Think Progress

Dick Cheney’s Loose Lips

By Judd Legum on Feb 10th, 2006 at 10:08 am

Dick Cheney’s Loose Lips

On today’s NYT op-ed page, Porter Goss has a piece called “Loose Lips Sink Spies“:

At the Central Intelligence Agency, we are more than holding our own in the global war on terrorism, but we are at risk of losing a key battle: the battle to protect our classified information… The terrorists gain an edge when they keep their secrets and we don’t keep ours.

Vice President Cheney should read it:

Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff testified that his bosses instructed him to leak information to reporters from a high-level intelligence report that suggested Iraq was trying to obtain weapons of mass destruction, according to court records in the CIA leak case. Cheney was one of the “superiors” I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby said had authorized him to make the disclosures, according to sources familiar with the investigation into Libby’s discussions with reporters about CIA operative Valerie Plame.



84 Responses to “Dick Cheney’s Loose Lips”

  1. Preznit_Douchebag says:

    Heh.

    Is it still considered “unpatriotic” to question what this crime syndicate of an administration is doing to our country?


  2. Ron says:

    The war slogs on. Send your sons and daughters over to Iraqinam, Uncle Sam’s jamming over there these days.

    Dick who?


  3. WaltTheMan says:

    Now, what sorid item will pop up about Porter Goss will pop up in a future Novak report?


  4. california_reality_check says:

    A thread on Firedoglake last night provided this. The bastards actually changed the LAW to out Plame. Are you surprised?

    Executive Order 12958-Classified National Security Information, as Amended

    http://www.archives.gov/isoo/policy-documents/eo-12958-amendment.html#part-2

    It fits into the timeline perfectly here.

    http://www.dkosopedia.com/index.php/Plame_Leak_timeline#May_2003


  5. Mark says:

    In the article Goss says the following…
    “Revelations of intelligence successes or failures, whether accurate or not, can aid Al Qaeda and its global affiliates in many ways. A leak is invaluable to them, even if it only, say, prematurely confirms whether one of their associates is dead or alive. They can gain much more: these disclosures can tip the terrorists to new technologies we use, our operational tactics, and the identities of brave men and women who risk their lives to assist us…
    …Judge Laurence Silberman, a chairman of President Bush’s commission on weapons of mass destruction, said he was “stunned” by the damage done to our critical intelligence assets by leaked information. The commission reported last March that in monetary terms, unauthorized disclosures have cost America hundreds of millions of dollars; in security terms, of course, the cost has been much higher.”

    I know his whole point is to obliquely say that the whole NSA issue should not be discussed at all. That much is certain. Of course if the Bushies had gone through FISA this whole thing would never have been discussed. And of course we are holding ourselves out in the world as the beacon of light and as the guys who follow the rule of law, except when law is inconvenient. And of course President Bush himself said that if the terrorists make us alter the way we live our lives, then they have won. Guess what Mr. President, like king David you just prophesized and we have altered our way of life and our rule of law, so by your own words the terrorists have won. I don’t believe that at all, but I’m not the one who prophesized. But regarding the above quotes I do have a couple of comments.

    1) The first quote easily could apply to Plame, but there is not a member of the radical right fringe controlling the country who would admit as much. Goss holds it out as a danger to expose anything. We know he means only the NSA issue, but in reality it applies to Plame. Also does it apply when the president talks publicly about breaking up plots against LA? Is the president putting us at risk with his comments? And why did they not contact any security people in LA regarding this plot? I just think the president is being reckless.

    2) Nice quotes from the judge. Again I feel that the whole point of the Goss article is the NSA flap, but the quotes are from last year, so they must be referring to something else as the NSA issue was not public knowledge outside of the White House, Republican Party leadership and the NYTimes.


  6. the fly-man says:

    I think Director Goss is talking about the Dana Priest leaks. She is apparently the scorn at the Agency.CaliRealCheck, Thanks for the great links.


  7. mr ho says:

    Im reading this document California, not a lawyer, but it seems to be refferring to the Classification of Documents and the Damage to National Security. TOP SECRET, SECRET, and CONFIDENTIAL (all are Classified)
    I can see where this could possibly be turned against Bush
    if Plame was Considered any one of the three above, thats still “Classified information”…and according to Bushs own rules, below its still Damaging to National Security, in my view.

    BUSH/CHENEY Caused Damage to the NATIONAL SECURITY

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Information may be classified at one of the following three levels:

    (1) “Top Secret” shall be applied to information, the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security that the original classification authority is able to identify or describe.

    (2)“Secret” shall be applied to information, the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security that the original classification authority is able to identify or describe.

    (3) “Confidential” shall be applied to information, the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause damage to the national security that the original classification authority is able to identify or describe.

    (b) Except as otherwise provided by statute, no other terms shall be used to identify United States classified information.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    General Restrictions on Access.

    (a) A person may have access to classified information provided that:

    (1) a favorable determination of eligibility for access has been made by an agency head or the agency head’s designee;

    (2) the person has signed an approved nondisclosure agreement; and

    (3) the person has a need-to-know the information.

