1115.org

George Bush’s State Department, June 13:

The United States has “irrefutable evidence” that Tehran is transferring arms to Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, a top U.S. diplomat told CNN Wednesday, noting that NATO forces have intercepted some of the arms shipments.

“There’s irrefutable evidence the Iranians are now doing this and it’s a pattern of activity,” U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told CNN.
[…]
“It’s certainly coming from the government of Iran. It’s coming from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard corps command, which is a basic unit of the Iranian government,” Burns said.

George Bush’s Defense Department, June 13:

The quantity of Iranian weapons being shipped to the Taliban in Afghanistan makes it unlikely that the Iranian government is not involved, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
[…]
“It’s pretty clear there is a fairly substantial flow of weapons (into Afghanistan),” he said. “I haven’t seen intelligence specifically to this effect, but I would say given the qualities we’re seeing, it’s difficult to believe it is associated with smuggling or the drug business or that it is taking place without the knowledge of the Iranian government.”

Maybe Burns should show his irrefutable evidence to Gates?

Or maybe Gates should try and find out why vital intelligence information is being withheld from him?

Or maybe Burns’ irrefutable evidence is something other than intelligence information?

Personally, I think that since President Bush is so big on democracy, the spread and practice thereof, differences like this should just be settled democratically. And it would be arrogant and irresponsible to leave it up to just the State and Defense departments. Empower them all, give them all a voice. Put them all in a room, the Justice Department, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Education, … everybody. Stick in Wolf Blitzer or Bill O’Reilly or somebody like that as a moderator. Let them debate, and then let them vote. And then let them prick their fingers, and mingle their blood, and swear to toe whatever official line emerges as the victor from the debate.