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House Upbraids State Dep't for Iraq Secrecy
Looks like David Satterfield was too late. The House of Representatives, upset with the State Department's reluctance to publicly address corruption in the Iraqi government, voted 395-21 to rebuke Foggy Bottom, despite Satterfield's admission yesterday that "corruption is a reality in Iraq."
"The Bush administration is hiding the truth while seeking hundreds of billions of dollars and placing our troops in danger. And we cannot allow this to happen," said Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.Waxman sponsored the nonbinding resolution, which states that the administration abused its power by classifying U.S. assessments on corruption inside Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government. The House agreed to the measure, 395-21.
"Five years ago abuse of the classification system got us into this war. It's time for this abuse to end," Waxman said.
It's a nonbinding resolution, so all the State Department has to do is take note that the House thinks it's been naughty. But maybe next time State officials will think twice before they reclassify publicly available documents.
Comments (7)
canoe wrote on October 16, 2007 6:50 PM:Why should they think twice if the best that the fools of foggy bottom can do is a non-binding resolution?
conniptionfit wrote on October 16, 2007 6:51 PM:Pity Congress doesn't remember that it has teeth...
Cindrella Ferret wrote on October 16, 2007 8:00 PM:What next? Congress gonna take away birthdays? Oohh ... those big meanies. Can someone--anyone--please grow a pair and slam the hammer down on these criminals?
This really is a candy ass move, Mr Waxman.
Dave Adams wrote on October 16, 2007 8:12 PM:Well here's a novel idea: maybe Congress could do it's Constitutionally-mandated job of stopping the flow of money to the Iraqi Government until there's, oh I don't know, some sort of system in place for keeping track of where the moneys's actually going...
Nah.
markg8 wrote on October 16, 2007 10:15 PM:Anybody got a list of who voted against this resolution? I suspect my lockstep congresswoman is one of them and I'd like to send that info to her opponent.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on October 16, 2007 11:46 PM:Ahhhh . . . Isn't that sweet voting the right way training wheels for Repugnicants . . . In another twenty years or so perhaps they will do the right thing . . .
party-of-one wrote on October 17, 2007 7:28 AM:Given all the corruption uncovered, the Blackwater issue, lack of diplomatic progress in Iraq, the region and the world, what exactly makes Condellezza Rice above public rebuke? How is she different from the incompetent, enabling Alberto Gonzalez who was given a cabinet position to reward is "loyalty" and bungled it badly. Given her horrible, horrible record as Natioal Security Advisor, and her clear incompetence and dishonesty as Secretary of State, why does she escape direct, personal criticism?