Pres. Clinton: Edelman Is An ‘Ideological Holdover’ From Cheney’s Inner Circle

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/22/bill-clinton-edelman/

Pres. Clinton: Edelman Is An ‘Ideological Holdover’ From Cheney’s Inner Circle

Yesterday, former President Bill Clinton sharply criticized Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman, who recently rebuffed Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY) request for Pentagon briefings to Congress on the administration’s redeployment plans. Edelman wrote, “Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda. ABC News reports:

Clinton said Undersecretary Eric Edelman was “wrong” to send a letter to his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., criticizing her request for a briefing from Pentagon officials about military plans for a future withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. {_}

In an interview with ABC’s Kate Snow in Lusaka, Zambia, Bill Clinton called Edelman “one of the more ideological holdovers” in the Defense Department.

“I think it’s wrong to politicize national security,” he said.

Edelman has close ties to Vice President Cheney and several other administration hardliners. He served under Cheney, then Secretary of Defense, in the first Bush administration. At that time, Cheney set up a “shop” to “think about American foreign policy after the Cold War, at the grand strategic level.” The project also included Paul Wolfowitz and Scooter Libby.

From 2001-2003, Edelman served as a national security adviser to Cheney. In 2003, he was named as U.S. ambassador to Turkey, attempting to convince Turkey to cooperate with the Bush administration’s plans to invade Iraq. Turkish columnist Ibrahim Karagul noted, “Edelman is probably the least-liked and trusted American ambassador in Turkish history.”

Bush recess appointed Edelman on on Aug. 9, 2005, replacing Douglas Feith.

UPDATE: Marcy Wheeler notes that Edelman came up with the idea of leaking information to the press as a way to rebut Joseph Wilson. Juan Cole recounts Edelman’s long neoconservative record.

[thecrow]

1. Proud to be the first to

kick and recommend

[malaise]

2. But, but, but

Gates approved the letter.

[babylonsister]

3. This doesn't make it clear whether he did or not:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1390842

[journalist3072]

4. And Gates admitted to the WaPo that he hasn't seen Sen. Clinton's original letter to him

I posted this tidbit here on DU yesterday; that Gates says he hasn't even seen Sen. Clinton's original letter to him.

Which calls into question who is really running DoD.

The Secy of Defense needs to ask himself why he hasn't seen a correspondence addressed to him from a member of congress; and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee at that!

[malaise]

7. So why did he approve the reply? n/t

[Botany]

5. Bush recess appointed Edelman on on Aug. 9, 2005, replacing Douglas Feith

Edelman



Douglas Feith

These guys really do hate America and freedom.

[Canuckistanian]

9. The 2nd fucking stupidest guy on earth?

It seems to be a job requirement for this position.

[Botany]

11. Both of them are nasty bags of shit

Feith holds a J.D. (magna cum laude) from the Georgetown University Law Center and an A.B. (magna cum laude) from Harvard College.
so much for titles


Feith from wiki


Feith at the Office of Special Plans
Feith led the controversial Office of Special Plans at the Pentagon from September 2002 to June 2003. <39> This now defunct intelligence gathering unit has been accused of manipulating intelligence to bolster support for the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. <40> According to The Guardian, "This rightwing intelligence network set up in Washington to second-guess the CIA and deliver a justification for toppling Saddam Hussein by force."<41> According to Kwiatkowski, the Office of Special Plans was "a propaganda shop" and she personally "witnessed neoconservative agenda bearers within OSP usurp measured and carefully considered assessments, and through suppression and distortion of intelligence analysis promulgate what were in fact falsehoods to both Congress and the executive office of the president." <42> <43> Senator Carl Levin, in an official report on the Office of Special Plans, singles Feith out as providing to the White House a large amount of Iraq-Al Qaeda allegations which, post-invasion, turned out to be false. <44>

[mod mom]

6. It appears Mr Edelman needs to be a recipient of the kind of treatment given

to *, Rove (think of the protest of Rove after speaking to college repug) and Andrew Card (after receiving his "honorary degree"). He needs to be publicly taunted and treated with the distain he deserves. Unfortunately, his mug is not as recognized as the others, but an attempt to make it so via internet would help.

I hope these criminals get their deserved justice but until this time we should make their lives miserable.

[asjr]

8. This is another case of complete

arrogance by this administration. It makes me wonder, are they so confident they will overthrow our country. Will we have an election in 2008 or is the outcome set in stone. Total takeover? I have never been more worried in my entire life. That phrase, "It can't happen here" comes to mind because it can happen. History tells us.

[VP505]

10. I think Mr Clinton

should have stayed out of it, he will only give the Reich another excuse to feed the brain dead a few more lies to smear with. Hillary did a damned good job of getting in Gates face and I am sure Edelman will at some point in time wish he hadn't grabbed that tigers tail. She is VERY capable of dealing with the likes of those two.