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| Home Front: Politix |
| SSIC now plagued by bitter infighting. Wotta surprise. |
| 2006-03-12 |
| The Senate intelligence committee, once a symbol of bipartisan oversight, is now so torn by partisan warfare that it can barely function in a time of sharp national debate over intelligence matters, according to several analysts, officials and past and current members. Inter-party animosity has simmered since the 1990s, but it heated up when Republicans took steps to limit probes into President Bush's handling of the Iraq war and domestic spying. It reached a full boil Tuesday, when the committee voted along party lines to reject a proposed investigation of the administration's warrantless surveillance of Americans' international communications. It voted instead to create a White House-approved subcommittee to oversee the operation, infuriating Democrats and some civil libertarians. Their anger has focused mainly on the committee's chairman, Republican Pat Roberts of Kansas. A staunch defender of Bush administration policies, he recently said some of the panel's Democrats "believe the gravest threat we face is not Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, but rather the president of the United States." When Roberts adjourned a committee meeting last month rather than allow a vote on the proposed wiretap inquiry, Vice Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) declared the panel "basically under the control of the White House, through its chairman." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #2 It may be a different situation if there were one single case of administration wiretapping which voilated a single citizen in some way, but there is not. All the information has been used to intercept terrorist cells and their plans to terrorize. I guess Rockefeller wants the administration out of the listening business before Hillary gets in the oval office. Remember the FBI files ? But then, Hillary will fall short, by about 20 states. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-03-12 13:51 |
| #1 This problem could also be resolved by removing Rockefeller from the committee or the Senate. I trust the people of W Va. are up to the challenge. Then Levin. Then Leahy. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-03-12 08:14 |