Will Senate Torture Probe Target Cheney?
Did the ex-veep tell Congress the truth? Sen. Feinstein and her investigators can find out—if they care to.
Dick Cheney, as vice president, was once the president of the Senate. Now he could become the target of a Senate investigation, for the Senate intelligence committee is in the position--and perhaps has the obligation--to answer this question: did Cheney tell senior members of Congress the truth about the Bush administration's use of harsh interrogation practices (a.k.a. torture) during hush-hush briefings on Capitol Hill?
Last week, The Washington Post revealed that in 2005 Cheney oversaw at least four classified briefings of congressional leaders about the interrogations of detained terrorist suspects. This was part of an effort to bolster congressional support for the program. Curiously--or not so curiously--the CIA didn't note Cheney's participation in these sessions when it recently released a list of the briefings the agency had provided to Congress regarding its interrogation methods.
Cheney's involvement in the CIA briefings began at a time when several senior Democrats were calling for an investigation of these interrogation techniques. In one of these sessions, Cheney met with Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), then the chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, and Sen. Jay Rockefeller III (D-WV), then the senior Democrat on the committee. (Also present were Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), the chairman of the House intelligence committee, and Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), the top Democrat on that committee.) And it is this particular meeting that falls within the boundaries of the investigation of the CIA's interrogation program now being conducted by the Senate intelligence committee. But Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the current chair of the intelligence committee, is not saying whether her probe will cover Cheney's participation in these briefings.
In March, Feinstein and Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO), the top GOPer on the committee, announced they were investigating the CIA's detainee and interrogation program. And while legislators, pundits, bloggers, and others have debated whether a special prosecutor or independent commission ought to be created to examine the Bush administration's interrogation practices, the Senate intelligence committee has quietly been pursuing its probe.
The committee's inquiry has stirred no fuss. There have been no public hearings. In fact, Feinstein has made no commitment to hold hearings on this subject or to release a public report when the investigation is completed. The committee said in March that its investigation would take about a year.
"The Senate intelligence committee's study includes an examination of how the committee was briefed on the CIA's detention and interrogation program," says Phil LaVelle, a Feinstein spokesperson. "This includes briefings of committee leadership, and is not limited by who conducted the briefing." The committee has restricted this part of its review and is not examining briefings provided to other committees--such as the House intelligence committee--according to a congressional source familiar with the probe. But given that Cheney briefed two senior members of the Senate intelligence panel, the committee can review what Cheney told Roberts and Rockefeller about the interrogation program and evaluate whether his assertions were supported by the facts. That is, the Cheney briefing is fair game for the Senate investigators.
In recent weeks, Cheney has insisted that the use of waterboarding and other extreme interrogation procedures produced essential intelligence and that classified documents prove that--while President Barack Obama and Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), the chair of the armed services committee, have taken issue with him on this point. So did Cheney make an honest presentation during the behind-closed-doors meetings with congressional leaders when he was veep? Feinstein can find out--if she wants to.
The Senate intelligence committee's investigation is not wide-ranging--which may be good news for Cheney. According to a press release it issued, the committee is mainly focusing on what the CIA did, whether it remained in compliance with guidance it received from the Justice Department, and what was the value of the intelligence it obtained through the use of "enhanced and standard interrogation techniques." That press release makes it seem unlikely that the committee is investigating whether the White House--with or without Cheney's involvement--pressured the Justice Department to cook up legal cover for the CIA's use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques.
When I asked LaVelle whether the committee was examining the 2005 Cheney briefing, he declined to comment. The committee is not confirming or denying any specific aspects of its inquiry, including the witnessess it has or will be interviewing. But the committee has granted itself the authority to investigate what Cheney told committee members about the CIA interrogations. If it chooses not to do so, its probe will be incomplete.
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Cheney, torture coverup
Look to Senator Feinstein's committee sweeping Big Dick Cheney's role in ordering the torture of terrorism suspect under a very large Senatorial rug. After all he is one of their own and his entire political career has been spent in the upper most tier of the federal government's management/administrative pay grades.
