A former high-ranking state department official has come forward with the explosive report that then Vice President Dick Cheney called for the torture of an Iraqi prisoner to establish a link between al Qaeda and Iraq in the midst of the political controversy over the misrepresentations that led to the Iraq invasion. Cheney was one of the main figures pushing this justification, which was found based on false intelligence. Lawrence Wilkerson, chief of staff for then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, adds yet another piece of evidence that the torture program was not based on a “ticking bomb” justification and was not based on the faux legal opinions of lawyers like Judge Jay Bybee and Professor John Yoo.
Wilkerson reveals that the interrogation program began in April and May of 2002 and “[i]ts principal priority for intelligence was not aimed at preempting another terrorist attack on the U.S. but discovering a smoking gun linking Iraq and al Qaeda,.” Wilkerson said that Cheney’s office asked for torture because the CIA found the prisoner to be “compliant.” This would appear to suggest that they wanted to torture the prisoner because he might be coerced into supporting the linkae — a critical necessity for the Administration in defending its prior representations on the invasion. He states that the “order” came from Cheney’s office. The prisoner, Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, was tortured until he confirmed such contacts and these statements were promptly used by the Administration. He later recanted the statements before dying in a Libyan prison.
This report confirms the statements of an Army psychiatrist that the abuse of detainees at Gitmo was focused not only future attacks but to establish a connection between al Qaeda and Iraq.
Once again, this additional evidence only highlights the refusal of the Obama Administration to appoint a special prosecutor. The evidence is now far greater than what existed when Democrats called for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor in the firings of U.S. Attorneys. Of course, this involves war crimes.
For the full story, click here.
AnonY:
Good. No I do not punch a time clock but I work long hours providing facts in NEPA-related lawsuits and other governmental misconduct issues. In fact, I work longer on a computer as an old retired guy than I ever did for the government, including GIS-related tasks.
Sorry Three storys all in One. Well you get the point.
Patty C,
Put the Bottle down. Put the Cork back in it and call it a night. Can you say Good Night Johnboy? and I’ll say Good night Sue Ellen. and then we all went back to the little house on the Prairie. Where everyone obey Bringem Youngs traditions.
FF LEO,
Yes, I actually looked forward to it. Did a whole week and it just seems like yesterday I started. I will work tomorrow and will enjoy myself. I usually get there about 7:30 am to 8 and am there about 9 hours then an hour drive home.
And you?
FFLEO *** such as***,
You are certainly no teenage beauty queen, ‘such as’ me, nor an animal advocate, like myself.
But you are quite possibly a complete imbecile in my view.
AnonY:
Are you working again?
AnonY,
Yes, I know and I thought of you when I posted. Just about every other thread post again is PC jumping on Jill and Professor Turley has admonished PC for that, numerous times. I guess Prof T. is like Mr. O; both prefer to look forward and not back.
I sometimes let a violator get off with a warning instead of issuing a citation; however, if I caught him twice I had no more discretion to let him continue to violate the law.
Then again, remember some people fashination with their own imagination is not real to you or I, but to them it is the only reality that they possess. I was a lucky one I had to smoke weed and drink to get that reality.
So as John Prine has said.
When I woke up this morning, things were lookin’ bad
Seem like total silence was the only friend I had
Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down… and won
And it was twelve o’clock before I realized
That I was havin’ .. no fun
Chorus:
But fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile
It don’t cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won’t you please tell the man I didn’t kill anyone
No I’m just tryin’ to have me some fun
It appeared that was my theme song in college. bada boom, bada bing.
FFLEO,
Just think catch 22. Joseph Heller, and as you were kind enough to get. Just leave it alone.
Actually, a Lawyer has a Juris Doctorate. There is a push for 5 years and the apprenticeship. I am not sure why, maybe they are trying to get us prepared for a one world economical education. That was a topic at a conference the week before last.
So technically it would be Doctor Doctor. All the makings of a stooge.
Doctor and Lawyer, *such as* Patty C. The very word you used is the essence definition of profanity.
FFLEo you are both a fool and an a-hole…
My ‘goddam’ post would not be consider ‘profane’ by any stretch of JT’s imagination.
Kelly,
It is time for you and the the rest of your fellow trolls to actually deal in the factual world. Cheney has stated more than once, in public, that he authorized and ordered waterboarding. Bush has also ordered it and admitted that in public. What more evidence do you need to realize they are war criminals?
Former Fed,
I got here too late to answer your question, but the real experts already gave you good advice.
Patty C,
Please Ma’am. Seamus had a post deleted for less profanity than your post.
Others are trying their best to honor the ‘no outright profanity’ policy set by Professor Turley. Remember, we are in his domain and you are one of his best-liked visitors/regulars.
Thanks, and I mean Thanks.
lottakatz 1, May 15, 2009 at 6:48 pm
CCD
1, May 15, 2009 at 11:03 am
“Incidentally, al-Libi just “committed suicide” … Jeezz did the former administration reach out and have al-Libi fixed?”
Yhe question more appropriately is ‘Did the CURRENT… ‘
—
SAY IT – if that is what you TRULY believe…
…speak it, godammit !!!!!!!!!
lottakatz:
Partisan hack, guilty as charged.
CCD
1, May 15, 2009 at 11:03 am
“Incidentally, al-Libi just “committed suicide” … Jeezz did the former administration reach out and have al-Libi fixed?”
Yhe question more appropriately is ‘Did the CURRENT… ‘
“A man no doubt guilty of the murder of many MANY Iraquis.” – Kelly
Just like our elected officials?
THIS NEEDS TO BE SAID AGAIN:
Turley, apparently you missed Duelfer on rachel maddows show when he stated that it was nothing MORE THAN AN INQUIRY BY CHENEY’S STAFF AS TO WHETHER HARSH INTERROGATION HAD BEEN USED!
Duelfer clearly stated that when the response was negative on harsh interrogation the office of the VP dropped the suggestion.
You see Turley, you left winger, it was a question, not a REQUEST, not an ORDER, not a DEMAND, it was a QUESTION.
In other words, Cheney’s office asks if the subject had harsh interrogation used on him in an effort to get information. When the response was negative that was the end of the questions from the VP’s office!
PS. this was SADDAM’s information minister, a man no doubt guilty of the murder of many MANY Iraquis.
Turley, apparently you missed Duelfer on rachel maddows show when he stated that it was nothing MORE THAN AN INQUIRY BY CHENEY’S STAFF AS TO WHETHER HARSH INTERROGATION HAD BEEN USED!
Duelfer clearly stated that when the response was negative on harsh interrogation the office of the VP dropped the suggestion.
You see Turley, you left winger, it was a question, not a REQUEST, not an ORDER, not a DEMAND, it was a QUESTION.
In other words, Cheney’s office asks if the subject had harsh interrogation used on him in an effort to get information. When the response was negative that was the end of the questions from the VP’s office!
PS. this was SADDAM’s information minister, a man no doubt guilty of the murder of many MANY Iraquis.
Oh COME ON! Wilkserson WAS COLIN POWELL’S DEMOCRAT STAFFER!
Sheese. Turley your credibility is shot to hell!