    (b) Every person who has met the standards for access to classified information in paragraph (a) of this section shall receive contemporaneous training on the proper safeguarding of classified information and on the criminal, civil, and administrative sanctions that may be imposed on an individual who fails to protect classified information from unauthorized disclosure.

    (c) Classified information shall remain under the control of the originating agency or its successor in function. An agency shall not disclose information originally classified by another agency without its authorization. An official or employee leaving agency service may not remove classified information from the agency’s control.

    (d) Classified information may not be removed from official premises without proper authorization.

    (e) Persons authorized to disseminate classified information outside the executive branch shall ensure the protection of the information in a manner equivalent to that provided within the executive branch.

    (f) Consistent with law, directives, and regulation, an agency head or senior agency official shall establish uniform procedures to ensure that automated information systems, including networks and telecommunications systems, that collect, create, communicate, compute, disseminate, process, or store classified information have controls that:

    (1) prevent access by unauthorized persons; and

    (2) ensure the integrity of the information.(Fitzgerald Deleted Emails…)

    (g) Consistent with law, directives, and regulation, each agency head or senior agency official shall establish controls to ensure that classified information is used, processed, stored, reproduced, transmitted, and destroyed under conditions that provide adequate protection and prevent access by unauthorized persons.

    (h) Consistent with directives issued pursuant to this order, an agency shall safeguard foreign government information under standards that provide a degree of protection at least equivalent to that required by the government or international organization of governments that furnished the information. When adequate to achieve equivalency, these standards may be less restrictive than the safeguarding standards that ordinarily apply to United States “Confidential” information, including modified handling and transmission and allowing access to individuals with a need-to-know who have not otherwise been cleared for access to classified information or executed an approved nondisclosure agreement.

    (i) Except as otherwise provided by statute, this order, directives implementing this order, or by direction of the President, classified information originating in one agency shall not be disseminated outside any other agency to which it has been made available without the consent of the originating agency. An agency head or senior agency official may waive this requirement for specific information originated within that agency. For purposes of this section, the Department of Defense shall be considered one agency. Prior consent is not required when referring records for declassification review that contain information originating in several agencies.

    Sec. 4.2. Distribution Controls.

    (a) Each agency shall establish controls over the distribution of classified information to ensure that it is distributed only to organizations or individuals eligible for access and with a need-to-know the information.

    (b) In an emergency, when necessary to respond to an imminent threat to life or in defense of the homeland, the agency head or any designee may authorize the disclosure of classified information to an individual or individuals who are otherwise not eligible for access. Such actions shall be taken only in accordance with the directives implementing this order and any procedures issued by agencies governing the classified information, which shall be designed to minimize the classified information that is disclosed under these circumstances and the number of individuals who receive it.


  8. progressive and proud says:

    What a scumbag. What else can one say? He and Bush and Rumsfeld have an idea of how things should be and it seems, more and more, that they are the only ones believing their own garbage.

    We are in a whole new world of three men’s creation. And as we can plainly see, it isn’t pretty. How could one think that leaving a nation in the hands of low IQ thugs have any positive effect? I’m so depressed when I see these guys lie and there are still people dumb enough to believe them.


  9. california_reality_check says:

    mr ho – The change might have come in The Declassification area or Part 2. Derivative Classification. It’s a big document.


  10. california_reality_check says:

    mr ho – And here is the EO that requested the change.

    http://www.fas.org/sgp/bush/eoamend.html


  11. Jesus Christ God of WAR says:

    … and this would make Dick “Hung Like A Whale” Cheney a… oh… what’s the word… ah… yes: TRAITOR! … yes… indeed, that is the word…


  12. Gerald Gibson says:

    How dare you use their own words against them!!!


  13. Pete Bogs says:

    loose lips sink dipshits…


  14. kindness says:

    I have a wager for you all.

    Do you think King dumbya will be pardoning ANY of the Executive Branch folk BEFORE or AFTER a trial.

    My money is that Rove gets him to do it before so as to hush it up and sweep it under the rug.

    Wadda ya think?


  15. AvengingAngel says:

    President Bush apparently has a much different view than Goss when it comes to leaks:

    “I don’t know if we’re going to find out the senior administration official. Now, this is a large administration, and there’s a lot of senior officials. I don’t have any idea. I’d like to. I want to know the truth.” (October 7, 2003)


  16. california_reality_check says:

    kindness – Seems to me that Pardons only can occur AFTER a trial. Although, if you believe Hollywood there are these “Get out of Jail” letters.


  17. big papa says:

    Do you think King dumbya will be pardoning ANY of the Executive Branch folk BEFORE or AFTER a trial.

    Comment by kindness #14

    Sorry kindness but…

    …what trial?


  18. ScottKnick says:

    Wrote the following to the New York Times this morning:

    To the Editor:

    I admire Porter Goss’ political courage. It takes guts for the CIA director to call his bosses in the White House criminals.

    When Goss thundered in his Friday Op-Ed piece that those who leak classified national security information to the press “are committing a criminal act that potentially places American lives at risk,” he was obviously thinking about Scooter Libby, who revealed the name of an undercover agent engaged in WMD intelligence to the press. He was probably also referring to Libby’s “superiors,” specifically Vice President Cheney, who, as we learned in the same issue of the Times, authorized the leak of classified National Intelligence Estimate information to the press.

