Jackson Free Press

Word is that Dick Cheney's chief of staff will be the first to go down. Meantime, check out this Salon piece that defrocks Cheney's inner circle:

As Washington waits on pins and needles to see if Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald hands down indictments, the focus falls on Dick Cheney's inner circle. This group, along with that surrounding Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, made up what Colin Powell's top aide, Lawrence Wilkerson, called "a cabal" that "on critical issues that made decisions that the bureaucracy did not know were being made."

Cheney is the first vice president to have had, in effect, his own personal National Security Council. This formidable and unprecedented rump foreign policy team, comprised of radical hawks, played a key role in every aspect of the war on Iraq: planning for it, gathering "evidence" to justify it and punishing those who spoke out against it. It is not surprising that members of that team, and Cheney himself, have now also emerged as targets in Fitzgerald's investigation of the outing of Valerie Plame Wilson to the press, along with Bush adviser Karl Rove.

Although the investigation has focused on Cheney's chief of staff, Irving Lewis "Scooter" Libby, a number of other Cheney staffers have been interviewed. Who are these shadowy policy-makers who played such a major role in shaping the Bush administration's foreign policy?

Previous Comments

ID

87473

Comment

Remember to watch this U.S. Justice Web site for the indictments that should be posted any time.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T10:06:28-06:00

ID

87474

Comment

Breaking: Scooter Libby been indicted on at least three charges: perjury, making false statements to grand jury and obstruction of justice. All very serious felony charges. More soon ...

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T10:45:38-06:00

ID

87475

Comment

One count of obstruction of justice; two counts of perjury; two counts of making false statements.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T10:48:26-06:00

ID

87476

Comment

This is in the indictment ... on July xx, 2003 ... Libby advised by vice president that Plame was CIA ... paraphrased, just heard them read this on CNN ... "learned about Valerie Plame from the vice president himself, his boss" late May 2003 (two months before Novak column) ... Libby began "acquiring information" about Wilson's Niger trip ... Libby lied about conversations with three news reporters ...

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T10:51:01-06:00

ID

87477

Comment

Libby just resigned. One wonders why he didn't already.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T11:10:16-06:00

ID

87478

Comment

And these are the people the "Value Voters" helped put in office? Ahem! The empire is crumbling and Bush seems completely arrogant about what's going on... It's gonna be a LONG, bumpy, scandalous road to 2008. Anyone want to bet there will be a terrorist threat within 5-10 business days?

Author

kaust

Date

2005-10-28T11:20:50-06:00

ID

87479

Comment

I said this during the Clinton impeachment, and I'll say it now. People who care about honestly, integrity and the credibility of our public officials should right now put aside their partisanship and demand truth and justice, no matter what it reveals. I am as disgusted as the personal attacks on Joseph Wilson, Valerie Plame and Patrick Fitzgerald as I was the excuse-making and attacks on people who told the truth abuot Bill Clinton's pack of lies and obstruction of justice. This is a moment when we see what people are really made of -- and if they really care about basic morals and integrity.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T11:24:19-06:00

ID

87480

Comment

Let us not forget, right here and now, the 2,000+ U.S. soldiers who are dead as result of this administration's lies. Bringing down the people who lied to put them there is one of the most honorable things we can do. Cheers to Fitzgerald for keeping his eye on the ball.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T11:25:55-06:00

ID

87481

Comment

I'm probably giving a big clue about my age (and the fact that it's Friday isn't helping), but this has been running through my mind for about the last 45 minutes. Anyone remember it? When ...it's... Libby Libby Libby on the label label label you will like it like it like it on your table table table

Author

Rex

Date

2005-10-28T11:48:48-06:00

ID

87482

Comment

I remember that ... barely. ;-) Meantime, the indictment and Fitzgerald's press release announcing the indictment is now online.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T11:54:46-06:00

ID

87483

Comment

i]"Anyone want to bet there will be a terrorist threat within 5-10 business days?" If things continue at this pace, we will reach yellow before the end of the day... or is it orange

Author

K RHODES

Date

2005-10-28T12:06:49-06:00

ID

87484

Comment

It's Turquoise or Blush I thought.... Does anyone really pay attention to the color-coded threat levels?

Author

kaust

Date

2005-10-28T12:12:29-06:00

ID

87485

Comment

I'd already be a Canadian citizen, except I hate the cold.

Author

Steph

Date

2005-10-28T12:15:10-06:00

ID

87486

Comment

I've had those thoughts as our government grows more corrupt, but you know what, this is my country, too, and I'm not going anywhere. Same with Mississippi; I ran once like so many of us do. But I'm at a different mental place now. I don't cut and run. I believe in fighting with freedom, for justice, for morality, for integrity, and I don't give a damn what political partisans that offends. This is the best country in the world because of our diversity and our devotion to actual freedom, even if we let some greedy, immoral jerks take over now and then. This is my country, and my state. I ain't packin'; I'm stayin'. And, together, we'll take our country back from cronies and strategists who play to the worst of our instincts.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T12:20:25-06:00

ID

87487

Comment

A friend of mine said the other day that we fought for our freedom from British rule in the 1770s and 80s, which had colonists fighting colonists. We fought in the 1860s, north against south. He feels like we are way overdue for an internal conflict. Do you think it could happen again? Who would be on each side? The haves vs. have-nots? The government vs. the citizens?

