Cheney: Great Shiite Hunter
Inside sources reveal recent "insurgent"
hunting expedition to Iraq led by Vice President Cheney
WASHINGTON (The Radish) - Tuesday, April
27,
2004
The Washington Herald reports in today's early morning edition that Vice President Dick Cheney led a hunting trip to Iraq earlier this year to "bag us some insurgents," quoting an unidentified member of the shooting party. The allegation comes at a sensitive time for the Vice President, an avid hunter, amid criticisms of Mr. Cheney's draft deferments during the Vietnam war.
Sources close to Mr. Cheney have flatly denied this allegation, although an aide to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was at a loss to account for his superior's whereabouts on the dates in question. During the course of the Iraq conflict, major world leaders, including President George Bush, have made clandestine visits to the country, although this would be the first non-official visit by a top-ranking official.
Among the vice-president's companions, according to the Post, were NRA President Kayne Robinson, former Vice President Dan Quayle and actor-cum-gun-activist Charlton Heston. Reports that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had accompanied the group have proven false. The Herald's source claims that the entourage included an additional two dozen major GOP campaign contributors, though declined to identify the others. (Each allegedly paid as much as $25,000 for the safari, based on double occupancy.) The number of insurgents actually "bagged" was unclear, although reportedly at least three among the hunting group did not survive the outing.
Asked to comment, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, head of the coalition ground forces in Iraq, appeared to choke on the unexpected question. Recovering, he was heard to comment, "mierda... heads are going to roll," before storming out of the press tent. Privately, the general has previously expressed his grievances for visits such as the one President Bush made at Thanksgiving last year.
Campaign fundraising?
A political grassroots organization, People against Hunting People for Campaign Funds, has filed a grievance with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that the trip was a fundraising event which broke several rules, including a violation of a clause in Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations prohibiting the taking of "animal or human life" in the course of fundraising. It is unclear what penalties might be levied for the activity, and calls to the FEC have gone unanswered.
Beats paintball
Former Vice-President Dan Quayle was reported to have exclaimed "sure beats the pajamas out of paint ball!" after his first (and only) hit moments after arriving in Iraq. His victim, 36-year-old Shaheed Al-Arqari, the group's guide, an ex-pat Jordanian raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was treated for a superficial wound to the left ear. Mr. Quayle remained at the hotel for the remainder of the outing on the advice of the chief of the Secret Service detail.
Executive privilege claimed
Efforts to clarify the details of the trip made by several media representatives, the Sierra Club and People for the Ethical Treatment of Occupied Peoples (PETOP), have been fruitless. The White House is asserting executive privilege once again in the matter. An official statement from the Vice President's chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, simply states that "the Vice President needs to enjoy the privilege of privacy in order that he can assure that his cohorts may speak and act freely in his presence... this is essential to assuring authentic interaction both at work and at play."
When asked if Mr. Cheney had any public statement regarding the allegations, his spokesperson, Cathie Martin, indicated that the Vice President "has his hands full this week instructing... eh... working with the President on preparations for their joint appearance before the 9-11 Commission on Thursday" and that he would address this matter "at a later time."
Charlton Heston, reached by phone at his home for comment, simply stated, "I have no idea who Michael Moore is," before hanging up.
The Washington Herald reports in today's early morning edition that Vice President Dick Cheney led a hunting trip to Iraq earlier this year to "bag us some insurgents," quoting an unidentified member of the shooting party. The allegation comes at a sensitive time for the Vice President, an avid hunter, amid criticisms of Mr. Cheney's draft deferments during the Vietnam war.
Sources close to Mr. Cheney have flatly denied this allegation, although an aide to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was at a loss to account for his superior's whereabouts on the dates in question. During the course of the Iraq conflict, major world leaders, including President George Bush, have made clandestine visits to the country, although this would be the first non-official visit by a top-ranking official.
Among the vice-president's companions, according to the Post, were NRA President Kayne Robinson, former Vice President Dan Quayle and actor-cum-gun-activist Charlton Heston. Reports that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had accompanied the group have proven false. The Herald's source claims that the entourage included an additional two dozen major GOP campaign contributors, though declined to identify the others. (Each allegedly paid as much as $25,000 for the safari, based on double occupancy.) The number of insurgents actually "bagged" was unclear, although reportedly at least three among the hunting group did not survive the outing.
Asked to comment, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, head of the coalition ground forces in Iraq, appeared to choke on the unexpected question. Recovering, he was heard to comment, "mierda... heads are going to roll," before storming out of the press tent. Privately, the general has previously expressed his grievances for visits such as the one President Bush made at Thanksgiving last year.
Campaign fundraising?
A political grassroots organization, People against Hunting People for Campaign Funds, has filed a grievance with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that the trip was a fundraising event which broke several rules, including a violation of a clause in Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations prohibiting the taking of "animal or human life" in the course of fundraising. It is unclear what penalties might be levied for the activity, and calls to the FEC have gone unanswered.
Beats paintball
Former Vice-President Dan Quayle was reported to have exclaimed "sure beats the pajamas out of paint ball!" after his first (and only) hit moments after arriving in Iraq. His victim, 36-year-old Shaheed Al-Arqari, the group's guide, an ex-pat Jordanian raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was treated for a superficial wound to the left ear. Mr. Quayle remained at the hotel for the remainder of the outing on the advice of the chief of the Secret Service detail.
Executive privilege claimed
Efforts to clarify the details of the trip made by several media representatives, the Sierra Club and People for the Ethical Treatment of Occupied Peoples (PETOP), have been fruitless. The White House is asserting executive privilege once again in the matter. An official statement from the Vice President's chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, simply states that "the Vice President needs to enjoy the privilege of privacy in order that he can assure that his cohorts may speak and act freely in his presence... this is essential to assuring authentic interaction both at work and at play."
When asked if Mr. Cheney had any public statement regarding the allegations, his spokesperson, Cathie Martin, indicated that the Vice President "has his hands full this week instructing... eh... working with the President on preparations for their joint appearance before the 9-11 Commission on Thursday" and that he would address this matter "at a later time."
Charlton Heston, reached by phone at his home for comment, simply stated, "I have no idea who Michael Moore is," before hanging up.
Posted: Tue - April 27, 2004 at 12:34 PM
Quick Links
Calendar
Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
Categories
Archives
XML/RSS Feed
Statistics
Total entries in this blog:
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Apr 27, 2004 04:24 PM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Apr 27, 2004 04:24 PM