Four years ago, the Left started kicking up a fuss about an "outed" CIA agent who wasn't covert at the time her maiden name was mentioned in a Novak piece. Scooter Libby was subsequently railroaded over his faulty memory of this non-crime.
Today, ABC published the names and faces of two men who they call the "'architects' of the CIA's interrogation techniques." They go on to inform the public that these two men are retired military men who both have degrees in psychology, and who trained our pilots in resisting such techniques--but also imply that it's somehow wrong to profit by one's knowledge and talent, when they complain that these men were paid a grand a day to oversee the "torture" (which somehow left no lasting physical damage upon the "victims"--captured terrorists).
They also state that they're somehow not really qualified to set up interrogation practices:
"But it turns out neither Mitchell nor Jessen had any experience in conducting actual interrogations before the CIA hired them.
'They went to two individuals who had no interrogation experience,' said Col. Kleinman. 'They are not interrogators.'"
Umm...again, these two trained our pilots in how to resist torture. I don't know how ABC and their associates can possibly think that these two men who they've exposed (which risks their lives, if not national security--just as the Plame exposure did neither) are not qualified to oversee interrogation.
After all, they weren't asking the questions--just making sure procedure was followed to ensure the overall long-term safety of the terrorists interrogated.
HOLLY: "the Left started kicking up a fuss about an "outed" CIA agent who wasn't covert at the time her maiden name was mentioned in a Novak piece."
ReplyDeleteDAR
Not true.
"...official legal documents published in the course of the CIA leak grand jury investigation, United States v. Libby, and Congressional investigations fully establish her classified employment as a covert officer for the CIA at the time that Novak's column was published in July 2003.[28][30][31]
In his press conference of October 28, 2005, Fitzgerald explained in considerable detail the necessity of "secrecy" about his grand jury investigation that began in the fall of 2003 — "when it was clear that Valerie Wilson's cover had been blown" — and the background and consequences of the indictment of Lewis Libby as it pertains to Valerie E. Wilson.[11]
See standard references here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plame
HOLLY: "Scooter Libby was subsequently railroaded over his faulty memory of this non-crime."
DAR
Rubbish. "On March 6, 2007, Libby was convicted of obstruction of justice, making false statements, and two counts of perjury."
That is, he lied repeatedly to investigators, to cover for his boss, as established by Fitzgerald and confirmed by the jury.
Darrel.
------------------
"I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors." --George H.W. Bush, April 26, 1999
Something tells me that you were just waiting for me to write something you disagreed with. :-D
ReplyDeleteAny case, the Plame incident was not part of a "vast, right wing conspiracy," as it was said at the time. Nor do I think that this exposure of these two contractors is part of a left wing conspiracy. I think it's more that politicians of any stripe will wait and look for ways to repay any supposed slight. I can update and clarify, if you want, but the whole thing is just a stupid risk of both the safety of these two individuals, and of national security.
I'm also a bit leery of what looks to be a growing trend of trying to prosecute the opposition for actions taken to protect the country after they've left power. Quite frankly, that scares me: if the President becomes too afraid of prosecution after he leaves office to take necessary precautions for our safety, then we are not safe.
And no, I don't care which party does it.
HOLLY: Something tells me that you were just waiting for me to write something you disagreed with. :-D>>
ReplyDeleteDAR
No no! It's just when I see something which is demonstrably false I know you would want it corrected. Because you love the truth as much as I do.
HOLLY: Any case, the Plame incident was not part of a "vast, right wing conspiracy," as it was said at the time.>>
DAR
Well, it was Hillary that said that many years if not a decade before any of this (and she was right then, see the doc. "Hunting of the President"). This probably wasn't that vast. Mostly Rove and Cheney who were pissed because Wilson so openly debunked the Niger/Saddam yellowcake line of evidence for the war. Bush may have not even known the details of this vendetta. Scott McClelland didn't, they openly lied to him. Pissed him off!
HOLLY: I can update and clarify, if you want, but the whole thing is just a stupid risk of both the safety of these two individuals, and of national security.>>
DAR
I don't see them as very comparable. These are two guys, not really qualified, hired to facilitate torture. Plame was actually involved in WMD counter espionage and outing her, drawing attention to her, risked other past and present CIA operatives and associates.
HOLLY: I'm also a bit leery of what looks to be a growing trend of trying to prosecute the opposition for actions taken to protect the country after they've left power.>>
DAR
I agree. I think that is a good point. It is a careful balance, you don't want criminal action to be excused. I don't see Obama being very aggressive about going in that direction.
D.
-----------------
See also:
"The More They Go to Church, the More They Support Torture"
http://fayfreethinkers.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5699&p=18314#p18311
DAR, you're rewriting a little bit of history there.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Wilson "debunked" the uranium stuff. In the pages of the New York Times, no less.
Of course, that op-ed contradicted what he testified to before Congress, and what he reported as the results of his trip to Africa. But hey, who's counting?
FIFTH: "Yeah, Wilson "debunked" the uranium stuff.>>
ReplyDeleteDAR
Yes he did.
FIFTH: "Of course, that op-ed contradicted what he testified to before Congress, and what he reported as the results of his trip to Africa.>>
DAR
I've heard this claim, and I've heard him respond to it in interviews. I notice you make the claim but provide no specific example.
D.
--------------
"Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow; He who would search for pearls must dive below." --John Dryden (1631-1700)