What's Wrong with a Little Obstruction?

Bridgethought of the Day: Love is ... taking the rap for someone else's crimes ... or is it? This is probably Machiavelli's idea of love. Think Machiavelli-love, think Karl Rove.

You've probably already read this (from Reuters), but think of it in a new way:

"Libby Faces Jail

By JoAnne Allen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - No one is likely to face criminal charges for actually leaking CIA secrets even after a U.S. jury found a former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney guilty of lying and obstructing a probe into the affair.
Just after the conviction on Tuesday of former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby, prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald told reporters the leak investigation was over and would not extend to other administration officials.
"I would not expect to see any further charges filed," he said.
The trial stemmed from a probe into the unmasking of Valerie Plame as a CIA operative in 2003 after her husband, Joseph Wilson, accused the Bush administration of manipulating intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to build its case for war.
Libby faces a maximum 25 years in prison for obstructing the Plame leak probe, perjury before a grand jury and making false statements to the FBI.
No charges were brought for actually leaking Plame's name. Federal law makes it a crime to knowingly reveal the identity of a covert agent. Some suggested Libby was merely a scapegoat for higher-ups.
Juror Denis Collins said many jurors felt that other officials who leaked Plame's name to reporters, such as senior White House aide Karl Rove, should have been on trial. "

Crimes committed:

• manipulating intelligence on weapons of mass destruction


• lying to the American people


• revealing the identity of a covert agent (working for the United States government)


• using false evidence to start a war


• taking revenge against a whistleblower by hurting his family


• conspiring to cover up evidence of all of the above


• participating in the cover up by perjury, withholding evidence

Of all of the above crimes, the only one pursued was the latter, for Scooter Libby. And what does he get for his love and sincerity? A 25-year rap? And what do the other perps get? The same perks associated with self-proclaimed Leader of the Planet: nole mi tangere.

Look a little closer on the book Karl Rove swears on, and you'll find it under Dick Cheney's hand and even, yes even old George W's hand...

OK, so they swear on the audio tape ... reading is so HARD ... but love is easy, at least love Machiavelli-style ... when you're on the receiving end. It's the giving that's the hard part. Giving and reading, these are two things the Administration does NOT LIKE AT ALL. Just ask Scoot. Hey, Scoot. It's for the family. It's for the man. It's a loyalty thing, you know? What's 25 years when you know you did the right thing? We'll take care of your wife and kids. You're our number one man, Scoot. So what's the big deal about obstruction? All our best guys get obstruction. Everybody's gotta do a little obstruction. How do you think we got where we are?