WORLD / America
Bush dismisses CIA leak as old news
(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-13 08:36
WASHINGTON - President Bush always said he would wait to talk about the
CIA leak case until after the investigation into his administration's
role. On Thursday, he skipped over that step and pronounced the matter
old news hardly worth discussing.
US President George W. Bush holds his first official news conference in
the remodelled James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in
Washington, July 12, 2007. [Reuters]
"It's run its course," he said. "Now we're going to move on."
Despite a long history of denouncing leaks, Bush declined to express any
disappointment in the people who worked for him and who were involved in
disclosing the name of a CIA operative. Asked about that during a
wide-ranging news conference, the president gave a dodgy answer.
"It's been a tough issue for a lot of people in the White House," he said.
He didn't even acknowledge the undisputed fact that someone working for
him was the source, saying only that "perhaps somebody in the
administration did disclose the name of that person."
The investigation was launched to determine who leaked the identity of
Valerie Plame, a former CIA operations officer who had served overseas
and is married to a key administration critic on the war, Joseph Wilson.
Shortly before Plame's cover was blown in 2003, Wilson had accused the
Bush administration of manipulating intelligence to exaggerate the threat
from Iraqi weapons and thus help justify the war.
Wilson has said he believes his wife's identity was disclosed to punish
him and to undermine his credibility.
After a two-year probe, Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald indicted Vice
President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on
charges of obstruction of justice and of lying to investigators and the
grand jury about the leak. He was convicted in March on all but one
count. Ten days ago, Bush commuted Libby's 30-month prison sentence,
while leaving other penalties in place.
Libby is still appealing his conviction. And Bush has not ruled out an
eventual pardon for the former top White House aide.
But the president appeared eager Thursday to put the entire case in the
past. It was costly for his presidency, denting his image as someone who
had pledged to restore integrity to the White House.
As it turned out, several administration officials revealed Plame's
identity. White House political adviser Karl Rove and Deputy Secretary of
State Richard Armitage were the primary sources for a 2003 newspaper
column outing Plame. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer
also admitted telling reporters about her. Libby was the only one charged
in the matter and not for leaking.
"I've often thought about what would have happened had that person come
forth and said, `I did it,'" Bush said, despite the fact that Armitage
and perhaps the others did just that.
In the beginning stages of the case, Bush said, "I want to know the
truth," and pledged to fire anyone found to have leaked. As the
investigation wore on, he expressed more weariness than outrage, saying
only that someone who "committed a crime" would be fired and calling the
case "background noise" he had to ignore.
The question on the CIA leak case was only one of three during the
59-minute news conference that did not deal with Iraq.
The others addressed a new threat assessment from US counterterrorism
analysts. It says al-Qaida has used its safe haven along the
Afghan-Pakistan border to restore operating capabilities to a level
unseen since the months before Sept. 11, 2001.
Nevertheless, Bush said, "Because of the actions we've taken, al-Qaida is
weaker today than they would have been."
The president also was asked whether it was appropriate for Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to say he had a "gut feeling" there
might be a terror attack this summer. "My gut tells me that which my head
tells as well, is that: When we find a credible threat, we'll share it
with you," Bush said.
The president's main purpose for holding the news conference was to
present his take on a new report sent to lawmakers on the progress made
by the Iraqi government. The interim assessment, required by Congress,
shows only mixed results so far, with Iraqis making satisfactory progress
on eight benchmarks, mostly in security areas, but unsatisfactory
progress on another eight and mixed results on two.
With both chambers of Congress debating legislation to order the
withdrawal of US troops by next spring, Bush asked for more time to let
his troop-increase plan work. "I believe we are making security progress
that will enable the political track to succeed," he said.
The president also sought to make some common cause with his opponents.
Bush portrayed the growing number of Republicans who are urging him to
change course as agreeing with him.
And he left the strong impression he is leaning toward reducing troop
levels, though without offering any specific time frames or promises. He
referenced "when" - not "if" - "we start drawing down" and said he would
"judge where we need to make any adjustments" after a follow-up report in
September. He even noted that, at that point, he will make sure "that
al-Qaida and other extremists do not benefit from a decision I might have
to make."
At the same time, Bush made clear that while he'll listen to lawmakers,
they have little business making war decisions. He said Congress "has got
all the right to appropriate money" but not to set troop strength or tell
the military how to conduct operations.
"I don't think Congress ought to be running the war," he said. "I think
they ought to be funding our troops."
Top World News
� Brother prays for slain militant cleric
� US troops raid Shiite district
� Lebanese Army pounds Islamic militants
� Al-Qaida has rebuilt, US intel warns
� 200 explosive belts seized in Iraq
Today's Top News
� Unit by unit,energy use improving
� No yielding on arable land: Minister
� Gov't increases funds for flood relief
� House OKs plan to withdraw US troops
� China tightens approval of new medicines
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Learn Chinese, Free Chinese Lesson, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment