Boston Globe: Behind crisis, key advisers' tactics

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NEWS ANALYSIS
Behind crisis, key advisers' tactics

By Peter S. Canellos, Globe Staff | October 29, 2005

WASHINGTON --The indictment of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and the
efforts to expose a CIA agent outlined by a federal prosecutor
yesterday add to a growing body of evidence that the Bush
administration approached foreign policy like a political campaign,
dividing people into friends or foes.

This leadership strategy involves rallying intense groups of
supporters and striking out against critics. It helped win President
Bush many close votes in Congress in his first term and a narrow,
hard-fought reelection victory.

But when the White House applied the same approach to building the
case for the Iraq war, it found itself in battles not just with
Democrats but also with parts of its own government, including the CIA.

The fierce prowar leanings of Libby, combined with the partisan
warfare perfected by presidential adviser Karl Rove, led to a legal
and political disaster for the administration.

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Full article: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/10/29/behind_crisis_key_advisers_tactics