CNN reports that there is, allegedly, a memo which contains a transcript of a conversation between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Dubya. In the transcript, Bush details how he would like to bomb Al-Jazeera, and -- again, allegedly -- Blair talks him down and reputedly convinces him not to.
The White House, of course, disputes this by saying, "We are not interested in dignifying something so outlandish and inconceivable with a response."
The amusing part is that the UK has invoked the Official Secrets Act. The Official Secrets Act basically says, in a nutshell, that you can't simply publish documents known to have been unlawfully disclosed.
But there's the catch -- the OSA wouldn't apply to fiction. If it's fiction, it can't be "unlawfully disclosed" (ok, well, it could, but it would take a whole lot of creativity on MI-6's part to write up a fabricated transcript, and then classify it as Top Secret or whatever). If it simply "wasn't true", there wouldn't be a document that says all those things, and thus the OSA doesn't apply.
Except, by invoking the OSA, the UK government is as much as saying, "Yes, that document does exist, and you're not allowed to talk about it or you face prosecution," completely refuting McClellan's denial. The invocation of the OSA tells us that McClellan is 100%-positively lying about the situation.
The interesting thing to think about though is "Why?" ... Blair had to know that squelching the story via the OSA was a legal confirmation of the veracity of the story. Why would he hang Bush out to dry like that? There's a couple possibilities. First is that he's a complete gimp and had no idea, but that I simply don't buy. Another is that perhaps Blair doesn't come across nearly as well in the actual document as he has in the summary, in which case, it's in his best interest for the "truth" to not come to light. Maybe the third is that he's sick of Dubya, knows he comes out fine in the transcript, and wanted to "be seen to be trying to quash the story," but in fact actually confirming it.
Amusingly, of course, the national media hasn't picked up on any of that yet. Bets on if they ever will?
I swear that Bush has a Nepoleon complex and I think would be the most likely to turn Dictator when his term ends. Mind you I doubt he could inspire any of the miltary to back him since he can't speak and make sense without a speech writer behind him whispering in his ear. Hmm. Maybe a Puppet Dictator is more likely.
Scotty may not be lying. He may be being lied to. If the West Wing has taught me anything, its that the Press Secratry is often only told what they want us to be told.
Of course, that is just sementaics. You clearly meant that the White House was lying, and regardless of what Scotty knows about what he's talking about, that is clearly the case.
Of course, what do you expect from them? Should I be outraged? Suprised?
My only suprise is that this man has not yet been impeached.