media lizzy & friends

I spent much of this week reading through hundreds of pages of information.  Some were resources provided to me by a former, and very senior, CIA official that gave me some profound insight to the realities decision-makers faced in the wake of 9/11.  

Then I perused my old Woodward books that centered on the Bush presidency.  I re-read Doug Feith’s diatribe, er… book.  Re-reading George Tenet’s At the Center of the Storm (coupled with data from the aforementioned former CIA official) reminded me of his tumultuous, and critical, years as DCI.

I turned to old archived data from the Bush years for contemporaneous accounts. I reviewed MSM coverage.  Then I reviewed items in Federal Register and the ever-helpful Thomas.LOC.gov site, both of which gave me ever more insight into the rampant hypocrisy and outright BS being spewed by MoCs (Members of Congress) with regard to not only EITs (Enhanced Interrogation Techniques) and the alleged torture… but also with regard to the following: Darfur, Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, genocide, rape as a Crime Against Humanity, orphans, child soldiers, Islamic radicals, the Janjaweed, starvation, preventable diseases, malaria, malnutrition, AIDS, HIV, epidemics, pandemics, prevention, healthcare, the absence of healthcare, financial misappropriation and malfeasance, human rights, protesters, liars, bullshitters, troops, officers, civil servant, public health, and at least a hundred other things that have been discussed but not addressed in a real way for at least a generation.  

Of course, I’ve got another article on torture – and the lack thereof – partially written.  But, given my passion for the issue… I decided to share some unredacted thoughts.  

For those who are horrified or enthused by Shepard Smith’s “We do not fucking torture” outburst; keep your powder dry.  I recall the last time Shep bought time with the Liberals.  He enjoys his role as the “good” reporter at Fox News Channel.  Remember him standing on the overpass after Hurricane Katrina?  Hollering and cursing then-President George W. Bush.  Nevermind the Constitution.  Nevermind the 10th Amendment.  Nevermind that then-Governor Kathleen Blanco refused to make the official request to the President for Federal Assistance, which would have facilitated access for Federal assistance.  At what point is Shep, a native Mississippian, unclear on how Southern states feel about “State’s Rights” and state sovereignty? 

Oh nevermind, why screw around with the facts, when throwing the F-Bomb is so much more fun? 

Shepard Smith, and his sympathizers notwithstanding, the biggest problem I see with the torture issue is two-fold.  First, President Obama knows for a fact that even as Commander in Chief, he will never, ever be as much a man as any one of the Clandestine Operators, Intelligence officers, Special Forces operators, or field Commanders like General David Petraeus.  Not ever.  No matter what. 

Second, because he has no institutional knowledge (since he’s hostile to the aforementioned folks) — he is allowing his staffers to conflate the KSM (Khalid Sheikh Mohammed) & Abu Zubaydah interrogators (whose average age was 43) with the enlisted kids guarding folks at Abu Gharaib in Iraq.

The former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte’s office distributed this memo, circa September 2006.  Read this five-page memo for yourself by clicking HERE.

That memo is problematic for the Obama Administration, as well as Speaker Pelosi – because it confirms they have clearly never been stakeholders in national security.  It also crystallizes something very important.  It proves that President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and many others are ignorant, willfully so, of the facts.  Only when he had his eyes on a presidential campaign did Obama “lean” to the right. (Ex: voting to confirm Condi Rice as SecState, Chertoff for DHS, and most interestingly – for John Negroponte as DNI and the re-auth of the Patriot Act & “domestic surveillance” aka FISA)

So, when it works for him to man-up, Obama does.  However fleeting – he tries to play the role of Decider.

If Obama can’t get the baseline facts straight (forget the partisanship, he has that DOWN) – just plain ol’ inconvenient facts — with regard to war, the rules of war, the UN Convention Against Torture, the US Senate’s ratification & amended statements on the UNCAT, the Geneva Convention, the War Crimes Act, and other governing statutes and treaties… how are we to have confidence in his ability to deal appropriately with the issue?

If Obama does not know the difference between an idiot non-com at Abu Gharaib and a 20+ year veteran of the Clandestine service, why should we be confident in his intellectual and dispassionate mediation of the truth between the actual players, and the press?

Truth is – we can’t.  And the American people know it — this is why the GOP is hammering the issue.  Getting into a cat-fight with Dick Cheney over national security; when he & his cadre of Ford-era behind-the-scenes players have been in the game since Obama was in short pants — well, with all that fancy-shmancy education of Obama’s – it proves you can have as many Ivy League degrees as you want — but you can’t get an academic scholarship for Common Sense.

Now – turn that lens on Africa.  Does Obama have the slightest clue what is happening there?  Does he understand why the Sudan is a huge problem?  Does he know the history we have with Sudan?  Does he understand that if Clinton had neutered UBL & his posse in The Mog – we would be in a much different world?  No one would be debating the idiocy of “terrorism” versus “man-caused disasters.”

