Posted on 07/13/2009 8:59:50 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) The US Central Intelligence Agency had a secret plan to capture or kill Al-Qaeda operatives but it was terminated by new CIA Director Leon Panetta, The Wall Street Journal said late Sunday.
Citing unnamed former intelligence officials familiar with the matter, the newspaper said the precise nature of the highly classified effort remained unclear, and the CIA would not comment on its substance.
According to current and former government officials, the agency spent money on planning and possibly some training of its operatives for the mission, the report said.
It was acting on a 2001 presidential legal finding, which authorized the CIA to pursue such efforts. But the initiative had not become fully operational at the time Panetta ended it.
Citing three unnamed former intelligence officials, The Journal said that in 2001, the CIA also examined the subject of targeted assassinations of Al-Qaeda leaders. But those discussions tapered off within six months.
Neither Panetta nor members of Congress provided details, said the Journal, adding that he quashed the CIA effort after learning about it on June 23.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Why are you playing defense here? Do you understand how treasonous it is to reveal this very important CIA program and then eliminate it? The liberal traitors are the one who should be on the defense her.
I don’t buy that it wasn’t operational, IMO, that’s the reason it was kept hushhush because it was operational.
It’s one thing to stop the program but by publicising the shutdown, they are showing their true colors and aims - a witchhunt aimed at Cheney and in the manner of all federal prosecutions, use the lower level guys to snitch by offering them plea bargains.
This is a witch hunt pure and simple, whether you agree with the program or not, going after those who were in the thick of it is the equivalent of an old fashioned purge.
And he’s also looking into the 2001 killings of many Pakistanis and other TalibAQ types.
Come back, Mullah Omar, all is forgiven.
The viewpoint of the Pakistani Military has been vindicated; the US does not have the stomach for the fight and will eventually bug out. All Pakistan had to do is outlast the Americans.
Which looks imminent now.
If this is the case, then why the hell even start a campaign against the Talibs. Seems futile since we’ve already telegraphed the Talib victory.
Was this action by Panetta connected to the segment I saw on 60 Minutes last night?
It stinks. Half the country has lost its soul.
Guess I shouldn’t take it so hard but between this, and a budding investigation into the NA’s war against the Talibs in 01, I’ve been surprised by not only Obama, but my own reaction to this news.
A vindictive witch hunt is not the way to go for the good of the country, but to these guys, anything that can besmirch, tarnish and otherwise slander the Bushies is a valid endeavour.
Me a cynic, aka realist, saddened by this crowd.
And what’s on their priority list - banning tabak in the military.
Totally Bummed out in Boston.
If the Repubs had any guts at all, the Obamists have just handed them their campaign issue.
The Democrats didn’t know we were trying to kill AQ’s leadership. Really? And they have canceled it.
Further proof, as if any were needed, that Democrats can not tell the truth to save their lives, and they can not keep a secret even to save our lives. And they do not want to kill AQ’s leadership.
They have no business being in government; its a job for adults. Its a job for patriots. Its a job, believe it or not, for moral people. I wish Cheney would take this issue and jam it right down their throats.
(This makes me mad).
bttt
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