Progressive Minds

It seems as though Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was against testifying about the Iraq war before the Senate Armed Services Committe, before he was for it!

In all of his arrogance, Rummy sent word that he had no intention of testifying during a public forum on the Iraq war, before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Several of the Committee's Democrats, however, urged him to reverse course, and now Rummy has sent word that he will appear before the committee.

What's really interesting, though, is that Rumsfeld used the all-too-convenient "straw man" argument, to suggest that the criticism of his initial reluctance to appear, might be politically motivated.  Without mentioning any specific names to back up his argument, he said "Let's be honest: Politics enters into these things, and maybe the person raising the question is interested in that."

I've said it before on this blog and it bears repeating.  This is an administration that has no respect for the oversight responsibility of the U.S. Congress. 

Rumsfeld decides to testify on Iraq war

A Pentagon official announced today that the evidence collected in the Haditha case proves that U.S. marines deliberately shot 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq last year, including unarmed women and children.

Haditha report could implicate Marines

Pentagon: Probe Backs Haditha Charges

A member of the 9/11 Commission stepped forward today to say that the Commission so distrusted the testimony from Pentagon officials, that they referred the matter to the Pentagon's inspector general.  As well, they considered referring it to the Department of Justice for a potential criminal probe.

9/11 Commission member Tim Roemer said "We were extremely frustrated with the false statements we were getting. We were not sure of the intent, whether it was to deceive the commission or merely part of the fumbling bureaucracy."

Not surprisingly (IMO), the inspector general from the Pentagon found no evidence that Pentagon officials knowingly lied to the 9/11 Commission.

9/11 panel distrusted Pentagon testimony

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