Dec. 05, 2005 - 20:40 MST

SAY ANYTHING

The use and misuse of communication skills tends to make us citizens of an obfuscation nation, it seems to me nowadays. It seems to boil down to the Wizard of Oz bit, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." And the minions of the man seem to be following in his footsteps. Wonder how Condi (or is it Condo ?) will do on her pending European trip ?

An article by Joel Brinkley of The New York Times with an assist by The Associated Press seems to be making delicate guesses or wonderments. The article quoted in full (bolds and italics mine) herewith:

RICE PLANS TO DISCUSS CIA JAILS

Secretary To Address Report Of Centers For Terror Suspects

WASHINGTON -- "Just before she leaves today for a trip to Europe, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice plans to offer the Bush administration's first studied defense in the debate over reports of a network of secret prisons for terror suspects in several European countries."

"But even as she tries to quell concerns, a senior aide said, Rice would not confirm that the prisons exist. That has been the government's stance since news articles about the prisons were published last month."

"She is going to be addressing these issues in a comprehensive way," Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, said on Fox News Sunnday. "One of the things she will be saying is look, we are all threatened by terror, We need to cooperate in this situation."

"Rice plans to visit Germany, Belgium, Romania and Ukraine."

"European governments have expressed outrage over reports of secret CIA prisons where terrorism detainees may have been mistreated."

"The Washington Post reported in early November that the CIA began operating a network of secret prisons in Europe shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, and has shuttled terror suspects among them."

"On Sunday, a senior State Department official said Rice "will provide a comprehensive response to Jack Straw's letter," emphasizing among other things, "our adherence to our laws and our international obligations. We don't torture people, and we do not send people to be tortured."

"Meanwhile, Republican Sen. John McCain, a prisoner of war who was tortured in Vietnam, said Sunday he will refuse to yield on his demands that the White House agree with his proposed ban on the use of torture to extract information from suspected terrorists."

"I won't," he said on NBC's Meet The Press when asked whether he would compromise with the Bush administration. He is insisting on his language that no person in U.S. custody should be subject to "cruel, inhuman or degrading treeatment or punishment."

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This comes a few days after a furor over an apparent administration leak on CIA prisons, rumors of an investigation prior to a hanging, because some one blabbed.

Wasn't that an admission that something like that is, in truth, in existence ?

Only thing in which I can be reasonably confident is that Condi (or Condo ?> is in Europe at this time.

"Plans to offer the Bush Administration's first studied defense" seems to be saying that she is going to be saying something, something she has been told to say perhaps, some type of thing, "If you are not for us you are against us," thingy. And the article goes on to say, "Rice would not confirm that the prisons exist." Apparently she denies to say they don't exist either. Perhaps she will say something to the effect that, "Those prisons don't exist in your countries.""

And then it looks as if Stephen J. Hadley is laying the groundwork for typical administration misdirection when he says her stance might be, "Look, we are all threatened by terror. We need to cooperate in its solution."

Then there is one terrible thing that seems to be ignored in this whole mess, SUSPECTEDTERRORISTS. Not tried and convicted TERRORISTS just suspected ones. and Mr. Bush's stance on Sen. McCain's wording. And it seems to appear that Condoleeza Rice will be promulgating the same philosophy.

As a country I think we have been 9 - 11'ed to death, we fell for the general paranoia and turned a blind eye to most of what has been going on.

Wouldn't it be nice if someone holstered the pollsters. Geez, that'd put blinders on the pols, wouldn't it ? ? ? ?

This article disquiets me and maybe I am a paranoiac, but it looks to me that its the same-o same-o stuff just from a different person saying the same-o same-o things. Talk much and not SAY ANYTHING . . . . . . . .