Sunday, September 10, 2006

Smokey Mirrors

Reports are that Bush acknowledged last Wednesday the existence of secret CIA prisons. I have read the transcript from said speech and I'm not getting quite the same admission of "CIA torture camps" that many writers are running with.

Bush admits that … "it has been necessary to move these individuals to an environment where they can be held secretly [sic], questioned by experts, ….

How that tallies up to 14 secret CIA prison camps in Europe is beyond my math and logic. Why so many prisons for the few "terrorists" captured by the US?

"Held secretly" could be right here in the USA. Claims of 14 top suspects having been relocated to Gitmo - does that mean each detainee had their own country of torture? Bush stated there are currently no prisoners in this CIA program. Can we expect dozens, if not hundreds, of former CIA prisoners to write a detailed exposé of torture?

Bush admits nothing in regard to torture and in fact reaffirms that the US does not torture. He states " … the CIA used an alternative set of procedures. These procedures were designed to be safe, to comply with our laws, our Constitution, and our treaty obligations. The Department of Justice reviewed the authorized methods extensively and determined them to be lawful."

Yep, Bubba, them lawful, so says Bush and DOJ.

All prisoners in this secret CIA program have been transferred to Gitmo, but as more terrorists are captured the program will " … be crucial to getting life-saving information."

In this speech Bush reassures Republicans the program protects America, saves lives, and gives ample talking points to his supporters, while giving the "left" a bumper sticker - "Bush Tortures." He assures us congress is busy with a "good bill" he's sent them … "For the sake of our security, Congress needs to act, and update our laws to meet the threats of this new era. And I know they will."

Of course they will GW, congress is obligated to the new orderly world contract too.

Given that the "war on terror" is as bogus as the "war on drugs" and the "war on poverty" what makes anyone think Wednesday's speech was truth? If the CIA is running a torture program, and they have and do, the CIA and other international intel agencies are not giving pols and we the peons the details. They're going to do what they're going to do and we're not in on it.

Now "gatekeepers" get busy and spend a few months arguing over this latest "revelation" of program and procedures. Argue as if you really have a voice in the process of governments and their intel operations.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kate,

The President's words last Wednesday were deliberately murky with regard to torture. You'll find a lot more clarity in this new line of capitalist business opportunity that our torturers are taking advantage of, i.e. war criminal insurance:

http://tinyurl.com/zqqbm

Kate-A said...

Ray,
I read quite a few of those articles, searched and read on the Wright Co and SAMBA (Special Agents Mutual Benefits Association).

So far, from memory, torture victims, ACLU, and other rights groups have filed suits against Rumsfeld, Bush, Titan Corporation, CACI International Inc., and the DOJ. I found little to nothing on how these suits have or have not progressed. Some were dismissed of course.

As these CIA interrogators/agents are labeled "spies" being identified publicly is blowing their cover, which would be illegal. According to news reports only a handful of CIA agents are trained as interrogators and authorized to use the newest old techniques.

Those "14" nations involved in the facilitation of "black sites" would run for cover and aid Bushco out of necessity of saving their own skins and reputations.

Here's a link to info on past methods of interrogation. Lengthy read, and consistent with current methods. Patterns from the past. The site is mainly financed by the usual foundations and think tanks, but just goes to prove "they" give us enough truth if we would but look and study it. Of course, it's always past truth and/or half-truths.

The only paid out lawsuit I can recall from current abuses is the Egyptian American (name escapes me) held for a year or more in NYC where he was sexually assaulted and eventually released. He received a settlement of $300,000 from DOJ. But then, he was right here in the US, not some poor Iraq or Afghanistan farmer tortured and if lucky dumped alive somewhere in the sand.

Good luck to Mohamed approaching the Afghanistan or Iraqi government, or just about any government, with the intention of suing Uncle Sam or CIA Joe.

The idea that Langley spies are wringing their hands and rushing to take out "liability insurance" makes me laugh. I'd say you are absolutely correct in "this new line of capitalist business opportunity." If any "spies" are signing up for insurance it's at the prodding of their superiors as someone sees it a way of funneling funds to insurance companies, at taxpayer expense.

Another two years of stench from Bushco headlines and even Hillary and Al will look like Jack and Jill in the whites House. But everything can be blamed on the last administration, right?

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