Cheney Intervened in CIA Inspector General's Torture Probe

[The Hope Mobile]

Source: Truthout



Jason Leopold | Cheney Intervened in CIA Inspector General's Torture Probe

Jason Leopold, Truthout: "Former Vice President Dick Cheney intervened in CIA Inspector General John Helgerson's investigation into the agency's use of torture against 'high-value' detainees, but the watchdog was still able to prepare a report that concluded the interrogation program violated some provisions of the International Convention Against Torture."

snip

Cheney's "reaction to this first, carefully documented in-house study concluding that the CIA's secret program was most likely criminal was to summon the Inspector General to his office for a private chat," Mayer wrote. "The Inspector General is supposed to function as an independent overseer, free from political pressure, but Cheney summoned the CIA Inspector General more than once to his office."

"Cheney loomed over everything," the former CIA officer told Mayer. "The whole IG's office was completely politicized. They were working hand in glove with the White House."

But Mayer said Cheney's intervention in Helgerson's probe proved that as early as 2004 "the Vice President's office was fully aware that there were allegations of serious wrongdoing in the Program." Helgerson has denied that he was pressured by Cheney.

Read more: http://www.truthout.org/052209R?n

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Imagine what they would've found if he hadn't "intervened". He's so going down (I HOPE!!)

[katandmoon]

1. Not if Obama/Holder have anything to say about it, unfortunately

[proud patriot]

2. Those words need to be repeated to liz cheney

"Former Vice President Dick Cheney intervened in CIA Inspector General John Helgerson's investigation into the agency's use of torture against 'high-value' detainees, but the watchdog was still able to prepare a report that concluded the interrogation program violated some provisions of the International Convention Against Torture."

[The Hope Mobile]

3. Yup! Liz, Lynn and the entire GOP-abetting MSM.

We know they have all the evidence they need to convict. Cheney knows it too, obviously. What's it going to take to get this ball seriously rolling?

[No Elephants]

4. Maybe a tsunami of communications to the WH, the D of J and your Sens and Rep? The last

time I remember that happening was in reaction to Anita Hill's testimony during the Thomas hearings. Women of both parties innundated Senators, including their own wives and daughters, saying "This is a real problem. Don't you dare treat it lightly." He got confirmed anyway, but they all remarked on the tidal wave of calls and at least no one pretended sexual harassment and "hostile work environments were not real issues.

[The Hope Mobile]

8. Sounds good to me! nt

[WeDidIt]

5. So is the full report going to be release in 24 business hours?

I need another source for this before I get excited about it.

[The Hope Mobile]

9. I can only tell you what's in the article. nt

[No Elephants]

6. The POTUS is the single most powerful person in the US, maybe the world. Please don't try to tell me

that those he can hire and fire are "independent" from him. No one is "independent' from the person who controls his or her job and livelihood--the way he or she feeds a family, let alone if that employer is also the POTUS.

Okay, so Cheney was VP, not POTUS, but the same principle applies: We cannot count on the independence of members of the Executive Branch, nor can we count on lower echelons of the Executive Branch to police or report objectively upon the PO?US or the VP. Not gonna happaen, unless you get some VERY unusual, independently wealthy people in those slots. Just not human nature.

BTW, just for the record, I am aware of a United Nations Convention Against Torture, but I could not find anything on an "International Convention Against Torture."

[No Elephants]

7. This may be more about the CIA's ongoing efforts to

cover its own complicity in torture than it is about Cheney. Check this out from a year ago. http://www.ombwatch.org/node/3509

[The Hope Mobile]

10. Interesting. You think the CIA was trying to discredit the inspector general

because of his stated frustration with Cheney's actions?