Politicians of all parties have learned to consider the news cycle when releasing information. There is nothing wrong with this. We create the peaks and valleys in impact because how we pay attention varies. That is not the politician's doing and they would be derelict if they paid no attention to our activity. Weekend news is sports news, especially during football season. So stories released in November on a Friday, raise suspicions. Friday evening releases are the intended kiss of death. Someone wants those stories buried - deep.
Bloggers and some news folks, have also learned. We look at what gets released at close of business Friday, and ask "why?"
Which leads us to Benghazi. Friday. At close of business, the House Intelligence Committee released its report on the Benghazi Consulate attack and response. The committee had its choice of release times. No one could compel it to choose one. And like all committees in the House, its controlling majority is Republican. To a significant degree, that is what is won, when a party wins the election.
So, the Republicans wanted the report buried in indifference and football. Now the question becomes why. We know what they did, it is the motive that is worth considering.
In the aftermath of the attack, Republicans have launched a series of over 50 investigations. The intent of these is always proclaimed to be a search for the conspiracy to cover up security failures, refusals of support to embattled security forces, and false statementsx. Over and over again, the investigations do not find any conspiracy to conceal any facts, nor have they identified any procedural failures by the security forces. One might think they are not finding it because it does not exist. Republican loony toons in Congress however, have simply announced another investigation.
Now, the House Intelligence Committee, which is of course controlled by the Republicans, issued its comprehensive report. Congress has subpoena power, and the committee was able to call and investigate anyone they thought might have information. Interestingly, to me at least, the Obama Administration made no assertions of executive privilege. The result? No plot, no refusals of assistance, and no cover up. If anyone has culpability on the U.S. side, it is Congress. The Administration has been asking for and not getting, increased funding for over-seas security.
The GOP now hopes the report, and the political noise around Benghazi will now quietly die. The loony toons, starting with Senator Cruz will forget their support of the vast conspiracy theories.
I do not think so. I think the Democratic Party would be crazy if it failed to waive the 50 some odd investigations the GOP has supported above the head of Speaker Boehner, and whoever is finally the presidential nominee. News cycle or no, this report will not die.
There is an issue out there. But we won't see it discussed. That issue is the pairing of a CIA station with a consulate. And there is another policy question: why did we have a CIA operation in Benghazi. Those questions, the Republicans do not seem to want to ask. And I wonder why. I suspect, but do not know, that the presence of the CIA operation rather than the presence of the consulate, that made the location a target. That no one wants to ask about that leads to the thought that there was something going on.
Bloggers and some news folks, have also learned. We look at what gets released at close of business Friday, and ask "why?"
Which leads us to Benghazi. Friday. At close of business, the House Intelligence Committee released its report on the Benghazi Consulate attack and response. The committee had its choice of release times. No one could compel it to choose one. And like all committees in the House, its controlling majority is Republican. To a significant degree, that is what is won, when a party wins the election.
So, the Republicans wanted the report buried in indifference and football. Now the question becomes why. We know what they did, it is the motive that is worth considering.
In the aftermath of the attack, Republicans have launched a series of over 50 investigations. The intent of these is always proclaimed to be a search for the conspiracy to cover up security failures, refusals of support to embattled security forces, and false statementsx. Over and over again, the investigations do not find any conspiracy to conceal any facts, nor have they identified any procedural failures by the security forces. One might think they are not finding it because it does not exist. Republican loony toons in Congress however, have simply announced another investigation.
Now, the House Intelligence Committee, which is of course controlled by the Republicans, issued its comprehensive report. Congress has subpoena power, and the committee was able to call and investigate anyone they thought might have information. Interestingly, to me at least, the Obama Administration made no assertions of executive privilege. The result? No plot, no refusals of assistance, and no cover up. If anyone has culpability on the U.S. side, it is Congress. The Administration has been asking for and not getting, increased funding for over-seas security.
The GOP now hopes the report, and the political noise around Benghazi will now quietly die. The loony toons, starting with Senator Cruz will forget their support of the vast conspiracy theories.
I do not think so. I think the Democratic Party would be crazy if it failed to waive the 50 some odd investigations the GOP has supported above the head of Speaker Boehner, and whoever is finally the presidential nominee. News cycle or no, this report will not die.
There is an issue out there. But we won't see it discussed. That issue is the pairing of a CIA station with a consulate. And there is another policy question: why did we have a CIA operation in Benghazi. Those questions, the Republicans do not seem to want to ask. And I wonder why. I suspect, but do not know, that the presence of the CIA operation rather than the presence of the consulate, that made the location a target. That no one wants to ask about that leads to the thought that there was something going on.
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