Darfur.  Uganda.  Somalia.  Americans need a reality check with regards to the whole continent. Going to a protest and buying a (RED) t-shirt at The GAP does not a human rights advocate make.  Hiring Samantha Power and Susan Rice does not a pro-Human Rights policy make.  Susan Rice has a poor track record, and no one really believes the Samantha Power is making a darn bit of difference at her new office in the NSA.  Not one extra mouth has been fed because of her.  Not ONE.

The only sign of good news is a renewed commitment to PEPFAR appears in his FY2010 budget — but he hasn’t pushed for it. Not once.  No new press releases appear at PEPFAR.gov either.  So, it remains to be seen if he will ever be on par with his predecessor with regard to Africa.  No American President has made more of a commitment to Africa and her people than George W. Bush.  (This is the part where I refrain from making a snide comment regarding the irony there.  And where I refrain from pointing out Obama’s disdain for the British as a result of his righteous indignation on behalf of his Kenyan grandfather)

Lesson number one for every American president is this: It ain’t about YOU, your family, your ancestors.  It’s about selfless service to the American people at large.  IF you don’t understand that… then Americans have a responsibility to hold not only the President and his Administration accountable – but also the US Congress.  

President Obama, his allies, and friends in the press corps that repeat Shep Smith’s “We don’t fucking torture” mantra simply don’t get it.  The legality of these issues is well laid out, ratified by the US Senate, and like everything else in the Law — it is subject to interpretation.  That is a matter for another day. 

I reject their self-declared moral superiority because they seek to apply standards to folks who are easy targets.  Clandestine operators seldom march to the microphones and hold press conferences.  Obama is not being intellectually honest, nor consistent.  This affectation of moral highness is silly.  He has already proven that he does not care about torture.  He has done NOTHING on Darfur but appoint a neutered Scott Gration to placate anti-Genocide activists with regard to Darfur.  He has glad-handed with Hugo Chavez – who uses torture, rape, and murder on his political enemies.  He wants to hold hands with Iran’s Ahmadinejead, who encourages torture and imprisonment.  Obama wants to play nice with North Korea where Kim Jong Il uses starvation as a weapon of choice in exacting extreme obedience via mental torture on his people.  Obama bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia where women are stoned to death every week, where Female Genital Mutilation is the order of the day. 

I can’t help but wonder, does President Obama see Female Genital Mutilation as torture?  Or is that practice ”cool?”   Because that happens every day – by the thousands – all across Africa, to little girls about the age of his daughters. (and my daughter)

So yes, let us have a debate on the morality of torture with President Barack Hussein Obama.  Let us have it out.  Release the data.  Let us discuss torture.  Mental anguish.  Let us talk of women all across Africa being raped, being cut, being stoned, and forced to watch their little girls and little boys starve, be raped, and die of preventable diseases.  Let us talk about the moral high ground on which Barack Obama judges George W. Bush.  Let us have an open and unredacted debate about a couple of caterpillars in a box with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is WORSE than any thing else. 

Is President Obama really more concerned with coddling the man who brutally beheaded Danny Pearl?   Has any one in his administration bothered to suggest that perhaps, just perhaps, banging his chest about being nice to KSM may cause Marianne Pearl and her son some “extreme mental anguish?”  

Every time Shep Smith and Barack Obama reach for the binky and snuggie when we talk about the ugly work of Clandestine operators… I think about Marianne Pearl, and the wife of Johnny Michael Spann, and their kids…  and the millions of people around the world who thank God, Allah, and every deity in the Greek Pantheon for the American Soldier.  America is the beacon of hope, not Barack Obama.

—Media Lizzy

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So… let’s get caught up in the “Transnationalist” movement for just a few minutes… During the Bush 41 Administration (1989-1993) the US Senate ratified the UN Convention Against Torture.  So… let’s assume as “enemy combatants” that terrorists like Abu Zubaydah or Khalid Sheikh Mohammed are not subject to the Geneva Convention (since they were not State actors wearing a nation-state uniform) but instead are subject to the Convention Against Torture.

Here is what the US Senate said about just such instances:

United States of America²⁰

Upon signature :

Declaration:

“The Government of the United States of America reserves the right to communicate, upon ratification, such reservations, interpretive understandings, or declarations as are deemed necessary.”

Upon ratification :

Reservations:

“I. The Senate’s advice and consent is subject to the following reservations:

(1) That the United States considers itself bound by the obligation under article 16 to prevent `cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’, only insofar as the term `cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ means the cruel, unusual and inhumane treatment or punishment prohibited by the Fifth, Eighth, and/or Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States.

(2) That pursuant to article 30 (2) the United States declares that it does not consider itself bound by Article 30 (1), but reserves the right specifically to agree to follow this or any other procedure for arbitration in a particular case.

II. The Senate’s advice and consent is subject to the following understandings, which shall apply to the obligations of the United States under this Convention:

(1) (a) That with reference to article 1, the United States understands that, in order to constitute torture, an act must be specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering and that mental pain or suffering refers to prolonged mental harm caused by or resulting from (1) the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering; (2) the administration or application, or threatened administration or application, of mind altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or the personality; (3) the threat of imminent death; or (4) the threat that another person will imminently be subjected to death, severe physical pain or suffering, or the administration or application of mind altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality.

