A list of names within the Bush Admin. who sat on the Principals Committee.

[Solly Mack]

As first reported by ABC News Wednesday, the most senior Bush administration officials repeatedly discussed and approved specific details of exactly how high-value al Qaeda suspects would be interrogated by the CIA.

The high-level discussions about these "enhanced interrogation techniques" were so detailed, these sources said, some of the interrogation sessions were almost choreographed -- down to the number of times CIA agents could use a specific tactic.

In the February 13, 2001 National Security Presidential Directive, there is a list of the Cabinet officials that make up the Principals Committee.

The NSC Principals Committee (NSC/PC) will continue to be the senior interagency forum for consideration of policy issues affecting national security, as it has since 1989. The NSC/PC shall have as its regular attendees the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the Chief of Staff to the President, and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (who shall serve as chair).

Secretary of State

Colin Powell (2001-2005)
Condoleezza Rice (2005-present*)

Secretary of the Treasury

Paul O'Neill (2001-2002)
John Snow (2003-2006
Henry Paulson (2006-present)


Secretary of Defense

Donald Rumsfeld (2001-2006)
Robert Gates (2006-present)

Chief of Staff to the President

Andrew Card (2001-2006)
Josh Bolton (2006-present)

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

Condoleezza Rice (2001-2005)
Stephen Hadley (2005-present)

The Director of Central Intelligence and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall attend where issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be discussed. The Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall be invited to attend meetings pertaining to their responsibilities. For the Attorney General, this includes both those matters within the Justice Department's jurisdiction and those matters implicating the Attorney General's responsibility under 28 U.S.C. 511 to give his advice and opinion on questions of law when required by the President. The Counsel to the President shall be consulted regarding the agenda of NSC/PC meetings, and shall attend any meeting when, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, he deems it appropriate."


Director of Central Intelligence

George Tenet (1997-2004)
Porter Goss (2004-2006)
John Negroponte (as DNI) (2006-present)
Michael Hayden (as Director of the CIA (2006-present)


Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Richard Myers (2001-2005)
Peter Pace (2005-2007)
Mike Mullens (2007-present)


Attorney General

John Ashcroft (2001-2005)
Alberto Gonzales (2005-2007)
Mike Mukasey (2007-present)


Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Mitch Daniels (2001-2003)
Joshua Bolten (2003-2006)
Rob Portman (2006-2007)
Jim Nussle (2007-present)




The Counsel to the President

Alberto Gonzales (2001-2005)
Harriet Miers (2005-2007)
Fred Fielding (2007- present)

When international economic issues are on the agenda of the NSC/PC, the Committee's regular attendees will include the Secretary of Commerce, the United States Trade Representative, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy (who shall serve as chair for agenda items that principally pertain to international economics), and, when the issues pertain to her responsibilities, the Secretary of Agriculture. The Chief of Staff and National Security Adviser to the Vice President shall attend all meetings of the NSC/PC, as shall the Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor (who shall serve as Executive Secretary of the NSC/PC). Other heads of departments and agencies, along with additional senior officials, shall be invited where appropriate.

Assistant(s) to the President - to name a few

Josh Bolton (2001-2003)- went on to become Chief of Staff
Karl Rove (2001-2005) - became "deputy chief of staff" in 2005 before resigning in 2007.
Harriet Miers (2001-2005) - became WH counsel before resigning in 2007.
Susan B. Ralston - (2001-2006) also "deputy" to Rove's "deputy chief of staff"

Deputy National Security Advisor

Stephen Hadley (2001-2005)
Jack Dyer Crouch (2005–2007)
James Jeffrey (2007-present)



Chief of Staff to the VP

Scooter Libby (2001-2005)
David Addington (2005-present)


National Security Adviser to the VP

Scooter Libby (2001-2005)
John Hannah (2005-present)

The NSC/PC shall meet at the call of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, in consultation with the regular attendees of the NSC/PC. The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall determine the agenda in consultation with the foregoing, and ensure that necessary papers are prepared. When international economic issues are on the agenda of the NSC/PC, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy shall perform these tasks in concert.

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

Condoleezza Rice (2001-2005) Rice OK'd CIA waterboard request as Bush adviser

Stephen Hadley (2005-present)

The NSC shall meet at my direction. When I am absent from a meeting of the NSC, at my direction the Vice President may preside.

Vice-President

Dick Cheney

Previously named members of Team Torture

Dick Cheney
Donald Rumsfeld
Colin Powell
George Tenet
Condi Rice
John Ashcroft

* names first listed while Bush was still in office. New links added, based on recent release of information.

[Solly Mack]

1. List of DOJ memos: 25 September 2001- 19 January 2004

The Torture Papers: The Road to Abu Ghraib

[Solly Mack]

2. Documents By Chronology

Torturing Democracy

[Solly Mack]

3. Senate Armed Services Committee Report timeline

6/18/08

Hearings

Committee on Armed Services: Panel and transcript of hearing held June 17, 2008

12/11/08

Unclassified version of report (to be) released in 2008

Document:Unclassified version


4/21/09

Senate Armed Services Committee Set to Release Fuller Torture Report

Document

[Solly Mack]

17. Other Reports

February 2004: Report of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the Treatment by the Coalition Forces of Prisoners of War and Other Persons Protected by the Geneva Conventions in Iraq, During Arrest, Internment and Interrogation.


