Reading this article is a lot like hearing bleeps in a TV show. Even though we don’t know what is being said, we can gain a lot of understanding through context.

An essay by former CIA official Flynt Leverett has been thoroughly redacted by the White House. The censored essay — titled “Redacted Version of Original Op-Ed” in case you missed the chunks of blacked-out text throughout — is what remains of an essay criticizing Bush’s policies toward Iran.

According to the Times, it elected to run the redacted version after the White House claimed that portions were classified (this, please note, is after the CIA, which has cleared over 20 other pieces by Leverett, cleared the entire piece).

From the Times’ article:

The Iraq Study Group has added its voice to a burgeoning chorus of commentators, politicians, and former officials calling for a limited, tactical dialogue with Iran regarding Iraq. The Bush administration has indicated a conditional willingness to pursue a similarly compartmented dialogue with Tehran over Iran’s nuclear activities

What do you think the White House cut out? Are you worried that Bush will try to get this country into a war with Iran just before he leaves office, leaving us stuck with wet another fetid handful of trouble to clean up?



  1. Improbus says:

    Can we impeach the president for incompetence or being mentally unstable?

  2. doug says:

    remember, the only people allowed to leak classified information are the President and the Vice President, and when they do it, they do it to defend their policies, not critique them, so it is not really leaking.

  3. Peter Rodwell says:

    If you ask me, I think ——– if it’s ——— but on the other ——, it’s about time that ——— or resigns, otherwise ——- ————– ——– another —-.

  4. Mark says:

    1. I cant think of a President more worthy of impeachment, but I dont think they have the balls to do it. I hope I am wrong.

  5. Mike Voice says:

    Well, the President does have the final say on what is classified and what isn’t… but whether using it makes him look like a weenie is the risk he appears willing to take.

    Funny to see this 2 days after the post about John Lennon’s “secret” files finally being released. 🙂
    http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=8749

    I can only assume these redactions are on the same level of “national insecurity” as the Lennon files.

  6. John Paradox says:

    Can we impeach the president for incompetence or being mentally unstable?

    Comment by Improbus — 12/23/2006 @ 8:06 am

    Unfortunately…..

    Section 4. The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

    J/P=?

  7. prophet says:

    Can’t we impeach him on the bribery at least?

  8. Improbus says:

    There is never a nut with a gun around when you need them.

  9. milo says:

    9: What? He’s in the White House!

  10. adi11235 says:

    I bet people can gleam something by running an analysis of the text. Note that while the words have been cut out, you still have the “holes” the same length as those words. Two letter words (xx) can be: of, if, at… Three letters (xxx) can be the conjunction “and”…

    In essence, a dictionary attack. It could likely be that a determined sequence of xx xxxx xx xxxxx will map out to only one relevant sequence of words.

    Just a couple of thoughts… If you know someone who can do this, give them a ring or an e-mail.

  11. James Hill says:

    To actually answer Smarty’s question…

    I believe the information cut out was regarding Iran’s initial post-9/11 posture, which was to secretly help the US get rid of Al Quada and the Taliban… which would have lead to a certain level of peace between the two nations.

    Further, the US couldn’t prove that Iran had any major terrorist intentions in 2001, but past history convinced the Bush administration not to trust the nation.

  12. Aaron says:

    #7
    You left out the “Blow Job” sub section!

  13. tallwookie says:

    #14 – When my tinfoil hat is at just the right angle w/ the sun, I can see the words!!! This is obviously aliens at work.


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