(b) That the United States understands that the definition of torture in article 1 is intended to apply only to acts directed against persons in the offender’s custody or physical control.

(c) That with reference to article 1 of the Convention, the United States understands that `sanctions’ includes judicially-imposed sanctions and other enforcement actions authorized by United States law or by judicial interpretation of such law. Nonetheless, the United States understands that a State Party could not through its domestic sanctions defeat the object and purpose of the Convention to prohibit torture.

(d) That with reference to article 1 of the Convention, the United States understands that the term `acquiescence’ requires that the public official, prior to the activity constituting torture, have awareness of such activity and thereafter breach his legal responsibility to intervene to prevent such activity.

(e) That with reference to article 1 of the Convention, the Unites States understands that noncompliance with applicable legal procedural standards does not per se constitute torture.

(2) That the United States understands the phrase, `where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture,’ as used in article 3 of the Convention, to mean `if it is more likely than not that he would be tortured.’

(3) That it is the understanding of the United States that article 14 requires a State Party to provide a private right of action for damages only for acts of torture committed in territory under the jurisdiction of that State Party.

(4) That the United States understands that international law does not prohibit the death penalty, and does not consider this Convention to restrict or prohibit the United States from applying the death penalty consistent with the Fifth, Eighth and/or Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, including any constitutional period of confinement prior to the imposition of the death penalty.

(5) That the United States understands that this Convention shall be implemented by the United States Government to the extent that it exercises legislative and judicial jurisdiction over the matters covered by the Convention and otherwise by the state and local governments. Accordingly, in implementing articles 10-14 and 16, the United States Government shall take measures appropriate to the Federal system to the end that the competent authorities of the constituent units of the United States of America may take appropriate measures for the fulfilment of the Convention.

III. The Senate’s advice and consent is subject to the following declarations:

(1) That the United States declares that the provisions of articles 1 through 16 of the Convention are not self-executing.

Our friends in Great Britain were quite a bit more direct:

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Upon signature:

“The United Kingdom reserves the right to formulate, upon ratifying the Convention, any reservations or interpretative declarations which it might consider necessary.”

Read the UNCAT HERE.

—Media Lizzy

Later today, I will interview former DoD official Bryan Del Monte about his role in crafting Detainee policy — and we will wade into the debate about interrogations, torture, and the ugly underbelly of keeping America safe.  While preparing for this show, I have read the recently released “terror memos.”  Which begged the question, what did the High Value Terrorist Detainee program accomplish? How successful were our Clandestine operators? What oversight and legal advice was really given? Were we made safer? Is waterboarding really torture, when we subject our servicemen to it repeatedly during SERE and other training maneuvers?

With humble thanks to the former Senior CIA Official that gave me some profound things to think about, some of which I will write about in the coming days, I highly recommend you read the following document – it was issued by the Director of National Intelligence in late summer 2006: SUMMARY OF THE HIGH VALUE TERRORIST DETAINEE PROGRAM.

Further, read this release from the Bush White House: Bringing the Terrorists to Justice.

And just in case those aren’t enough, let’s remind ourselves of what was written in The Washington Post  last November, from a 2002 Senate Intel Cmte Hearing:

“I know from my work on this committee for the past 10 years that lawyers at CIA sometimes have displayed a risk aversion in the advice they give their clients,” Democratic Sen. Bob Graham said during 2002 Senate intelligence committee hearings. Graham was typical then in complaining about “cautious lawyering” and in noting that “we are not living in times in which lawyers can say no to an operation just to play it safe.”

The Obama Administration, and the short-term memory loss of Speaker Pelosi & her Democratic colleagues have picked a fight they can not win here.  They have never been stakeholders in the national security apparatus – not in a real way.  They denigrate the service of Clandestine operators and Special Forces when they speak of what they do NOT know.

—Media Lizzy

National Security is the singular issue where I just climb a tree.  I admit it.  I’m not a neocon.  I’m not a “national security” mom.  I am definitely not a dove.  Nor am I a hawk, or any other damn bird.  What I am: a supporter of the experts in our Clandestine service, our special forces, our CIA & FBI interrogators, the greater intelligence community – with special recognition for Great Britain, Israel & France.  Those folks – along with our active duty & reserve military – keep us alive, free and safe under the blanket that is the US Constitution.

President Barack Obama is a man of his word.  He said he would meet with dictators and tyrants “without preconditions.”  And so he has.  It’s all sweetness and light with his book club buddy Hugo Chavez.  It’s cigars all around with Cuba’s Castro Brothers.  It’s Imadinnerjacket and ready for drinks with Iran’s Ahmadinejead.  During the first YouTube debate, hosted by Anderson Cooper, Obama went on to say,”I think that it is a disgrace that we have not spoken to them…” (see video below)

Earlier this month, he authorized the disclosure of several Bush-era memos regarding torture.  Notably, formerVice President Cheney has also requested the release of memos demonstrating the intelligence we DID gather as a result of enhanced interrogations.  What is good for the goose is good for the gander. 