If culpability for torture can be pinned on any G4s in the CIA then it will be so.
Cheney & Erik Prince
Anna Fowler - Cheney contracted Blackwater, owned by Erik Prince, a hidden multimillionaire, acclaimed "Born Again Christian" who employed the individuals committing these war crimes of inhumane and deploring torture methods (none "Christian" methods) and Feinstein should certainly be aware of this as well as other members of her committee. Cheney should be tried, along with Prince for war crimes. Cheney abused his powers he bragged about that Dubya granted him, e.g., no bid contract to his company, Halliburton, the company also involved in resulting problems with Iraqi citizens. Of course, Cheney probably invested big bucks in their stock, but knowing the economic disaster, had time along with Dubya to sell his options.
What a surprise
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The former vice president of the United States may have told a few lies to members of Congress in his official capacity.
On the supposed legality of unauthorized wiretapping
On the definition of torture
On intelligence obtained through torture
On approval for the use of torture on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
On the "guilt" of those held in Guantanamo
On the prisoners' rights
On conditions at Guantanamo
On the Military Commissions at Guantanamo
On the alleged recidivism of released prisoners
On the reason for invading Iraq
There, courtesy of a 10 second Google search, I found ten easily substantiated lies Dick Cheney told Congress and the American public. Ms. Feinstein need not wring her hands or hold hearings, we already know.
All that is left to do is hold a War Crimes Tribunal and put a few people under oath.
Hijacked by the freemason secret society agenda
When are we going to realize the last 8years was a hijack by the freemason secret society agenda and the propaganda war that was waged during that time against the american people.And the Dictatorship the first in american history by these two tyrants,fakes,frauds and powermongers.Iraq was a freemason secret society war not american lets remember Bush was a SKULL and BONE'S men like his father before him and Liz Cheney has been on Tv lately talking about the NEW GLOBAL ORDER,The order her father and bush pushed for the last 8years.And let me remind you in 1991 bush41 at the U.N. called on a New World Order which has now turned too the NEW GLOBAL ORDER according to Liz Cheney.When are we going to stop pretending they don't exsist or have no power in government which is lie from the pit of hell Bush and Cheney have made it so obvious.This is a national security issue that some secret society would have so much power.The blood of our troops who died in Iraq for there hidden agenda is on there hands.They are Evil and unamerican in there quest to dominate us by covet means.JFK tryed to warn us and then they killed him.WAKE UP we've been hijacked by the Freemason secret society agenda.
Enough with the conspiracy
Enough with the conspiracy theories please. Concentrating on speculative fantasy works beautifully for people like Cheney & the rest of the Bush administration. Check out Lawrence Wright, Steve Coll, Robert Fisk and Thomas Ricks instead of conspiracy web sites.T
diggin up bones
Yea.. Bush was Skull and Bones.. but so was Kerry. Per theories, the election 8 yrs ago was going to be a bonesman regardless. If all that is/were true, do you think they all powerful illuminati would just lay down now? Who's to say Obama isn't just another one in the whole string of power hungry puppets. Besides, the latest from Newsweek editor Evan Thomas Friday: "I mean in a way Obama’s standing above the country, above – above the world, he’s sort of God."
Hmm... could this be more the direction of a new world order.. Afterall some think he is above the world.
freemason conspiracy
gimme a break. catholic guilt got the best of you. The masons i know -family mostly - do not have enough time after work, family etc to do anything so secretive. Plus there is generally a blowhard around. give it a little thought before you start typing
Remember when?
Feinstein's clandestine, People work-around with Mukasey on illegal wiretap is a case in point. Her office sent me lengthy explanation on a deal she helped broker to make all things "fair" to both parties.
Fair?! We weren't allowed to know anything until it was too late. The People were out of the loop as usual. This was a clear assault on our right to legal redress that the People are GUARANTEED. Feinstein's explanation elucidated little and was nothing more than covert deal-making which, as everyone knows, gave retroactive immunity to guilty, treasonous telecoms without the People's full knowledge or control.
