We May Never See The Docs Cheney Claims Will Prove Torture Works
Note to the big news orgs — please keep in mind this rather relevant fact:
Those documents supposedly proving torture works that Dick Cheney has claimed he’s asked for? We may never actually see any of them. And we may never know specifically what documents Cheney actually requested.
That’s because Cheney’s request itself is classified, the CIA confirms.
The big news orgs keep reporting with no skepticism that Cheney has asked the CIA to declassify documents that will show torture successfully yielded valuable intelligence. But the simple fact is this: We may never be able to know one way or the other if there’s even a grain of truth to Cheney’s claim that such documents exist, or even that he asked for such documents.
CIA spokesperson George Little emailed me this:
“Former Vice President Cheney’s request, which was conveyed by the National Archives, is classified because the documents tied to the request are themselves classified. The request is under consideration.”
That last line means that the CIA could ultimately decide against declassifying some, or even all, the documents Cheney has requested, for reasons we will never be privy to, whether or not the docs say what Cheney claims.
The upshot: It’s perfectly possible that the documents Cheney says he’s asked for don’t exist. It’s perfectly possible that the documents Cheney actually asked for don’t prove what he says they do. It’s perfectly possible that we may never see these documents. It’s perfectly possible that we will never find out if what Cheney is now claiming is true. Cheney may even know this.
This really is a hall of mirrors. More media skepticism is warranted on this story, say I.
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Amen.
Good work again, greg.
From McClatchy this morning:
The Army general who led the investigation into prisoner abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison accused the Bush administration Wednesday of committing “war crimes” and called for those responsible to be held to account.
The remarks by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, who’s now retired, came in a new report that found that U.S. personnel tortured and abused detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, using beatings, electrical shocks, sexual humiliation and other cruel practices.
“After years of disclosures by government investigations, media accounts and reports from human rights organizations, there is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes,” Taguba wrote. “The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account”. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/staff/warren_strobel/story/41514.html
Greg: spot on. Cheney threw this junk in the mix knowing that it will complicates the rubes in our MSM; rube No 1 being Scarborough. They have an excuse now: the documents supporting Cheney are classified. What a joke? Recall his pal Scalia – fellow hunstman – did not allow his energy task force records (Kenny Boy) to be revealed. Cheney knows what he is doing: muddying the waters. I wish the President will call him out order declassification. If the evidence is there let’s see it. The ACLU will have enough pictures on 28 May. Let us see if the “few bad apples” gig works.
I’m not sure that Greg is the best suited to deliver this message. Turns out his earlier skepticism was unwarranted. I recall his initial skepticism about whether Cheney had even asked for such declassification — Greg and his unidentified source were very wrong about that. (Are you still using that source, Greg?) We can certainly be sure that some memos are kicking around that detail the information provided during interrogations. Holder has at least promised to release everything that he can. And you can bet that the CIA will want to release anything that shines a positive light on their work. I feel fairly confident that the only impediment to releasing this type of information will be the Obama admin in an effort to defend their own national security reputation.
sbj – skepticism, unless you are snacking on a wafer at mass or in those instances where you really want to believe your wife came home late for a benign reason, is ALWAYS appropriate.
But you misrepresent the aspects of what Greg wrote. Go back and read again.
sbj
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To correct you Greg was right. Dick Cheney didn’t ask the CIA for the documents, he asked the national archives for it and wouldn’t you know, the request just happened to show up at the CIA on the very day that Greg raised questions about it. This is all a dog and pony show and most rational people know that Cheney is blowing smoke. I wonder what you have to say about the guy who actually interrogated Zubaydah saying that most of the critical information was extracted from him without any form of torture. Oh I forgot, you are a “tough guy” who thinks torture makes us “strong”. Such weaksauce.
Reminder that twice as many Americans wish to see investigation/consequences for torture policies as those who are fine if such is swept under the carpet http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/the-media-elite-and-their-friends.html
“Oh I forgot, you are a “tough guy” who thinks torture makes us “strong”. Such weaksauce.”
[Insert 'sauce' joke here.]
You really want to be the one to wipe the egg off Greg’s face on that one?
“Tough guy?” I think you confuse me with some other pro-torture fan? I’m one of those who feel that enhanced interrogation is rarely justified – for instance, when we suspect an imminent attack upon Los Angeles. Regarding the interrogator, I haven’t read much so I plead ignorance. But I will note that you say that ‘most’ critical info was extracted without ‘torture’ – that leaves the possibility that ’some’ critical info – say the location of the cell – might have been obtained through enhanced interrogation.
sbj
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Uhmm are you still trying to pimp the Library Tower plot story? The one where the plot was broken up in 2002 but KSM and Zubaydah weren’t waterboarded until 2003? Please tell me you aren’t playing yourself like that. Do I need to provide the video again?
Umm, sure provide the video. The point was I believe that enhanced interrogation is rarely justfied. Did you not understand that?
What sbj means is that he believes that torture is justified, but not always.
I do not believe that torture is justified. I believe that enhanced interrogation is sometimes permissable under certain circumstances. Most people agree.
Cheney is counting on the documents being withheld as “classified” so he can turn around and say, “See! Even the Obama administration won’t reveal the information we extracted via torture –because it’s too unique and important!”