NY Times:Leak Case Renews Questions on War's Rationale

[Fluffdaddy]

By RICHARD W. STEVENSON and DOUGLAS JEHL
Published: October 23, 2005
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 - The legal and political stakes are of the highest order, but the investigation into the disclosure of a covert C.I.A. officer's identity is also just one skirmish in the continuing battle over the Bush administration's justification for the war in Iraq.

That fight has preoccupied the White House for more than three years, repeatedly threatening President Bush's credibility and political standing, and has now once again put the spotlight on Vice President Dick Cheney, who assumed a critical role in assembling and analyzing the evidence about Iraq's weapons programs.


Read the rest:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/23/politics/23strategy.html?ei=5090&en=2efc715c4c477499&ex=1287720000&adxnnl=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1130015328-RP49xZVAllqa2KNtfRDTMQ

[whirlygigspin]

1. cherry picking intel is not analyzing

"put the spotlight on Vice President Dick Cheney, who assumed a critical role in assembling and analyzing the evidence about Iraq's weapons programs"

Is this the same Dick Cheney who went over to the CIA in person several times and had a fit telling them to provide the intel that he wanted?

Get a clue and buy a vowel,

or do they need more Anthrax letters to get them on board?

[rusty charly]

2. "way beyond weird"

The following Monday, the team relocated to the eighth-floor space where The Times’ best-seller lists are usually compiled. Reporters spent the week repeatedly and unsuccessfully trying to speak to Ms. Miller by phone about her conversations with Mr. Libby and her grand-jury appearances.

On one occasion, according to a person familiar with the reporting, Ms. Miller hung up on Mr. Van Natta.

Meanwhile, Ms. Miller was also providing mixed signals about whether or not her first-person account would be forthcoming—leading to the rumored ultimatum from Mr. Keller.


http://www.observer.com/pageone_offtherec.asp