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The Big Secret Behind the CIA-Congressional Battle
The Deeper Story
You’ve heard that there’s a big battle between the CIA and Congress over the CIA spying on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s review of documents related to the Bush-era torture program.
Many are calling it a “constitutional crisis“. House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa calls it potential “treason“.
The congress members complaining about spying by the CIA are right, of course.
But they are hypocrites. Specifically, these same congress members didn’t raise a peep when the government was spying on the people … and instead defended the government’s mass surveillance at every opportunity.
There are hundreds of thousands of Google hits for the search term “Hypocrisy CIA Senate Feinstein“.
High-level NSA whistleblower Bill Binney, Edward Snowden, a very high-level former CIA officer, a former FBI agent and many others are all slamming Congress for the hypocrisy
Even Jon Stewart has lambasted them:
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(And this isn’t the first time that Congress has been hypocritical when the spying was turned against them personally.)
A corrupt CIA is certainly part of the problem. After all, the same guy who was the lawyer for the CIA torture unit – and who was mentioned 1,600 times in the Senate intelligence report on torture – is now the chief counsel for the CIA … the guy working so hard to make sure the torture report is never released. (He was also involved in the destruction of tapes documenting CIA torture … discussed more fully below).
And don’t let Obama fool you: The White House is a big part of the problem as well.
Obama has for years prevented the Senate Intelligence report on torture – what the CIA’s spying is all about – from being declassified.
Glenn Greenwald tweets:
Could someone remind me who appointed [CIA director] John Brennan and to whom he reports? Having trouble finding it in most discussions ….
Obama appointed current CIA-director John Brennan, who – before the appointment – had expressly endorsed torture, assassination of unidentified strangers (including Americans) without due process, and spying on all Americans, and got caught in numerous lies related to national security and defense. (Indeed, Brennan insisted that he be sworn in with a copy of the Constitution which didn’t include the Bill of Rights.)
The White House has also withheld 9,400 documents from the Senate’s CIA torture investigation. McClatchy reports:
The White House has been withholding for five years more than 9,000 top-secret documents sought by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for its investigation into the now-defunct CIA detention and interrogation program, even though President Barack Obama hasn’t exercised a claim of executive privilege.
In contrast to public assertions that it supports the committee’s work, the White House has ignored or rejected offers in multiple meetings and in letters to find ways for the committee to review the records, a McClatchy investigation has found.
And Senator Mark Udall said that Obama knew about the CIA’s spying on Congress.
Not Just the CIA … And Not a New Problem
But it’s not just the CIA. And there has been a constitutional crisis for a long time.
For example, the FBI collected files on everyone. As the New York Times reports:
J. Edgar Hoover compiled secret dossiers on the sexual peccadillos and private misbehavior of those he labeled as enemies — really dangerous people like … President John F. Kennedy, for example.
The NSA has been spying on – and intimidating – its “overseers” in Washington. Indeed, the NSA spied on anti-war Congress members in the 1970s … including the chair of the Congressional Committee investigating illegal NSA spying.
One of the NSA whistleblower sources for the big 2005 New York Times exposé on illegal spying – Russel Tice – says that the NSA illegally spied on General Petraeus and other generals, Supreme Court Justice Alito and all of the other supreme court justices, the White House spokesman, and many other top officials.
The Washington Times reported in 2006 that – when Tice offered to testify to Congress about this illegal spying – he was informed by the NSA that the Senate intelligence committee was not cleared to hear such information:
Renee Seymour, director of NSA special access programs stated in a Jan. 9 letter to Russ Tice that he should not testify about secret electronic intelligence programs because members and staff of the House and Senate intelligence committees do not have the proper security clearances for the secret intelligence.
(And see this.)
Former high-level NSA executive Bill Binney points out how absurd that statement is:
Russ Tice ... was prepared to testify to Congress to this, too, and so NSA sent him a letter saying, we agree that you have a right to go to Congress to testify, but we have to advise you that the intelligence committees that you want to testify to are not cleared for the programs you want to speak about. Now, that fundamentally is an open admission ... by NSA that they are violating the intelligence acts of 1947 and 1978, which require NSA and all other intelligence agencies to notify Congress of all the programs that they're running so they can have effective oversight, which they've never had anyway.