    We owe Goss a debt of gratitude for having the bravery to tell it like it is.

    —–

    Let’s see if they print it.


  19. mr ho says:

    YaY CALI it is big,,mess o lawyer gibberish..”Classfied” markings of documents.. According to above if its Marked Classified its one of the three classes, Confidential, Secret, Top Secret, Atom Ant Secret, =)
    I guess Im just not seeing the loophole their, not to say there isnt one…I see that here if something is “classified” for a PERIOD of 25 years….??

    Lawyers in the House?

    (e) To the extent practicable, agencies shall adopt a system of records management that will facilitate the public release of documents at the time such documents are declassified pursuant to the provisions for automatic declassification in section 3.3 of this order.
    Sec. 3.3. Automatic Declassification. (a) Subject to paragraphs (b)-(e) of this section, on December 31, 2006, all classified records that (1) are more than 25 years old and (2) have been determined to have permanent historical value under title 44, United States Code, shall be automatically declassified whether or not the records have been reviewed.Subsequently, all classified records shall be automatically declassified on December 31 of the year that is 25 years from the date of its original classification, except as provided in paragraphs (b)-(e) of this section.

    (b) An agency head may exempt from automatic declassification under paragraph (a) of this section specific information, the release of which could be expected to:
    (1)
    reveal the identity of a confidential human source, or a human intelligence source, or reveal information about the application of an intelligence source or method;
    (2) reveal information that would assist in the development or use of weapons of mass destruction;
    (3) reveal information that would impair U.S. cryptologic systems or activities;


  20. Wayne A. Schneider says:

    #14, #16

    Ford pardoned Nixon for anything he might have done, so the trial doesn’t have to come first.

    But, the constitutional prohibition against self incrimination only applies to criminal cases, not civil ones. And if the president pardons anyone before they testify, then the government can force them to testify under oath and even reveal their own illegal activities because they would no longer have to worry about going to jail for it. This, in turn, could lead to further indictments of people not yet charged with anything, but who may have violated the law (Mr. Vice President, I’m looking in your direction here.)

    I think they’ll wait until a trial starts so they can see how far they have to go to continue to cover up the truth (which is exactly what they have been doing since day one.)


  21. David says:

    14- All trials will come after the mid-terms. Any inconvenient convicttions (the bad kind), will be overturned by “Ollie Northesque” technicalities, or by Presidential pardon. Just like Raygun and Poppy did it.


  22. mr ho says:

    #

    I have a wager for you all.

    Do you think King dumbya will be pardoning ANY of the Executive Branch folk BEFORE or AFTER a trial.

    My money is that Rove gets him to do it before so as to hush it up and sweep it under the rug.

    Wadda ya think?

    Comment by kindness — February 10, 2006 @ 11:50 am

    I dunno, cheney in charge if george gets impeached or resigns, maybe duhbya will resign before he can pardon them..
    cheney in charge…..
    scary thought. for the world.


  23. Preznit_Douchebag says:

    Maybe Cheney will get “Agnewed” via the whole investigation into the leaking of classified info for the runup to the Iraq invasion.

    I’m not sure if it will really get any traction though; nothing has really stuck to this gang of traitors so far.


  24. mr ho says:

    The Worst Parts Remain Unchanged
    A Raw Deal on the Patriot Act
    http://www.counterpunch.org
    By Sen. RUSSELL FEINGOLD

    I understand that some of my friends and colleagues in the Senate have come to an agreement with the White House on reauthorizing the Patriot Act.

    While I respect these Senators greatly, I am gravely disappointed in this so-called deal. The White House agreed to only a few minor changes to the Patriot Act conference report that could not get through the Senate back in December. These changes do not address the major problems with the Patriot Act that a bipartisan coalition has been trying to fix for the past several years. We’ve come too far and fought too hard to agree to reauthorize the Patriot Act without fixing those problems. A few insignificant changes just doesn’t cut it. I cannot support this deal, and I will do everything I can to stop it.


  25. Wayne A. Schneider says:

    #23 Nothing has stuck because they’ve been stonewalling and giving misleading (or outright false) statements in public.

    This has been one of the least cooperative administrations when it comes to giving information to Congress, Special Counsel, FOIA requests or anything else that might shed some light on the truth.


  26. Jeffrey Stewart says:

    I am trying to understand this doublethink. A whistle blower exposing illegal, warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens is shameful and aids the enemy.

    However, the Vice-president authorizing the leak of a covert CIA agent working in the area of weapons of mass destruction is what?


  27. kindness says:

    My comment probably was hypothetical. I don’t know that someone can actually be pardoned prior to charges being pressed against them.

    But I think you all got my drift.

    Hey, on a similar note, in terms of the use of the CIA by our fearless feuher (that is, AFTER it was his time to actually serve in uniform), The Washington Post has a great article today written about Paul R. Pillar, who was the CIA’s national intelligence officer for the Near East and South Asia from 2000 to 2005 and he goes into great detail about bushco’s cherry picking intel in order to justify thier lust to invade Iraq.

    Nothing we don’t already know, but good for combatting the trolls. They hate facts.


