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A Treasury department spokesman said it had asked its inspector general to see if disclosure laws were violated. Mr O'Neill was sacked from the US Government in December 2002. He has since contributed to a book on the Bush administration called The Price of Loyalty by journalist Ron Suskind, for which the former secretary provided thousands of documents for research purposes. 'No WMD evidence'
He told the CBS "60 Minutes" programme that Mr Bush was looking for
an excuse to oust Saddam Hussein.
He also said that, as a member of the US president's national security team, he said he never saw any evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Mark Foley Republican Representative He told the CBS "60 Minutes" programme that Mr Bush was looking for an excuse to oust Saddam Hussein. He also said that, as a member of the US president's national security team, he said he never saw any evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Treasury Department spokesman Rob Nichols said that, although it was customary for officials to take documents when they left office, a document marked as secret was shown on the programme. He said the proposed probe would focus on how possibly classified information appeared on television and the inspector general could then "take appropriate steps, if necessary", he was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. Comments rejected Mr O'Neill was sacked from the US Government after nearly two years in his position over differences with the Bush administration. In the 23 months I was there, I never saw anything that I would characterise as evidence of weapons of mass destruction. Paul O'Neill The BBC's Washington correspondent, Justin Webb, says his remarks represent the most sustained and damaging criticism of the Bush administration from a former insider since the president came to power. Mr O'Neill gave an unflattering account of Mr Bush's leadership style in the interview, saying that at cabinet meetings the president was like a blind man in a room full of deaf people. But the current Commerce Secretary, Don Evans, told CNN that the president liked nothing better than vigorous discussion in cabinet. "He drives the meetings, tough questions, he likes dissent, he likes to see debate," he said. Republican Representative Mark Foley of Florida accused Mr O'Neill of delivering a "blatant stab in the back".
Version 2 The
US Treasury Department has called for an investigation into whether
a former Bush government member leaked secret documents in his new book.
Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill appeared on a US news programme to promote his book in which documents marked "secret" were shown. A Treasury department spokesman said it had asked its inspector general to see if disclosure laws were violated. Mr O'Neill was sacked from the US Government in December 2002. He has since contributed to a book on the Bush administration called The Price of Loyalty by journalist Ron Suskind, for which the former secretary provided thousands of documents for research purposes. Treasury Department spokesman Rob Nichols said that, although it was customary for officials to take documents when they left office, a document marked as secret was shown on the programme. He said the proposed probe would focus on how possibly classified information appeared on television and the inspector general could then "take appropriate steps, if necessary", he was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. Bush response Responding to Mr O'Neill's comments - which come a week before Mr Bush is due to make his annual State of the Union address - the US president said that, as with previous US administrations, he had been for regime change in Iraq.
However, he suggested, the task had only become urgent after the terrorist
attacks on America in September 2001.
BBC Washington correspondent Justin Webb says there is widespread annoyance within the Bush administration at Mr O'Neill's comments. Mr O'Neill made the statements in an interview with the CBS "60 Minutes" news programme to promote the book on Sunday. He accused Mr Bush of planning for an invasion of Iraq within days of coming to office, saying the US president was looking for an excuse to oust Saddam Hussein. He added that, as a member of the US president's national security team, he never saw any evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. 'Backstabbing' claim Mr O'Neill also gave an unflattering account of Mr Bush's leadership style in the interview, saying that at cabinet meetings the president was like a blind man in a room full of deaf people.
Mr O'Neill was sacked from the US Government after nearly two years
in his position over differences with the Bush administration.
But the current Commerce Secretary, Don Evans, told CNN that the president liked nothing better than vigorous discussion in cabinet. "He drives the meetings, tough questions, he likes dissent, he likes to see debate," he said. Republican Representative Mark Foley of Florida also accused Mr O'Neill of delivering a "blatant stab in the back". |
Not since Julius
Caesar have I seen such a blatant stab in the back - et tu,
Mr O'Neill? 