March 2004: Taguba Report


April 2004: Re: Human Rights Standards Applicable to the U.S.’s Interrogation of Detainees
from The Association of the Bar of the City of New York Committee on International Human Rights, and Committee on Military Affairs and Justice’s Report

July 2004: The Mikolashek Report Department of the Army, The Inspector General – Detainee Operations Inspection


August 2004: The Schlesinger Report Final Report of the Independent Panel to Review DoD Detention Operations

May 2004: Church Report Vice Admiral Albert T. Church III’s briefing on his investigation into allegations of abuse of prisoners at Guant´anamo Bay, Cuba


August 2004: The Fay-Jones Report Investigation of Intelligence Activities at Abu Ghraib/Investigation of the Abu
Ghraib Prison and 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, LTG Anthony R. Jones/Investigation of the Abu Ghraib Detention Facility and 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, MG George R. Fay

Began in June 2004: Schmidt Report Investigation into FBI Allegations of Detainee Abuse at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Detention Facility



February 2007 - released in 2009: Red Cross Report

[annabanana]

4. Sing it, Solly!!

The evidence is right there. The results are inescapable.

These people are torturers . . . well groomed, well dressed, well mannered, well educated, well liked, well respected, well connected MONSTERS.

[Solly Mack]

5. Hey annabanana

Let's hope they get well prosecuted and well jailed.

[Solly Mack]

6. Torture Memos

Released in 2009


Released earlier

[Solly Mack]

7. Missing Memos

29 memos still missing

The missing memos cover detainee treatment, surveillance, and executive power.

[malaise]

31. Maybe we'll finally see the truth about the number of Iraqis

who died. I believe Lancer will be vindicated.
We all knew.

[Skidmore]

8. Hey, Solly, thanks for collecting this in one place. I'm thinking that this

thread, or a version of it, should go in the Research Forum as well. This whole mess is hard go get your head around and copies in the library would be good.

BTW, good to see you. Take care.

[Solly Mack]

21. Hi Skidmore

Good to see you too

[Solly Mack]

9. The "We do not torture" Chorus

& other variations on the lie


2005
Bush

2005
Cheney

2005
Rice

2004
Rumsfeld

2007
Tenet

2005
Gonzales



Feel free to add more

[Solly Mack]

10. US denies terror suspect torture (to the UN) 2006

US denies terror suspect torture

"My government's position is clear: US criminal law and treaty obligations prohibit torture. Torture is wrong," he said."

[Solly Mack]

18. Convention Against Torture begins review of report of the Unites States

5 May 2006: Convention Against Torture begins review of report of the Unites States

"The Committee against Torture this morning began its consideration of the second periodic report of the United States on the efforts of that country to give effect to the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment."

[annabanana]

11. more recs guys!. . . . . n/t

[Adelante]

12. Good job

:kick:

[pleah]

13. K&R Thank you!

Bookmarked.

[Solly Mack]

41. Hey pleah

Thanks!

[JohnnyLib2]

14. "Hail, hail, the gang's all..............."

K & R and thanks for the research and info.

One thing we need to keep in mind is how entrenched they all are, how wide the network is, and how much is at stake. I expect a defense/backlash like we haven't seen before.

[Solly Mack]

42. I agree. It's a tangle of entrenchment

and yes, there will be backlash - in all kinds of way.

[Spazito]

15. Great thread!

Thanks for all your work in pulling this all together, it is much appreciated!

Bookmarked and Recommended.

[Solly Mack]

23. Thanks, Spazito

[G_j]

16. mm..

K&R!

[Solly Mack]

22. I'm doing my letter to the UN and was working on my outline of what to include

and with the full report from the Armed services being released, I thought I'd post some reminders.

I've finished 3 letters (reps./president)

and the UN letters will be the same

[glitch]

19. I know that George W. Bush is a given, but I'd still like to see his name mentioned.

Thanks for the list though, K & R

[Solly Mack]

20. He is mentioned in many of the links

There is an element of plausible deniability involved here though. The thinking behind an unitary executive includes a heavy dose of plausible deniability. In order to maintain the idea that a President is above questioning, above the concerns of the other branches, and even above the concerns of law, a president must be removed from the appearance of wrong-doing, even if the president is neck-deep in the mix.

The thinking being that the unitary executive can do anything it needs to do - but people need to feel good about that, so others will take the fall to preserve the office.

I know it sounds like a contradiction, because a president with all that power is surely involved in any criminal activity, so how can such a president escape the appearance of wrong doing? Because others take the hits and the fall. So the illusion remains.

And the sad fact is, people hold the office of president in such regard, they'll accept a lie that allows them to continue their regard.