Also weighing in: former DCI Mike Hayden & former US AG Mike Mukasey, via an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal. (h/t Scott Stanzel)

The release of these opinions was unnecessary as a legal matter, and is unsound as a matter of policy. Its effect will be to invite the kind of institutional timidity and fear of recrimination that weakened intelligence gathering in the past, and that we came sorely to regret on Sept. 11, 2001.

Proponents of the release have argued that the techniques have been abandoned and thus there is no point in keeping them secret any longer; that they were in any event ineffective; that their disclosure was somehow legally compelled; and that they cost us more in the coin of world opinion than they were worth. None of these claims survives scrutiny.

Former Vice President Cheney isn’t quite so kind, and much more to the point in an interview with Sean Hannity on FNC:

“I know specifically of reports that I read, that I saw that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country,” Cheney said on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity.” “If we’re going to have this debate, let’s have an honest debate.”

After Obama’s appearance earlier today at CIA headquarters, aka the George H. W. Bush Center for Central Intelligence, I realized that despite his vote in support of FISA last year, and repeated calls for bi-partisanship and post-partisanship (claims I believe he genuinely wants to bear fruit) — either he, or his advisors remain beholden to the ACLU and a deep suspicion of those who choose to be on the tip of the spear.  Bipartisanship is not just about listening and working out a compromise – it is also about not being arrogant.  It’s about an open willingness to admit we are wrong.  It’s about being a gracious winner – and loser, not only of elections but also of intellectual, political, and policy debates.

Unfortunately, it appears the only folks President Obama exempts from his “without preconditions” doctrine are our own clandestine operators, special forces, interrogators and other heroes of the intelligence industry.

—Media Lizzy

UPDATE:  CIA Confirms Enhanced Interrogation of KSM Led to Disruption of 9/11-like Attack on Los Angeles

UPDATE 2: Obama “Open” to Prosecution of Bush Officials – Gibbs won’t rule out prosecuation of Bush

Per my friends at the MNF & WH:

Al Qaeda Leader’s Diary Reveals Organization’s Decline

Document Entry: “The Renegades And Americans Started Launching Their Attacks To Destroy Us. We Lost Cities, And Afterwards Villages, And The Desert Became A Dangerous Refuge”

Diary Entry: “The Al Qaeda Emir Claimed That He Once Commanded Almost 600 Fighters, But That After ‘The Tribes Changed Course,’ Many Of His Fighters Quit, While Others Joined, Quote – ‘The Deserters.’”

View Excerpt From Translated Document (PDF)

Read Full Briefing & View Slides

Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, MNF-I

Press Briefing

February 10, 2008

“Today I want to talk with you about two recently captured al Qaeda Iraq documents that tell a great deal about the enemy we are facing here in Iraq. …

“On November 18th of last year, Coalition forces … killed Abu Maysara, a senior advisor to Abu Ayyoub al-Masri. Among his effects, we discovered a number of electronic storage devices – computer hard drives, thumb drives, compact discs and DVDs, along with original documents. One item seized in this operation was a 39-page typed document, undated and unsigned. …

“Overall, the document is a pessimistic assessment of al Qaeda Iraq’s long-term prospects in the al-Anbar area. The author describes the difficulties involved with trying to manage foreign fighters. He states that al Qaeda Iraq has lost popular support in the province. He recommends that al Qaeda Iraq’s remaining foreign fighters in al-Anbar be moved to other areas of Iraq, where the terrorists might have greater freedom of action. …

“He credits Iraqi and Coalition forces with having learned lessons from past mistakes … [says] ‘traitors and factions’ are taking on al Qaeda … warns his superiors that the Sunni citizens of the area are growing weary of the misfortunes and tribulations brought about by violence. … says that Sunni Anbaris are becoming more willing to join the Iraqi Security Force, and to participate in elections. … also laments the Americans have waged a quote ‘ferocious media campaign against al-Qaeda.’

“The document also describes the growing problems al Qaeda is having with its recruits and terrorist operations. …

“The author says, ‘The renegades and Americans started launching their attacks to destroy us. We lost cities, and afterwards villages, and the desert became a dangerous refuge. We got away from people and found ourselves in a wasteland desert.’ ….

“Let me now turn to a second al Qaeda Iraq document found near Balad late last year. On Nov. 3, while conducting raids south of Balad, Coalition Force soldiers captured a diary kept by an al Qaeda operative named Abu Tariq. …

“Abu Tariq’s diary provides clear and compelling evidence that Iraq’s volunteer citizen groups are making their country safer by weakening al Qaeda and restricting the terrorists’ freedom of movement. His diary shows that al Qaeda regards these volunteer citizen groups as a grave threat, and that the terrorists are increasingly targeting them. …

“On the first page, shown here of his diary, the al Qaeda emir claimed that he once commanded almost 600 fighters, but that after ‘the tribes changed course,’ many of his fighters quit, while others joined, quote – ‘the deserters.’