"During the Senate's debate, I introduced an amendment on the Senate floor that would limit the grant of immunity. Under my amendment, cases against the telecommunications companies would go to the FISA Court for judicial review. The companies would only receive immunity if the FISA Court found that the alleged assistance was not provided, that assistance met legal requirements, or that a company had a good faith, reasonable belief that assistance was legal."
In other words, the crimes already committed would never see the light of a courtroom...all in our name but without our knowledge of details or even why the deal guaranteed untouchable telecoms. Remember how Mukasey was confirmed by Feinstein and Schumer at the last second, allowing for zero cross examination?
How short memories are.
There have been no public
There have been no public hearings. In fact, Feinstein has made no commitment to hold hearings on this subject or to release a public report when the investigation is completed. The committee said in March that its investigation would take about a year.
We Americans are not stupid
We Americans are not stupid (just chicken) - it is ludicrous to go through the 'investigation' process ($$$$) regarding Cheney. He has already admitted he commited war crimes throughout his ridiculous interviews. When are we going to apply rules of law to politicians as they would apply to the average citizen. If I had lied, promoted enhanced interrogation (torture), lied about the reason to declare war on an ally, agreed to wiretapping anyone at anytime etc. I would be in lock-up with the key thrown away. Stand up America - it's time to do the RIGHT thing and punish anyone who has contravened our constitution, commited war crimes, commited perjury etc. and we would get rid of a lot of shady politicians including, of course, Mr. Dick Cheney. Too bad we are so afraid to prosecute because each day we delay Cheney's war based, arms based bank account is doubling, tripling or more!
Punishment
It's OK. America was built on murder, inequality and treating people inhumanely. This is normal folks. They even tried to do it in the name of God. So who are we fooling here, huh? Do ya really think things will change as long as the old guard is sneaking around? Stealin from people. Destroying the country. We are the KINGS of the cover-up. And Americans have given them boys a pass every time. Chickens are coming home to roost yall. They ain't laying no golden eggs either. So don't complain. Not happy? Elect John and Sarah next time. I'll be moving out like so many other 'smart' people.
'old guard'?
Who is this old guard anyway? Essentially the same congress has been in power several elections. The power sway is only by a few seats one way or the other. They are all just playing politics. Both sides are as bad as the other, they are only doing what it takes to get votes. I believe very few in Congress honestly vote 100% what they believe in. They only vote what they can get away with and what will get them more votes by one party or the other. Just doing what gets more votes strictly for your political carrier is what is so bad here.. this is why term limits should be in place. These professional politicians are a joke.
If they really believed in doing the best for the country they would not spend so much time and effort airing out dirty laundry or bundling so much pork in bills to buy votes from others in congress. Items should be voted on one at a time. If it is good enough to be passed in a bundle, then it should be good enough on its own.
PS.. take fewer holidays Congress. Get some work done.
As far as making your decision to move.. where would this utopia be? What is the govt structure there?
db
But Sen. Dianne Feinstein
But Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the current chair of the intelligence committee, is not saying whether her probe will cover Cheney's participation in these briefings.
Um, yes we are....
"We Americans are not stupid" Submitted by Jeni
Actually, I believe we are. The proof is precisely that we continue to believe we will someday, "apply rules of law to politicians as they would apply to the average citizen," but we refuse to invest the energy it would take to oust the career politicians who protect the status quo. We Americans are either too lazy or too blind to realize that democracy is a participatory process, and requires work from us all.
"The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment." - Robert Maynard Hutchins
I fear we have so long enjoyed the privilege of democracy, we lack the intellect and will to regain that measure of it taken from us over the past eight years. I truly hope I'm just being cynical.
don't stop there
Well.. don't pick and choose the crimes we punish. Seems the current congress (they all have this issue) is full of tax evaders, cheats.. ie law breakers. Look at Geithner (among others)... President of New York Fed. not paying taxes, gets caught, pays some taxes and interest no penalties and becomes Treasury sec? Not suggesting a pass for Cheney if he is guilty, but we know Geithner is guilty and he definately got a pass.
