Democracy Has Prevailed.

April 12, 2008

Bush Approved

Remember this?

In dozens of top-secret talks and meetings in the White House, the most senior Bush administration officials discussed and approved specific details of how high-value al Qaeda suspects would be interrogated by the Central Intelligence Agency, sources tell ABC News.

The AP recently followed up on the story:

Bush administration officials from Vice President Dick Cheney on down signed off on using harsh interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists after asking the Justice Department to endorse their legality, The Associated Press has learned.

The officials also took care to insulate President Bush from a series of meetings where CIA interrogation methods, including waterboarding, which simulates drowning, were discussed and ultimately approved.

A former senior U.S. intelligence official familiar with the meetings described them Thursday to the AP to confirm details first reported by ABC News on Wednesday. The intelligence official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue.

But look at the chronology here:

The former intelligence official described Cheney and the top national security officials as deeply immersed in developing the CIA's interrogation program during months of discussions over which methods should be used and when.

At times, CIA officers would demonstrate some of the tactics, or at least detail how they worked, to make sure the small group of "principals" fully understood what the al-Qaida detainees would undergo. The principals eventually authorized physical abuse such as slaps and pushes, sleep deprivation, or waterboarding. This technique involves strapping a person down and pouring water over his cloth-covered face to create the sensation of drowning.

The small group then asked the Justice Department to examine whether using the interrogation methods would break domestic or international laws.

So they approved the methods then asked to see if they were legal. Given this administration's politicization of the Justice Department, doncha think they kinda, you know, knew they'd get the A-OK to torture?

But remember how they "took care" to insulate dubya from the goings on? Turns out they didn't need to. ABC news reported that:

President Bush says he knew his top national security advisers discussed and approved specific details about how high-value al Qaeda suspects would be interrogated by the Central Intelligence Agency, according to an exclusive interview with ABC News Friday.

"Well, we started to connect the dots in order to protect the American people." Bush told ABC News White House correspondent Martha Raddatz. "And yes, I'm aware our national security team met on this issue. And I approved."

Bush approved. No matter what the reason, no matter what the intentions, he approved the principals' meetings where they discussed torture.

He approved.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm fairly certain most people knew this. I'm even more certain that most people in this country could give a crap, but I'm positive no one in this administration cares whether people gave a crap or not.Twenty ,thirty years ago you would see on TV horrendous acts by foreign governments on other people or even their own and couldn't believe it. Now the same abuses are being done by the good old USA. We've come a long way.What a sick society.

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Yep, not going to give a crap about some al queda terrorist who is intent on killing Americans (that includes you liberals) and using the US law to protect themselves. I am worried more about some corrupt local politicians who continue to rip off their taxpayers for personal gain. In this area, they are all Democrats. Imagine that.