Binney confirmed to Washington's Blog:
The violations of law and the constitution are being openly admitted by both Congress and the NSA.
The Other Story Getting Lost In the Shuffle
And there’s another story getting lost in the shuffle …
Sure, the top independent interrogation experts say that torture is ineffective … and actually harms national security. You’ve probably already heard arguments one way or the other on this issue, and likely have made up your mind about it.
But remember, the torture used by the U.S. on the Guantanamo suspects was of a “special” type.
Specifically, Senator Levin revealed that the the U.S. used Communist torture techniques specifically aimed at creating false confessions. And see these important reports from McClatchy, New York Times, CNN and Huffington Post.
In other words, were not just talking about torture. We’re talking about deploying a special type of torture in order to get FALSE confessions.
In addition, the Atlantic notes:
America is likely to torture again, if we aren’t doing it already.
A related part of this underreported part of the torture story is that the CIA’s torture program ended up deceiving the 9/11 Commission. Specifically, the 9/11 Commission Report was largely based on third-hand accounts of what tortured detainees said, with two of the three parties in the communication being government employees. The 9/11 Commissioners were not allowed to speak with the detainees, or even their interrogators. Instead, they got their information third-hand. The Commission itself didn’t really trust the interrogation testimony… yet published it as if it were Gospel.
New York Times investigative reporter Philip Shenon noted in a 2009 essay in Newsweek that the 9/11 Commission Report was unreliable because most of the information was based on the statements of tortured detainees.
NBC News reported:
- Much of the 9/11 Commission Report was based upon the testimony of people who were tortured
- At least four of the people whose interrogation figured in the 9/11 Commission Report have claimed that they told interrogators information as a way to stop being “tortured.”
- One of the Commission’s main sources of information was tortured until he agreed to sign a confession that he was NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO READ
- The 9/11 Commission itself doubted the accuracy of the torture confessions, and yet kept their doubts to themselves
And the CIA videotaped the interrogation of 9/11 suspects, but falsely told the 9/11 Commission that there were no videotapes or other records of the interrogations, and then illegally destroyed all of the tapes and transcripts of the interrogations. (As discussed above, the current head CIA lawyer helped to destroy the tapes.)
9/11 Commission co-chairs Thomas Keane and Lee Hamilton wrote:
Those who knew about those videotapes — and did not tell us about them — obstructed our investigation.
***
Government officials decided not to inform a lawfully constituted body, created by Congress and the president, to investigate one the greatest tragedies to confront this country. We call that obstruction.
In other words, we’ve got a rogue government. That’s the big story behind the CIA-congressional battle.
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Does that include supporting the war on drugs and the associated no knock warrant searches, guns pointed at your head, etc. I think it should if it doesn't.
Support clearly indicates not-human status to me.
+1
I did my daily rants on ZH when Bush was around on that very subject, and believe me there were a lot more people then who argued that I was a terror loving limey faggot for pointing out that the US is the only country in the world that used torture as a national policy, its politicians so fucked up morally that they made impassioned arguments about what did and did not constitute torture even when it was clearly shown that after WWII, the courts found Japanese and German soldiers of war crimes and executed them for doing the exact same things (waterboarding, sexual humiliation, and worse) to allied POWs.
Take a look around today on the subject of the Ukraine where the same warmongering governments (my own too) are now risking the start of a world war to support a bunch of neonazis and zionists they installed in Kiev. There are still people around who argue, 'My country, right or wrong'. Some people are just hardwired to be mentally ill.
What the FUCK is it going to take to disband the rogue, Criminal, Treasonist, Satanic Cabal? It literally needs to be burned to the ground along with the other Criminal Treasonist NSA.
These Lucerferian Vipers need to be hunted down one by one starting with Brennan & ending with Cheany to be made an example of.
And, what I mean by example is hanging them upside down, slicing their throats from ear to ear & watching them drown in their own blood while simultaneously setting them on fire where they would burn in HELL.
These Criminals need to feel the wrath of PAIN big fucking time!!!
Ok, Chupa, tell us how you really feel.
Hell won't accept these petty functionaries.
We prefer higher caliber material like Stalin, Hitler and Mao.