  28. Dumb Fox says:

    Money quote:

    Too many of my counterparts from other countries have told me, “You Americans can’t keep a secret.”

    This is 100% true. Ex-CIA people like Ray McGovern, Melvin Goodman and Larry Johnson have all made this point.

    And the interesting thing is they have made point specifically in respect of the Plame leak.

    But what is less well known is that in 2004, just before the DNC, when suddenly the Pakistanis starting claiming to have rounded up some Al-Qaeda operatives, the sh*t truly hit the fan in terms of relationships with allies.

    Here’s the story, fully corroborated. The Pakistanis were under pressure from the Bushies to come up with a July surprise:

    http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040816&s=aaj081604

    They duly obliged, and produced Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani and Mohammed Naeem Noor Khan. No question these were both people with Al-Qaeda contacts, but the consequences of the show-and-tell exercise were disastrous.

    This is the nugget article:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3548678.stm

    The title – “US denies bungling al-Qaeda case” – is a dead giveaway. The Brits accused us of bungling the operation because we did. This is why:

    He [Khan] is said to have subsequently helped Pakistani police in secret operations against al-Qaeda – until his name surfaced in the US press last week.

    Get that – British intelligence (with the CIA – see links below) were developing an asset. Khan was working against Al-Qaeda. And then someone outed that fact he had been arrested, at which point his value as an asset fell to zero. If you want to know who outed Khan, it was certainly someone in America, and almost certainly someone in the Bush administration.

    http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=3271

    http://www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid=3382

    And what was the knock on effect of outing Khan?

    “In Britain, police officers told Reuters they had been forced to arrest 12 terror suspects sooner than they had wanted last week.”

    These 12 people [who had all quite obviously been in contact with Khan] were all subsequently released by the British police, because no charges could be brought against them.

    You’ll have to take my word on this, but I have been told firsthand that one of those released later, with a new identity, is believed to have assisted in planning the attacks on the London Underground.

    If proven true, this is the most damning indictment of America’s reliability as an ally in the war on terror. And the Bushies, not the media, are the prime saboteurs.


  29. Mark says:

    When the White House believes it has the constitutional authority to ddo anything it wants int he pursuit of the war on terror, why does the patriot act matter anyways?


  30. Colorado Jyms says:

    Good point Mark. And to take it a little further. Why do we need that Constitution? I mean the Preznit needs to be able to invade our homes, read our diaries and strip search our family to win this war on terror. I can just hear it, “We have to violate our civil liberties here so we can fight the war over there”.


  31. Jesus Christ God of WAR says:

    Meanwhile, Dick and Bush (gods! what a duo!!!) get exposed by ex-CIA official for having cherrypicked intellegence on Iraq.

    Color me shocked. Simply shocked!

    WASHINGTON (AFP) – A former CIA official who coordinated US intelligence on the Middle East has accused the Bush administration of “cherry-picking” intelligence on Iraq to justify a decision it had already reached to go to war, The Washington Post reports.

    The newspaper said Paul Pillar, who was the national intelligence officer for the Near East and South Asia from 2000 to 2005, also accused the administration of ignoring warnings that the country could easily fall into violence and chaos after an invasion to overthrow
    Saddam Hussein.

    “Official intelligence on Iraqi weapons programs was flawed, but even with its flaws, it was not what led to the war,” Pillar wrote in the upcoming issue of the journal Foreign Affairs.

    Instead, he asserted, the administration “went to war without requesting — and evidently without being influenced by — any strategic-level intelligence assessments on any aspect of Iraq.”

    Pillar said mistakes made by US intelligence agencies in concluding that Hussein’s government possessed weapons of mass destruction did not drive the administration’s decision to invade, according to The Post.

    It has become clear that official intelligence was not relied on in making even the most significant national security decisions, that intelligence was misused publicly to justify decisions already made, that damaging ill will developed between policymakers and intelligence officers, and that the intelligence community’s own work was politicized,” Pillar wrote…

    [from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060210/ts_afp/usiraqpoliticscia_060210104328 ]


  32. Lily says:

    #10 California, I started reading from your link:

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America…

    Um….if the laws don’t matter, and the Constitution is just a goddam piece of paper, maybe Bush isn’t really the president?


  33. california_reality_check says:

    Lily – Bingo! He is just a pathetic puppet of the REAL power. Darth runs things. Always has. To characterize him as the evil genius would be an understatement. The chimp is much too incompetent.


  34. mighty aphrodite says:

    I think we should give all terror cells and “master minds” what they want (and need!) to defeat the EVIL imperialism of the US and the West. If they know just how the NSA and CIA operates, that should level the playing field, right? How much $$$ have Joe and Valerie been able to haul from the cash cow known as “his book”?


  35. Spudge_Boy says:

    I think we should give all terror cells and “master minds” what they want (and need!) to defeat the EVIL imperialism of the US and the West. If they know just how the NSA and CIA operates, that should level the playing field, right? How much $$$ have Joe and Valerie been able to haul from the cash cow known as “his book”?

    mighty aphrodite,

    I have no idea how to respond to this.

    First you say let’s give them what they want, but don’t say what that is. I don’t think anybody here or anywhere would agree anyway.