War Crime?
Who is really the crimal here? Dick Cheney who's trying to get information from terrorist that could save American lives, or terrorist with info. and plans to destroy America? And Obama should not be criticizing Dick Cheney, because his problem is he's too soft on terrorism. He proved it with his "apology" tour in the Muslim world, and if he's not careful terrorist groups are going to take advantage of it.
Nikki, It is really
Nikki,
It is really unfortunate that you are one of the many who believe that it is okay to use any means to get the job done. The true test of a nation and its values, is that it is able to hold firm to those values not just in good times, but in trying times as well. We are a nation that was built on freedom. We signed the Geneva convention. Then we turn our backs on it and break international law. Then to make matters worse people like you feel the end justifies the means and can not even see that the rule of law has been abandoned.
And the Dictatorship the
And the Dictatorship the first in american history by these two tyrants,fakes,frauds and powermongers.Iraq was a freemason secret society war not american lets remember Bush was a SKULL and BONE'S men like his father before him and Liz Cheney has been on Tv lately talking about the NEW GLOBAL ORDER,The order her father and bush pushed for the last 8years.And let me remind you in 1991 bush41 at the U.N. called on a New World Order which has now turned too the NEW GLOBAL ORDER according to Liz Cheney.
Really
Just who is it that VP Cheney is alleged to have tortured?
Cheney is my hero
Hey if he ordered these men to be waterboarded I love him because until BHO got elected North Korea never had the guts to launch a missile. Now we're the target of more than terrorists but idiots who think say "poor me life's' not blowing out hugs and kisses for me and my pals today".
This is war you neophites and the tough guys always win. Thank God we live in a country that has laws to minimize the activities of the big guys but don't hog tie our heroes that keep us safe.
How quickly we forget
And on whose watch did North Korea test its first bomb? And who was it that ignored NK to waste our military on Iraq? And who was it told us all to calm down because "we can deal with North Korea?" You need to find another hero, dude.
"You signed the papers. You wanted to be here!" -Drill Sgt. Leach, 1971
Get your facts straight!
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I don't know you, so I don't know if you're deliberately lying, or just uninformed. However, 15 seconds of research shows N Korea started testing MISSILES as early as 1984 (Gee, whose watch was that on?) and has continued testing sporadically, until May of this year. Their first NUKE test was in 2006. Under whose watch was THAT? And, you think torture is a good idea? Tell you what, give me 10 minutes torture of you and I guarantee you will admit sole responsibility for 9/11 and WW II. You're so wrong now, it might take only 3 minutes. Wake up!
Response
I had to tell you that your response was EXCELLENT on Mother Jones. Great to see there are still people who read and remember. Again, great response. Ed
Iraq was a freemason secret
Iraq was a freemason secret society war not american lets remember Bush was a SKULL and BONE'S men like his father before him and Liz Cheney has been on Tv lately talking about the NEW GLOBAL ORDER,The order her father and bush pushed for the last 8years.And let me remind you in 1991 bush41 at the U.N. called on a New World Order which has now turned too the NEW GLOBAL ORDER according to Liz Cheney.
3 minutes?
It would take more like 10 seconds. Bullies, blowhards, and thugs are always the biggest cowards. See what John W. Dean has to say about Cheney. Dean knows him well; they worked closely together in the Nixon white house.
And let me remind you in
And let me remind you in 1991 bush41 at the U.N. called on a New World Order which has now turned too the NEW GLOBAL ORDER according to Liz Cheney.When are we going to stop pretending they don't exsist or have no power in government which is lie from the pit of hell Bush and Cheney have made it so obvious.This is a national security issue that some secret society would have so much power.
who's watch
Well.. maybe Reagan had intel in 1983 suggesting SDI would be needed to protect from more than just the Soviets. Maybe that was not revealed due to the focus on the Soviets. Who really knows what happens in the Oval office. So much stuff we as citizens have no business knowing. If we know it then the enemies no it and that is none of their business.
