The Central Intelligence Agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program from Congress for eight years on direct orders from former Vice President Dick Cheney, the agency’s director, Leon E. Panetta, has told the Senate and House intelligence committees, two people with direct knowledge of the matter have said.
The report that Mr. Cheney was behind the decision to conceal the still-unidentified program from Congress deepened the mystery surrounding it, suggesting that the Bush administration had put a high priority on the program and its secrecy.
Mr. Panetta, who ended the program when he first learned of its existence from subordinates on June 23, briefed the two intelligence committees about it in separate closed sessions the next day.
The disclosure about Mr. Cheney’s role in the unidentified C.I.A. program comes a day after an inspector general’s report underscored the central role of the former vice president’s office in restricting to a small circle of officials knowledge of the National Security Agency’s program of eavesdropping without warrants, a degree of secrecy that the report concluded had hurt the effectiveness of the counterterrorism surveillance effort…
One intelligence official, who would speak about the classified program only on condition of anonymity, said there was no resistance inside the C.I.A. to Mr. Panetta’s decision to end the program last month…
In the eight years of his vice presidency, Mr. Cheney was the Bush administration’s most vehement defender of the secrecy of government activities, particularly in the intelligence arena. He went to the Supreme Court to keep secret the advisers to his task force on energy, and won.
Well of course, he won. The majority of court members are gutless wonders who are at least 70 or 80 years in arrears of advancements in science, law and knowledge in general.
#29 – Improbus – Anyone taking bets on whether or not Cheney has a “heart attack” between now and Christmas?
Perhaps add a new section to this site… dvorak.org/deadpool 😉
#22 gquaglia: “It was all in the best interest of the US.”
Doubt it. Most likely in the best interests of Dick’s share portfolio or family trust, or his corporate criminal buddies.
But to his defence, if you are gonna run a secret counter-espionage program you don’t go round telling everyone.
I demands a full-scale investigation of the Bush administration.
Spying, torture, “disappearing” people, bogus wars, illegal propagandizing Americans, massive war profiteering — this can not go un-investigated.
“Well of course, he won. The majority of court members are gutless wonders who are at least 70 or 80 years in arrears of advancements in science, law and knowledge in general.”
Which only makes the judges four or five times as smart as the guy that keyboarded the above.
The reason for having old farts on the court is simple. They have seen enough to avoid many of the monumentally stupid mistakes the young farts make.
Late breaking. Obama isn’t going to cooperate with congress on any large scale invest.
#25 – You gotta love Colin Baker though: “You see Peri, the human brain can be a wonderful tool. If only you would use yours more often…”
#27, Timmy,
The liberals got to accuse the past administration of lying about the ABC weapons — and they had to take it on the chin. Some day that secret will get out.
Do you realize how retarded that sounds? If it happened and you just wrote about it then it isn’t a secret. If you made it up then it isn’t a secret.
Yes, you qualify for the Right Wing Nut Award of the Day.
Too funny: All this about a program that was not even operational or really started: http://mhudack.com/post/140880369/cheneys-secret-al-qaeda-plans
Talk about a misdirect to pull peoples attention away from Congress raping the American people…
Scott Ritter has said basically the same thing regarding WMD. He says the Republicans kept quiet because they didn’t want to admit they lost control of the materials.
“The battle is part of a long-running tug of war between the executive branch and the legislature about how to oversee the activities of the country’s intelligence services and how extensively the CIA should brief Congress. … Congress has pushed for greater oversight. The Obama administration, much like its predecessor, is resisting any moves in that direction.”
Hmm, time to try Obama I guess…
So, so tiresome to read all the ‘Bush regime’ nonsense from the lockstep left again… I thought one benefit of the Obama presidency, (other than the sheer pleasure I derive from the fact that he’s continuing many of the Bush administration policies that provide what little basis exists for historically ignorant people to yammer on about dictatorships and regimes) was that this stuff would go the way of Alar or the imminent new ice age.
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive
“Another official told The Associated Press that while Congress was aware of the program, CIA Director Leon Panetta recently told lawmakers that according to notes he had been given Cheney directed the CIA not to tell Congress specifics of the secret program.
Panetta told the committees there was no indication of anything illegal or inappropriate about the effort itself, the official said.”
Another liberal scam of the American public. Congress approved the program in question. What a bunch of idiots. I say jail all of congress for terminal stupidity…
Eideard said, “It was Cheney! Anyone surprised?”
Umm, except it wasn’t. It was congress. Anyone surprised Eideard, once again, got it wrong?
I love the sound of librul crickets in the evening.
I thing they should WATER-BOARD CHENEY to find out what he knows !!!
……GOP bulletin…….
If story true respond as follows:
– bury it. Change subject
– Obama is bad too, neener neener
– Cheney is like Truman, only better
– he saved millions of lives so it’s ok
If story false respond as follows:
– you lying fucking bag of shit liberal!
I used to respect conservatives when they were still against big brother governmental intrusion in our private lives.
But 911 make them collectively take a crap on the constitution.
# 25 RTaylor
Absolutely, but I doubt even Douglas Adams could’ve dreamed up this nasty little creature. Putting Cheney in a Dalek, is like dressing Hitler in an easter bunny outfit.
# 47 Dallas said, “If story true respond as follows:
– bury it. Change subject”
What an idiot. The story was true. Cheney had a program drawn up to kill top Al Qaeda chiefs. Apparently, librul congress people want them alive and loose in Pakistan. I wonder why?
#50 What an idiot. The story was true. Cheney had a program drawn up to kill top Al Qaeda chiefs. Apparently, librul congress people want them alive and loose in Pakistan. I wonder why?
Sigh… look, wingnut, can you at least be consistent in your wingnuttery? You’re OK with the U.S. government making plans to assassinate people they don’t like. Fine. But can you at least stop the babbling about how the U.S. is the bestest country in the world, ever, honest injun! Countries that openly proclaim their desire to assassinate people they don’t like, don’t fall into the “bestest country ever” category, they’re in the “rogue state” category.
Sigh… wingnuts…
But I already know what he’ll say… something along the lines of “When we do it, it’s not torture.” And he’ll probably sincerely believe that.
crickets…
looks like the wingnuts have run for the hills…