    Second you if they know how the NSA and CIA work, but going off of your first statement, I think you mean that you want for us to tell them how it works. Guess what, Osama bin Laden was a CIA asset in the 1980s. He knows how “it” works already. No need to tell them.

    Thirdly, you go way off target with an attack on Joe and Valerie Wilson about his book. WTH. Talk about left field. Least you could have done was start a new paragraph, since it is a different topic. Or are you tring to say that Joe’s book tells the terrorists how the CIA and NSA work?

    I don’t understand you point. Could you slow down a touch and try again. Thanks.


  36. mighty aphrodite says:

    Dear SpudgeMan –
    “First you say let’s give them what they want, but don’t say what that is. I don’t think anybody here or anywhere would agree anyway.”

    I forgive you for not being able to “hear” the sarcasm dripping – or that I view the left as the weakest link in the security chain. What I would like to “give them” is a one way ticket to Allah-land. I guess we should only lie and try to fool the enemy if progs approve.

    Bin Laden wasn’t a CIA asset, he, and other mujuhadeen were the recipients of largesse from the CIA to combat the Russians.

    Jump all over Judd for being all over the board.


  37. I-RIGHT-I says:

    The Worst Parts Remain Unchanged
    A Raw Deal on the Patriot Act
    http://www.counterpunch.org
    By Sen. RUSSELL FEINGOLD

    “I understand that some of my friends and colleagues in the Senate have come to an agreement with the White House on reauthorizing the Patriot Act.

    While I respect these Senators greatly, I am gravely disappointed in this so-called deal. ”

    Translation: “George out-smarted and out- maneuvered us again.”


  38. Mark says:

    #34 I’ll bet they’ve made less than Halliburton has.


  39. SKdeA says:

    Mighty’s off her meds again..


  40. RightPunch says:

    “Bin Laden wasn’t a CIA asset, he, and other mujuhadeen were the recipients of largesse from the CIA to combat the Russians.
    Jump all over Judd for being all over the board.
    Comment by mighty aphrodite — February 10, 2006 @ 3:04 pm”
    AKA Jeffrey Shawn AKA Ritewinger

    This sounds like the stuff you wrote for the conservative underground pumpkin. And how do you know Bin Laden wasn’t a CIA asset? Do you have proof? From what I’ve read, his CIA codename was “Tim Osman”. Where do you get your wealth of information that is so supportive and defensive of Osama pumpkin? Is he your pal? After all, he’s not a priority for Bush anymore – right? What else would a friend do.

    SKdeA, mighty aphrodite is Jeffrey Shawn AKA RiteWinger. He’s a well known rightwing partisan who’s part of the GOP partisan bloggers ‘guild’. Poor thing is such a silly partisan – he can’t help himself.


  41. kindness says:

    Curious that ma & irighti follow up right after one another .

    No I don’t think they are the same. Joined at the hip in not being able to post a sentient full paragraph, but not the same.


  42. kindness says:

    Hey bushies – ma & iri – What do you think of Cheney telling Scooter to out an ACTIVE UNDERCOVER CIA AGENT?

    get your hip waders on people.


  43. Mark says:

    You know the whole Plame issued can be solved very easily and conviently for the White House. They say that whatever the president does in pursuing the war on terror is legal and that as commander in chief he has this plenary power vested to him viw the constitution. (of course that is in contradiction to his own claim that he wants only strict constructionists interpreting the constiutution, sounds like his argument is way further out in left field than Roe could ever dream of being) Anyhow all george has to do is say that Plame was outed on his orders as a needed strategy to fight the war on terror. Using his logic all is then forgiven except for Libby lying, in which case curious george can say he told libby to lie too.


  44. TerrytheTurtle says:

    #43, I am reminded of something by your post:

    ARTHUR

    How d’you do, good lady … I am Arthur, King of the Britons …

    can you tell me who lives in that castle?

    OLD WOMAN

    King of the WHO?

    ARTHUR

    The Britons.

    OLD WOMAN

    Who are the Britons?

    ARTHUR

    All of us are … we are all Britons.

    DENNIS winks at the OLD WOMAN.

    … and I am your king ….

    OLD WOMAN

    Ooooh! I didn’t know we had a king. I thought we were

    an autonomous collective …

    DENNIS

    You’re fooling yourself. We’re living in a dictatorship,

    A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes …

    OLD WOMAN

    There you are, bringing class into it again …

    DENNIS

    That’s what it’s all about … If only -

    ARTHUR

    Please, please good people. I am in haste. What knight lives in

    that castle?

    OLD WOMAN

    No one live there.

    ARTHUR

    Well, who is your lord?

    OLD WOMAN

    We don’t have a lord.

    ARTHUR

    What?

    DENNIS

    I told you, We’re an anarcho-syndicalist commune, we take

    it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.

    ARTHUR

    Yes.

    DENNIS

    … But all the decision of that officer …

    ARTHUR

    Yes, I see.

    DENNIS

    … must be approved at a bi-weekly meeting by a simple majority

    in the case of purely internal affairs.

    ARTHUR

    Be quiet!

