The Daily Muck

The Senate Intelligence Committee included in its bill authorizing intelligence activities written comments that recommend closing the CIA’s program of secret overseas prisons because of the damage they do to the American image. (Salon)

Valerie Plame continues to pursue justice for her outing from the CIA by members of the Bush administration. This time, Plame and her publisher are suing the CIA for allegedly delaying the publication of her new book. Former CIA officers must have all writings approved by the agency before publishing. (Associated Press)

Remember when we showed you pictures of the new U.S. Embassy being built in Iraq? Apparently, you weren’t supposed to see those. (Think Progress, Associated Press)

Bush unveiled his new climate plan yesterday, but some members of the international community are unimpressed. Says Stavros Dimas, the EU Environment Commissioner, “President Bush basically restates the U.S. classic line on climate change” arguing further that “the U.S. approach has proven to be ineffective in reducing emissions.” Meanwhile, Bush’s chief NASA administrator made comments this week that undermined Bush’s position that his administration has always been worried about climate change. (Reuters, Washington Post)

Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) has now acknowledged that he put a secret hold on the Open Government Act, which is meant to improve transparency in government and augment the Freedom of Information Act. Kyl maintains the bill would force the Justice Department to reveal sensitive information. We’re not worried; no one in Main Justice writes anything down anyway. (Associated Press)

A Saudi detainee who committed suicide in his Guantanamo Bay cell on Wednesday never met with a lawyer and was never charged with a crime during his five years of imprisonment, according to a legal defense group. He also was trained by U.S. forces before joining the Taliban in Afghanistan. (Washington Post)

Dick Cheney has kept secret his visitor logs by declaring them Presidential Records, but members of CREW maintain that the information should be released under the Freedom of Information Act. (Associated Press)

A military hearing next Monday is set to debate the limits of free speech for members of uniform. Three inactive reservists wore their uniforms to antiwar protests and allegedly made “disrespectful” and “disloyal” statements. At least one faces an “other than honorable” discharge from the Marine Corps. (Washington Post)