Common sense is that you should protect yourself and be known as one who is well protected and not going to take any crap. You get left alone then (except by pasifists and political opponents) . If you are a little country like Georgia or a corrupt country like Mexico or Columbia then thugs, punks and nuts will decide they will take you over. They take over the weak then build up for the big one.. look at Hitlers attempt. Right now it is the extremist Muslims taking over small weak politically correct governments of Europe. Eventually (almost there in several countries) they will run the show. Eventually the EU will be completely overun and the US fast on its heals. We need a strong govt to stand up to the special interest groups.
Be strong live long, be weak change your speak. Yo comprendo?
¿Yo comprendo?
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No, you don't. Your Spanish is as bad as the rest of your thinking. You meant to ask; "¿Comprende usted?" and yes, I do understand, far more completely than you can possibly imagine.
"Who really knows what happens in the Oval office. So much stuff we as citizens have no business knowing." To a military and scientific point or two, perhaps. But, NO ONE in public office has the right to deceive the people that put them there. NO ONE in public office has to right to lie, then invade a sovereign nation based on continuing lies as to the purpose of that invasion, then break International Law and lie about that, and continue to waste lives and treasure, lying about that, as well.
No, you're wrong, the way to be strong is to be right, and if we are attacked, THEN we attack the attackers, i.e. Al Qaeda and the Taliban, who are no doubt hiding and aiding Ossama bin Laden, whom we know is responsible for 9/11. BUT, thanks to the Progress For A New American Century group led by Dickhead Cheney and his cohorts, we were led AWAY from our true, righteous goal of removing our attackers and those who planned those attacks from the face of the Earth. No, whoever you are, you don't understand, not one whit.
Granted I don't know Spanish
Granted I don't know Spanish and minimally want to know it.
Agree.. Of course NO ONE has the right in public office to decieve or lie as you state. I was commenting on your statements about when N.Korea had begun testing etc.. Merely that building SDI may have been based on general belief (maybe justified by knowledge of NK) that the US and other countries would be safer with protection from ICBMs. I don't believe we have invaded N.Korea as a result of any potential deception or lies.
The problem here then becomes who knows when we are right? Politics cynics and psycho's will always argue what is right and wrong. You cant make everyone happy all of the time. If you see a threat, you can't just sit and wait until the strike. The strikes of today are much more devastating than the past.
Look I know we are off topic of Cheney as this tangent was about N.Korea and has bled into global expansion of Muslims to Europe and Mexicans to the US. You are trying to stick to topic and that distorts these comments as they really don't apply and suggest I am arguing something I am not.
One last comment.. we are being attacked. The country is being taken over slowly by millions of illegals from Mexico. I also happen to believe we are being attacked slowly by the growing Muslim population and their demands. We as a country need to be strong (and right) not to slide into allowing sharia law as they have in England.
This was part of an effort
This was part of an effort to bolster congressional support for the program.
Cheney, and his role
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In order to gain some self respect, we need to hold those accountable who have violated the rights of others, whether Americans or those from other nations. A truth commission is in order, and right now. Not next year, next decade, but now. Remember the crimes trials of Nuremberg after WWII? Let us respect ourselves and not let history be our judge.
Cheney Exposed
Cheney has proven to have the exact kind of deranged criminal mentality that our Founders wrote the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution to protect We The People from.
Cheney’s character was first proven when he was one of the “Hell No I Won’t Go” role models who became a White Feather Ace by refusing to protect America from communism five times during the Viet Nam War.
So it is no surprise that Cheney is the kind of coward who went on to commit high crimes by selling out the U.S. military in Iraq to maximize blood money profits for the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned America about and his Cheney-Halliburton corporation.
To achieve his most diabolical goals Cheney totally ignored all warnings he had been given well before and immediately after entering the White House, warnings that should have prevented 9/11, thus Cheney personally enabled bin Laden to destroy thousands of innocent lives in the WTC followed by the continuing loss of thousands of Heroes and Patriots in Iraq and Afghanistan.
