Memo Indicates Democrats Mulled Plan to Politicize War Planning

CNSNews ^ | 11/5/03 | Susan Jones

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

A memo pulled out of the trash can of Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has infuriated Republicans.

The memo, written by a Democratic staffer on the Senate Intelligence Committee, indicates that Democrats may be planning to discredit the Bush administration's pre-war intelligence gathering -- with the intention of embarrassing President Bush in an election year.

According to press reports, the memo said Democrats should "prepare to launch an investigation when it becomes clear we have exhausted the opportunity to usefully collaborate with the majority. We can pull the trigger on an independent investigation of the administration's use of intelligence at any time -- but we can only do so once...the best time would probably be next year."

The memo was obtained by talk show host Sean Hannity.

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he's appalled by a memo that "exposes politics in its most raw form."

In a press release, Sen. Roberts said, "The memo does not discuss efforts to strengthen our intelligence capabilities nor does it mention the need to protect our troops. Instead, it's a purely partisan document that appears to be a road map for how the Democrats intend to politicize what should be a bipartisan, objective review of pre-war intelligence."

Roberts is urging Sen. Rockefeller -- the vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee -- and other Democrats on the committee to "repudiate this strategy...to put politics aside and look at the facts of the inquiry."

[Boxsford]

Roberts is urging Sen. Rockefeller -- the vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee -- and other Democrats on the committee to "repudiate this strategy...to put politics aside and look at the facts of the inquiry."

Yeah, when pigs fly!

[HarleyD]

What probably concerns the RATS more is who leaked the memo. This is a very senior level memo probably only circulated to a small number of people. Is Zell Miller working as an aid these days? :O)

[TheRightGuy]

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he's appalled by a memo that "exposes politics in its most raw form."

Majority Leader Frist will soon apologize for Roberts' emotional outburst.

[Robe]

Can they (R's)kick thier (D's) a$$s off the commitee, or is there some goofball rule that says they have to be on it?

This is treason pure and simple,they do not deserve to be anywhere near this kinds in intel.

The Pubs need to get off their A$$s and get tough, this is a street fight and they're acting under the Queensbury Rules !!!

[InterceptPoint]

A memo pulled out of the trash can of Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has infuriated Republicans.

Right. If you call the Dems e-mail list a trashcan.

[Grig]

I feel so bad for Rush, to be stuck in a rehab center with no mike at a time like this.

[commish]

OK Someone has to say it ROFL

IT's A VAST LEFT WING CONSPIRACY!!!!

[longtermmemmory]

Actually its a compliment to Rush.

Consider, he has always said this is a nation of conservative values. He has always said the left is NOT the mainstrean and that the left does NOT understand us.

While he was out the Republicans pickup up two governorships. The people force a national broadcaster to change their programing DURING sweeps BEFORE something aired.

If anything, his absense has emphasised the ideas are greater than any one man.

[null and void]

Soooooo, who all is on the committee?

[Puppage]

And not ONE mention on CNN/MSNCB, etc. Not on the air, OR their respective web pages.

[drypowder]

The (power hungry) Democrats are obviously unconcerned about our nation's security. I hope Bush has the guts to use their treasonous actions against them.

[longtermmemmory]

THIS IS BIG.

It PROVES that democrat only string republicans along till they can plunge the knife. The chairman of the intelligence services committee was on Hanity. What a WIMP! "get back to business" THIS MEMO IS THE BUSINESS OF THE COMMITTEE. It demonstrates the acts of the democrats have NOTHING TO DO WITH THE committee or the people's business. Rockefeller in particular are only looking to get dominance in power.

The DNC is looking for a way to "impeach" Bush as payback. This MUST be pursued, this MUST be investigated. NO Mr. Niceguy "trent lott" delusions.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I got a call from the a U.S. House election fundraiser, and I said, "I know you're calling about the House, but I'm really fed up with the Republican Senators, and their inability to get things done," and the person I was talking to said, "They just will not play hardball. Believe me, if we had the judicial nominees going through the House, we'd get it done."

If a Senate re-election committee calls me for $$, I think I'll say, "as soon as you guys grow a spine, I'll send you some $$."

[longtermmemmory]

On a senate footnote: Democrats in south florida are all jockying for higher offices due to Grahms retiring. Democrat house members are jocking to go to the senate because "the senate is more open to the democrat party agenda".

[Hoboken]

So far the only the only media (besides Fox News) covering this are CNS, Worldnetdaily, Newsmax and a few others. We must keep up the pressure on the lamestream media to air this sleezy plot. This is FAR worse than Watergate but won't get any "legs" unless we demand action. I want the friggin names of each and every conspirator involved in this subversive cabal!

[longtermmemmory]

(s) Why would it get legs. The deomocrat senator said is was an uncirculated draft. End of story. (/s)

[Ben Hecks]

" It demonstrates the acts of the democrats have NOTHING TO DO WITH THE committee or the people's business. Rockefeller in particular are only looking to get dominance in power. "

My thoughts exactly. The Democrats have now proven that they are willing to do anything to gain political advantage. This memo is an extension of the plan to discredit President Bush with the manufactured issue of the 16 words in the SOTU address. It is now becoming clearer that the Wilson-Plame leak was also a part of the Democrat strategy.
I have nothing but contempt for the Democrat party - they have absolutely no ethical standards and are unfit to hold any public office.

[TheRightGuy]

If a Senate re-election committee calls me for $$, I think I'll say, "as soon as you guys grow a spine, I'll send you some $$."

I loudly told one of our GOP senate hopefuls here in Illinois that I'm looking for the kinda guy who will promise to go to DC and kick 'RAT a$$, strut down the hallway of the Senate Office Building, spit into Tom Daschle's door, and call him out.

The poor guy was visibly shaken.

[pawdoggie]

If many Republican Senators weren't cowering in the corner, concerned about their re-election chances if Iraq is perceived as a "loser" around this time next year, they would rise up as a body and demand that all further hearings on Iraq intelligence be suspended until after the 2004 elections. Of what use are further hearings at this time, except to help the Democrats implement their acknowledged partisan political strategy? We already know, for example, that our intelligence agencies have been overly reliant on technical means (e.g. satellites, Signals Intelligence, photography), and that our intelligence agencies have not emphasized Human (agent) Intelligence (HUMINT). We also know that CIA, DIA, et al recognize that fact, and are scrambling to do things about it. Is it necessary to afix blame at this point? Do our intelligence services, already frustrated and demoralized by the "intelligence failures" of 9-11, their inability to "find Osama and Saddam", the "failure" to either properly assess or find Iraqi WMD really need another "rock in their rucksack" at this time? If the Intelligence Committee were to move into the blame assessment mode, would the Democrats allow the Republican members of that committee to castigate the intelligence agencies alone while "white-washing" the Bush Administration? Would the Democrat members allow the Republican members to report on the roles played by government officials like Frank Church and Bill Clinton in ham-stringing our intelligence agencies' ability to collect human intelligence? So where's the point, in light of this memo. Just remember: "an investigation never fed a hungry child, or killed a terrorist".