ACLU Lawyer: It’s “Striking” That Cheney Requested Only Two Torture Documents
Two things that are immediately striking about the request Dick Cheney submitted for classified documents that would allegedly prove that torture worked:
(1) He only asked for a total of two documents, a total of 21 pages — meaning this is likely the grand total of proof Cheney himself is able to point to supporting his claims about the torture program.
(2) Despite the charge that Obama cherry-picked from the torture memos, it seems pretty clear that Cheney himself did some serious cherry-picking from the intel files.
This, at least, is the immediate takeaway of ACLU lawyer Jameel Jaffer, who’s been following this stuff as closely as anyone.
Cheney requested two CIA reports, both of them from the “detainees” folder. One is dated July 13th, 2004, and numbers eight pages. The other is dated June 1st, 2005, and numbers 13 pages.
“Vice President Cheney accused the Obama administration of selective declassification,” Jaffer told me, “but what’s clear is his own selective declassification here.”
“Cheney clearly had access to a great deal of information about the CIA interrogation program, and the intelligence that was obtained through that program,” Jaffer continued. “It’s striking that when trying to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program, Mr. Cheney has been able to point to only two documents that amount to less than 30 pages.”
One key outstanding question: Whether these documents are files detailing specific interrogation sessions, or broader overviews weighing in on the effectiveness of the program.
Jaffer said that this only proves anew that what we really need is a comprehensive and thorough airing of all the info related to the torture program. It’s pretty clear that this isn’t what Cheney is after, though.
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I have no doubt that the two documents are broader overviews. They were probably drafted as a direct response to a request from Cheney to compile all the evidence that these torture sessions were effective.
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That is, Cheney told the CIA to draft him a memo detailing all the instances in which torture had been “effective.”
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He probably requested the memos with an eye to the future — a day like today, in which the torture had come to light and Cheney might need to defend himself. I’m sure the memos also had use at the time, as well: “George, don’t let the criticism get to you; see, here’s a memo from the CIA detailing all the times that our interrogation program saved America.”
Greg, am I wrong, or did Cheney not only ask for just two documents but only PART of those two documents? As I said in the other thread, that’s what it looks like: Archives indicates a total of 31 page in those documents; requesting person asks for a total of 21. Cherry picking the cherry picked.
all interesting stuff. Marcy Wheeler thinks it’s a specific document:
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/cheney-cherry-picks-intelligence-again/
And how exactly does Cheney know the exact dates and page counts of these memos he’s requesting? Does he have a photographic memory for classified documents?
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These are ***-covering memos, prepared for the sole purpose of justifying illegal behavior — and as such are much like the OLC memos. Cheney had these prepared as a trump card, should he ever need it. That’s why he knew which specific documents to request.
I am telling you that these reports will end up linking every supposed foiled terror plot that came out of information from interrogating the subjects likely without ever drawing the line between what was gleaned by traditional methods and what was gleaned from torture. There is also another thing from the marcy wheeler post to take a look at.
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How much of that report will focus on stuff that KSM and Zubaydah just speculated about without having any actual specific knowledge of?
Greg
I’ve got family here and must run. Did you see the two time-coincident events I noted on the prior thread?
This is ridiculous. Invading Iraq and killing possibly tens of thousands in the process was OK according to Cheney because Sadaam is gone now. Now, torture was OK, according to Cheney, because lives were saved.
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What he doesn’t understand is this isn’t about ends in either of these situations. In neither case did the end justify the means. He never will understand their nor accept it and neither will about 25% of this population no matter how you explain it to them.
Great investigative work, Greg et.al.!
I hope Cheney’s does time, this time!
Very simple question…why does he have any contact with the CIA months after his term ended?
Spencer Ackerman has some good stuff too.
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http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/what-dick-cheney-wants-dick-cheney-is-going-to-get/
Off topic but I got my question published and answered at the WaPo chat with Ana Marie Cox and Tucker Carlson. I am determined to get the GOP labeled as “pro torture”
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/04/20/DI2009042001977.html
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My question is the second one from Tampa FL.
I don’t really care IF TORTURE WORKED!
And no true American who believes in what we supposedly stand for.
TORTURE IS WRONG! Even IF it produces “good intelliegence”!!!!!!!!!
We are better than this.
This is absurd. It is so simple. Cheney and Bush and Rice and Rumsfeld and the rest all knew what they were doing was wrong. Why? Because they hid it. Calling it “Secret” was a ploy. Anyone knows what interrogation techniques, and what torture techniques, exist, so it won’t enable anyone to “train” their members about how to avoid “special” techniques. So they all knew it was wrong and now that it has come out, they want to “justify” it. If they were proud of what they did, and if it worked so well, they would NOT have hidden it. Simple. They hid it, see? When you hide what you do, you’re ashamed of it.
are there really documents which show success or did he pull that out of his behind? funny, now all the right winger callers on air america are harping about “all the documents…” americans will continue this crazy dance until we begin to include 9-11 in our questioning. i say cheney knows more about the complicity of his administration in 9-11 than he will of course say. i say we are fighting the wrong enemies…while the real culprits are free to have a drink or a cigar, go hunting, and the military industrial machine just keeps rolling over humanity.
The Repuglicons are frothing at the gills at what is unfolding in our country. They’re now running around insinuating that the Obama administration is a “Banana Republic.” If this country is now a “Banana Republic” then we have the Repugs to thank for making it thus. Funny how hysterical they’ve become, these “Ownership” clowns should stand up and own their crimes. It’s might be thrilling and amusing to watch these blood-sucking parasites who have been destroying this country, scurry in all directions, yelling epithets as the light of discovery begins to shine brightly upon their crimes, if one lived outside these shores. The Repuglicon Obstructionist Party has become the distillation of KKK, hate groups, and authoritarian Christofascist zombies.