Morning Update

by Steve

Bush and new AG Michael Mukasey have reversed course and granted security clearances for Justice investigators to continue their previously blocked inquiry into the actions of Alberto Gonzales and “the role of Department of Justice attorneys in the authorization and oversight of warrant less electronic surveillance . . . and in complying with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act." With Alberto long gone and facing other legal problems, Bush has gotten all the use he can out of him and thrown Fredo under the bus, knowing that any inquiry now will not be concluded until close to the end of Bush’s term.

Preliminary word from the FBI is that their investigation of the Blackwater massacre finds most of the shootings unjustified. Yet the White House and Condi are likely to continue resisting any congressional attempts to expel private security contracts from Iraq.

Congressional Republicans are unhappy that the Democratic leadership has issued a report tallying the full costs for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including energy and interest costs and the impact upon our military readiness. Republicans want the report retracted, as well as its conclusion that Bush’s wars have cost each family $20,000, because such conclusions reflect badly upon the GOP’s rubber-stamping of both these wars.

Even though Mukasey didn’t want to call water-boarding torture, the Army went ahead and did so - again.

Finally, after months of bloggers telling the Democratic leadership to make the GOP carry the ball for a rubber stamp funding resolution and shut off funding for anything else, the leadership listens. Better late than never.