“In these pages, the al Qaeda emir said that the changing turn of events reduced his strength from almost 600 fighters to just 20 or fewer terrorists. …

“Describing the Battalion of Abu-Haydar al-Ansari, the al Qaeda emir claimed that it once had 300 fighters well equipped with weapons and vehicles. He then tells that the leader of this unit deserted just before the Awakening movement was organized. After this, the unit’s strength declined to just 16 fighters, and then later only two. Of these two, the emir wrote that one was arrested and the other captured as well. The rest of the fighters joined Awakening groups.“

Unless you have been living on Mars, you know the name “Valerie Plame.” The wanna-be “who’s who” chick married to former Ambassador Joe Wilson – the guy who desperately clung to his Plum Book appointment… then bashed Cheney upon his return from a junket his wife had recommended him for.

Forget, for just a moment, the partisan sniping – Left and Right – that surrounded the Plame debacle. Instead, recall the overarching argument defending her as a civil employee – the lofty principle that the identity of an alleged “covert operative” should never have been compromised. Never mind that in Plame’s case, she was often at her husband’s side – using her real name – at a myriad of public events. She made political contributions. She woke up every morning, got in her car and drove to the CIA HQ in Langley then drove home, directly, every night.

Not much “covert” about her behavior.

Snap forward to the New York Times’ cover story: CIA Destroyed 2 Tapes Showing Interrogations

Well, well, well. And all of Valerie Plame’s defenders are crying foul. What a surprise.

Here is a bit of the story:

The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about its secret detention program, according to current and former government officials.

The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terrorism suspects — including Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in C.I.A. custody — to severe interrogation techniques. The tapes were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that video showing harsh interrogation methods could expose agency officials to legal risks, several officials said.

In a statement to employees on Thursday, Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the C.I.A. director, said that the decision to destroy the tapes was made “within the C.I.A.” and that they were destroyed to protect the safety of undercover officers and because they no longer had intelligence value.

The destruction of the tapes raises questions about whether agency officials withheld information from Congress, the courts and the Sept. 11 commission about aspects of the program.

The recordings were not provided to a federal court hearing the case of the terrorism suspect Zacarias Moussaoui or to the Sept. 11 commission, which was appointed by President Bush and Congress, and which had made formal requests to the C.I.A. for transcripts and other documentary evidence taken from interrogations of agency prisoners.

The disclosures about the tapes are likely to reignite the debate over laws that allow the C.I.A. to use interrogation practices more severe than those allowed to other agencies. A Congressional conference committee voted late Wednesday to outlaw those interrogation practices, but the measure has yet to pass the full House and Senate and is likely to face a veto from Mr. Bush.

The debate about torture has been reignited. How terribly convenient, (for the anti-Bush Left) given how the success of the surge in Iraq has brought political arguments against it to a very quiet halt.

But before we even get to the torture debate, it is worth going over the basics here. Covert CIA operatives – as we all learned from the Valerie Plame case – are supposed to be guaranteed anonymity. It endangers their lives if their identity were revealed. It could endanger their families. Some will argue “just pixelate their faces” – then show the tapes. Um, how about NO. There are many technologies that can isolate an image – then make the faces recognizable. The CIA should make every effort to protect the identities of the men who serve on the front lines of the war on terror.

This voyeuristic bent, the thirst for wanting the video by some in the anti-Bush Left – reveals a very perverse need to play Gotcha. The blood lust, this hunger of the Left to watch a tape of a man being interrogated by any means reveals far more about their character than it does about the Interrogators, the President, or the CIA.

This hunger on display will likely be drown out in the aforementioned political sniping and heated rhetoric. But look to the motivations and the zeal for actually “seeing” the tapes. Beyond the legalistic language, is a revealing truth. Men and women of the anti-Bush / anti-Military / anti-War Left will never fathom the selfless service and sacrifice made by the men and women serving the the Clandestine Service or Special Forces.

It reveals the near-sexual desire and satisfaction they experience when, even if only for a moment, they can point downward at the real heroes of the Global War on Terror.

Shame on them.

— Media Lizzy

UPDATED:

Yowsa, folks! I said a few nice things about Vice President Dick Cheney and BAM! came the attacks… How fun!!! First… please read coverage of the attempt on the Vice President life at SLATE MAGAZINE and read the transcript from his interview on board Air Force 2 en route from Afghanistan to Muscat, Oman. – Media Lizzy

Yesterday, I wrote about Vice President Dick Cheney and his unannounced visit to Pakistan, where he read the riot act to Pervez Musharraf- even though the official story is about their “friendly” visit. Cheney also took time to stop in Afghanistan.

And then the Taliban made their move, just as the Vice President warned we should expect. A suicide bomber drove to the entry gate, detonated a bomb – killing himself and several others. This morning, the Taliban took credit. Many reports from the region note Cheney’s plane was on the tarmac. As Cheney prepared to leave, he heard the blast. After being evacuated to a bomb shelter, it became breaking news. International media leaped on the story as American media slept, scarcely noting the significance: the enemy that gave Usama Bin Laden sanctuary (as he plotted the 9/11 terror attacks with Zawahiri, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and their operation director Mohammed Atta) made a direct attempt on the life of Dick Cheney.

