In a fairly shocking and direct rebuke of one of Washington’s most powerful politicians – and a reminder that the CIA doesn’t bow to political pressure from anybody – agency director Leon Panetta flatly dismissed allegations that the CIA lied to Congress about its interrogation methods.
The allegations were made yesterday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who claimed that the CIA lied when it said it had briefed her on its use of ‘enhanced interrogation techniques.’
From the Washington Post:
“It is not our policy or practice to mislead Congress,” Panetta said in a message released today to agency employees. A copy was obtained by The Washington Post.
“Our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of [suspected terrorist] Abu Zubaida, describing the ‘enhanced techniques that had been employed,’ ” Panetta said.
A two-year dispute over what Congress was told about the CIA’s interrogations reignited yesterday when Pelosi accused the agency and Bush administration of deceiving lawmakers about the interrogation practices.
Panetta went on to tell his employees to “ignore the noise and stay focused on your mission.”
Good for him.
It’s about time somebody called “bullshit” on Pelosi.
Of course, the sad thing is we’re sitting here debating whether it’s wrong to dunk people underwater to find out who’s trying to fly airplanes into our tallest buildings.
Guess that’s what makes us a “superpower.”
By Ben May 15, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Maybe Panetta should be put on trial for war crimes, too. Cheney, bush, Gonzales, Pelosi, and others should be hiring lawyers and preparing to go to prison.
Notice how the propaganda is so effective in making people think Pelosi is somehow different than the Republicrats. ON all the major spending issues, Pelosi votes just like Lindsey Graham and John McCain.She voted for the Iraq war-and she voted for the trillion dollars no strings attached giveaway to the banks.
We throw away our values and are willing to commit war crimes because a few dozen thugs fly a few planes in. to a couple of buildings?
We are better than that people. Let’s respect the rule of law and punish our leaders who violated the law and let us down.
The idea that somehow we should let Congress pass over this and that it will take too much of their time is ridiculous.
The best thing for Congress is to investigate war crimes- it keeps them from spending more money we do not have.
By CNSYD May 15, 2009 at 7:44 pm
As we in SC know, war is hell. What we do or don’t do pales in comparison to the rest of the world.
By Red Bank Bar May 15, 2009 at 9:42 pm
You’re pathetic, folks. Panetta hasn’t withdrawn his caveat the Agency doesn’t vouch for their notes.
Pelosi says release the transcripts and let’s have a full investigation. Repugnants will run screaming like a little girl when it comes to a full investigation. They can’t stand transcripts and their mierda turns to water when anyone mentions the word subpoena.
By Calhoun Fawls May 16, 2009 at 5:27 am
If I got pick Pelosi or the CIA to keep my ass from being blown up for just not praying to the east, I will got with the CIA.
By louis May 16, 2009 at 7:40 am
Ben,
How many “innocent” terrorists “broke” during waterboarding? How many American lives were SAVED due to waterboarding? Isn’t it fascinating that OBAMA won’t release memos detailing the murderous terrorist attacks THWARTED by intelligence obtained by waterboarding?
How many “innocent” terrorists died during waterboarding?
How many unarmed, “innocent” childred died in WACO when their own government used incendiary weapons to “smoke em out?”
By Smoke Another Fatty May 17, 2009 at 12:43 am
It is “quite frankly beyond our control” but to make the following statement:
We, I do not care if they pluck out finger nail after another slowly, very slowly and painfully from the freaks of nature, the Islamic terrorist’s that sent our people jumping from the twin towers in flames, do you remember? It is not torture it is WAR, and it is us against the extremists, Iran, N. Korea, etc. Let the liberal extremists, torture sympathizers and so called liberal pot smoking scum citizens of this country move to Iran or N. Korea were they would really like,want, need to show you some true love…
Oh and smoke an other fatty with your liberal friends before you land in the real world… Freaks!
By Pat Hendrix May 17, 2009 at 9:33 am
The fact Obama let Panetta call out Pelosi is a sure sign that they’ve had enough of this silly woman. She’s on the ropes.
Smoke, brilliant post. Please, keep them coming. Polling now shows that 21 percent of Americans identify themselves as Republicans – about the same number of Americans that would be considered cranks, conspiracy nuts and garden variety malcontents.
And by the way, putting aside the moral issue of torture (we executed Japanese soldiers for the same techniques used against Americans), the value of obtaining useful intelligence frm torture is very much in doubt:
http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2008/12/torture200812?currentPage=4
We also know that we got bogus information from Abu Zubaydah. Though that may have been the point given that Cheney wasn’t looking for actionable intelligence, but to forge a false link between 9-11 and Iraq – which is exactly what Zubaydah’s waterboarding provided.
And given the previous administration’s propensity for leaking intelligence that was politically helpful, I’m doubting that Cheney would have concealed information that proved “hundreds of thousands of American lives were saved.” Though I must admit it’s a clever move on his part. Even if no such evidence does not exists, he simply say Obama is hiding it.