Although reporters tried, they were unable to catch-up with Mitchell for comment Thursday.
David Satterfield, now Rice's senior advisor on Iraq, was eventually a party to the possibly criminal withholding of evidence in the Email trail. Satterfield suggested that Washington should first approve any answers to the reporter. "This is a sensitive story that deals with sensitive contract issues," another, unnamed official Emailed.
Mitchell, in an e-mail to the Times reporter on the story, wrote that State officials were still investigating the issue and added, "I've been assured that the issue continues to be staffed back in Washington"
Even as all of this was going on, Condoleeza Rice was denying any knowledge within her aegis of any of the matters concerning Blackwater. A number of lawmakers asked her whether she was even aware of some of the most heinous crimes that have been alleged. "You're the secretary of state!" Chairman Henry A. Waxman said once, incredulous after Rice responded to a specific charge against Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki by saying, she was "not personally following every allegation of corruption in Iraq."
What does she do with her time and who in that administration does, personally follow every allegation of corruption in Iraq?
Congressman Henry A. Waxman said, "For most of this year, Congress has focused its attention on assessing the military surge, however, the quality and effectiveness of Rice's actions in Iraq and the State Department's management are a matter of urgent national concern."
Pressed to express regret for what Representative John Sarbanes called "the failures of your department, your failures," Rice said, "I certainly regret that we did not have the kind of oversight that I would have insisted upon." (Editor's Italics) She has implemented changes recommended by the review, she said, and "we now will have that oversight."
Rice said she launched a review of the State Department's private security contracts after Blackwater Worldwide guards allegedly shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians last month because "I did not think personally that I could say that oversight and follow-up was appropriate." In spite of many reports of suspicious Iraqi citizen's deaths over the last several years, she failed to act earlier, because she didn't want to "second-guess people on the ground" who had handled the shootings in Baghdad.
Let's look at why, "We did not have the kind of oversight that I would have insisted upon?" I wonder, why did "we not have the kind of oversight that I (Rice) would have insisted upon!" and why did she not insist upon them in the beginning, has she no foresight? How did she get this job? Wasn't competence a consideration? She did not foresee, airplanes crashing into buildings as a possibility to defend against, she did not foresee, this. She did not foresee that, what the Hell does she do with her time. Is there anyone in this administration which is either competent or with an intellect and some foresight?
Rice agreed that "there is a 'Lacuna' " in U.S. law that has prevented prosecution of contractors. Earlier this month, the House passed a bill that would place all contractors under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, and a similar measure is pending in the Senate. The White House opposes the bill because it would have "unintended and intolerable consequences" for national security. Boy, they must be in a Mad-Cow, brain-pitting, delusional, ecstasy, or heavily supplied by their Afghanistan, Coke and Heroin Dealers, to think that the American people are going to swallow that 'national security' BS forever, and ever.
The FBI is investigating the September 16 Blackwater shootings. An earlier shooting, in which a Blackwater guard allegedly killed the Iraqi vice president's bodyguard after a Green Zone party on Christmas Eve 2006, was referred to the Justice Department sometime back, but a lack of evidence has hobbled that investigation, Rice said. Yeah, 'a lack of evidence' another 'what me worry' from the Alfred E Newman of politics, (They look alike, don't they?) the spoiled, twisted, sicko whose pleasures and hobbies are sadism, suffering of others, violence and death, hampered only by stupidity and lack of foresight, a sort of contagious Alzheimers.
Rice's replies to the Government Accountability Office, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction and the State Department having described pervasive corruption in the Iraqi government, which were in keeping with previous hearings and closed-door depositions, in which the oversight group was inundated with similar instances both from U.S. and Iraqi officials.
Incredulous at Rice's appearance of either cluelessness, incompetence or contempt, Maryland Representative Elijah E. Cummings, snapped to Rice." This is not some pie in the sky! This is your own department!"
She kept up the masquerade by refusing any discussion of specific allegations in the open session. She said it was. "Potentially damaging to relationships we are very dependent on." And that the Americans should know, that "if there is corruption, the United States is in fact dedicated to rooting it out." However, she also said, "let's not take Iraq in isolation . . .. We need to understand that corruption is a pervasive issue" in many other developing and nondemocratic countries." I assume she was including America under Bush.
The Oversight Committee questioned an April 1 memo from Prime Minister Maliki forbids investigation of anyone in the government or the cabinet without his approval. The former head of the Iraqi Commission on Public Integrity, Judge Radhi Hamza al-Radhi, turned the memo over to the Oversight Committee. It now is understood that he is now seeking U.S. political asylum. Judge Radhi Hamza al-Radhi, testified to the Oversight Committee in early October that his investigators had uncovered "rampant" corruption in Iraqi ministries and that close to 50 anti-corruption employees and/or their families, had been assassinated.
Despite the fact that nearly everyone, in America and Iraq, including grade school children have read or heard about the memo the memo has been widely publicized in U.S. and Iraqi and a senior State Department official was questioned about it in the Oct. 4 hearing when Radhi spoke of it, Rice told the committee she would "have to get back to you. I don't know precisely what you are referring to. Our understanding, is that the Iraqi leadership is not in fact immune from investigation . . .. If, in fact, there is such an order . . . that would certainly be concerning."
Professor Bagnolo is a Renaissance man: Cultural Anthropologist, Architectural designer, painter, writer, novelist, theologian. As a child prodigy, abed with polio for almost two years, with an off the charts IQ, reading at the graduate level by 5th grade, offered an opportunity to skip three grades at age 8. Later He was a recipient of an Art Institute scholarship at age 11, a Ford Foundation Fellowship in Anthropology and in Painting and a merit scholarship in art, and was appointed a Graduate Research Assistant position in college. He holds a triple bachelor's degree in Painting and Drawing, Anthropology, Architectural Design Advertising. MA's in Cultural Anthro, Painting and more. After being tenured he taught; architecture, anthropology, Theology, advertising, painting and drawing, entrepreneuring and Creative Profit Making. He produced a star-studded Music festival, had a radio talk show in Chicago, and cable TV show. Now, retired from Teaching, he paints, writes, and pursues other ventures.
The above bio harvested from the comments of Deans, colleagues, students, clients and collector's.
I watched Condi's testimony, late and night, and was so angered by her lack of knowledge about what happened, and continued protection of any information which was available to her because of 'security', I was awake most of the night. I cannot believe this administration and their complete lack of accountability and the excuses they make for not knowing what they are doing. If I were as ignorant about what I did and how I performed my job, I've not doubt that I would have been fired years ago, and should have been fired. She is a disgrace and I hope everyone in this administration is criminally charged for their lack of adherence to the Constitution and failure to protect the Constitution.
by
Crystal Purcell (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 44 comments)
on Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 5:15:51 PM
Looks like Waxman is our last hope to come through for us. Wouldn't hurt to send him and any others who have his sticktuitiveness encouragement through emails and phone calls.
by
Sandy Sand (131 articles, 0 quicklinks, 161 diaries, 1211 comments)
on Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 6:34:05 PM
I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIS OFFICE AND THEY HAVE RETURNED PHONE CALLS TO MY OFFICE AND SEEMED GRATEFUL FOR THE APPRECIATION OF WHAT HE IS DOING. .
CRYSTALL I THINK MANY ARE ANGRY AT THEIR CONTINUED HUBRIS AND DUMB ACT, THIS TIME, UNLESS THE DEMOCRATS ARE STILL FOLLOWING THAT NUMBSKULL FROM ILLINOIS, THAT FUND RAISING, BALLET DANCING, DINDONG, THEY SHOULD GO DOWN FOR OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE.
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Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1270 comments)
on Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 9:08:36 PM
Thanks for writing, however, I have no idea of what the material you have submitted has to do with my article. My immediate concern is the testifying of Ms. Rice, Under Oath and perhaps lying, which would place her in Contempt of Congress and is a Federal Crime. If so the repercussions are enormous, if there is proper follow-up. This could lead to the White House and the Oval office and may be the biggest piece of news since Watergate. I was assured by a return phone call to me at 12:45 CST from the Oversight Committee, that everyone who testified was under oath.
by
Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1270 comments)
on Monday, October 29, 2007 at 12:56:56 PM
