Liz Cheney: Calling My Daddy a Torturer Is Libelous
I just got home and am wiped out (bmaz kept me out partying in NYC), so I thought I'd throw this up for discussion.
BabyDick says:She hasn't seen the memos she's convinced show torture was effective (no mention of whether she saw the IG report which says torture isn't effective)She still ignores the part of Admiral Blair's statement that shows we only got general info from torture--like the 10 pieces of intelligence
What Pelosi, Rockefeller & Harman Could Have Done
There has been an ongoing discussion for the last few weeks or so about the briefings that congressional leaders were allegedly given regarding the Bush/Cheney torture program and what Congressmembers like Pelosi, Rockefeller, Harman and Graham could have done to fight the malfeasance of Bush and Cheney. This post will explain what they could have done.
Why Did Tenet Create a False Record on the Day After He "Quit"?
Did Condi Rice and George Tenet build plausible deniability into Bush's written endorsement of torture.
CIA: Focus on the Beatings, Not the Incompetence
fatster linked to this CQ article, quoting a former CIA ops officer admitting the CIA dissembles to Congress--and suggesting the CIA likes this controversy, because it makes them look tough.
"The interrogations controversy has served the CIA bureaucracy," Jones asserted. "A top goal of bureaucracy is to look busy, and whether one agrees with the interrogation methods or not, the impression given is that the CIA is both busy and aggressive."
Jones added:
Dick Cheney's Torture Kabuki
A look at how Cheney scammed the system to implement torture.
As Goes the Chevy Volt, So Goes America?
Yes, I'm being a bit cruel, posting this the week that GM will probably declare bankruptcy. But that may make the question more apt.
As I told you all a million weeks ago, I had the opportunity to drive a mule version of the Chevy Volt around GM's Tech Center about a month ago.
Wood v. Kagan on Executive Power
According to a story by Charlie Savage, if we want to hold the line on executive power, we had better hope Obama doesn't pick Elena Kagan to be the next SCOTUS justice.
Feingold's Opposition to Indefinite Detention
Russ Feingold makes a great argument against indefinite detention.
Richard Shelby Contradicts the CIA and Everyone Else
Richard Shelby just shredded his own story about the CIA briefing on torture.
John Rizzo's Nomination and the Bybee Two Memo
Jay Rockefeller appears to have demanded documents pertaining to Rizzo's role in the Bybee Two memo in relation to his confirmation hearing. And it appears that CIA Director Michael Hayden told Jello Jay to fuck off.
Fast Trash!
I've been busy lately; sorry about that. On a positive note, that is likely good for you readers. Nevertheless, this is the fastest and most awesomest weekend imaginable, it is a holiday weekend and time to blow some trash talk around. There is a convergence on Sunday of the Grand Prix du Monte Carlo (Monaco), the Indianapolis 500 and, yes Elizabeth, those good ole boys will be circle jerkin
Preventative Detention and Our Crimes
When I think of indefinite detention, I think of all the reasons the government might prefer to use it with Zubaydah rather than admit the colossal mistakes the Bush Administration made with its torture program.
WaPo Doubles Down on Conflict Over Truth
In spite of the fact that it is becoming increasingly clear to the rest of the media that Porter Goss and Nancy Pelosi agree that they were not briefed that the CIA had already been torturing prisoners in September 2002, the WaPo has decided to double down on deliberately misreading events.
Breaking! Judge Walker Gets Ready to Penalize the Government in al-Haramain
Judge Walker appears to have lost his patience with the government's obstinance in al-Haramain.
He just gave the government one week to explain why he shouldn't just rule in al-Haramain's favor and impose penalties.
As the court understands the situation:
1. The United States has completed suitability determinations for two of plaintiffs’ attorneys and found them suitable for TS/SCI clearances, but government officials in one or more defendant agencies, including the NSA Director
Did Abu Zubaydah's Torture Begin After May 28, 2002?
I increasingly suspect that the torture index provided to ACLU may better pinpoint the day when Abu Zubaydah's torture began. Here are they key datapoints.
April 13, 2002: CIA starts taping Abu Zubaydah interrogations.
April 16, 2002: Bruce Jessen circulates draft exploitation plan to JPRA Commander.
April 2002: CIA OGC lawyers begin conversations with John Bellinger and John Yoo/Jay Bybee on proposed interrogation plan for Abu Zubaydah.
The Context of the Torture Index
I wanted to return to the torture index released to ACLU the other day to comment on what the CIA claims to have in terms of records.
First, remember what this index is. The April 21 order required CIA to turn over two things. Records "relating to the content" of the torture tapes "from the entire period of the tapes that were destroyed" (This stuff is referred to as "Paragraph 3"
Gallup Polls Public Approval on Innocent Bystanders, But Not Torturers
Gallup does a public opinion on torture. And somehow forgets to ask about public opinion on the torturers.
Victory Is Mine!!!!
Finally, a TradMed source who can read the English language!!!
Dick Asks Obama to Wave His Magic Wand
During the week that Dick Cheney ordered Libby to out Valerie Plame, Mary Matalin told Libby that "Bush" should order everything on the Wilsons declassified (it's not clear whether Matalin meant this to include Plame's identity or not). She said "the President should wave his magic wand" to declassify the oppo on the Wilsons.
Joe Miller of FactCheck.Org Got Played for a Fool
You'd think after Porter Goss once again failed to refute Nancy Pelosi's central assertion, "Fact Check" organizations would get the hint.
But no--they're still out there refuting themselves!!
Here are the details that FactCheck.Org uses to claim that,
So we're left with Democrats offering one (not always entirely accurate) story and the CIA and some Republicans offering a different (and, again, not always entirely accurate) story.