Rockefeller to Politico: Read the Damn SSCI Narrative Already!!!
Jello Jay has finally resorted to explaining things to journalists reeeaaalllly slowly, so they can understand the things he revealed in the SSCI narrative on torture.
Dick's "Presidential-Level" Torture Decision
Cheney gave an incredibly hedged answer when asked whether Bush knew about and authorized torture. Of course, Bob Schieffer didn't ask the obvious follow-up to figure out WTF it meant.
Timing and the Sheikh al-Libi Death
Since Andy Worthington reported on Sheikh al-Libi's death over the weekend, a few more details on timing have come out.
Ibn Sheikh al-Libi Died in the Last Two Weeks
The first important point is that al-Libi died sometime after April 27, when a Human Rights Watch researcher ran into him in a Libyan jail.
Graham Corroborates Pelosi
Bob Graham appears to go even further than Pelosi denying he was briefed on torture. There may be reasons for that. But the big point remains: the Bush Administration and the CIA did not fulfill legal obligations to brief Congress on torture.
The Five Criminal Referrals WaPo Doesn't Report
The torture apologists want you to believe that the CIA never referred any torture for criminal investigation. But that doesn't seem to be right.
al-Libi Dies in a Libyan Prison
We have been talking heavily about torture, renditions and the legal and motivational justifications therefore nonstop for the last couple of weeks. But one of the earliest entries in this sordid tale (witness the December 18, 2001 entry on Marcy's Torture Timeline) was the capture and torture of Ibn Sheikh al-Libi. Now he is dead.
Why Is Pat Roberts So Quiet?
The CIA and SSCI disagree about key details on Senate torture briefings. So why isn't Pat Roberts clarifying the issue?
Obama To Git-Mo Better Military Tribunals
The GOP squeals and Obama greases their detainee wheel. On May 1st, the New York Times warned that President Obama was contemplating reinstating the tyrannical Bush/Cheney military tribunals for Gitmo detainees. Today we are one step closer to return of the tribunals, a regrettable turn away from the appropriate standard of American justice and due process.
Memo to WaPo: Torture Is Not Just Waterboarding
I can't tell whether this WaPo piece is a thinly sourced Jane Harman hit on Pelosi. Or an incredibly crappy article asserting facts for which it has no proof.
Bed Dinnertime For Bonzo Gonzo
Hello Americans, it's Friday! Are you mystified, bewildered and puzzled? Well I sure as heck am. Guess who's coming to dinner? Gonzo! He's going to the White House Correspondent's Dinner.
Breaking News!! CIA Manipulating Briefing Process!!
No. Not really breaking. We knew that CIA was playing around with its obligation to inform the intelligence committees before it starts any big new projects--like opening torture factories around the world.
But that's the real story of this briefing list--aside from what a bunch right wingers are claiming it says, the actual details of the briefing list notwithstanding.
Republicans Appropriating Torture
There were three briefings of the Appropriations Committees on torture. Which raise more questions than answers.
CIA Lying to ABC about Torture. Again. ABC Reporting It Uncritically. Again.
The CIA has gotten a list of torture briefings into ABC's hands. That list is inaccurate--and the CIA even admits it might be inaccurate. But ABC is treating as accurate, I guess because it worked out so well the last time CIA lied to ABC about torture.
Pelosi's Advisory On Abu Zubaydah And Torture
As Marcy noted back on April 29th, the issue of Nancy Pelosi's briefing back in 2002 on the Bush/Cheney torture program, whether or not it was being applied to Abu Zubaydah and, if so, to what extent has really turned into a he said-she said game. So, it should not come as any surprise that yet another missive has been launched in this little passion play.
Stressing Teh Kitty
The bank stress test results are in! Wonderful news, the economy is totally groovy man! Well, except not. For what are being hailed as great results, there are some disturbing numbers. Said stress tests of the 19 largest U.S. banks show they will need a total of $74.6 billion to withstand a deeper recession.
Interrogation and Response--the Democratic Way
Okay, I lied. I'm going to throw up a quick post.
I wanted to direct your attention to Scott Horton's interview of the Stanford students who challenged Condi Rice on her role in torture. In particular, I wanted to point to the comments of Sammy Abusrur--whose friends are now calling him "Frost"--about Condi's role over all as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State.
I am not a political scientist, nor an international
Big Auto Musical Chairs
Okay, I didn't see this one coming. General Motors is staring imminent bankruptcy dead in the eye and now they want to negotiate purchase of a substantial interest in Fiat. This is getting weird.
The Value Of The Hometeam
Sports are a fickle thing, they bring out the best and the worst of people. Professional sports franchises often come, in a way, to define their cities. But what is their intrinsic value? What does it mean when they leave? The City of Phoenix may be about to find out.
The OPR Report: Why No Sanctions for Bradbury?
The WaPo reports that OPR has recommended John Yoo and Jay Bybee be sanctioned--but not Steven Bradbury. Is that because he was still in charge of OLC when OPR allowed OLC to review the report?
Dougie Feith's Little Shop of Tortures?
I just happened to find Dougie Feith's responses to Questions for the Record the Senate Intelligence Committee asked him in 2003. They wanted to know how hos little intelligence shop at DOD--the Policy Counter Terrorism Evaluation Group (PCTEG)--bridged the line between intelligence and policy.
He said his little intelligence shop helped formulate policy on:
