***BREAKING**** Obama to release torture memos

[cali]

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/secret-interrogation-memos-to-be-released/


Secret Interrogation Memos to Be Released
By Mark Mazzetti

After a tense internal debate, the Obama administration this afternoon will make public a number of detailed memos describing the harsh interrogation techniques used by the Central Intelligence Agency against al Qaeda suspects in secret overseas prisons.

The interrogation methods were among the Bush administration’s most closely guarded secrets, and today’s release will be the most comprehensive public accounting to date of the interrogation program that some senior Obama administration officials have said used illegal torture.

The documents are expected to include Justice Department memos from 2002 and 2005 authorizing the C.I.A. to employ a number of aggressive techniques- including sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme temperatures and “waterboarding,” the near-drowning technique.
<snip>

[Occam Bandage]

1. Without censorship? Thank God. I was worried. nt

[Adelante]

6. Doubtful

I can't imagine there will be no redaction at all.

[Occam Bandage]

9. Of course there will be some. The question was

whether everything related to particular methods of interrogation would be redacted. It sounds like (but is not certain) that those will be released.

[Adelante]

18. I should have known

You're not naive about these things - no offense intended, though :hi:

[Occam Bandage]

24. None taken. I was sloppy in my language.

:hi:

[soccermomforobama]

50. Politico is reporting that the memos will be "lightly" redacted

[MADem]

10. I bet some details will be redacted, probably locations, to some extent

Maybe a few names of foreign nationals, if they crop up in the docs. After all, the CIA doesn't want to get in the business of promising people anonymity and then backing away from their word--we'd never get any help again.

I think the gist of what occurred will still be fairly apparent, though.

[Occam Bandage]

13. That's what I meant, yeah.

I expect that truly sensitive particulars will be redacted, and I also expect there will be a mild attempt by some to claim that amounts to "more state secrets," but I was referring to the particulars of the methods used.

[MADem]

30. I think we'll get enough info to "get the picture." But you are quite right

that there will likely be more "not enough" complaints that will come out of this, no matter how apparent the need for the redaction.

[glinda]

19. CIA threatened the Administration about "not" releasing them didn't they?

Have they reached a compromise? I worry for our Prez.

[Occam Bandage]

21. I don't think "threatened" is the right word. I know they argued against releasing them,

but I haven't seen any evidence of a threat.

[glinda]

57. To convey to the President in so many words that "If you want our co-operation and support" you need

to back off (call it voicing opposition, disagreement or whatever) of "us or some of our methods or some people" (however they put it) is to put pressure upon our top Administrator who should be for all practical purposes is the head of our Government. Well obviously there is something I learned and suspected for a long time and that is that the CIA is a dark rat's nest full of creatures fashioned out of dung that is the residue of some of the darkest excretion of America's History.

[MADem]

25. Please. Leon Panetta is running the CIA. He's a VERY smart, pragmatic and

agreeable DEMOCRAT. He's also smart as a whip on issues of National Security. That's why Obama picked him for the job, even though he has no 'covert' background.....that we know of, anyway.

It's his job to advocate for his agency. To suggest that Panetta would wish ill on the guy who appointed him is silly.

[AirBaud]

2. Bravo Mr. President.

[Supersedeas]

43. this is a step toward justice...just put one foot in front of the other

[tekisui]

3. GOOD!

knr!~

[G_j]

4. good news

I hope this means ALL of them will be released. "

... will make public a number of detailed memos "

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. That's great news!

Time to expose these men for the scumbags they truly are...

K&R

[lisa58]

7. This is great news...

...I tried to recommend, but there is a bug in the system - I'll try again later!

[Occam Bandage]

11. I'm getting bugs when I try to rec as well.

[tekisui]

14. I can't rec either.

[Canuckistanian]

27. This is happening on another Memos thread, too

NSA blocking our recs?

[MUAD_DIB]

8. But what about the Tea Baggers!!!!!

That will divert attention away from the FOX Noise "spontaneous" event. :rofl:

[graywarrior]

12. I never doubted he would

[slipslidingaway]

15. Good news, although waiting to see if they are released in full or not.

[KansDem]

16. How will CorpMedia deflect this one?

They've already used the Tea Bagger's Party theme...what's left?

[LynnTheDem]

17. "employ a number of aggressive techniques" aka TORTURE.

Those "aggressive techniques" listed are specifically listed in the GCs as TORTURE.

American media; "mealy-mouth". Call it what it IN FACT is.

TORTURE.

[seemslikeadream]

20. Is this why Spain is backing down?

[hlthe2b]

40. that was my thought, exactly...

It does make one wonder what is going on behind the scenes both here and abroad...

[rhett o rick]

49. I am guessing that a very powerful enity got to them. An enity possibly bigger than a single govern

-ment.

