U.S. Withholding Iraq Strategy Document from Democratic Lawmakers

[Hissyspit]

Source: Roll Call

US withholding Iraq strategy document from Democratic lawmakers
Jason Rhyne
Published: Tuesday November 13, 2007

The Pentagon has denied repeated requests from Democratic lawmakers to view a key document outlining the chief US strategy to achieve stability in Iraq.

Created by General David Petraeus and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, the Joint Campaign Plan details military and diplomatic steps intended to dramatically heighten security in Iraq by 2009. The exact nature of the plan, however, has been withheld from Congress thus far, according to Roll Call's Rachel Van Dongen.

"After persistent requests from House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), the issue has moved up the Congressional chain of command to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)," Van Dongen writes. "According to an aide, Pelosi asked President Bush for the document several months ago in a White House meeting. Since then, Pelosi's staff has 'repeatedly' requested a copy, her aide said, but has not yet received one."

A spokeswoman for the Armed Services Committee told Van Dongen she couldn't be sure if the Pentagon's refusal was motivated by partisan politics. "It's probably always hard on some level to deal with bureaucracies," she said. Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Rep. Vic Snyder (D-AR) told the paper that Defense Secretary Robert Gates had been a "breath of fresh air" at the Pentagon, drastically improving legislators' confidence in the Defense Department.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Pentagon_ignores_Dem_requests_for_Iraq_1113.html

[msongs]

1. if dems cannot see it, dems should not FUND it... period... nt

[Roland99]

3. Hear! Hear!

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. (Insert snort of derision here)

Since when has ignorance ever caused Congress to hesitate in handing more money to the Junta?

[damntexdem]

8. Since I can't see new Colbert shows due to the writers' strike (which I of course support), ...

I can only imagine Steven sticking out his hand to Congress, saying "blank check, please."

;-)

[rateyes]

9. However, they will fund it, whether they see it or not...

case in point: Do we have the subpoenaed materials that Leahy said he had to have before starting confirmation hearings on Mukasey?

[rodeodance]

2. classic example of bulling behavior!

[TwilightGardener]

4. This is ridiculous. Something is terribly wrong when the Speaker of the House

can't be informed of the U.S. military strategy for Iraq. Why haven't they raised a bigger stink?

[troubleinwinter]

6. Maybe because the Speaker has other priorities?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=320156&mesg_id=320316

$35m vinyard/winery business. Big AT&T and telcomm investments. Lobbying for wine trade to China. Opposing estate tax for wealthy winery owners.

[TwilightGardener]

7. No doubt.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

10. Something IS terribly wrong

The article IS talking about Democratic lawmakers HERE in the U.S., right? And it should read "Bush (or White House if you prefer) withholding Iraq strategy document from Democratic lawmakers". It's more than a bit disturbing that a part of the executive branch, one responsible for managing our military (in "a time of war") no less, refuses to release critical documents to Congress just because it's currently run by the so-called opposition party (although nobody would really notice with how bad things have gotten). Now, I would normally ask the seemingly obvious question about how something like this would be illegal if not patently unconstitutional but, sadly, I've not only come to expect outrageous things like this from the Bush (mis-)Administration but also the stunning inability and/or unwillingness of our so-called leaders in the Democratic party to aggressively challenge (or even criticize) things like this. *sigh*
:argh:

[JeffR]

11. I managed to get a copy.

Can't divulge my sources, but here's the text in its entirety:

1. Turn the corner.

2. Make progress.

3. Move forward.

4. Stand down when the Iraquis stand up.

5. Protect the oil.

6. Protect the embassy.

7. Keep those no-bid contracts to Bush Administration cronies coming.

[ohio2007]

12. You mean the pentagon actually holds a few 'secrets' close to their vests?

Hey, if you can't trust a beltway politician......... ;)

[humbled_opinion]

13. The military works for Congress this would be funny if....

IT WASN"T OUT OF CONTROL......