Even when China’s financial markets opened with a massive sell off, American media devoted their time and effort to incessant discussion of Anna Nicole Smith’s decaying corpse, an overturned school bus and obsessive discussion on whether or not Al Gore looked fat at the Oscars.

It was not until the Dow Jones took a nose dive about an hour before closing that American broadcasters connected the dots. The market had been off about 200 points, then in the span of a few seconds the market was off another 200 points… as the minutes passed, the Dow bottomed out at more than 546 points off the opening number. At close, the Dow recovered a bit – closing 415 points off, or 3.3% off on the day.

Arguably, Dick Cheney has been an influential Vice President. He was, and remains, a titan in the global private and public sectors. From finance and diplomatic circles, to government and military contracting, Dick Cheney built the mother of all rolodexes. He has been the face of the Military Industrial complex for more than a decade.

Islamic Extremists are our enemy. They failed to even scratch Cheney – and our financial markets tanked. They are relentless, always seeking a new target. This strike at such a high ranking official – in Afghanistan – on the very soil where America provided assistance for the Mujahideen AND where we unleashed our first response to the 9/11 attacks. Al Qaeda and the Taliban operators are smart tacticians and media savvy. They are the personification of evil.

Underestimating how close a call this was is ignorant. America is in peril.

—Media Lizzy

So… Vice President Dick Cheney is back in the news. Ahhh, how the fires in Temple Vesta burn a little brighter when he is on the stage. Is it that gravelly, baritone voice? The slightly crooked, snarl of a smile? Or is it that he’s a brilliant man – love or hate his policies? Maybe it is the fact that he can still make a girl nervous? No, I don’t mean me – the last time Cheney made me nervous was on the parade field at the Pentagon in early 1993. (Talk about a lifetime ago. He still had hair, Frank Kelso was still the CNO, and… the parties on the Hill were bartended by folks with who honored their non-disclosure agreements.)

But I digress….. Cheney made another, very important girl jumpy last week. After making comments (from Tokyo) regarding the Democrats advocacy for “redeployment” as a validation of Al Qaeda’s strategy to break American will for the fight, Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi was incensed, and announced publicly she was going to tell on the Vice President. She was going to call the President and boy, she meant business.

Democrats came out of the woodwork to criticize Cheney. For years they have tried to make Dick Cheney the bogeyman. He is not. He is just an All American Bad Ass of the Republican Right. He is the reason many conservatives chose to vote for George Walker Bush in the first place. Rewind your mental clocks to late 1999 and 2000. Dick Cheney was the Man. I can’t think of a single person who had anything but respect for the man. Except for the tin foil hat wearing people afraid of the Trilateral Commission. While times have changed… many serious conservatives are starting to come around to a simple truth… Dick Cheney is the lone grown up in Bush’s War Council. And Condi Rice, however pedigreed, does not possess the gravitas necessary to command American diplomatic efforts.

Since the “Tokyo Incident” earlier this month, Cheney has visited with Australia’s Prime Minister John Howard primarily to thank him as well as Australia’s citizens for standing with the United States in the Global War on Terror. He delivered deeply fascinating remarks about China on this trip as well. On the route home, Cheney’s plane apparently had an electrical “glitch.” Apparently, Pakistan and Afghanistan are close enough for a fly-by visit.

Which made today’s news cycle decidedly more interesting than just scaring Nancy Pelosi. Cheney dropped in on Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf. Just in case ol‘ Pervez thought we were running from the fight, Dick made an appearance to let the Pakistanis know… America is “concerned” and has “apprehensions” about the resurgence of Al Qaeda in the border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan. (Editorial translation: Hey, you little jackass, we still have enough bullets to beat YOUR ass. Get back to work.)

And, if that was not enough, Big Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan. I love this man. No drama, no theater – just a secret visit to enable some real dialogue with the men on the front lines. I don’t give one whit about some soft-handed analyst’s opinion from Pelosi’s staff thinks. The men fighting this war are the only people we need to listen to. Policy and politics need a STRONG INFUSION of reality on the ground.

I love Military & Clandestine Operators who do the Reconnaissance and Intelligence gathering. I can’t think of a single line of work more inherently masculine and heroic.

I love that Dick Cheney has enough intellectual curiosity to meet with these men. As an aside, it is extremely important to note WHY I think it is important. The men who operate in any dangerous, in-theater clandestine operation are the only people with real information about the capability of an enemy on the ground. Yes, the diplomatic corps and their security folks will tell you differently. I have met just ONE diplomat worthy of unquestioned confidence. Most are looking for their next job with a high paying contractor. Special Forces & Clandestine Operators from many, many agencies are not there to interpret. They gather proof, hard data, and tangibles. Sometimes that is weapons information. Sometimes it is mapping or geospatial data. Sometimes it is an enemy troop count. They are highly intelligent men. And they are the true heroes of any age, any historic event. They are all iconic and beautiful and complicated and selfless in their devotion to freedom.

