RSample.com

Politics and Theology from Reuel K. Sample

Browsing Posts tagged interogations

Yesterday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi accused the Central Intelligence Agency of lying to Congress about the use of waterboarding.  In an extraordinarily disjointed press conference, she adamantly denied having any knowledge that the technique was in use, just that the Bush administration was thinking of using it.

Speaker Pelosi is lying.  You can tell – because the liberal press – which has supported her for these last two years – are pouncing on her like sharks on a wounded California seal.   Some excerpts from the “Big Three”:

Pelosi says she was only briefed once about harsh interrogation methods and was not told waterboarding was being used against top al Qaeda detainees. But the the CIA pointed to recently released documents that raise questions about Pelosi’s account, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr. (CBS News)

A report released last week directly contradicted Pelosi’s recollections of the briefing. The Director of National Intelligence’s report indicated that the speaker was in fact briefed about such techniques used on Zubaydah — one of three terrorist suspects subjected to waterboarding, an interrogation tactic that simulates drowning. (ABC News)

The speaker’s discomfort was evident yesterday as she was grilled by reporters for the first time since the CIA issued information suggesting that she and others were told about the use of the techniques, including waterboarding, at a classified briefing on Sept. 4, 2002. Pelosi was then the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee. (NBC News)

So, file the papers.  Either bring the felony case agains the members of the CIA who lied to congress, or file the papers to commit the Speaker to intense psychological counseling.  Hopefully, the citizens of her district will demand the latter.

I cannot believe it myself.  I am totally behind the Senator from California when she calls for a slow-down of investigations into interrogations used by the Bush administration. ( From CBS News.)  As the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Feinstein wants to complete her investigation before any “truth commission” is put in place by the House.   Though Speaker Pelosi disagrees, Senate Majority Leader Reid backs up his colleague from the west coast. (From Politico.com. )

While the country’s security will benefit from this slow down, in the end the Democrats will be thankful.  Those on the left calling for these investigations have forgotten that they have a hand in all of this.  Speaker Pelosi has not denied that she was briefed, but insists that all she knew was that the administration was discussing these techniques, not using them.  Her double-talk on these topic has even her aides hunkering down. (Pelosi playing defense on torture)  Republicans, including Hoekstra and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), insist that Pelosi and congressional leaders from both parties were told about the “enhanced interrogation techniques” as far back as 2002. (From CNS News.)  It is becoming increasingly clear that Democrats knew about these interrogation techniques, and gave their tacit approval as to their use.

I honestly believe that these hearings will quietly die away – and we should be thankful.  We are at war with a culture of terrorism that thinks nothing of cutting off the heads of kidnapped people – not to mention flying planes into buildings and killing 3000 Americans.  I do not condone torture – but I do approve of these techniques that put suspects into that uncomfortable zone where telling the truth brings relief.    We have received valuable intel from these interrogations, information that has saved lives. (From The American Spectator.)  Democrats will also be thankful, as none of their involvement will have to go on record.

So, I agree with Senator Feinstein.  I am going to go out and recycle now, maybe put a windmill in my back yard…