Posts
Sunday, May 24, 2009
And the Purpose of Gun Buybacks Is … What?
Kenya awash in Somali pirates' cash
Talk About Buried Ledes
The Washington Post runs a “recollections differ” sort of story on the CIA interrogation briefings. But eighteen graphs down is this nugget:
Two officials present during the briefings in 2002 said the talks were overshadowed by fears of more terrorist attacks. “It was wartime crisis mode, and all the chatter at the time was about a ’second wave,’ ” said one congressional official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the briefings were classified. “The next attack was supposed to be even bigger, and everyone was taking it very seriously.”
Against that backdrop, lawmakers from both parties pressed the CIA for details about what it was learning from a high-value captive: Abu Zubaida, whose real name is Zayn al-Abidin Muhammed Hussein. There was little, if any, questioning about how the information was obtained, according to the two participants.
“No one in either party was questioning interrogation tactics,” said the congressional official. “People from [both] parties were saying, ‘Do what it takes.’ Their questions were, ‘Do you have the authorities you need?’ and ‘Are you doing enough?’”
Well, that seems awful important, doesn’t it? We have not just one but two witnesses saying that of course no one thought to question the techniques being employed because they were under siege, afraid for their lives and the lives of our citizens. And there’s that comment again — “Are you doing enough?” Sure does sound like the version which Porter Goss has been relaying.
But if one wanted to be excessively charitable to the Speaker one could acknowledge that since little time was spent on the techniques and the focus was on how to prevent future attacks the Speaker just doesn’t recall any description of CIA interrogation methods. It wasn’t important at the time, and hence would not have stuck in her memory. Because, after all, what difference did it make, really, if they had rough techniques when hundreds if not thousands of lives were at stake.
But there, you see, is the nub of the matter. At the time no one in their right mind would have thought to (in fact, no one did) quibble with harsh measures. It would have been absurd for a country still reeling from attack and fearful of another to second guess good faith efforts to extract vital information from the worst-of-the-worst terrorists. No, that sort of second guessing is saved for 2009 when the moral preening and sneering at others’ “fear” is quite in fashion. Only now is it acceptable in some circles to vilify and indeed prosecute those who kept us safe.
So allow me to re-write the Post’s lead: “While Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi denies she was briefed on the CIA’s enhanced interrogation methods and has accused the CIA of lying to her, two witnesses now confirm she received an extensive briefing on efforts to extract information from a high-value al Qaeda captive — an effort that Pelosi enthusiastically supported and for which she offered any needed assistance.” Not the pithiest, but what it lacks in brevity it makes up for in exactitude.
More federal funding for ACORN despite indictments
JIHAD 'BAIT & SNITCH' TERROR STOOLIE LURED MY BEAU WITH RICHES: GAL
It wasn't quite 72 virgins, but it did the job.
A slick FBI informant roped four Muslim converts into a horrific terror plot to blow up two Bronx synagogues and military jets by handing them piles of cash and gifts and even bags of weed, relatives of the suspects said yesterday. ....
US troops with flu leave Kuwait
Dems bomb Murtha's airport
Obama seeks Iran's help in Afghanistan Cooperation would put U.S. at odds with Israel, Saudi Arabia
F. Michael Maloof
The Obama administration's interest in showing patience and offering to open direct talks with Iran – to the consternation of Israel – may not only revolve around Tehran's nuclear development program.
Instead, Washington may be looking to Iran to allow U.S. supplies to cross its territory to reach American and other NATO troops in Afghanistan and to work together to defeat the Taliban. In 2001 and 2002, Iran helped the U.S. defeat the Taliban following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
....Alternative routes to the current passage of logistical supplies through Pakistan are limited. Tajikistan offers a viable alternative, but the government there has been unresponsive to U.S. requests to run supplies through the country. The concern by Tajik officials is the negative response from Russia to helping the U.S. create a presence in an area which Moscow regards as being in its sphere of influence.
Obama’s Brown Shirts And ACORN Hit The Streets Again
from Ms Placed Democrat
In an e-mail message from David Plouffe, he spells out June 6, 2009 as the day that the real fight for health care reform begins. He spelled this out in an e-mail that Organizing for America is sending to Obama’s donor list from the campaign. Organizing for America now joins ACORN and the other 849 organizations in the Health Care for America Now (HCAN) group to step up the effort to fool Congress into passing a government health care program that will destroy the current health care system rather than reform it.
Here is the message from The Hill:
....We’ll build the teams and draw up the plans for winning health care reform the same way we won the election: Building support one block, one neighbor, one conversation at a time. And we’ll put those plans into action. .....
