Theo (Global warming "scientists." Pro-evolution "scientists." They're both wrong.)
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To: Theo

Me too


74 posted on 02/09/2007 7:04:34 AM PST by StoneWall Brigade (THIS IS THE CALL OF THIS GENERATION. THIS IS AMERICA'S HOUR. SEN. RICK SANTORUM)
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To: STARWISE
Dear God ... protect and save us.

Too late. All those registered Republicans who petulantly stayed home last November, or who voted third party, or who voted for other items on the ballot but not for congress, delivered us into the hands of the far Left. There's no turning back now.

75 posted on 02/09/2007 7:13:08 AM PST by Wolfstar ("A nation that hates its Horatios is already in grave danger of losing its soul." Dr. Jack Wheeler)
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To: Cindy
"The report is classified in part because it contains information about sources and methods used in intelligence-gathering."

I firmly believe this critical point is beyond the ability of most people here to grasp. Sounds condescending of me, I know. Not meant that way, though, but meant as an honest assessment of what I've already seen on this thread, and across FR daily.

76 posted on 02/09/2007 7:15:57 AM PST by Wolfstar ("A nation that hates its Horatios is already in grave danger of losing its soul." Dr. Jack Wheeler)
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To: STARWISE
Thanks for the ping. You KNOW it won't take long before more secrets to how we find bad guys will surface. I cannot believe this!

I feel you said it best...

"Dear God ... protect and save us."

"They" are out to ruin America/Democracy/Freedom, and blame EVERYthing on Bush.

77 posted on 02/09/2007 7:16:02 AM PST by NordP (America Votes: So sad to find out the majority is self-centered, short-sighted, and impatient.)
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To: STARWISE

This will have a chilling effect on all future NIEs.


78 posted on 02/09/2007 7:17:42 AM PST by kabar
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To: All
Republicans who voted for this:

Peter Hoekstra, Republican -- Michigan
Ray LaHood, Republican -- Illinois
Terry Everett, Republican -- Alabama
Elton Gallegly, Republican -- California
Heather Wilson, Republican -- New Mexico
Jo Ann Davis, Republican -- Virginia
Mac Thornberry, Republican -- Texas
John McHugh, Republican -- New York
Todd Tiahrt, Republican -- Kansas
Mike Rogers, Republican -- Michigan
Rick Renzi, Republican -- Arizona
Darrell Issa, Republican -- California
79 posted on 02/09/2007 7:31:58 AM PST by FreedomNeocon (Success is not final; Failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts -- Churchill)
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To: FreedomNeocon

I was just coming to see which Republicans voted for this; thanks for posting that.

Hoekstra surprised me.


80 posted on 02/09/2007 7:42:23 AM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)
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