Replies to post #80728 on Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

.. in looking around a little bit more on this piece - I find that 'abc' is the only reputable news site that is reporting this story ......6 winger blogger sites reported this story ...... they all took their lead from the abc piece ...

total news on the Panetta - 7 ..including abc, here they are
http://news.google.com/news/story?pz=1&um=1&ncl=ddYo7--Ny8ShcKM&cf=all

[StephanieVanbryce]

IT's OFFICIAL ! - U.S. prosecutor named to probe CIA prison abuses

Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:43pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Justice Department officials have urged prosecutors to reopen probes into CIA prisoner abuse cases, which could distract President Barack Obama from his efforts to enact healthcare reform.

The department's ethics watchdog has recommended considering prosecuting Central Intelligence Agency employees or contractors for harsh interrogations in Iraq and Afghanistan that went beyond approved limits, a government official said.

The administration on Monday confirmed it was setting up a new group to interrogate terrorism suspects in accordance with established rules.

These developments came as the Justice Department was about to release a long-awaited CIA inspector general report on Monday that will offer new details of prior abuse, such as coercing suspects to confess after threats of bodily harm.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is also expected to decide soon whether to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the allegations of abuse, including death threats.

These decisions coupled with more graphic details about interrogation practices, which Obama ordered halted when he took office in January, were likely to ignite a political storm at a crucial time in Washington.

Obama has repeatedly said he wants to move forward rather than dwell on Bush administration actions after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. But the White House said the decision was up to Holder.

"The president thinks that Eric Holder, who he appointed as a very independent attorney general, should make those decisions," White House spokesman Bill Burton said in Martha's Vineyard, Mass. where Obama was on a weeklong vacation.

Republicans will likely accuse Obama of being soft on national security while some liberal backers will be upset if the probe is limited to those who conducted interrogations while excluding the officials who approved the policies.

Obama has been trying to keep attention focused on his top legislative priority -- overhauling the $2.5 trillion health care system. Now, lawmakers could be distracted with hearings and debate over past interrogation methods.

CIA CHIEF PUSHES FOCUS TO THE FUTURE

When the CIA first referred its inspector general's findings to the Justice Department during the Bush administration, it decided none of the cases merited prosecution.

The American Civil Liberties Union has sued to have the CIA report released.

CIA Director Leon Panetta sent a note to employees that tried to keep their eyes on the future, calling the information in the report an "old story." There have been concerns the release could hurt intelligence gathering.

"For the CIA now, the challenge is not the battles of yesterday, but those of today and tomorrow," he said in the note obtained by Reuters.

One civilian CIA contractor was charged with detainee abuse and convicted in North Carolina in 2006 for assaulting an Afghan prisoner who later died.

When Obama took office, he ordered government agencies to abide by interrogation limits in the U.S. Army Field Manual, which do not include the simulated drowning technique known as waterboarding.

Bush officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, have denied that torture was used and defended their interrogation practices, which included sleep and food deprivation as well as waterboarding of a handful of suspects.

Obama has decided to establish a new group of experts to handle interrogation of terrorism suspects. They would be limited to the Army manual and techniques used by law enforcement officials.

The group will be housed at the Federal Bureau of Investigation but will answer to the National Security Council, giving the White House more direct say over its actions.

It "will draw on experienced interrogators from different departments, including the intelligence community and law enforcement," an official said. "Their goal will be intelligence collection."

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE57N2X020090824?sp=true

[StephanieVanbryce]

Attorney General Eric Holder's statement ..

"I have reviewed the OPR report in depth. Moreover, I have closely examined the full, still-classified version of the 2004 CIA Inspector General's report, as well as other relevant information available to the Department. As a result of my analysis of all of this material, I have concluded that the information known to me warrants opening a preliminary review into whether federal laws were violated in connection with the interrogation of specific detainees at overseas locations. The Department regularly uses preliminary reviews to gather information to determine whether there is sufficient predication to warrant a full investigation of a matter. I want to emphasize that neither the opening of a preliminary review nor, if evidence warrants it, the commencement of a full investigation, means that charges will necessarily follow.

Assistant United States Attorney John Durham was appointed in 2008 by then-Attorney General Michael Mukasey to investigate the destruction of CIA videotapes of detainee interrogations. During the course of that investigation, Mr. Durham has gained great familiarity with much of the information that is relevant to the matter at hand. Accordingly, I have decided to expand his mandate to encompass this related review. Mr. Durham, who is a career prosecutor with the Department of Justice and who has assembled a strong investigative team of experienced professionals, will recommend to me whether there is sufficient predication for a full investigation into whether the law was violated in connection with the interrogation of certain detainees.

There are those who will use my decision to open a preliminary review as a means of broadly criticizing the work of our nation's intelligence community. I could not disagree more with that view. The men and women in our intelligence community perform an incredibly important service to our nation, and they often do so under difficult and dangerous circumstances. They deserve our respect and gratitude for the work they do. Further, they need to be protected from legal jeopardy when they act in good faith and within the scope of legal guidance. That is why I have made it clear in the past that the Department of Justice will not prosecute anyone who acted in good faith and within the scope of the legal guidance given by the Office of Legal Counsel regarding the interrogation of detainees. I want to reiterate that point today, and to underscore the fact that this preliminary review will not focus on those individuals.