Author

Steph

Date

2005-10-28T12:28:30-06:00

ID

87488

Comment

I'm listening to Fitzgerald's press conference. He just said, "The damage wasn't just done to Valerie Plame; it was done to all of us." When he was explaining the part about what happened to Plame, it sounded like he was going to cry. Maybe he is just nervous.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T12:32:49-06:00

ID

87489

Comment

Check out this discussion on DailyKos about what Fitzgerald is saying about Libby and yellowcake -- and what that may mean about Bush's infamous State of the Union remarks before the war. And follow the link to this 2003 John Dean article.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T12:46:14-06:00

ID

87490

Comment

I should add, btw, that I don't mean that whole DailyKos thread, nor do I agree with everything over there. They, too, are too partisan for my taste, and would likely not hanker to my support of the Clinton impeachment. However, they do link to interesting stuff, as do other blogs of all sorts. In this case, I think that yellowcake timetable discussion is interesting to keep an eye on. The whole what did Bush/Cheney know and when did he know it is very relevant right now in our quest to figure this mess out.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T14:00:38-06:00

ID

87491

Comment

Cheney's statement about Libby's resignation: Mr. Libby has informed me that he is resigning to fight the charges brought against him. I have accepted his decision with deep regret. Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and talented individuals I have ever known. He has given many years of his life to public service and has served our nation tirelessly and with great distinction. In our system of government an accused person is presumed innocent until a contrary finding is made by a jury after an opportunity to answer the charges and a full airing of the facts. Mr. Libby is entitled to that opportunity. Because this is a pending legal proceeding, in fairness to all those involved, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the charges or on any facts relating to the proceeding. Now, can I ask at what point that someone inside this administration expresses outrage that a CIA agent was outed to punish someone for exposing that the American people were lied to about the reasons their children are being sent to war? OK, I know that's a lot to ask, but wouldn't there be something politicall expedient in here somewhere of indicating, or faking, that what was done was a big deal? An outrage? Fire-able? Not a resignation that causes "deep regret" Where has our country's moral center gone here? Or, where do these guys think it's gone, might be the more pertinent question. And the strategy of the right to demonize both Joseph Wilson and Patrick Fitzgerald seems rather short-sighted. As one pundit pointed out on CNN, picking on Wilson and his wife got them into this mess to begin with. Icky. Can we just empty out all of Washington and start over?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T14:15:24-06:00

ID

87492

Comment

"Can we just empty out all of Washington and start over?" - Ladd It would appear that's slowly happening. ;-)

Author

kaust

Date

2005-10-28T14:17:42-06:00

ID

87493

Comment

True, but there are some Democrats I want gone, too -- especially anyone associated with the DLC. Oh, and every lobbyist.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T14:19:35-06:00

ID

87494

Comment

Steph wrote......A friend of mine said the other day that we fought for our freedom from British rule in the 1770s and 80s, which had colonists fighting colonists. How about a war between "Christo Facists" and Secular Americans...that's where it's headed. And I can't believe there hasn't been a terrorist threat in the last 5 to 10 minutes. What kind of dea is being cooked up for Karl Rove....Plea bargain.....take the 5th...some form of Executive privilege. Who knows. Their falling on their swords now.

Author

ATLExile

Date

2005-10-28T14:24:53-06:00

ID

87495

Comment

"Secular," hell. More like a war between wound-up wingnuts and good, everyday, not wingnutzoid Christians, Jews, Muslims and other people of faith. Yeah, it does seem like bidding Skipper, er Scooter adieu with glowing accolades could be described as falling on their swords. You know, they are martyrs to crony capitalism. Like Joan of Arcs, they will stand tall for greed and empire even as the flames rise all around. Like I said: icky. Can the rest of us just put aside our differences and just get past these guys. Yes, they've divided, conquered, sowed distrust and hatred, inspired bigotry, demonized actual military heroes, lied about their own heroism, at least flirted with treason, and generally alienated good people against each other, but they don't have to win, friends. We just need to declare an end to the Era of Cronyism, and the reign of the crony-magnum. It is time for all good people to get together and get on with keeping the country great. They haven't won. Don't under-estimate the American people. As a group, we may be trusting and gullible, but we're a fan of our freedom (meaning not just for markets and corporations, but for individuals) and we're not going to give it up without a fight. Have faith and stand firm against those who would turn this country into something lesser than she is.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T14:39:04-06:00

ID

87496

Comment

CRONY-MAGNUM! Love it... I'm adding that to my lexicon along with my new favorite: NeoConman.

Author

kaust

Date

2005-10-28T14:40:55-06:00

ID

87497

Comment

Thanks, dude. I just made it up. ;-) How 'bout Neo-Ids. You can probably figure out what that is short for. I must say that Todd has been warning from the very beginning of Bush's first term about the dangers of the old hawks from the Ford administration.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-10-28T14:42:58-06:00