This has been a recurring theme for me and many others -- can you imagine, in your wildest dreams, exactly how much screaming would be coming now from the right wing crazies, radio show talking heads, FauxNews, and all the other assorted Republican partisans if CLINTON, or any other Democrat, had allowed -- indeed, CAUSED -- such information to be published?

They'd be screaming for impeachment, followed by conviction and summary execution on the steps of the U.S. Capitol! Clinton, or any Democrat, would be a complete traitor, guilty of the worst sort of dereliction of duty -- they'd accuse him of being unfit to hold office, of actually being in FAVOR of spreading this information to our enemies!

This issue, like no other that's erupted recently, will tell us all we need to know about the honesty and fairness of the rabid right wing. It should be NO SURPRISE to anyone when Dubya and his stooges who allowed -- CAUSED -- this information to be posted to the Internet get a complete pass for this incredible mistake.

I guess the Current Occupant was being brutally honest with this statement:

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." — Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

Thank you mr. President, this was just the missing link. I dont have to look into other shrubs any longer. Our bomb is now ready. With thanks from your Iranian friend, the bearded one.

never asks a question in open court that he doesn't already know what the answer will be. Same deal here. Posting unfiltered, unsorted military intelligence from other countries, countries who have been at war with us, is just stupid. Of course there will be information detrimental to our side in there somewhere. "What were they thinking?" Same answer as when I hear about some teenager inspired nonsense; They weren't.

So it turns out Saddam Hussein did have designs and specs that could help Iran, Osama, etc., build nuclear weapons. Therefore there was some justification to invade Iraq to remove him from office. Is that what you're telling us, Salon? Hey, IAEA, are you claiming that unless someone actually has the weapons, not just the knowledge to build them, they aren't a large proliferation danger?

Rich, it's pointless to point out Republican hypocrisy. They don't view it as hypocritical or inconsistent to attack someone for the sins they themselves have committed. You see, they are right. Always. Because they a good, true, and God-loving, so how can they ever be wrong? Liberals are wrong. Always. Because they are evil, false, and hate God.

In the end, they are really moral relativists, because in their mind, the morality of an act is determined by which group the actor belongs to, not the act itself or its consequences.

Black kid busted carrying crack? Criminal degenerate who justly deserves his 5 years for a first offense. Jeb Bush's daughter caught carrying crack? A tragic private health matter, but to show we're fair-miinded we'll give her 10 days in jail.

Pointing out this hypocritical disparity? Race baiting or class warfare.

Note: I apologize to members of the Republican party who are philosophically consistent and who argue and debate in good faith. I can't think of any other term than Republican since this is the mindset that currently seems to dominate your party's leadership as well right-wing media pundits who claim to speak for you.

I *do* realize what you're saying is true. I'm surrounded both at my church and in my larger family by people who subscribe to exactly what you say.

A very apt analogy came to mind yesterday -- everyone remember the scene in "Bride of Frankenstein" in which the newly-verbal Monster (Boris Karloff) said something like "Wine -- gooooood! Fire -- baaaaaad!"?

Suddenly I realized, this is EXACTLY the mentality of far too many people. "Republican/conservative -- gooooood! Democrat/liberal -- baaaaaad!"

Geez, people -- use your critical thinking skills! Stop using the old lizard brain, and flex your mental muscles a LITTLE. You'd be amazed at how different the world looks once you wake up and start being honest with yourself!

The Democrats should be loudly announcing that the Bush administration's incompetency has just exposed the United States to a nuclear attack in the future by publishing this information. After all, if someone does build, or use, a bomb then the Republicans will say it was because the Democrats took control of congress and interfered with the GOP's war plans.

John Negroponte isn't dumb, he's just evil. The one time he says something that might contribute to the greater good in the world, it gets ignored.

Why does he hate our country so much?

Well building a nuclear bomb is not sensitive the way that Dick Cheney's Whitehouse Visitor logs are.