Congressional Democrats Accuse CIA of Shifting Blame in Torture Debate
You know. I thought that with Obama in the White House, all the conspiracy theories were sure to come from the far-right. Turns out I was wrong. Because now the left – and not even the far-left, but just the left – is making them. The accusers? Congressional Democrats. The accusee? The CIA. So reports Politico:
Democrats charged Tuesday that the CIA has released documents about congressional briefings on harsh interrogation techniques in order to deflect attention and blame away from itself.
“I think there is so much embarrassment in some quarters [of the CIA] that people are going to try to shift some of the responsibility to others — that’s what I think,” said Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who sat on the Senate Intelligence Committee and was briefed on interrogation techniques five times between 2006 and 2007.
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, said he finds it “interesting” that a document detailing congressional briefings was released just as “some of the groups that have been responsible for these interrogation techniques were taking the most criticism.”
Ah, of course. It’s obvious. The “evil CIA” wants to intimidate them into stopping any investigations. But is it that simple?
From the article:
Asked for comment about the Democrats’ charges, CIA spokesman George Little said only that the CIA “understands the importance of a strong relationship with the Congress, which in our democracy, conducts oversight of secret intelligence activities.”
But another U.S. intelligence official went further, noting that the records of the congressional briefings were “prepared in response to a request from Congress.”
Aha! So it was actually them who did it and now that names have been named, they’re being hypocritical. But wait! The volleying continues:
Intelligence Committee member Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) said it appears that “members of the committee or their staff were not in any way involved in [the release of the document]. It appears to come from the executive branch itself. … I think it’s unbelievable.”
A top congressional official who has participated in the briefings added: “I think the agency wanted to get this out, quite frankly.”
But then…
The 10-page document, which was prepared after an April 20 request by Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), lists 40 instances in which the CIA briefed members of Congress between September 2002 and March 2009.
Ok, so many Feingold gets off the hook since, Hoekstra, as a Congressman, isn’t on Feingold’s committee. But the tone of the Congresscritters is telling. Blame seems to be squarely directed at the CIA. Note that they never mention one name: Obama. Politico goes there, though:
Questions about the CIA’s motives have added to bad feelings between the CIA and Democrats on the Hill and in the Obama administration. Panetta tried to limit the release of Justice Department memos authorizing harsh interrogation techniques, but he lost a struggle with the department, and the memos were released.
It is interesting that the administration goes to great lengths to release the legal memos but does not try to stop the release of who was told about the methods. It’s been some days since the release of this information and the Oval Office is quiet on this matter. One almost gets the impression (and I move into conspiracy theory-land myself here) that the administration wants to shame the Democrats in Congress for their knowledge of the program.
Not like it probably wouldn’t have gotten out, anyway. It was initially requested by a member of Congress, and a Republican at that, who’d love an opportunity to name names and show hypocrisy right now.
“One almost gets the impression (and I move into conspiracy theory-land myself here) that the administration wants to shame the Democrats in Congress for their knowledge of the program.”
I just think that Obama is unwilling to touch this. He is probably bothered enough by the fact that he had to instigate his program under a serious crisis, with an unpopular bailout and ambiguous stimulus as a prelude – he didn’t need the crisis one bit.
Here, he is just letting the mill run its course (like he should) while occasionally saying that he would like to move on.
Overall, saying that the CIA is secretly trying to do x just because the memos indict democrats is as silly as saying that Obama or democrats shouldn’t step back and let completely sensible investigations take place just because republicans will be indicted.
The memos and investigations will lay there, black ink on white paper, and then you deal with the consequences as a grownup. No one should look at such an event with surprise or a political slant.
He is probably bothered enough by the fact that he had to instigate his program under a serious crisis, with an unpopular bailout and ambiguous stimulus as a prelude – he didn’t need the crisis one bit.
Bothered by the crisis! LMAO…he’s using the crisis as a pretext for pushing through a radically left (for the US) economic program. The economic crisis was what put him over the top in the campaign anyway, after McCain flubbed his response to the credit crisis.
Now if you’re saying that he doesn’t need the headache of having to placate those who want investigations galore into the interrogations, I think that’s probably true. And I wouldn’t doubt that his administration either helped instigate the release of info about the Congressional briefings, or at least is happy that this information is coming to light because it should help deflate the calls from the left for heads on sticks (since they won’t want that to adversely affect their own party.)
” LMAO…he’s using the crisis as a pretext for pushing through a radically left (for the US) economic program.”
He would have pushed his policies without the crisis – the bailout and stimulus are the only additions.
“The economic crisis was what put him over the top in the campaign anyway, after McCain flubbed his response to the credit crisis.”
He was already leading – the crisis closed it for him and lowered the pulse of his supporters.
“Now if you’re saying that he doesn’t need the headache of having to placate those who want investigations galore into the interrogations”
The potential war crimes. The potential war crimes. The potential war crimes.
Say after me and stop LYING by petty omission like some nationalist: The potential war crimes. The potential war crimes. The potential war crimes.
That’s what you, as an American, has to deal with. The potential war crimes.
I have said over and over to all that will listen. Where will this witch hunt stop?
The NSA wiretaps were well known by democrats. The were briefed on it and gave their tacit approval. Then it was exposed and the democrats ran for cover leaving Bush holding the bag.
The democrats were well aware of what was transpiring behind closed doors on this “SUPPOSED” torture. They were brief, informed and gave their tacit approval. Then it came to light and the democrats ran for cover leaving Bush holding the bag.
Now Im not condoning any of it. MY point is simple. Where will the witch hunt end and how do we determine who to hang? Metaphorically.
No matter how hard the left tries to paint Bush as a shoot from the hip cowboy he honestly did not wipe his butt with the constitution every night. And if he did.
IF HE DID…then there were an awful lot of democrats cheering him on.
Ive said from day one….does the left really want to go here.
“The democrats were well aware of what was transpiring behind closed doors on this “SUPPOSED” torture.”
Potential war crimes. I’m willing to say “potential” – are you willing to admit that the potentiality is regarding war crimes?
“Where will the witch hunt end and how do we determine who to hang?”
Calling the pursuit of justice a witch hunt just because a member of your pack could get indicted? I’ll assume better of you – what is going on can become a witch hunt if those who agree that the matter at hand is “potential war crimes” do not get together and prevent those only taking one part of the phrase to steer the debate.
“No matter how hard the left tries to paint Bush as a shoot from the hip cowboy he honestly did not wipe his butt with the constitution every night.”
He actually did, but not every night. The democrats who didn’t do anything to stop him should go down too.
“Ive said from day one….does the left really want to go here.”
Speaking as a human foremost and a left-winger secondly – hell yeah.