Friday, January 05, 2007

A Hideous Theory

Brendan Smialowsky, NYTimes, 6/12/06:
From left, the C.I.A. director, Michael V. Hayden, the director of national intelligence, John D. Negroponte, the national security advisor, Stephen J. Hadley, Vice President Dick Cheney, President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza L. Rice, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace, meet on Iraq.

Why has John Negroponte resigned his post as National Director of Intelligence to become Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice's deputy? There has to be some reason. Steven Pizzo at The Smirking Chimp has a theory: this paves the way for Cheney to resign, Rice to be appointed Veep in his stead, and Mr. Nicaraguan Death Squad himself, Negroponte, would be made Secretary of State. Ewwwww. Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, it could.

So what's up? Here's what I think is up -- and if I were Bush I would be itching to get on with the game.

Move 1: Announce what the administration knows will be a very unpopular decision to send more troops to Iraq.

Move 2: Let the Democrat-controlled Congress throw a fit and hold hearings the administration knows will stir up additional opposition and shake loose new damning information on the administrations march to war and mismanagement of that war.

Move 3: Just when all the above is hitting the fan, Dick Cheney announces he is retiring from office early due to “health concerns," and because he does not want to be "a distraction" when he is called to testify in purjury trial of his former No. 2. Scooter Libby.

Move 4: The next day Bush announces he will nominate Condoleezza Rice to replace Cheney.

Move 5: At the same time Bush announces he is nominating Negroponte to replace Rice as Secretary of State.

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