To perpetuate his most obvious goal to become absolute despot he made himself the de facto President of the United States starting the day Bush set foot in their oval office and ordered his Department of Justice sycophants to overthrow the U.S. Constitution and the Rule of Law as much as they could get away with.
Thus Cheney will be documented as the worst traitor in American history.
UNBELIEVABLE
Clinton gets a BJ from a consenting single female and they wanted to impeach him for lieing about it.They (the republicans)hired Ken Star for $50 million to try and find something that they could bust clinton on for his dealings with white water before he was even president.Now we have the bush regime that has lied to America and the world!!Illegally invaded and occupyed an innocent sovergn nation,at the cost of well over a trillion dollars when its all over,and then breaks the Geneva convention by torturing pow's,and no one blinks an eye!
UNBELIEVABLE
The World is watching
This 'truth commission' and hopefully prosecution will certainly help the global community trust the U.S. again. It needs to be done, and ordered by congress, U.N., other allied countries or the 'intelligence community' in Washington, DC.
America has lost it's status, especially with the decline of the economy also, fat-cat's and their sly deals almost bankrupting the country. The Republican Party has this crazy notion that they are the country and party of 'exceptionalism" and this has led to their downfall. It is now just another country on the roster of many that are as equal in economic, military power as the U.S. They must get rid of that attitude.
NO MORE WHITE WASHING!
This investigation will be another white wash, just like the 9/11 white wash investigation.
We don't need any investigations because we already have the proof and the confessions. All we need now is a really good prosecutor.
Also, we don't need another white wash prosecutor like Patrick Fitzgerald, who should be prosecuted for sabotaging his own prosecutions in the treasonous Valerie Plame outing. He had all the proof he needed to convict Bush, Cheney and Rove, yet came up with just a Scotter Libby bone.
I hate to say it, but asking
I hate to say it, but asking Feinstein to get tough on torture is like asking Israel to move itself to the Sudan. There's a reason she and fellow dungeon mistress Jane Harman lead the intelligence committee. It's to make certain that torture continues in the greater quest for greater Israel.
Will the probe also look
Will the probe also look into what Pelosi knew and when she knew it? Probably not, what with the Dickyphobes running the show (yes, show).
Whay Cheeney needs
As god is my witness, we need to hold a sit-down face-to-face prayer meeting over a couple of casserole dishes of Paula Deen's Chrispy Creem Donut Bread Pudding and be certain Cheeney gets two big scoops - or MORE. I can just feel that hog lard dropping down my gullet along with 1/2 pound of butter, a pint of rum, and 1/2 pound of confectioner's sugar...
i do not trust cheney at
i do not trust cheney at all. I think he is a money hungry person. He definitely needs to be investigated. He is made to much money from oil
Everyone knows what went
Everyone knows what went down, they just need a few important people to come forward with the information they know.
Duh.
OF COURSE Cheney lied to Congress. That's his M.O. He's smarter than everybody else; he's right when everybody else is wrong; and therefore he has the absolute right to use every conceivable tactic to advance his agenda. Lying is a no brainer. Honesty is merely a personal virtue, like conservation. That's for the little people to worry about.
Cheney should be keel-hauled, flensed, and hung from the mast of the ship of state.
I think practice of
I think practice of interrogation (aka torture) was dragged and said in a very improper way..
Only the victims and if they are sure they hav really done or committed some crimes should be responsible for this act..
One should think twice before doin anythin lik that..
Dentist in brighton
Dentists in Brighton
its the conclusion what
its the conclusion what everybody is worried about.. so they are prolonging it as much as possible..
Al Qaeda and the Taliban,
Al Qaeda and the Taliban, who are no doubt hiding and aiding Ossama bin Laden, whom we know is responsible for 9/11. BUT, thanks to the Progress For A New American Century group led by Dickhead Cheney and his cohorts, we were led AWAY from our true, righteous goal of removing our attackers and those who planned those attacks from the face of the Earth. No, whoever you are, you don't understand, not one whit.