I share the President's conviction that as a nation, we must, to the extent possible, look forward and not backward when it comes to issues such as these. While this Department will follow its obligation to take this preliminary step to examine possible violations of law, we will not allow our important work of keeping the American people safe to be sidetracked.

I fully realize that my decision to commence this preliminary review will be controversial. As Attorney General, my duty is to examine the facts and to follow the law. In this case, given all of the information currently available, it is clear to me that this review is the only responsible course of action for me to take."

And notes some will be unhappy that he has initiated the review. But doesn't consider those of us who smell a whitewash.

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/24/holder-announces-the-investigation/

[StephanieVanbryce]

more from CIA director Leon Panetta ...

CIA Director Leon Panetta has just sent this letter to the CIA in advance of today’s anticipated release of the 2004 CIA inspector general report on torture — and, quite possibly, an investigation from Attorney General Eric Holder into the same. The last time he sent one of these, it was to buck up agency morale after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the agency of misleading congress on torture.

Message from the Director: Release of Material on Past Detention Practices

Today, as part of a number of Freedom of Information Act cases, the government is responding to court orders to release more documents related to the Agency’s past detention and interrogation of foreign terrorists. The CIA materials include the 2004 report from our Office of Inspector General and two papers—one from 2004 and the other from 2005—that discuss the value of intelligence acquired from high-level detainees. The complete package is hundreds of pages long. The declassification process, a mandatory part of the proceedings, was conducted in accord with established FOIA guidelines.

This is in many ways an old story. The outlines of prior interrogation practices, and many of the details, are public already. The use of enhanced interrogation techniques, begun when our country was responding to the horrors of September 11th, ended in January. For the CIA now, the challenge is not the battles of yesterday, but those of today and tomorrow. It is there that we must work to enhance the safety of our country. That is the job the American people want us to do, and that is my responsibility as the current Director of the CIA.

My emphasis on the future comes with a clear recognition that our Agency takes seriously proper accountability for the past. As the intelligence service of a democracy, that’s an important part of who we are. When it comes to past detention and interrogation practices, here are some facts to bear in mind on that point:

* The CIA itself commissioned the Inspector General’s review. The report, prepared five years ago, noted both the effectiveness of the interrogation program and concerns about how it had been run early on. Several Agency components, including the Office of General Counsel and the Directorate of Operations, disagreed with some of the findings and conclusions.

* The CIA referred allegations of abuse to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution. This Agency made no excuses for behavior, however rare, that went beyond the formal guidelines on counterterrorism. The Department of Justice has had the complete IG report since 2004. Its career prosecutors have examined that document—and other incidents from Iraq and Afghanistan—for legal accountability. They worked carefully and thoroughly, sometimes taking years to decide if prosecution was warranted or not. In one case, the Department obtained a criminal conviction of a CIA contractor. In other instances, after Justice chose not to pursue action in court, the Agency took disciplinary steps of its own.

* The CIA provided the complete, unredacted IG report to the Congress. It was made available to the leadership of the Congressional intelligence committees in 2004 and to the full committees in 2006. All of the material in the document has been subject to Congressional oversight and reviewed for legal accountability.

As Director in 2009, my primary interest—when it comes to a program that no longer exists—is to stand up for those officers who did what their country asked and who followed the legal guidance they were given. That is the President’s position, too. The CIA was aggressive over the years in seeking new opinions from the Department of Justice as the legal landscape changed. The Agency sought and received multiple written assurances that its methods were lawful. The CIA has a strong record in terms of following legal guidance and informing the Department of Justice of potentially illegal conduct.

I make no judgments on the accuracy of the 2004 IG report or the various views expressed about it. Nor am I eager to enter the debate, already politicized, over the ultimate utility of the Agency’s past detention and interrogation effort. But this much is clear: The CIA obtained intelligence from high-value detainees when inside information on al-Qa’ida was in short supply. Whether this was the only way to obtain that information will remain a legitimate area of dispute, with Americans holding a range of views on the methods used. The CIA requested and received legal guidance and referred allegations of abuse to the Department of Justice. President Obama has established new policies for interrogation.

The CIA must also keep its focus on the primary responsibility of protecting the country. America is a nation at war. This Agency plays a decisive role in helping the United States meet the full range of security threats and opportunities overseas. That starts with the continuing fight against al-Qa’ida and its sympathizers. There, alongside all its other contributions, the CIA is helping our government chart a new way forward on interrogation, one in keeping with the President’s Executive Order of January 22nd. You, the men and women of this great institution, do the hard work and take the tough risks that intelligence and espionage demand.

I am very proud of what you do, here and abroad, to protect the United States. Your skill, courage, commitment, and focus on mission make the CIA indispensable to the nation. It is a privilege to serve with you.

Leon E. Panetta

http://washingtonindependent.com/56138/leon-panetta-in-the-hour-of-chaos