There are so many things going on today. I don't have time to get to all of them, but I will try to hit a few.

First, Cheney conviently says he has the authority to declassify information, by the authority granted in an executive order.

Cheney Says He Has Power to Declassify Info

"Vice President Dick Cheney disclosed Wednesday that he has the power to declassify sensitive government information, authority that could set up a criminal defense for his former chief of staff, I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby."

You know shrub is a puppet president, Cheney is the real president. And this whole hunting accident story, and how he dealt with it, and then this disclosure of his authority to declassify intelligence just seems like something a president would have the authority to do. Even then its questionable since this basically means that no matter what laws we have the president can basically issue an executive order and allow anyone to break any law. It stinks to high heaven.

Then there is this:

Abu Ghraib reopens old wounds for US

"Abu Ghraib has returned to haunt the US military -- a scandal for which no senior US military officer or official has ever been sanctioned.

The old wounds have been reopened by the release by an Australian broadcaster, SBS, of new images and a video showing abuse of prisoners at the notorious Iraqi jail."

The release of more pictures of the abuse at Abu Ghraib highlights the fact that no higher ups in the military and this administration have yet to be held accountable for this travesty. This was not a isolated event that was ordered at the lowest levels. Maybe if we had a Democrat controlled House we could fully and correctly investigate this.

Then there was this:

Chertoff Admits Katrina Response Fumbled

"Acknowledging delayed aid and fumbled coordination, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday the federal response to Hurricane Katrina fell far short of providing immediate help to the Gulf Coast that could have saved lives.

Chertoff's Senate testimony came the same day a House panel released a scathing report concluding that deaths, damage and suffering could have been decreased if the White House and federal, state and local officials had responded more urgently to Katrina.

...
The House report — called 'A Failure of Initiative' — found ample fault with state and local officials, including delays in ordering early evacuations in New Orleans. But it also criticized President Bush for failing to get more deeply involved as the crisis unfolded.
...
In a sampling of 63 communications to the White House that the report documents, at least eight were dated before Katrina's Aug. 29 landfall. The documents show that presidential advisers were warned about potential disaster as early as Aug. 27.

'Earlier presidential involvement might have resulted in a more effective response,' the inquiry concluded. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the report Tuesday.
...
'Our logistics capability in Katrina was woefully inadequate,' he [Chertoff] said. 'I was astonished to see we didn't have the capability most 21st-century corporations have to track the flow of goods and services.'"

Sad, infuriating, and more. This needs to not be forgotten and lost in the midst of all the other matters that are floating through the public consciousness now. This was a grand failure at ALL levels.