    DENNIS

    … but a two-thirds majority …

    ARTHUR

    Be quiet! I order you to shut up.

    OLD WOMAN

    Order, eh — who does he think he is?

    ARTHUR

    I am your king!

    OLD WOMAN

    Well, I didn’t vote for you.

    ARTHUR

    You don’t vote for kings.

    OLD WOMAN

    Well, how did you become king, then?

    ARTHUR

    The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite,

    held Excalibur aloft from the bosom of the water to signify by

    Divine Providence … that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur …

    That is why I am your king!

    |

    | OLD WOMAN

    | Is Frank in? He’d be able to deal with this one.

    |

    DENNIS

    Look, strange women lying on their backs in ponds handing out

    swords … that’s no basis for a system of government. Supreme

    executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from

    some farcical aquatic ceremony.

    ARTHUR

    Be quiet!

    DENNIS

    You can’t expect to wield supreme executive power

    just ’cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!

    ARTHUR

    Shut up!

    DENNIS

    I mean, if I went around saying I was an Emperor because some

    moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, people would

    put me away!

    ARTHUR

    (Grabbing him by the collar)

    Shut up, will you. Shut up!

    DENNIS

    Ah! NOW … we see the violence inherent in the system.

    ARTHUR

    Shut up!

    PEOPLE (i.e. other PEASANTS) are appearing and watching.

    DENNIS

    (calling)

    Come and see the violence inherent in the system.

    Help, help, I’m being repressed!


  45. mighty aphrodite says:

    Kindness – No covert agent should be outed unless:
    a.) they have not been out of the office in five years on official business, AND
    b.) her/his spouse runs around Washington lying about who recommended them for an official trip.


  46. TerrytheTurtle says:

    #45, MA, I think the CIA and not you are responsible for deciding what ‘outing an agent’ actually means. Your B point has been refuted so many times, it’s not worth the effort. Try something new would you?

    If I don’t miss my guess, this thread is about DC Dick releasing NIE classified intelligence… the Plame was the mistake Libby made. Its beyond Plame now.


  47. mighty aphrodite says:

    Terry – thnks for the info. But I think the only refutation of B comes from Salon and the Nation. Who else???


  48. TerrytheTurtle says:

    #47, Why don’t you detail for us (1) how Wilson lied (2) why Wilson’s statements automatically earn him the right to have his wife’s career destryoed and his name smeared by his government? You make the accusation, you justify it.

    If you have anything decent to say, I’ll be back, otherwise, why don’t you wonder about the relevance of what you are posting to this thread – like I said, this is beyond Plame and Wilson now.


  49. WaltTheMan says:

    TTT,
    MA does not read the news.


  50. WaltTheMan says:

    TTT,
    Probably can’t read at all.


  51. mighty aphrodite says:

    Joe Wilson told people he had been sent to Niger by the executive brach to research the possibility of Niger yellow cake sales to Saddam. If Mr. Aphrodite ran around town and told everyone that our governor sent him to monitor the corruption here in SD City Hall, but I had recommended him to the County Supervisors, then Arnold’s aide should be allowed to refute the untrue story.

    As for relevance, Terry, I come here to play – the viewpoints are entertaining. Relevant? – hardly – but progs are entertaining.


  52. TerrytheTurtle says:

    #51, where’s your source, your quote, your information? You have nothing but your own opinion. Cheney asked the CIA to send someone to Niger, so yes, Wilson was sent to Niger at the request of the executive.

    Now read what the CIA says about it through Newsday and through CNN:

    A senior intelligence official confirmed that Plame was a Directorate of Operations undercover officer who worked “alongside” the operations officers who asked her husband to travel to Niger.

    But he said she did not recommend her husband to undertake the Niger assignment.

    And through CNN’s David Ensor

    ENSOR: Secondly, the suggestion that’s been out there quite a bit — and there’s even some discussion of it in the Senate Intelligence Committee report — that Valerie Plame suggested her husband be sent to Niger. I have talked to very high intelligence officials who say that just isn’t true.

    You come here to play, that’s clear from the effort you put into your viewpoints.


  53. TerrytheTurtle says:

    Good night, god bless and thank you for playing


  54. RightPunch says:

    mighty aphrodite AKA Jeffrey Shawn AKA RiteWinger

    Sweetie, I forgive you for reprinting the lies, misrepresentations and continuing water carrying you’re doing on the Libby/Cheney/Rove CIA Treason. I know that it’s hard for a partisan to admit that you’ve broken the law, released classified data, and attempted to destroy the career of a government employee who was doing critical work of american National Security. But sweetie, all of the lies you’ve posted have long been proven wrong.

    I forgive you pumpkin for lying about being a woman, living in san diego, and every other partisan lie you print. The partisan brain makes criminal and immoral acts seem acceptable, so I forgive you for being weak of mind, body and spirit. Clearly you’re easily misled.


  55. mighty aphrodite says:

    Terry quotes, “A senior intelligence official confirmed that Plame was a Directorate of Operations undercover officer who worked “alongside” the operations officers who asked her husband to travel to Niger.

    But he said she did not recommend her husband to undertake the Niger assignment.”

