Democracy Now: final pre prison interview with John Kiriakou, CIA agent who exposed torturers

[alp227]

(Part 1 transcript: Ex-CIA Agent, Whistleblower John Kiriakou Sentenced to Prison While Torturers He Exposed Walk Free) Former CIA agent John Kiriakou speaks out just days after he was sentenced to 30 months in prison, becoming the first CIA official to face jail time for any reason relating to the U.S. torture program. Under a plea deal, Kiriakou admitted to a single count of violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act by revealing the identity of a covert officer to a freelance reporter, who did not publish it. Supporters say Kiriakou is being unfairly targeted for having been the first CIA official to publicly confirm and detail the Bush administration's use of waterboarding. Kiriakou joins to discuss his story from Washington, D.C., along with his attorney, Jesselyn Radack, director of National Security and Human Rights at the Government Accountability Project. "This was not a case about leaking, it was a case about torture. I believe I am going to prison because I blew the whistle on torture," Kiriakou says. "My oath was to the Constitution. ... And to me, torture is unconstitutional."

( part 2 transcript: Whistleblower John Kiriakou: For Embracing Torture, John Brennan a "Terrible Choice to Lead the CIA") Days after he was sentenced to 30 months in prison, John Kiriakou --the first CIA official to be jailed for any reason relating to the torture program --denounces President Obama's appointment of John Brennan to head the CIA. "I've known John Brennan since 1990," Kiriakou says. "I worked directly for John Brennan twice. I think that he is a terrible choice to lead the CIA. I think that it's time for the CIA to move beyond the ugliness of the post-September 11th regime. We need someone who is going to respect the Constitution and not be bogged down by a legacy of torture."

[Peace Patriot]

1. How come Cheney and Rumsfeld aren't in jail...

...for leaking the identity of the CIA's lead agent of its WMD counter-proliferation project, Valerie Plame, AND the name of her cover business (Brewster-Jennings), putting ALL U.S counter-proliferation agents and contacts around the world in peril of their lives?

Hm-m?

Is that what they teach at Harvard Law School, Mr. President? There are people who are just too rich and too powerful to be put in jail, and whom you don't even dare investigate?

But whistleblowers, yeah--people who put their lives at risk for the truth--pick on THEM. Cheney and Rumsfeld violated the SAME law--and broadcast the secret information in the newspapers to the entire world, and did actual damage, and more than likely got people murdered and more than likely did it for the worst of reasons (probably their plan to PLANT WMDs in Iraq got foiled somewhere along the line by the CIA counter-proliferation network). THEY get to give cushy, lucrative speeches. THEY get to live lives of luxury. THEY get complete impunity for all of their many crimes, including this one. But a lowly agent, bothered by torture, tries to stop it and GETS SMASHED by the U.S. government--by YOU.

What kind of law is this, hm? It's a mockery of the law.

[joanbarnes]

2. Another True Hero like Bradley and Julian. Setting us free with some truth.

[limpyhobbler]

3. pretty enlightening.