Trouble with demanding access to information is that once you get access to information, you can't stand up and deny it . . . or can you?
Nancy Pelosi says she was never told about waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques. Part of what is fueling her outrage is that this was all done behind their Congressional backs (the other part is politics, of course, to stick it to the Bush Administration). Well, it seems as though there is some disagreement on this subject. The CIA claims they went to Capital Hill over 40 times to brief Congressional leadership, including, as far back as 2002, the Honorable Nancy Pelosi.
Hmmmm. . . seems we are in a bit of a pickle. It will be interesting to see if the Honorable Nancy chooses the Reagan Defense . . . "you know, I just don't recall what was said in that particular briefing . . . there are so many briefings . . . " Or, maybe the Twinkie Defense will work better.
The other thing to watch for is the memo detailing the terrorist attacks that were averted as a result of information obtained during harsh interrogation techniques. This particular memo will feature fun facts such as the number of Americans who are alive today because of this "tainted" information, what cities and landmarks were targeted, how it was going to happen, and who was going to do it. When the heat gets turned up on this issue, as it inevitably will, just after the indictments are handed down . . . watch for this memo to leak. There will be predictable outrage that the very people who kept us safe during the heat of the battle (when outcome is most uncertain) are now (sic) being tried for doing what it took to keep us safe.
Talk about unexploded ordinance.
Congressional Democrats, and their allies, are setting themselves up for a huge fall. Some may actually realize what they are doing, but the momentum has taken over. The release of the "torture memos" started the ball rolling and now there are multiple investigations on the Hill. The process is hard to stop. Even when Congress knows the right answer, they just can't seem to find a way to undo what they did. The outlines of what will happen are crystal clear.
Woldy
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Unlike on economic matters, Senator John McCain, I believe, has unique standing on this matter. He says torture doesn't work. Every debate on pundit shows includes the many cowards of Hannity, Rush, Cheney, and others who would give up their mother to avoid a skinned knee so we know why they think it would work. Why do they never have real experts like psychologists or other experts (and I don't mean Jack Baur).
ReplyDeleteEven if it does work, can waterboarding KSM 183 times really lead to new useful information? As Jon Stewart says, after 90 times are you done? Doesn't the real information come from spies in the field?
Bush said flat out "we don't torture" all the while knowing he authorized waterboarding, an act for we tried Japanese soldiers for war crimes after WWII. Like his entire life and presidency, he won't own up to what he did (and Daddy can't help on this one).
The truth of the matter is he and Dick were completely asleep about OBL (in spite of warnings from Clinton) when 911 occurred, and their only goal thereafter was "never again" without any thought as to how to fight this enemy which will take a generation and all our power; mostly the power of our ideas and hope. Guilt is an awful blind motivator.