CIA director won't block commission

[BlueJessamine]

Source: Politico

At an appearance this afternoon before the Pacific Council in Los Angeles, CIA Director Leon Panetta said he would not opppose a commission to investigate Bush-era interrogation practices. “I’m not going to tell Congress or anybody else what they should or shouldn’t do," Panetta said. He told listeners that the CIA is cooperating with the Senate Intelligence Committee probe that could answer such questions. Continuing, he said he fears such an inquiry could become a “political issue” that would be “so divisive” that it distracts intelligence agencies from their primary missions. “If start to use these issues as a political club to beat each other up with, that’s when we not only pay a price but this country pays a price,” Panetta said. “There’s been a lot of poison in the well the last few years.” Panetta, who is headed to Capitol Hill tomorrow to have coffee with members, was introduced by former House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.).


Read more: http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0509/panetta_harman_in_l_a_ad612aa0-6ce7-4ed4-afa9-c840f035f3a5.html

[mbperrin]

1. Mighty wh*** of him to be so magnanimous, since he already lied about

how many briefings certain Congress critters got. He said 4; there was really only one.

[Hansel]

3. There have been rumors about Cheney leaving people loyal

to him in various depts of the government. I think it is much more likely that whoever behind the meeting notes Panetta saw is one of Cheney's people than that Panetta is lying about them. We will likely one day find out that the CIA meeting notes are just as baked as the "yellow cake" docs.

[nyy1998]

6. Thats very plausible

Panetta is an Obama nominee, so why would it be in his interest to defend the Bush CIA? I wouldn't be surprised if he himself was lied too.

[mbperrin]

7. So Panetta should qualify his statements as "I've been told" or so on.

These were released as fact.

[LakeSamish706]

2. I don't want to see beating up.. I just want to see Justice so hopefully...

we can prevent anything like this from ever happening again.

[C_U_L8R]

4. Politics Schmolitics

War crimes were committed and there must justice
or we will set the most horrendous shameful precedent
that our descendants will never forgive us for.

[IndianaGreen]

5. introduced by Jane Harman, the AIPAC espionage enabler

Judge people by the company they keep.