    Of course not…they simply had, Esmerelda, the Psychic Psychotic Demorat suggest Wilson.


  56. RightPunch says:

    “Of course not…they simply had, Esmerelda, the Psychic Psychotic Demorat suggest Wilson.
    Comment by mighty aphrodite — February 10, 2006 @ 7:36 pm AKA Jeffrey Shawn AKA RiteWinger”

    Typical partisan response pumpkin. Instead of processing the new facts that disprove your silly partisan rant, you attack people with off topic and weird comments. Sweetie, you need a vacation – the Kerry campaign clearly blew those circuits of yours.

    There have been multiple sources that have all discredited this Cheney claim – and in fact the only people who still seem to believe the administration’s clearly fictitious view of history are the severely impaired partisans – congratulations pumpkin. You pass the extremists for american partisans test. You’re clearly among the elite of the partisan brain impaired.

    I forgive you though pumpkin. The partisan brain doesn’t let you deal with reality – and coupled with that Arizona sun, it must be hard to think clearly about tying your shoes.


  57. RightPunch says:

    And mighty/Jeffrey,

    I guess that Wilson had been sent by the CIA to Niger in 1999 on missions might not have had anything to do with it – do you think?

    Sweetie, for a man of your age, I would expect you to do better fact checking. You’re starting to resemble Novak – another well known and discredited republican partisan like yourself :)


  58. RightPunch says:

    Terry,

    Valerie’s boss asked her if Joe would be suitable for this mission – that’s not the same thing as ‘offering up’ that the republican reason crippled partisans love to say. When they say ‘recommended’, what their poor little brains believe is that she initiated the act – something that’s long been disproven. And considering his history of working for the CIA and in Nigeria – he was a natural choice. Only a partisan would take the work of a career REPUBLICAN diplomat and try to turn it into something sordid. Shame shame Jeffrey, you’re such an immoral little boy.


  59. mighty aphrodite says:

    #56, 57, 58 by the RyANNe, the MANIC Poster……

    ZZZZzzzzzzz….zzzzzzzz….zzzzzz


  60. Max-1 says:

    As much as I would have given to be a fly on the wall,
    It is just as entertaining to watch the snake in the pit
    Be picked and poked at by the hawks in the Judiciary Branch.

    NOTICE:
    The special prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald , assigned to expose the louse that spilled the beans, has also uncovered the executive general in charge that gave the order. And my gut says that Rove has corroborated Libby’s story of the Cheney orders.

    For all this time that Patrick Fitzgerald has been mum concerning Rove and his role in this play of events. Notice how nothing is being said about Rove concerning the Plame Leak case. Instead Patrick Fitzgerald leap frogged directly to the V.P. Cheney.

    Patrick Fitzgerald now faces the possibility of being the first special prosecutor to ever charge a V.P. of breaking high law. Treason or High Treason. This will also force the Bush to follow through with his promise. “to fire any individuals involved in the outing of a covert agent”.

    WILL BUSH FIRE CHENEY???????


  61. Cyra Brown says:

    #51- WOW! “The Land of Make-Believe” is a really fun place to play! No wonder you spend all of your time there. But I really think you should get an MRI, A.S.A.P!!! Or, double your dosage, until you are able to behave rationally in public. Your erratic behavior is making people uncomfortable.


  62. Cyra Brown says:

    One other thing, Dick Cheney- “Loose Lips”??? Uuummm, nope, sorry, not seeing it. That shriveled, slanting hole in his face does not say “Loose” to me! I bet he is constipated just about ALL of the time. Bummer. (Sorry, I couldn’t help it.)


  63. Jay Randal says:

    Cheney was born a liar and is incredibly evil too!

    Impeach him before he nukes Iran and sets off WWIII!


  64. Max-1 says:

    Comment by Jay Randal

    Cheney won’t be impeached.
    He’ll Be Fired.

    READ #60


  65. Max-1 says:

    FOR THOSE WHO CARE

    Bush: Any Criminals in Leak to Be Fired
    By Pete Yost
    The Associated Press
    Monday 18 July 2005

    Washington - President Bush said Monday that if anyone on his staff committed a crime in the CIA-leak case, that person will “no longer work in my administration.” At the same time, Bush yet again sidestepped a question on the role of his top political adviser, Karl Rove, in the matter.

    We have a serious ongoing investigation here and it’s being played out in the press,” Bush said at an East Room news conference.

    Bush, appearing at a news conference with visiting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, spoke a day after Time magazine’s Matthew Cooper said that a 2003 phone call with Rove was the first he heard about the wife of Bush administration critic Joseph Wilson apparently working for the CIA.

    Bush said in June 2004 that he would fire anyone in his administration shown to have leaked information that exposed the identity of Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame. On Monday, however, he added the qualifier that it would have be shown that a crime was committed.

    Asked at a June 10, 2004 news conference if he stood by his pledge to fire anyone found to have leaked Plame’s name, Bush answered, “Yes. And that’s up to the U.S. attorney to find the facts.”


  66. I-RIGHT-I says:

    You should be aware that Judd saw fit to ban the REAL I-Right-I, and restore my posting on the same date. Unlike like you, Judd is apparently a rational and reasonable person despite my disagreement with him.

