Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Lies, and the Scummy Liars behind them.
So, let's say that the Bush Administration is telling the truth regarding their assertion that no torture has been used by our agents. Wouldn't it have been great if they had kept and shown the tapes made during the interrogations of Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri?
Really, they could have shown the entire world that we don't use torture techniques (including the infamous waterboarding process) to obtain needed information from detainees. That we, as a leader in civilized society, do not stoop to such grotesque means.
But, that would be living in a fantasy world. Unluckily, we live in the skewed real world. We live in one where we say one thing and by our very actions support the direct opposite. One where no one can really believe anything which this administration says because they have shown no ability to be honest.
With anyone.
So, now we have the CIA, probably under direction of the White House, destroying tapes which Congress and the Courts told them explicitly not to destroy. We have the new Attorney General telling Congress and the Courts not to investigate because the Justice Department is "investigating" this. And everyone knows that whatever comes out of the mouths of anyone in this administration is complete BS!!!
I know I've called this administration Political Scum before, but I now believe that is an insult to scum everywhere. Can someone please come up with a more appropriate title for this group of bottom-dwellers?
Until that time, they are the very definition of Political Scum!!
AP story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Alberto Gonzales and other top White House lawyers took part in discussions about destroying CIA videotapes of interrogation of two al Qaeda suspects, the New York Times reported Tuesday night on its Web site.
Alberto Gonzales was White House counsel until early 2005, when he became U.S. attorney general.
At least four top White House lawyers discussed the issue with the CIA between 2003 and 2005, according to current and former administration and intelligence officials the newspaper did not identify.
Gonzales, the former attorney general who served as White House counsel until early 2005, was among those who took part, the officials said.
Also involved, according to the Times' sources, were David Addington, who was the counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney and is now his chief of staff; John Bellinger III, who until January 2005 was the senior lawyer at the National Security Council; and Harriet Miers, who succeeded Gonzales as White House counsel.
One former senior intelligence official told the Times there had been "vigorous sentiment" among some top White House officials to destroy the tapes.
Other officials asserted that no one at the White House advocated destroying the tapes, the newspaper said. Those officials added that no White House lawyer gave a direct order to preserve the tapes or advised that destroying them would be illegal.
U.S. District Judge Henry H. Kennedy on Tuesday ordered Justice Department lawyers to appear before him at 11 a.m. Friday to discuss whether destroying the tapes, which showed two al Qaeda suspects being questioned, violated a court order.
The Justice Department has urged Congress and the courts to back off, saying its investigators need time to complete their inquiry. Government attorneys say the courts don't have the authority to get involved in the matter and could jeopardize the case.
For now, at least, Kennedy disagreed. Attorneys in unrelated cases, meanwhile, began pressing other judges to demand information about the tapes.
In June 2005, Kennedy ordered the Bush administration to safeguard "all evidence and information regarding the torture, mistreatment, and abuse of detainees now at the United States Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay."
Five months later, the CIA destroyed the interrogation videos. The recordings involved suspected terrorists Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.
The Justice Department argued that the videos weren't covered by the order because the two men were being held in secret CIA prisons overseas, not at the Guantanamo Bay prison.
David Remes, a lawyer who represents Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo Bay, said the government was obligated to keep the tapes and he wants to be sure other evidence is not being destroyed.
"We want more than just the government's assurances. The government has given these assurances in the past and they've proven unreliable," Remes said. "The recent revelation of the CIA tape destruction indicates that the government cannot be trusted to preserve evidence."
Kennedy did not say why he was ordering the hearing or what he planned to ask. Even if the judge accepts the argument that the government did not violate his order, he still could raise questions about obstruction or spoliation, a legal term for the destruction of evidence in "pending or reasonably foreseeable litigation."
Also Tuesday, lawyers for a man convicted of terrorism charges alongside Jose Padilla asked a federal judge in Miami to force the government to turn over any remaining evidence regarding Zubaydah's interrogation.
Prosecutors have acknowledged that Zubaydah provided information identifying Padilla as an al Qaeda operative working on a purported "dirty bomb" plot, leading to his May 2002 arrest at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
Lawyer Ken Swartz said information about his client, convicted terrorism supporter Adham Amin Hassoun, might be found in those interrogations.
In a third case, this one involving another Guantanamo Bay detainee, attorney Jonathan Hafetz of the Brennan Center for Justice asked U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler in Washington to schedule a hearing. Kessler's order, filed in July 2005, is almost identical to Kennedy's, and Hafetz says he worries key evidence was destroyed.
The Justice Department had no comment on Kennedy's decision to hold a hearing. Its lawyers are working with the CIA to investigate the destruction of the tapes and urged Kennedy to give them space and time to let them investigate.
