[Greybird]

It is way past time for some real intelligence meat to be spread in front of the world -- and apparently Powell has to brutally fight his own colleagues to get it declassified.

If the Secretary of State is not authorized automatically to do this, and to use his judgment about presenting public evidence, something is wrong. I'd take that as a vote of no confidence, if I were Powell, that his boss doesn't come forward to part the secrecy waters.

And if Powell didn't want to come back post-bellum for a second Bush term, I wouldn't blame him. This is shabby treatment. The president has the power to stop it, and he hasn't chosen to do so.

[Poohbah]

It is way past time for some real intelligence meat to be spread in front of the world -- and apparently Powell has to brutally fight his own colleagues to get it declassified.

Intelligence folks are ALWAYS leery of declassifying data, because it gives away sources and methods. That can result in (a) degraded technical intelligence as the bad guys realize that they are being watched and act accordingly, or (b) dead agents.

If the Secretary of State is not authorized automatically to do this, and to use his judgment about presenting public evidence, something is wrong.

Statutory requirement here--Powell would have to run the agency that has the intel.

[hobbes1]

Powell is, First and Foremost a Soldier. I don't think he is declassifying ANYTHING, that would put an asset in harms way unecessarily.

This has been a whole shuck and jive right from the git go, and only the Media does not infer the obvious points that the President
A. Would not go out of his way to alienate the Highest Ranking, Most Publicly respected Black person in his Administration (unless you think He is politically Stupid{He isn't})
or...
B. has played this hand out to it's logical conclusion along the good cop/ bad cop scenario as suggested, with Powells cooperation from the git go.(Unless you dont think he is bright enough {He Is}).