Cheney Led Briefings of Lawmakers To Defend Interrogation Techniques

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

Cheney Led Briefings of Lawmakers To Defend Interrogation Techniques

By Paul Kane and Joby Warrick
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Former vice president Richard B. Cheney personally oversaw at least four briefings with senior members of Congress about the controversial interrogation program, part of a secretive and forceful defense he mounted throughout 2005 in an effort to maintain support for the harsh techniques used on detainees.

The Cheney-led briefings came at some of the most critical moments for the program, as congressional oversight committees were threatening to investigate or even terminate the techniques, according to lawmakers, congressional officials, and current and former intelligence officials.

Cheney's role in helping handle intelligence issues in the Bush administration -- particularly his advocacy for the use of aggressive methods and warrantless wiretapping against alleged terrorists -- has been well documented. But his hands-on role in defending the interrogation program to lawmakers has not been previously publicized.

The CIA made no mention of his role in documents delivered to Capitol Hill last month that listed every lawmaker who had been briefed on "enhanced interrogation techniques" since 2002. For meetings that were overseen by Cheney, the agency told the intelligence committees that information about who oversaw those briefings was "not available."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/02/AR2009060203999.html?hpid=topnews

[EFerrari]

1. Okay, so who at CIA is spinning for Darth?

[seafan]

2. Some of his "stay-behinds" undoubtedly. I hope we live long enough to see this bastard in chains.

[NoodleyAppendage]

3. Would someone PLEASE indict the bastard for warcrimes and be done with it. Evil f'er. n/t

J

[Beaverhausen]

4. and Pelosi was not at any of these briefings

please, let this be the revelation that finally gets this criminal indicted.

[struggle4progress]

5. I bet he lied during those briefings

[Solly Mack]

6. K&R

[jeff30997]

7. I wish him a very long life...

in jail.