This is absolutely ridiculous. Flynt Leverett -- former CIA analyst, NSC member and established foreign policy expert -- has written an op-ed for the NYT bashing the Bush admin. for it's failed policies towards Iran. The WH, in typical ruthless and authoritarian form, has pressured the CIA to heavily redact his draft on the grounds that it would reveal national security secrets -- something the CIA disagrees with -- and have even threatened him with criminal prosecution. Leverett, visibly distraught at his press conference today, has countered that this claim is a "fraudulent" and deliberate attempt to silence a respected critic by politicizing the CIA review process.

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"It is fraudulent. It is an abuse of the pre-publication review process to silence an established critic of their policies at a time when they are under maximum political pressure to change those disastrous policies."

Leverett's full report can be found here (.pdf). The Washington Note has more, including an official statment from Leverett. I wonder when the swiftboating will begin? Tony Snow was asked about it at todays briefing and, like usual, he played dumb.