So NOW do you see why the Censor of Flynt Leverett's OpEd is important?

[Junkdrawer]

Leverett's responsibilities as head of Middle East affairs in the National Security Council during part of the first term of the George W. Bush administration give him unique insights into the President, his team, and how they perceive the challenges in the Middle East. Two months ago, Leverett wrote a piece for the American Prospect that called for tough-minded but direct negotiations with Iran and Syria -- both avenues of which have been rejected thus far by the White House.

To add to the drama surrounding Leverett's talk, which reflects on an important new Century Foundation paper he released Friday -- "Dealing with Tehran: Assessing US Diplomatic Options Toward Iran" -- the White House National Security Council and the CIA are censoring Leverett's "op-ed" on the history of negotiations between Iran and the U.S. -- and are censoring material normally and in most cases previously approved or largely available already from public sources in what appears to be a punitive action against Flynt Leverett and his wife -- also a former National Security Council and State Department staff member -- Hillary Mann. Stay tuned for more on this battle.

The pdf of Leverett's latest article can be downloaded here.

....

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001828.php

[Junkdrawer]

1. And the beat goes on: "Rice: Dialogue with Iran is surrender to blackmail"...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2684575&mesg_id=2684575

[Junkdrawer]

2. Democrats need to get Flynt up to the Hill to testify...pronto.

Here's the NSA's former top Middle East expert who thinks that avoiding World War III is possible if negotiations were tried.

[madrchsod]

3. they certainly do not want to release the fact

that in the last year of clinton`s presidency there were talks about "normalizing" relations...

[Junkdrawer]

4. If we want a MODERATE Iranian government, then we should talk...

If we want an ideologically insane Iranian government that would justify regime change, then the current Bush policy is a work of pure genius.

[madrchsod]

5. funny the people in iran just voted

for moderation now you would think that bush would mention this fact....i guess it`s tough sell to go to war with a country that voted the conservatives out of power...did he mention that iran holds free and open elections? kind`a like a parliament system?

[Junkdrawer]

6. .

[Junkdrawer]

9. .

[Junkdrawer]

7. Here's Flynt's take on Bush's speech Wednesday night:

...

Moreover, the President strongly implied that the U.S. military would start going after targets in countries neighboring Iraq to disrupt supply networks for insurgents and militias.

The deployment of a second carrier strike group to the theater -- confirmed in the speech -- is clearly directed against Iran. Since, in contrast to previous U.S. air campaigns in the Gulf, military planners developing contingencies for striking target sets in Iran must assume that the United States would not be able to use land-based air assets in theater (because of political opposition in the region), they are surely positing a force posture of at least two, and possible three carrier strike groups to provide the necessary numbers and variety of tactical aircraft.

Similarly, the President's announcement that additional Patriot batteries would go to the Gulf is clearly directed against Iran. We have previously deployed Patriot batteries to the region to deal with the Iraqi SCUD threat. Today, the only missile threat in the region for the Patriot to address is posed, at least theoretically, by Iran's Shihab-3.

In sum, the administration is laying the rhetorical and operational foundations for implementing a presidential decision to initiate military operations against Iran.

....

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com /

[KoKo]

8. I saw him on C-Span over a month ago....he was incredible...and then

it all faded off..

Thanks for the post!

[Clark2008]

10. As a Wesley Clark supporter and a former reporter, I've seen

why the censorship of this op-ed is important all along.

Clark advocates talking with Syria and Iran - diplomacy is the key.

And, as a former reporter, censoring anyone's opinion (even idiots like InSannity's and Limpballs') makes me want to puke.