Remes had urged Kennedy not to comply.
"Plainly the government wants only foxes guarding this henhouse," Remes wrote in court documents this week.
The Bush administration has taken a similar strategy in its dealings with Congress on the issue. Last week, the Justice Department urged lawmakers to hold off on questioning witnesses and demanding documents because that evidence is part of a joint CIA-Justice Department investigation.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey also refused to give Congress details of the government's investigation into the matter Friday, saying doing so could raise questions about whether the inquiry was vulnerable to political pressure.
Really, they could have shown the entire world that we don't use torture techniques (including the infamous waterboarding process) to obtain needed information from detainees. That we, as a leader in civilized society, do not stoop to such grotesque means.
But, that would be living in a fantasy world. Unluckily, we live in the skewed real world. We live in one where we say one thing and by our very actions support the direct opposite. One where no one can really believe anything which this administration says because they have shown no ability to be honest.
With anyone.
So, now we have the CIA, probably under direction of the White House, destroying tapes which Congress and the Courts told them explicitly not to destroy. We have the new Attorney General telling Congress and the Courts not to investigate because the Justice Department is "investigating" this. And everyone knows that whatever comes out of the mouths of anyone in this administration is complete BS!!!
I know I've called this administration Political Scum before, but I now believe that is an insult to scum everywhere. Can someone please come up with a more appropriate title for this group of bottom-dwellers?
Until that time, they are the very definition of Political Scum!!
AP story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Alberto Gonzales and other top White House lawyers took part in discussions about destroying CIA videotapes of interrogation of two al Qaeda suspects, the New York Times reported Tuesday night on its Web site.
Alberto Gonzales was White House counsel until early 2005, when he became U.S. attorney general.
At least four top White House lawyers discussed the issue with the CIA between 2003 and 2005, according to current and former administration and intelligence officials the newspaper did not identify.
Gonzales, the former attorney general who served as White House counsel until early 2005, was among those who took part, the officials said.
Also involved, according to the Times' sources, were David Addington, who was the counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney and is now his chief of staff; John Bellinger III, who until January 2005 was the senior lawyer at the National Security Council; and Harriet Miers, who succeeded Gonzales as White House counsel.
One former senior intelligence official told the Times there had been "vigorous sentiment" among some top White House officials to destroy the tapes.
Other officials asserted that no one at the White House advocated destroying the tapes, the newspaper said. Those officials added that no White House lawyer gave a direct order to preserve the tapes or advised that destroying them would be illegal.
U.S. District Judge Henry H. Kennedy on Tuesday ordered Justice Department lawyers to appear before him at 11 a.m. Friday to discuss whether destroying the tapes, which showed two al Qaeda suspects being questioned, violated a court order.
The Justice Department has urged Congress and the courts to back off, saying its investigators need time to complete their inquiry. Government attorneys say the courts don't have the authority to get involved in the matter and could jeopardize the case.
For now, at least, Kennedy disagreed. Attorneys in unrelated cases, meanwhile, began pressing other judges to demand information about the tapes.
In June 2005, Kennedy ordered the Bush administration to safeguard "all evidence and information regarding the torture, mistreatment, and abuse of detainees now at the United States Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay."
Five months later, the CIA destroyed the interrogation videos. The recordings involved suspected terrorists Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.
The Justice Department argued that the videos weren't covered by the order because the two men were being held in secret CIA prisons overseas, not at the Guantanamo Bay prison.
David Remes, a lawyer who represents Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo Bay, said the government was obligated to keep the tapes and he wants to be sure other evidence is not being destroyed.
"We want more than just the government's assurances. The government has given these assurances in the past and they've proven unreliable," Remes said. "The recent revelation of the CIA tape destruction indicates that the government cannot be trusted to preserve evidence."
Kennedy did not say why he was ordering the hearing or what he planned to ask. Even if the judge accepts the argument that the government did not violate his order, he still could raise questions about obstruction or spoliation, a legal term for the destruction of evidence in "pending or reasonably foreseeable litigation."
Also Tuesday, lawyers for a man convicted of terrorism charges alongside Jose Padilla asked a federal judge in Miami to force the government to turn over any remaining evidence regarding Zubaydah's interrogation.
Prosecutors have acknowledged that Zubaydah provided information identifying Padilla as an al Qaeda operative working on a purported "dirty bomb" plot, leading to his May 2002 arrest at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
Lawyer Ken Swartz said information about his client, convicted terrorism supporter Adham Amin Hassoun, might be found in those interrogations.
