Posted on 07/11/2009 2:08:00 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Cheney Is Linked to Concealment of C.I.A. Project By SCOTT SHANE
The Central Intelligence Agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program from Congress for eight years on direct orders from former Vice President Dick Cheney, the agency’s director, Leon E. Panetta, has told the Senate and House intelligence committees, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said Saturday.
The report that Mr. Cheney was behind the decision to conceal the still-unidentified program from Congress deepened the mystery surrounding it, suggesting that the Bush administration had put a high priority on the program and its secrecy.
Mr. Panetta, who ended the program when he first learned of its existence from subordinates on June 23, briefed the two intelligence committees about it in separate closed sessions the next day.
Efforts to reach Mr. Cheney through relatives and associates were unsuccessful.
The question of how completely the C.I.A. informed Congress about sensitive programs has been hotly disputed by Democrats and Republicans since May, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the agency of failing to reveal in 2002 that it was waterboarding a terrorism suspect, a claim Mr. Panetta rejected.
The law requires the president to make sure the intelligence committees “are kept fully and currently informed of the intelligence activities of the United States, including any significant anticipated intelligence activity.” But the language of the statute, the amended National Security Act of 1947, leaves some leeway for judgment, saying such briefings should be done “to the extent consistent with due regard for the protection from unauthorized disclosure of classified information relating to sensitive intelligence sources and methods or other exceptionally sensitive matters.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I would take a moment to remind you all of some history. Perhaps you know this already, but here goes anyway - the story of Julius Caesar and the end of the Roman Republic - in 100 words or less.
The Romans had a republic, imperfect, yes, different than ours true, but nonetheless, power passed to representatives of the constituencies in the country more or less peacefully, for 450 years until 49 BC.
What was it made Caesar cross the Rubicon and force Pompey and the senate into exile in Greece? It was the threat of death as an enemy of the Republic made by the Roman Senate. Caesar became tyrant because he had the power to force the Senate with his legions and because his life was under threat otherwise.
Criminalizing political decisions after the fact can have no good end.
~~~~
Rules for Radicals
Rule 11:
Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it. Don’t try to attack abstract corporations or bureaucracies. Identify a responsible individual. Ignore attempts to shift or spread the blame.
What two people?
“As if Bush doesnt already look bad enough.”
I wouldn’t worry about President G.W. Bush.
Thanks to Obama, “W” is beginning to look like George Washington.
I’m afraid you’ve just hit on the real reason for this NYT report.
DC politics are incredibly brutal and favor those with neither honor nor scruples.
Nancy has power and she has accused the CIA of lying to her. Result: impasse.
The CIA has released memos indicating that the CIA kept Nancy informed throughout the last eight years. Result: impasse.
Thus, high-level bureaucrats at the CIA will offer up Cheney on a silver platter to Congressional Democrats in exchange for Nancy turning down the heat on the Agency. This is how the conflict will be resolved. Cheney will get run through the DC wringer, regardless of the program’s existence/merits/successes. The political gods will be appeased, and that is all the counts in DC.
As one who worked in the Senate I concluded that if I were President I would not tell either Senate or House of secret activities. All that matters to congressmen and Senators is re-election and avoiding indictment for their financial and tax crimes.
Bush Administration including Cheney knew that congress was full of traitors and would give a heads up to everyone.
Members of Congress do not get any kind of security clearance whatsoever, and there is no penalty possible when they divulge classified info to the press, so telling them anything is a dodgey proposition.
Staffers DO have clearances, so when something is leaked, guess where it came from. Not the staffers.
Cheney didn’t want it on the front page of the Democrat Fishwrapper (aka, the New York Slimes), which is where every anti-Bush top secret they (the Dim’s) could get hold of was LEAKED to the Times (yet, curiously, Conyers didn’t care about the leaks).
See post # 36
I WISH this were true. More lives could have been saved, right Leahy?
Oh, almost forgot, go reproduce asexually Patrick.
5.56mm
( I hope so )
Wife was reading some of the early Vince Flynn books and commenting on Mitch Rapp’s ability to “persuade” people, I told her that if she liked him in those, she should wait till Mitch gets really worked up about stuff in the later books.
Pure deflection. This has zero to do with interrogation briefings.
I’m getting really sick of Leon E. Piñata!
“Cheney will get run through the DC wringer, regardless of the program’s existence/merits/successes. The political gods will be appeased, and that is all the counts in DC.”
If they are foolish enough to take on Cheney, they better be prepared to change their diapers regularly. Praying that his health holds up.
That photo says it all.
Lasers! I should have such eyes.
Of course Dearth Cheney is...
That was the first of the 2 shoes that were to be dropped when the plan was hatched between the spare ribs and the wine at the 0bama BBQ with the Press.
Now that the modern version of the Military-Industrial Complex has been initiated in the 21st Century (as the Socialist-Media Complex) you should expect the Propagandization of America thru the marriage of the Media and the 0bamunists.
Zero’s approvals are fast on their way to challenge Pelosi’s so we all should brace ourselves for some outrageous allegations about the prior Administration to come come rolling out of the woodwork, you know ...keep the stooges/err people busy with a media bombardment of the Bush Administration while this crew dismantles Free market Democracy in America.
First it will be Cheney then they will go for President Bush.
L. O. L. bravo sierra
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.