Scooter Libby Trial Starts Next Week, W. Rattles Sabers This Week

Time after time this administration has hidden its crimes behind war. The truth about Al Gore's victory in Florida was buried under the furor that followed 9-11. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released its report that concluded that Enron really did price gouge the state of Calfornia---an act that was facilitated by W. rolling back Clinton's price caps, by Rove's choice for FERC head ignoring Gov. Grey Davis's pleas for help in 2001 and by Cheney mocking California while the gouging was happening---the week after the U.S. invaded Iraq. This meant that no one except residents of the state of California noticed that the members of the Bush administration had looked the other way while W.'s biggest donor committed massive fraud.

In the summer of 2005, Israel staged a well orchestrated and planned invasion of Lebanon. Reports in the press indicate that it was planned up to six months before, even though Israel chose as its excuse the recent kidnapping of a soldier. The invasion was intended to draw Syria and Iran into conflict with Israel, so that the U.S. would have a pretext for going to war with Iran before the 2006 elections. By some amazing coincidence, the invasion of Lebanon occured on the same day that the statute of limitations would expire in the Valerie Plame case should she decide to file civil lawsuits against Cheney, Rove, Libby and others. Plaintiffs commonly wait until the last minute to file such suits. Plame did not. She filed hers on the day before, so she got a little bit of press coverage, before the TV news was filled with images of Israel bombing Lebanese civilians.

Next week, Scooter Libby is scheduled to go on trial. Dick Cheney will have to testify. So will Karl Rove and a lot of other White House staffers. It is a very bad time for the administration and a very bad time for those who sold the war with Iraq to the American people. How funny that this week W. chose to start making threats towards Iran. Suddenly Iran is the reason why things are not going well in Iraq. Iran is the real enemy in the middle east. Iraq is just the battle field.

Cheney and the rest of the administration have a lot to gain from starting a war with Iran or even just increasing hostilities with Iran to the point that people are obsessed with the topic "Will W. order airstrikes against Iran?" It gets them off the topic of Plame and Scooter Libby. It gives the Republican base an excuse for Bush's failure in Iraq. "Blame Iran." It makes the missing WMDs less important since now Cheney can say it was never about Iraq, it was always about Iran. It strengthens the Article II defense, which is one of Cheney's favorites.

I can just imagine Henry Kissinger selling this plan to Dick Cheney. "I understand Scooter Libby's trial is scheduled to begin soon. You can turn the situation in Iraq and Iran to your advantage, you know...." Kissinger's Saudi masters must be so proud of him.