Ya know, we're running an elite club down here and we can't just allow any schmuck to cross the river Styx and tee off on our golf course and lounge on our sandy white beaches.
Of course its an ocean of fire, but its the best we can do with the heat and all.
I sometimes have similar feelings, but then, I stop and think a bit further...
What worse punishment could there be for a person that worships power than spending the rest of their life in servitude.
Just a thought - not claiming to be right, or anything.
Why is it when you think shit couldn't be any more retarded.......you find out its way more retarded.
Congress controls the funding. When you threaten everybody, you have no friends.
Wow, the CIA and the NSA have the dibs on everyone in Congress while Congress has control of the purse strings.
Now that's a Mexican standoff if I ever saw one.
Reminds me of the final scenes in the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
That NARRATIVE is false.
THe CIA/NSA has every bit involved with PRINTING to infinite USD FIAT, and the NSA has along with the CIA always had their very own 'super double super secret' printing press. Shit in Afghan CIA was dumping $100 crisp Franklin's by the CONTAINER to buy hearts&minds during BUSH-CHENEY.
Make no fucking MISTAKE that ZIONISM runs the FEDERAL RESERVE and they also control the NSA/CIA/MOSSAD, and that the US Congress is just a fucking "ROMAN CIRCUS", with a Horse for a president.
PLEASE......Congress cut of ffunding for the CONTRAS..... the CIA funded them with drug running (and those that got caught were pardoned). Funny how we are now dealing with a heroin epidemic after over a dozen years in Afghanistan..... the Taliban had come close to eradicating opium production.
God only knows what dark sources of funding are available to our nation's secret keepers - outside of Congressional control or oversight....... ever heard of Yamashita's Treasuer?
I'm not a "fan" of Jon Stewart but I have to say that his well chosen reference to George Carlin was impeccably timed in that rant.
Stewart is a mixed bag for sure, but in a land where 99.9% are blind, he can see out of one eye, intermittently.
The irony is that there are people in these American spy organizations who actually do care about our national security.
This is not about our national security. It's about brutal power grabs within these spy bureaucracies.
Hide in plane site: co-opt the levers of power within the agencies.
On the positive side these revelations might have a corrosive effect over time wherein the people's incredulity and disbelief about subjects like 9/11 will finally be overcome. 9/11 was terrorism and shock-and-awe committed against the American people writ large. Terrorism is theater. Terrorism is directed at the survivors. Torture is about extorting false confessions to bolster a phony narrative.
I am not so sure that there "are people in these Amercian spy organizations who actually do care about our national security." If there are, they are few and far between at this point... or maybe they're in Russia sacrificing their lives and leaking documents. The CIA is known to seek particular psychological profiles for example... skills are secondary. Where do you think they go shopping for the guy that is going to drill someones kneecap out for their witch trial confessions? What kind of American would trash the 4th ammedment and spy on all their own brethren? How full of character were the teams of assholes who trumped up intellegence for all of these BS wars? Who could even sleep at night writing any of these bastards speeches? Ignorance cannot be claimed by any at this point... just rationalizations. Our security is being threatened by in large by our very own.
Isn't CIA the new modern version of SS + Gestapo?
The security is just a pretex.
Because the USA political acts remind the germans before WWII a lot.
Sort of a perfect organization for sociopaths..... no meaningful limits or oversight. A histgory of illegal activity - and pardons when you're caught. Total Secrecy - state sponsored - as well. Gun running, drug running, assassinations, even regime overthrowing........
doesn't matter how wrong your 'intelligence' activities are... you're never held accountable.
The original idea probably was to use our sociopaths
against the enemy sociopaths.
Somewhere soon it got out of control.
Really? People who really care about The Constitution? The only one I see is Edward Snowden, who could be an Op. Bill Binney. Ron not Rand Paul. Jeff Sessions and a few others.
and they won't even acknowledge that it got fucked with when they CAPITALIZED the damned thing!
an open emission
eww.
Yes, its dysfunctional, insane is really a better word.
CO2 is a harmful gas.
Posted that yesterday and just invented a new word: Extrajudicialsuperautocraticdespotism.