    Comment by Ryan Neat

    That’s some funny stuff. That mean old “real” iRi got his did he? Well the bastard deserved it yes he did.

    You are some piece of work Ryan.


  67. unbelievable says:

    You should be aware that Judd saw fit to ban the REAL I-Right-I, and restore my posting on the same date. Unlike like you, Judd is apparently a rational and reasonable person despite my disagreement with him. I’m guessing I-RIGHT-I has reposted since then by trying to circumvent the ban

    Comment by Ryan Neat — February 11, 2006 @ 2:35 am

    I’m confused… Who’ve I been arguing with then? Seems like the same lovable old IRI as always.

    Mighty Aphrodite always sounded like a Drag Queen name to me, and not something a woman would choose. Not even Ann “makes me want to shoot my t.v.” Coulter.


  68. mighty aphrodite says:

    RyANNe/Rum Punch – And you were saying???? blahblahblahblah
    blahblahblah……….

    But I-R-I, I have considered that “one” RyANNe/RumPunch is a duo personality – the viciousness of RyANNe “cleverly” combined with the “sugar, spice and venom” of Punch. I wonder if they are both independently wealthy trust fund tykes???? Ha!!!!


  69. mighty aphrodite says:

    Well, I FINALLY agree with unbelievable about something – the faux I-R-I did a wonderful job…..Now for the bad news, to placate RyANNe, Judd TOLD the gullible wimpy whiner that, of course, I-R-I would be banned. But ONLY the real I-R-I could have pi$$ed progs off sooooo MUCH. Too much fun!!!!


  70. I-RIGHT-I says:

    But I-R-I, I have considered that “one” RyANNe/RumPunch is a duo personality – the viciousness of RyANNe “cleverly” combined with the “sugar, spice and venom” of Punch. I wonder if they are both independently wealthy trust fund tykes???? Ha!!!!

    Comment by mighty aphrodite

    Don’t know. But the first time I met Ryan on here he indicated that he favored a homosexual lifestyle. (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) And of course Punchi likes to call me Sweetie and Pumpkin. I just don’t know. I kinda doubt it because that multiple username thing is what I believe got Ryan in trouble with Judd in the first place. That, and he’s an embarrassment to the fellow travelers here at Think Communist.


  71. mighty aphrodite says:

    I-R-I, Thanks for the heads up on RyANNe’s “orientation”. Mr. Aphrodite thought the same thing. He said “I’ll bet that little fru*3(ake WISHES you were a man – your confident personality obviously turns him on.” No, wonder Mr. Aphrodite stole my heart – but then I realized Valentines Day is right around the corner…and he always looks for ways to be a great guy!!!


  72. Jay Randal says:

    Maybe mighty aphrodite is ANN COULTER? She uses the same words that ANN does and loves to call us progressives names like ANN, so it is her or her twin sister > lol. ( Or his twin brother >hint.)


  73. mighty aphrodite says:

    I don’t know, Jay, you’re just a bit too clever for the rest of us. You’re not a lawyer, Jay, are you???? Which of Ann’s books did you prefer, “Slander” or “Treason”?


  74. Jay Randal says:

    aphro I do NOT prefer either book that you mention by ANN COULTER or is it yourself?


  75. unbelievable says:

    Well, I FINALLY agree with unbelievable about something

    Comment by mighty aphrodite — February 11, 2006 @ 4:32 pm

    You’ve agreed with me about other things before… remember the education forum?


  76. unbelievable says:

    But I-R-I, I have considered that “one” RyANNe/RumPunch is a duo personality – the viciousness of RyANNe “cleverly” combined with the “sugar, spice and venom” of Punch.

    Comment by mighty aphrodite — February 11, 2006 @ 4:26 pm

    RightPunch is not Ryan. Get over it now. And move on to some new material.


  77. I-RIGHT-I says:

    but then I realized Valentines Day is right around the corner…and he always looks for ways to be a great guy!!!

    Comment by mighty aphrodite

    I bet he is a good guy. I also bet he’s got a little surprise for you on VD. Ryan should be so lucky. I bet he gets VD for VD whatchawannabet?


  78. Think Progress » George Allen: Investigate Cheney Over CIA Leak says:

    [...] For more on why Cheney need to be investigated, read CIA director Porter Goss’ editorial, Loose Lips Sink Spies. [...]


  79. mighty aphrodite says:

    I-R-I, You better watch out – RyANNe may be moving to your neck of the woods for the affordable MexiCAN Rx’s to fight the virulent strains of VD (we know how thrifty many independently wealthy can be!!!) You have a great Valentine’s Day – hoist a margarita with a gorgeous lady and have a VERY romantic evening.


  80. unbelievable says:

    You have a great Valentine’s Day – hoist a margarita with a gorgeous lady and have a VERY romantic evening.

    Comment by mighty aphrodite — February 12, 2006 @ 4:58 pm

    Does this finally mean you’ve given up playing Cupid between a gun nut and a tree hugger?

    My parents were total opposites and it worked for them for 30 years. Though, in their case, they were both humans :).


  81. EconAtheist says:

    Aww… I-RIGHT-I got banninated?

    :(

    aww


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