I hope Cheney returns to American soil with a dose of reality for President Bush. Armor up.

— Media Lizzy

Greetings! Below are lots of interesting articles that are on my desk for consumption. History is being made on the Left and the Right… Welcome to 2007!!!!

Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the gavel today as the 110th Congress was sworn in. The stagecraft was impeccable, the moment unprecedented and it was very cool. As the votes were being cast, Nancy Pelosi clearly basked in the moment. Her grandchildren crawled on and around her. Then, she invited all the children in the House Chamber to join her at the well…. The vision of her, surrounded by children as she was sworn in was simply breathtaking. I am one Republican who prays for Speaker Pelosi’s success. I pray for her decisions to be wise.

But the Republican political hack in me feels immense pleasure at the sidelining of Hillary Clinton. Nancy Pelosi is the face of the Democrats now. And in politics, that makes Hillary a has-been. Tee hee hee.

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The other end of Pennsylvania Avenue was busy as well. White House Counsel Harriet Miers announced her resignation, effective later this month. President Bush is managing crisis after crisis. On his watch, two former presidents died. The horrific terror attacks of September 11, 2001 occurred. The war in Afghanistan. The rise & fall of Enron, the deception of millions of stockholders. Massive Intelligence Failures. Plamegate. The choice for War in Iraq. The fall of Baghdad. The capture of Saddam. The failure of the Coalition Provisional Authority to understand the culture of Iraq. The 10th “anniversary” of the genocide in Rwanda. The genocide in DARFUR. The death of Al Zarqawi. No weapons of WMD. The execution of Saddam Hussein – which, like it or not – reflects poorly on the United States. Failure to understand the folks serving in our Armed Forces are not tools of the State Department. Global acts of terror in Bali, Madrid, London. Muslim riots in Paris. Beheadings broadcast on television across the globe. Unprecedented economic expansion. Winning the midterm in 2002. Winning reelection, thanks to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and NOT Karl Rove or Ken Mehlman. Jack Abramoff. Tom DeLay. Duke Cunningham. Israel’s war with Lebanon and Hezbollah. The growing nuclear threat from Iran. Nuclear tests in North Korea. Mark Foley. Never telling Hastert to step down meant losing majority status in the House and the Senate. Sitting in the Oval Office as the Democrats transformed the face of their party… from high-negative Hillary to the brilliant, strategic team of Rahm Emmanuel, Steny Hoyer and the first lady to be elected Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

Unfortunately for President George W. Bush, many wonderful moments will go unnoticed and underreported due to the catastrophic failure of crisis communications. In the Temple Vesta, we’re just waiting to be marched off to the Colline Gate.

Intelligence is critical to national security. Not only are we in need of continuity in the leadership, which has been absent since the departure of George Tenet, but traditional collection, gathering and HUMINT infrastructure suffers from political correctness run amok. Balancing the needs of CIA and NSA with those of the Military Intel folks can not be understated. CIA operators are protected by many statutes… it is a felony to compromise their identity. When military operators are compromised, they die. Their files are classified and their families sidelined. Case in point: Valerie Plame Wilson, a desk jockey is now the subject of a federal case. Even Vice President Cheney may testify. When a Green Beret, Ranger or PJ dies after their location was compromised – it is only a lead story in their hometown. When a Delta operator or SEAL dies in the line of duty, it might be noted on the news ticker at CNN – but there aren’t any federal cases. Anyone serving in the Intel community deserves leadership that is principled, consistent and experienced. With none of the political correctness that reigns today.

Why the diatribe??? The Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, the multilingual former Ambassador to Iraq walked off the job today, presumably to become Deputy Secretary of State. Because Secretary Rice needs some help. WHATEVER.

I hope Negroponte’s move clears the way for her departure. And if she steps into the 2008 arena… there are a lot of things to answer for. If she blames the military for failures in Iraq, she will be up way past her bedtime trying to make up lost ground. She doesn’t have any life experience that equates with the service and sacrifice of our Intelligence Operators and Armed Forces – who carry out orders, whether or not the State Department has done theirs.

After her stint at NSC, early in the Bush Administration… our nation’s intelligence apparatus fell apart. Oversight became virtually impossible. And as Secretary of State, she is the senior advisor responsible for developing informed policies utilizing her diplomatic and geo-cultural expertise. Once formulated, she advises the President. SecDef Don Rumsfeld had his shortcomings – to be sure – but Secretary Rice must also be held accountable. From Iraq to the UN, and all places in between… American diplomatic policies are so incomprehensible that many recent polls give President Bush the lowest approval ratings of his presidency – including his lowest rating among Active Duty military and their families.

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America’s 38th President, Gerald Ford, was laid to rest after several days of thoughtful remembrance. In depth coverage, straight from Military District Washington sources, was provided here. In the coming days, much of the data will be condensed to make room for the latest and greatest information about current events, political trends and our very strong opinions.

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Later this month, I will be making a major announcement. Here’s a hint: you will all be able to hold me in your hot little hands!!!! Finally, I would like to thank the Red Carpets contributors and all of our readers a very happy and prosperous 2007!