[Political Heretic]

22. Sounds like good news to me!!

I'll be looking forward to hearing if the ACLU is satisfied with what is released, but sounds like great news and apparently a hard fought victory - I'm pleased to read that the Justice Department was on the side in favor of releasing the documents.

[malaise]

51. Ditto n/t

[spoony]

23. excellent!

This paragraph really hits at the heart of that "tense internal debate":

"But the most immediate concern of C.I.A. officials is that the revelations could give new momentum to a full-blown congressional investigation into covert activities under the Bush Administration."

Oh no, justice! Accountability! Run!

[Jeroen]

26. Pffff..what a relief. n/t

[Canuckistanian]

28. With or without redactions? The article doesn't say

Guess we'll have to find out.

[cali]

29. I would imagine that there will be redactions.

Names of both the torturers and the tortured will be redacted.

[Canuckistanian]

35. This isn't about names - they're DOJ legal documents

Apparently, they spell out exactly what the interrogators were authorized to do.

They don't give any examples of torture or mention any specific incidences. They're just legal documents about the governments intent.

So there shouldn't BE any redactions at all.

[Eagleiiii]

31. Torture Memo's!! YEA!

Its about time these terrorists answer for what they are doing.

Or is that what was happening?

[cali]

32. hello, trolly. Can't you little pissants at least make an effort?

now run off back to whatever sewer you dwell in to continue jerking off to the sicko hate you get off on.

[Occam Bandage]

37. This one didn't format its message in plain text. I think that's progress. nt

[The Hope Mobile]

60. But he still uses apostrophes inappropriately

amazing

[AllieB]

33. Hi Eagleiiii. Could you clarify?

Thanks.

[cali]

34. I think it's pretty clear: 1st comment, no profile, cheering on torture.

[AllieB]

41. Yes, I just wanted to hear it from our visitor.

;-)

[Occam Bandage]

36. I agree. The terrorists who have embarrassed this country,

made a mockery of our values and our laws, and who have made our country and the world far more dangerous through their radicalizing methods will hopefully answer for what they have done in the name of the United States.

[ima_sinnic]

38. some posters down thread think you're cheering torture--but you mean the terrorists

who committed the torture -- RIGHT?

you're cheering release of the memos -- RIGHT?

[ima_sinnic]

39. all right! as 1 of his fiercest critics on the whole state secrets & habeas corpus stuff,

I am very pleased. This is good news for all of us, all Americans, in terms of inching closer to ultimately bringing the scum to justice who ground our democracy into the mud and brought shame to us all.

I will watch with interest and give my full support to these steps as they're taken.

[G_j]

42. Kick

[PearliePoo2]

44. Kicked and now recommend works too. nt.

[barbtries]

45. been waiting all day

are they waiting until the reporters all go home?

[pleah]

46. Yeah, but they won't be prosecuted either.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5470552


He has no reason (now) not to release them.

[cali]

47. that's ok with me- as long as those who gave the legal justification

aren't given immunity. I'm much more interested in the big fish.

[rhett o rick]

53. I say go after the rank and file. The ones that actually did the beating, waterboarding, the hanging

with chains. These people are clearly sadists and just following orders doesn't cut it. You may never get the big fish. Don't let the little fish get away.

[pleah]

55. It is NOT ok with me. I don't

want ANY of these criminals to get off without some kind of justice for what they have done.

This just sucks.

[rhett o rick]

48. So........what's the point? Are we getting our noses rubbed in it? bush did it with impunity

and Pres Obama appears to be ok with it. Why release this information?

[cali]

52. sigh. it provides not only real transparency but it's potentially a real

piece of evidence. But it's interesting to know that those who whine loudest about the importance of getting to the bottom of things, don't really give a damn. Quite revealing, your post.

[rhett o rick]

54. Your insults ruin your argument. And are rather boring also. nm

[cali]

56. well, are you interested in finding out what, when and where, or not:?

simply saying this isn't important, is absurd.

[rhett o rick]

58. I think it is very important if we are going to pursue actions. President Obama

and Holder have indicated that they are not at all interested in pursuing war crimes. So I am suspicious why they are releasing this information. I think it is very important. But we already know that bush tortured and if the administration was serious they would start an investigation.

Personally I believe that the big fish will never be held accountable for a number of possible reasons. I just hope we can get some of the middle size fish, like Rummy, Gonzo and Yoo, and some of the actual sadistic torturers.

[slipslidingaway]

59. And thanks to the ACLU lawsuit and to all the groups and people

who kept pressure on the administration.

[Uzybone]

61. Not surprisingly all the baseless speculation about coverup and blackmail

are for naught.

[frylock]

62. big ups to president obama

:thumbsup: