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Bush Names Panelists in Iraq Intel Probe
EFL:President Bush named seven people Friday to sit on an independent study commission to look into intelligence failures on Iraqi weapons, choosing former Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb and retired judge Laurence Silberman, a Republican, to head the panel. "We must stay ahead of constantly changing intelligence challenges," Bush said. "The stakes for our country cannot be higher." Amen. Robb, a moderate Democrat, was a former U.S. senator and governor of Virginia and son-in-law of the late President Johnson. He is married to Lynda Bird Johnson and has been practicing law since leaving the Senate. Silberman is a conservative who served as deputy attorney general in the Nixon and Ford administrations. He was named to the appeals court by President Reagan in 1985. Bush directed federal agencies to cooperate with the commission, which will report to the nation by March 2005. Bush said he has yet to select the remaining two members of the nine-member panel. Waiting to see complaints about first seven. Bush also picked Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to be a member of the commission. "In our war against terrorism, it is imperative that we guarantee the credibility and effectiveness of our intelligence capabilities," McCain said in a statement. "I will do my very best to help find the answers that the American people have a right to know." McCain wonât be bullied by anyone, plus the press loves him. Or at least they did. Bush also named Lloyd Cutler, former White House counsel to Presidents Carter and Clinton; former federal judge Patricia M. Wald; Yale University president Richard C. Levin, and Adm. William O. Studeman, former deputy director of the CIA. Wald, a respected former chief judge for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, served as a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Donât know anything about her Bush had initially opposed a commission, but agreed to do so as calls grew from Republican lawmakers as well as Democrats. But the White House said the commission would look beyond problems in Iraq and examine the handling of intelligence on terrorists and U.S. adversaries. Democrats said any commission appointed solely by Bush could not be considered independent and objective. They have called for an examination not only of the work of intelligence agencies, but whether the White House pressured analysts and manipulated data to boost the case for war. Thatâs the only thing they want. Posted by: Steve 2004-02-06 |
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