… Cheney: Congress playing politics with CIA
July 14: Former State Department Official Liz Cheney discusses the recently revealed CIA program and whether it is wise for Congress to pursue an investigation, but did not comment on whether her father, while in office, instructed the CIA to keep Congress in the dark. …
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31905635/ns/politics-more_politics/
AP: House Wants CIA Docs on Hit Squad Plan
Sources say Agency Spent $1M on Secret Program, House Intel Committee to Probe Possible Oversight Violations
Washington, July 15, 2009
(AP) The CIA spent at least $1 million on the secret intelligence program that aimed to develop hit squads to kill al Qaeda leaders but never went beyond the planning stage, a congressional official said Tuesday.
The highly classified program, which never became operational but remained in existence until it was shut down by CIA Director Leon Panetta in June, is expected to trigger a congressional investigation, other officials said. …
… Panetta told Congress on June 24 that he had canceled the effort to kill al Qaeda leaders with hit teams soon after learning about the operation. Panetta also told lawmakers that former Vice President Dick Cheney directed the CIA not to inform Congress of the specifics of the secret program.
President George W. Bush authorized the killing of al Qaeda leaders in 2001. Congress was aware of that notification. …
… Sen. Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat, said Monday that the CIA’s failure to brief Congress violated the law.
… Like many other Republicans, Hoekstra believes the Democratic anger about not being notified of the program sooner is meant to bolster House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who came under an avalanche of Republican criticism in May for saying she believes the CIA lied to her about its harsh interrogation program in 2002.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/15/national/main5160554.shtml?tag=stack
On 9/11/2001 terrorists did grave damage to Americans and to physical structures in America. And then came the neocons – who worked on the “fabric” of America ostensibly in the pursuit of terrorists but who knows?
In 2006, the American Congress appeared to “look the other way” while America pleaded with Congress to address the problems attributed to Mr. George W. Bush. Inaction, on the part of Congress, could make it appear that the 2006 Congress approved of Mr. George W. Bush’s management/mismanagement of America. No one knows for sure – since no public stand was taken.
“Saying it once and then saying it again” – no impeachment, could leave America thinking Mr. Bush’s actions did not warrant a Congressional investigation. But they did – and still do. And so now does Mr. Cheney’s. To its credit, Congress is now acting in a responsible manner to the latest unbelievable “management/mismanagement” of America’s resources by the neocons.
