Thursday, December 14, 2006

the investigation into the anthrax attacks

* AP:
"Thirty-three members of Congress have written Attorney General Alberto Gonzales demanding that the FBI update lawmakers on the investigation into the anthrax attacks five years ago that paralyzed the nation with bio-terror fears.

The bipartisan letter escalates efforts by Sen. Charles Grassley (news, bio, voting record), R-Iowa, and Rep. Rush Holt (news, bio, voting record), D-N.J., to get the FBI to tell lawmakers what it has learned during the five-year case that remains unsolved. The FBI has refused, citing concerns about possible leaks."
* meanwhile, emptywheel has a post up about osama attacking space satellites.

* GIlliard:
"There needs to be a Joint Committee to investigate the Conduct of the Iraq War. Harry Truman became famous investigating war contractors.

Congress needs to quickly establish oversight and demand all the players explain why this last great push will work better than the other great pushes, and why after pushing democracy, we sponsor a coup.

The ISG, imperfect as it was, was cover for Bush to wind down his failed war. So now, like a spiteful teenager, he's gonna show us all that he was right and Go Big, regardless of what anyone thinks.

Needless to say, this is a disaster in the making."

* mark levey has more on turki's resignation

* juancole:
"Helene Cooper with Hassan Fattah of the NYT has the scoop that Saudi King Abdullah told US VP Dick Cheney two weeks ago that if the US withdrew precipitately from Iraq, the kingdom would have little choice but to support the Sunni Arab guerrillas. The Saudi government had pledged to the US not to do so as long as US troops were in Iraq. But it is alleged that Saudi oil millionaires privately already send money to the guerrillas. Saudis, as Wahhabi Muslims, belong to a sect that is to the right of Sunnism. But the Wahhabi tradition dislikes Shiites and in any Sunni-Shiite struggle, the Wahhabis will come in on the Sunni side.

This item is no surprise, of course, and I have brought up this likelihood a number of times myself. What is remarkable is that it is being stated by the Saudi leadership and published in the press. The Saudis are usually circumspect. If they are leaking this sort of thing, their hair must be on fire with anxiety."

* Glenn's work on the House of Death case got a shoutout at FDL:
And just for good measure, how about Leahy throwing in that little matter of the DoJ turning a blind but unjust eye on the Department of Homeland Security's apparent complicity in the multiple murders carried out by one of their paid informants? Glenn Greenwald, who’s been all over this, would appreciate that.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I take it the Iranians are Shia and the Saudis are Sunni. But, what are the relationships between these two Islamic countries?

If the United States continues to make a mess of Iraq, one day supporting the Shia, and the next the Sunni militias, why couldn't the Saudis and the Iranians together push for the U.S. to leave? Wouldn't this be in both their interests?

I would expect both countries would think less warfare in Iraq and the continuing bloodshed would be upsetting their populations causing pressure on their governments to do something to stop it.

I've heard there is a growing refugee problem.

And, I would wonder whether the United States presence in Iraq has been understood to be more of a favor to the Israelis as time goes on.

I wonder where Saudi loyalties lie?

Anonymous said...

...more on anthrax

Anonymous said...

Dr. Jonathan King, Professor of Molecular Biology at M.I.T. and a founder of the Council for Responsible Genetics, said the government's "growing bioterror programs represent a significant emerging danger to our own population."

In inflation-adjusted dollars the US spends more on them today than it did on the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb in World War II.

lukery said...

thnx anon

did you read my piece about the mobile labs?
http://wotisitgood4.blogspot.com/2006/05/judy-miller-stephen-hatfill-and-mobile.html

Anonymous said...

anthrax case