Funny thing about being a regular visitor to ZH. Just when one feels jaded and weary of all the corruption and evil that could be conceived by the government, there's always something here that invokes the WTF! response.
us "humans" always seem to go exponentially berzerk. And when we do, our systems come down with us. Things are so complicated, so populated, so poisoned, so interconnected. This one will be a doozie
If you replace "extrajudicial" with "illegal" then it compresses down to: iSAD.
Perfect.
You may be on to something......
Extrajudicialsuperautocraticdespotism.
You need someone famous like Julie Andrews to sing it, so it will catch on!
even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
"Extrajudicialsuperautocraticdespotism"
I think it fits pretty well.
CIA knows the stuff about Obama, so he is powerless over them.
I don't think he wants power over them. "Give me Reggie, golf, some blow and a teleprompter and I'm good".
I still think the real scandal on Benghazi night wasn't whether the CIA was funneling arms to terrorists, it was "Who was Obama with and how incompacitated was he that they couldn't knock on his door and say 'We need a decision'"
This guy is totally owned but doesn't care.
Obama's just smart enough to know he's in over his head and that he must keep his mouith shut and follow orders, no matter how ridiculous.
The Bushes, Clintons and Obama all work and worked for the agency. You never leave.
Well, GHW Bush worked Bay of Pigs and JFK hit for CIA, got made President. Ford worked the Warren Commission, got made President. Clinton worked cocaine at Mena, Ark., got made President.
The NWO is a dirty game. Players who do the dirt and keep their mouth shut get promoted. Until the people fight back, it's only going to get dirtier.
Every President since Carter has been beholden to the Company. including Obama who may be even more of a figurehead than Bush II....... look into his maternal famliy and why no real info or questions about O's 'college' years?
No branch of the government is functional.
Worst case is that they have a hearing and agree to modify thier policies. That will only bury the issue for the next 50 years.
"Really. You mean Judge Roberts was intimidated to call Obamacare a "Tax" and allow its passage? Nah... he realiy believed it was a tax. Don't we all?"
Just ask Russell Tice.
The big secret is they know what you fap too, you assholes.
Ha.
Midget porn w a little tranny for spice ;)
Awesome!
So you like watcing "Little People" on TLC channel, too?
the current performers on the show are tiresome. they travel the world to purchase children.
I want fresh, new midgets. Midgets wearing leather pants & french maid outfits.
whips are OK, but NO animals.
Games within games within games, by people who think they have the right to impose their will on others.
Time for humanity to stand up and say 'FUCK YOU'
But, unfortunately, I realize it's not going to happen in my lifetime.
Thank fuck for ethanol.
Yes, it seems to be coming increasingly obvious that the world, the US and its people would be much better off without the NSA and CIA.
They keep all of their crimes against the people secret. There is no admission of guilt. There is no contrition. There is no stopping. How can we live with that?
I wanted to read this article but when George mentioned the Dual Citizen entertainer with the fake goy name then I clicked away. F TV and Hollywood but George probably watches TV.
look when the elite reptiles took power, they do what they want, when they want, to anyone they want, laws and a constitution are not part of the process, except when used to further the crimes. it has become silly to point to this law or that UN position or this protection in the constitution, criminals do not care.
Jon Stewart, born as Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, is a jew (Source).
Chaim Levine: Chuck Lorre's Real Name, Says Charlie Sheen
"I'm tired of being told 'You can't talk about that, you can't talk about that.' Bull S-H-I-T. There's something this side of deplorable that a certain Chaim Levine -- yeah, that's Chuck's real name -- mistook this rock star for his own selfish exit strategy, bro. Check it, Alex: I embarrassed him in front of his children and the world by healing at a pace that his unevolved mind cannot process. Last I checked, Chaim, I spent close to the last decade effortlessly and magically converting your tin cans into pure gold. And the gratitude I get is this charlatan chose not to do his job, which is to write. Clearly someone who believes he's above the law."
Search: Donmeh, Young Turks, Sabbatai Zevi, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, Muhammad ibn Sa’ud, Basra
...if you want to see how deep the Fake Name/infiltration rabbit hole goes.
in this case... so fuckin' what?
Get a hobby. The anti-semitic stuff is really stale.
nickleberg?
What's your problem, Tim_ ?
Racism?
Bigotry?
Inferiority complex?