Comments on: Don’t Worry, Isikoff Says, DC Is Not Corrupt and Dishonest

By: Citizen92

Citizen92 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:27:58 +0000

Former 9/11 Commissioner Lehman:

“We had to go through Karl Rove.”

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/....._0203.html

As pointed out above, political advisor Rove held keys to all the secrets, including the PDB. And it was because he held the “Deputy Chief of Staff” portfolio.

By: AZ Matt

AZ Matt — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 03:13:25 +0000

EW,

Here you go, more stuff from the WaPo, Feb. 3rd.:Ties Between White House, Sept 11 Chief

By: Sedgequill

Sedgequill — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:16:19 +0000

Alas, that letter Zelikow wrote for the 9/11 Commission recently concerning the interrogation recordings had left such a good first impression on me. I guess most historians can write well. A number of them will be undertaking to write well about Zelikow.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 15:30:36 +0000

In part and among other things.

By: emptywheel

emptywheel — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 15:13:54 +0000

Which is, again, why Isikoff’s article looks like a very concerted effort on someone’s part (not necessarily Zelikow’s–it’s worth remembering how absolutely fawning Isikoff has been over Rove for the last seven years) to do damage control.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 15:07:22 +0000

I agree with that. And I should add that there is a complete disconnect in the passage in Isikoff’s report that moves from the details of Tenet’s forgetting the Clinton administration’s efforts to the notion that there was more than enough blame to go around to defuse the impact of the Report on the Bush administration’s political prospects. The Report in fact contains the information about the Clinton administration’s move to a law of armed conflict setting to deal with the assassination ban and so forth.

By: emptywheel

emptywheel — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:54:57 +0000

I guess my point in this post is not whether Shenon is correct or not–I find it quite possible he DID get just the six people who were disgruntled with Zelkow’s role.

But Mikey Isikoff makes a claim that Holland’s piece–or those “conspiracy theorists” reading it–made Zelikow into a “mole.” Now, “mole” was not Holland’s word, so whoever is behind Isikoff’s column clearly took Holland’s post and blew IT out of proportion (and I should have made that point in my post).

But the thing is, Isikoff’s story does nothing but provide more evidence for the argument that the whole thing, including Zelikow’s, Tenet’s, and Abu G’s role, was fixed for the White House. The evidence Isikoff chooses to present actually makes the larger point better than Holland’s piece.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:46:36 +0000

It seems to me the abcnews story casts serious doubt on the first main point Holland makes, while I think, as I’ve been suggesting, there is something to the second main point, that the 9-11 Commission served (among other things, I would add) to political protect the White House more than a genuinely impartial investigation would have. However, I think it could have been a lot worse. (okay, so the response wasn’t that comprehensive; but it has essential points.)

By: BillE

BillE — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:44:39 +0000

The Washington Star alumni association strikes again

By: Citizen92

Citizen92 — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:19:34 +0000

Let’s not overlook the two-way street angle here.

Throughout most of his time at the White House, political advisor Rove held the title of Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff. That title holds important control and administrative distinctions inside the US Government. The list is exhausting, but best to focus in on that Karl would have tip-top security clearance to all SAP’s and just about any other intel he could want (the bureaucracy recognizes that holders of that title are so proximate to the President that they “have” to have those clearances in case the President should ask or share something). Did Rove need the clearances for that purpose. Hardly. But did he use them for other purposes? Probably.

Point being that Zelikow, despite supposed cleared for everything was still unlikely to have accessed the full range of government secrets. Yet Karl held those keys. I absolutely concede that Zelikow could have been there do follow the WH’s orders. But I also think that Karl was a mole into the true treasure trove of secrets.