Classified? Leaked? The New York Times refers to the memo as a “five-page document, classified secret” that was “read and transcribed by The New York Times”. (Well, apparently not so “classified”. Otherwise the New York Times wouldn’t have it!) Anyway, here’s the opening paragraph:

We returned from Iraq convinced we need to determine if Prime Minister Maliki is both willing and able to rise above the sectarian agendas being promoted by others. Do we and Prime Minister Maliki share the same vision for Iraq? If so, is he able to curb those who seek Shia hegemony or the reassertion of Sunni power? The answers to these questions are key in determining whether we have the right strategy in Iraq.

I reiterate: if the document is (or was) classified, how did the Times get it? As for who leaked it, need we reeducate ourselves to the fact that the ultimate declassification authority in this country is George Bush himself? Also: in the last sentence of the excerpt above, does the National Security Council itself not question the validity of the Bush administration’s strategy in Iraq? It sure seems that way to me.

This is interesting reading, I must say. It verges on self-incrimination, really—self-incrimination in respect to the administration’s lack of understanding about what’s going on in Iraq. In the talking points that follow the opening paragraph, Hadley and his crew of slide rule jockeys recommend that al-Maliki:

Shake up his cabinet by appointing nonsectarian, capable technocrats in key service (and security) ministries.

Say what? Nonsectarian and capable technocrats? In Iraq? Where in God’s name do they think he’ll find any of those?

This reeks of a transparent attempt to deflect blame away from the Bush administration and into the laps of the al-Maliki “Friday night poker club”. Maybe al-Maliki can go to Muqtada al-Sadr and ask him if he has any spare technocrats laying around.

I’m thinking about starting a new blog category called “cynical” or “bitter”….

Technorati Tags: Classified, Leaked, New York Times, secret, declassification authority, George Bush, National Security Council, validity, Bush administration, strategy, Iraq, self-incrimination, talking points, slide rule jockeys, al-Maliki, Nonsectarian, capable, technocrats, transparent attempt, deflect blame, Muqtada al-Sadr, cynical, bitter

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