Media Lizzy

NEWS:
Globe and Mail: Democrats, Pelosi take charge in House
San Francisco Chronicle: No more free lunch for House — ethics rules changed on first day
MSN Money: Concern as spy chief quits to join Rice
Houston Chronicle: Washington shuffle sparks questions
Los Angeles Times: Government in Somalia to seize weapons
Virginian Pilot: Jefferson, Goode and the Quran
Gulf News: Bush’s Iraq fresh start to include new team
Washington Post: Their Moment to Face the Deficit
Washington Post: Bush Adviser Miers Steps Down
Washington Post: President to Revamp Iraq Team
Washington Post: Democrats Take Gavels In House and Senate

In a tribute to my first Sunday morning addiction, PBS’ McLaughlin Group, a habit I kicked years ago, in favor of drinking my coffee while enjoying Tim Russert, Chris Wallace and George Stephanopolous… along with a half hour of love with Chris Matthews. As a true political observer, hack and addict, I decided what better way to do my Best of 2006 list than with my thoughts on the list made famous by the McLaughlin Group.

I’ll spice it up with a couple of my own categories. Fasten your seat belts!!!

— Media Lizzy

Best Politician: President Gerald R. Ford, because he wasn’t one.

Honorable Mention: John Edwards- for laying low, having some class, a great wife and understanding the game.

Worst Politician: Dennis Hastert, for not resigning over the Mark Foley affair.

Most Defining Political Moment: The election of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House.

Best Photo-Op: Al Jazeera handheld video footage of the execution of Saddam Hussein. They scooped Iraqi State Television.

Enough Already: Tom DeLay the Pest Control Man. Takes one to know one.

Worst Lie: That Dick Wadhams was the “next Karl Rove.”

Capitalist of the Year: Thomas L. Friedman – Once Republicans listen to him, then figure out how to make money on Green Technology… it is game on!

Best Comeback: Joe Lieberman. Too bad he isn’t caucusing with the GOP.

Most Original Thinker: From DC… uhhh, uhh… wait – I’ll think of one….ummmm… well, maybe NOT.

Most Stagnant Thinker: Rumsfeld. Transformation & Major War aren’t compatible – DUH.

Turncoat of the Year: Condi Rice, never over promise and under deliver.

Biggest Winner: Nancy Pelosi.

Biggest Loser: George W. Bush. This actually causes me physical pain. He should have pulled a Donald Trump and declared, “You’re Fired” to more than Rumsfeld. Try about a dozen, then we’ll see.

Most Boring: Secretary of State Condi Rice… stop smiling at Ehud Olmert and get to work, dammit.

Most Charismatic: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Peter Pace of the United States Marine Corps.

Fairest Rap: Mark Foley. Good riddance to bad rubbish, you creepy little man.

Bummest Rap: Rape Victims. After a stripper falsely accused members of the Duke Lacrosse team, women were shamed yet again.

Destined for Stardom: Pluto. Oh wait…. it’s not even a planet anymore.

Destined for Oblivion: Saddam Hussein. Oops, not oblivion – he’s in Hell.

Best Political Theatre: Election Night. Republicans lost the US Senate & the US House. The Democrats swept, and the nation got Nancy Pelosi as a bonus prize.

Worst Political Scandal: Jack Abramoff. At some point, we’ll have to discuss how he & his buddies of 25 or 30 years ruined the Republican Party. And lots of other things.

Most Overreported Story: Barack Obama. He isn’t qualified to be President.

Most Underreported Story: Barack Obama. If he runs, let’s talk about his relationship with Poverty Pimp Jesse Jackson. And the real estate transactions he made with a naughty lobbyist. Oh shut up with your criticism, this is the good stuff.

Biggest Government Waste: 15,000 Earmarks. What the hell???

Boldest Political Tactic: Pretending the Republican Base was willing to set aside Jesus Christ for Mark Foley and the Abuse of Children. Come on, KARL.

Best Government Dollar Spent: Every single cent spent by Casualty Affairs.

Best Idea of 2006: Converting to Catholicism.

Worst Idea of 2006: Converting to Islam.

Sorry to See You Go: James Brown, Gerald Ford. We could use a little joy, and a little wisdom. With these two men passing away – there will be a little less of both.

Fifteen Minutes of Fame: SR Siddarth, Mr. Macaca himself.

Most Honest Person of the Year: The American Soldier. Sailor. Airman. The United States Marine.

Least Honest Person of the Year: Patrick Fitzgerald, “Special Prosecutor.” The Scooter Libby case is REALLY about running for Obama’s seat when he re

Most Overrated Politician: Karl Rove. I know, I know… I once called him the Imhotep of the GOP. I was wrong. And it makes me SAD.

Most Underrated Politician: Pope Benedict XVI.

Person of the Year: The men who work in the shadows. Special Forces. Intel. And those super gorgeous analysts who once served in uniform. (Wink, wink – to my naughty friend)

And… for some balance, read the list from one of my favorite Lefty Bloggers – Chris Weigant at The Huffington Post.