by Robert Scheer
via: Truthdig
When the CIA destroyed those prisoner interrogation videotapes, was it also destroying the truth about 9/11? After all, according to the 9/11 Commission Report, the basic narrative of what happened on that day—and the definition of the enemy in this war on terror that George W. Bush launched in response to the tragedy—comes from the CIA’s account of what those prisoners told their torturers. The commission was never allowed to interview the prisoners, or speak with those who did, and was instead forced to rely on what the CIA was willing to relay.
On the matter of the existence of the tapes, we know the CIA lied, not only to the 9/11 Commission but to Congress as well. Given that the Bush administration has for six years refused those prisoners any sort of public legal exposure, why should we believe what we’ve been told about what may turn out to be the most important transformative event in our nation’s history? On the basis of what the CIA claimed the tortured prisoners said, President Bush launched a “Global War on Terrorism” (GWOT), an endless war that threatens to bankrupt our society both financially and morally.
I have a lot of respect for Robert Scheer. This was a really good article, asking some very important questions. Questions that DEMAND answers.
8 Comments
December 12, 2007 at 11:27 am
Totally off topic, but here’s my ‘Oh f***’ moment from my glance through the morning ‘papers’…
December 12, 2007 at 11:27 am
And now with the link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7139797.stm
December 12, 2007 at 11:37 am
OK, El Tel now on topic:
I think it was Eric Alterman, who pointed out the irony in the Plame case that it was the CIA that was foremost in bringing the prosecution of that case and leading the charge to defend the Constitution against the Busheviks. It think he put it something like – so we have to depend on the spooks, those who make a career at the blurry edges of what is legal, moral and ethical to defend the Constitution.
Seems a thought worth revisiting in the wake of the Iran-NIE-Chimpys-pants-on-fire-on-live-TV incident, which has been swamped by these new revelations about what we usually expect from the spooks – lying, although not in defense of the Constitution, in this case.
December 12, 2007 at 11:56 am
This endless war has done more than “threaten to bankrupt our society both financially and socially”, we are well on our way to realizing this bankruptcy. My god, only 404 days too many until this incompetent, self-serving administration is out of office.
December 12, 2007 at 11:58 am
Terry – good article. Can you post this or do you want someone here to post this article as a topic for discussion?
December 12, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Anybody that doesn’t know instantly that waterboarding is torture has no moral compass. The irony is that the people who don’t think it is torture are the Christian right who accuse the liberals oh not having morals.
That is the same way that they can support Bush. They blame the war on somebody else and not him.
Deflect and you won’t be held accountable.
Do you think God sees it their way or do you think he can, as they say, see into their hearts and see the hate for their fellow man?
December 12, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Nice to see you again, Spudge. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds. That isn’t one of the 10 commandments…..
December 12, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Hi there. I have been really busy with work and family stuff, so I haven’t really been around anywhere posting, but know that I am still reading. The Zoo is my homepage, so I see all your guys work.
You know I am glad that we decided to post the political cartoons. There is so much of this crap and the cartoons at least allow us a small chuckle or an “Exactly!” to break up the Bush BS. Plus, they can wrap up an entire story into a bite size chunk that I can copy, throw into an e-mail and shoot to my friends. I always get response like “Exactly!”