In a third case, this one involving another Guantanamo Bay detainee, attorney Jonathan Hafetz of the Brennan Center for Justice asked U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler in Washington to schedule a hearing. Kessler's order, filed in July 2005, is almost identical to Kennedy's, and Hafetz says he worries key evidence was destroyed.
The Justice Department had no comment on Kennedy's decision to hold a hearing. Its lawyers are working with the CIA to investigate the destruction of the tapes and urged Kennedy to give them space and time to let them investigate.
Remes had urged Kennedy not to comply.
"Plainly the government wants only foxes guarding this henhouse," Remes wrote in court documents this week.
The Bush administration has taken a similar strategy in its dealings with Congress on the issue. Last week, the Justice Department urged lawmakers to hold off on questioning witnesses and demanding documents because that evidence is part of a joint CIA-Justice Department investigation.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey also refused to give Congress details of the government's investigation into the matter Friday, saying doing so could raise questions about whether the inquiry was vulnerable to political pressure.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Got to start all over.....
It's been 6 weeks since I last posted. I just haven't had the desire to espouse any great ideas, especially since I've been lacking in great ideas.
But, I do have multiple random thoughts. Not that you, gentle reader, care, but what the heck. How about a random thoughts posting. On each of my favorite subjects, one after the other.
Family
Jacob is now involved in wrestling. I am going to all his meets. Other than watching nervously and screaming as he get pinned, there is little I care about at these meets. But the good news is that I am now back to reading the book I started late this summer. Past that, Jacob is enjoying this much more than I am...which is as it should be.
Elliott is having problems with the following: doing homework, reading for school and keeping focused. But he now has a guitar and will soon be taking steps to become the world's next great guitarist. Given his desire and, what I believe is, his talent, I expect nothing less.
Tracey is missing her father something awful. As hard as I try, there is no way I can put myself completely in her place. I still have both parents. I don't talk to my parents everyday. As much as I love them, they are not nearly as involved in my life as Tracey's is to hers. And this time of year certainly doesn't make it any easier. I just wish I could do something to truly help, but all I can do is be her husband and try not to screw that up.
Sports
The Mitchell Report came out yesterday. I listened for hours to all the information. I assimilated it. I understand the strengths and weaknesses of this work. I respect what he and baseball is trying to do. But since there is now a steroids testing which seems to be somewhat effective, I just don't care. I do care that the Diamondbacks just picked up Dan Haren from the A's. I'd like for the Braves to get a couple of more players, maybe another OF who can hit big and a relief pitcher or two. Pitchers and catchers report on February 15.
Division I college football needs a playoff more than words can describe. It is absolutely stupid to have the guess work called the BCS.
But, I will pray for Hawaii to beat UGA.
Tech getting Paul Johnson as head coach will end up being beyond wonderful. I predict a national championship within 5 years.
Politics
Bill Richardson is the best candidate around.
I must stop here.....rat alert in the house!!!!!
But, I do have multiple random thoughts. Not that you, gentle reader, care, but what the heck. How about a random thoughts posting. On each of my favorite subjects, one after the other.
Family
Jacob is now involved in wrestling. I am going to all his meets. Other than watching nervously and screaming as he get pinned, there is little I care about at these meets. But the good news is that I am now back to reading the book I started late this summer. Past that, Jacob is enjoying this much more than I am...which is as it should be.
Elliott is having problems with the following: doing homework, reading for school and keeping focused. But he now has a guitar and will soon be taking steps to become the world's next great guitarist. Given his desire and, what I believe is, his talent, I expect nothing less.
Tracey is missing her father something awful. As hard as I try, there is no way I can put myself completely in her place. I still have both parents. I don't talk to my parents everyday. As much as I love them, they are not nearly as involved in my life as Tracey's is to hers. And this time of year certainly doesn't make it any easier. I just wish I could do something to truly help, but all I can do is be her husband and try not to screw that up.
Sports
The Mitchell Report came out yesterday. I listened for hours to all the information. I assimilated it. I understand the strengths and weaknesses of this work. I respect what he and baseball is trying to do. But since there is now a steroids testing which seems to be somewhat effective, I just don't care. I do care that the Diamondbacks just picked up Dan Haren from the A's. I'd like for the Braves to get a couple of more players, maybe another OF who can hit big and a relief pitcher or two. Pitchers and catchers report on February 15.
Division I college football needs a playoff more than words can describe. It is absolutely stupid to have the guess work called the BCS.
But, I will pray for Hawaii to beat UGA.
Tech getting Paul Johnson as head coach will end up being beyond wonderful. I predict a national championship within 5 years.
Politics
Bill Richardson is the best candidate around.
I must stop here.....rat alert in the house!!!!!
