Cursor's Media Patrol - 11/07/05

"Four U.S. officials said the Italian military intelligence agency known as SISMI passed three reports to the CIA station in Rome between October 2001 and March 2002 outlining an alleged deal for Iraq to buy yellowcake from Niger," reports Knight Ridder, contradicting claims by Italian officials.

Josh Marshall looks at the FBI's "curiously unthorough investigation" into what is being described as 'An Italian job.'

The FBI's "handling of the Chalabi investigation so far stands in contrast to the aggressive inquiry" conducted by special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, reports the Wall Street Journal, while Chalabi's arrival in Washington is said to pose a dilemma for the White House.

Revisiting 'The Mysterious Death of Pat Tillman,' Frank Rich finds "a repeat of the same pattern that drove the Valerie Wilson leak ... Faced with unwelcome news ... this administration will always push back with change-the-subject stunts (like specious terror alerts), fake news or ... smear campaigns.