Bush is more than happy to keep quiet right now and fade away from view. And there are people more than happy to believe the office of president remains untouched, as those under the president take the full blame. Maybe it's just psychological, put a VP can be criminal, and other cabinet members can be criminal...but a president? That hits people harder for some reason. So the lie that Bush was clueless, and I think it a huge lie, is easier to swallow, if only to protect the office.

When I call it a lie, I don't mean people who believe Bush was clueless are lying ...but that the image of being clueless was manufactured for the purpose of plausible deniability and the protection of the office.

Cheney/Rumsfeld (& their minions) had their own agenda but I also think Bush had his own agenda - and that those agendas served/benefited each other. Bush was all for torture - he likes to look tough. His ego is such, to my thinking, that he wouldn't hesitate a second to let everyone around him know that he was the big strutting cheese. Sure, Cheney/Rumsfeld humored him as long as their agendas weren't interfered with - but Cheney's agenda of a unitary executive directly benefited Bush. So it wasn't like Bush was going to say - No. Let's not do that.

[glitch]

33. I agree with almost all of your post, except ;)

Sure they'd like to push the plausible deniability, especially since they were so successful with Reagan/Bush. And especially since it's pretty much all they've got as a defense at this point. But I don't think we should buy into it this time, if ever again. Bush I was allowed to skate on Reagan's plausible deniability and look where that got us.

And think about this: if we allow Bush to get away with his crimes we will have to deal with Jeb in our future. That will be our karma and we will bloody well deserve it.
So let's not give lil boots any free passes.

And here is a different argument regarding the Office of The President: we do hold in such high regard, which is exactly why when someone despoils it we hold them accountable. Even ruthlessly. Not revenge, just implacable justice.
And that holds especially true for anybody who steals it, or sanctions its theft.

And the unitary executive is a neocon construct, they tried to make it real. Maybe succeeded. It is our job to take it back to what it is in the US Constitution: one equal share in a balance of equal powers.

On everything else we are entirely agreed. :hi:

[Solly Mack]

34. I want Bush imprisoned. Always have - he put the happy face on torture.

I was expressing how some people think - or seem to think, in my opinion.

[glitch]

35. What? Now I have to agree with you entirely.

I think you are correct that that is how some people think. I don't know if the arguments I presented would hold any sway with them. They certainly bought into protecting the Office of The President argument during the Clinton years but that doesn't mean they would if their own were taken under the microscope. Logic need not ever apply.

Still, I don't think we should hand it to them. Make them fight for their fallacies, if we give in without a fight, because fighting crazy people is exhausting, it only encourages them.

And always, always, always remember the spectre of Jeb if Brand Bush is given a pass.

[Solly Mack]

36. And if not JEB, his son George P

People have short memories..and funny ones. Push all the blame away from Bush, and the Bush brand could once again become the safe face to hide the ugly behind.

Charge Bush for his crimes and we might avoid that.

[glitch]

37. You see the horror.

Too late to nip the Bush Brand in the bud, but we can still do Round-up.

(Disclosure: I am totally against Round-up on plant life but in politics the metaphor works for me)

[Union Yes]

24. Members of that list: PURE FUCKING EVIL

Investigate. Indict. Prosecute. Imprison.

[EFerrari]

25. Thanks so much for putting this together for us. We can use this list

to write about these bastards. :toast:

[leftstreet]

26. K&R

Wow. Thanks for putting this all in one place.

Excellent.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

27. I seem to recall that Richard Clark in his "hair burning " phase was running around

SCREAMING for a Principles Committee meeting about Al Qaeda BEFORE 9/11.

[Solly Mack]

28. He tried to warn them. They didn't listen. He left

but a timeline of who was where when was still needed

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

29. Oh, absolutely. I think people/investigators should have a real sit-down with Richard Clark. nt

[malaise]

30. Super thread Solly Mack

Bookmarked.
K & R

[spanone]

32. knr

[Lugnut]

38. K&R n/t

[G_j]

39. K

[Solly Mack]

40. CRS Reports (from/for Congress) on Detainees. Interrogations.Tribunals.

Congressional Research Service



Updated December 11, 2001
Terrorism and the Law of War: Trying Terrorists as War Criminals before Military Commissions


June 5, 2002
International Criminal Court: Overview and Selected Legal Issues


August 2, 2002
Informing Congress: The Role of the Executive in Times of War and Military Conflict, 1941-2001

September 2, 2002
Terrorism and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction in Criminal Cases: Recent Developments


September 6, 2002
Terrorism and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction in Criminal Cases: Recent Developments in Brief


Updated November 4, 2002
Detention of Noncitizens in the United States


September 8, 2004
Lawfulness of Interrogation Techniques under the Geneva Conventions


June 16, 2004
U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT):Overview and Application to Interrogation Techniques


MORE reports (I do recommend reading as many as you can)

[lazyriver]

43. Note to the DOJ: Use this like a shopping list and get with the investigations.