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Printer-Friendly ModeLatest intelligence leak unearths Bush hypocrisy
April 10, 2006 —
The Bush Administration is again under fire after Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, testified that President Bush authorized the leak of classified information to refute criticism over the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Libby's testimony claims that Cheney told him Bush had approved the leak of portions of classified reports from a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) in order to refute criticism from Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who publicly questioned the validity of Iraq seeking uranium to build weapons of mass destruction. Libby is currently charged with perjury, obstruction of justice, and lying to FBI agents in connection with the investigation of the identity leak of Wilson's wife, CIA agent Valerie Plame.
As president, Bush has authority to declassify information as he sees fit, negating any legality issues in regards to the NIE leak. And while some question whether Bush or Cheney were involved in leaking Plame's name - something that would not be allowed - the main issue right now concerns the president leaking information to further his own political agenda.
What makes this recent testimony even more disheartening is that Bush has been unwavering in his criticism of officials leaking information, labeling such actions as threats to national security. It is interesting, then, that Bush found this particular leak non-threatening, especially when considering it aided his desire to invade Iraq. This then becomes the ultimate example of "do as I say, not as I do" and could potentially prove Bush a hypocrite - something the American people continue to find evidence of.
Also of concern with this recent leak is the type of information not being revealed. If the Bush Administration is willing to declassify information in order to make itself look better, what sort of information is being covered up? While the fact that no weapons of mass destruction were found is now well known, recent reports like these leave everyone wondering if the Bush Administration knew it was initiating a witch hunt when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.
There is no denying that some information should remain classified in order to protect the security of this country, nor is there any fault in a president threatening to fire anyone caught leaking such information. But when the president releases classified materials in order to justify a war that has since been proved senseless, it spawns questions as to whether the real threat to this nation comes from terrorist nations or from those sworn to protect it.