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Title: Dem judiciary leader seeks torture documents
Source:
RAW STORY
URL Source: http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/D ... ks_torture_documents_1117.html
Published: Nov 17, 2006
Author: Brian Buetler
Post Date: 2006-11-17 19:25:51 by Zipporah
Keywords: None
Views: 176
Comments: 15
If the request is not met, the Democratically-controlled Judiciary Committee will have the option to subpoena when the new Congress begins in January. The documents, which have long been thought to exist by observers and critics of America's national security policies, were confirmed to exist as the result of a still-pending Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by the ACLU. One of those documents is believed to be a companion piece to the now-infamous August 2002 memorandum which redefined torture and, as a result, broadened the range of interrogation tactics permitted in the field. The companion document, the so-called “Yoo Two” document (named after legal counsel John Yoo) is believed to contain a list of actual techniques that have been approved by the Department of Justice—and which are therefore legally protected interrogation methods used by intelligence operatives against suspected terrorists. A press release issued today contends that Leahy "had previously requested all documents relating to the treatment of detainees from the Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA and the Department of Defense." Those requests have turned up numerous controversial memos and reports detailing the handling of so-called enemy combatants by U.S. soldiers and intelligence officials, but the now-uncovered documents were never included. That omission, says a source close to the Judiciary Committee, has angered the senator. “The American people and their representatives in Congress," Leahy insists, "are entitled to know the truth about the Bush Administration’s interrogation policies and practices that have engendered criticism at home, contributed so negatively to the image of the United States around the world and served to undercut our efforts against terrorism,” According to the ACLU, the documents specify “interrogation methods that the CIA may use against top al-Qaeda members.” Last November, a news report surfaced, detailing six so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. What remains unclear, and what the documents requested by Leahy might reveal, is which of these techniques are legal in the eyes of the justice department. The full text of the letter, as obtained by RAW STORY, appears below. November 16, 2006 The Honorable Alberto Gonzales Attorney General United States Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20530 Dear Attorney General Gonzales: Recent press accounts indicate that, after years of denials, the Central Intelligence Agency has acknowledged the existence of additional documents detailing the Bush Administration’s interrogation and detention policy for terrorism suspects. According to press reports, the CIA recently disclosed the existence of two interrogation-related documents – a presidential directive regarding the CIA’s interrogation methods and detention facilities located outside of the United States, and an August 2002 Department of Justice Memorandum to the CIA General Counsel regarding CIA interrogation methods (the “2nd Bybee memo”) – in connection with an ongoing FOIA lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union. As you know, for more than two years, I have repeatedly sought answers from the Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA, and the Department of Defense regarding reported and, in some instances, documented cases of the abuse of detainees in U.S. custody. The photographs and reports of prisoner abuse in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere that have emerged during the past two years depict an interrogation and detention system operating contrary to U.S. law and the Geneva Conventions. Prisoner abuse is one aspect of a broader problem, which includes the use of so-called “extraordinary renditions” to send people to other countries where they will be subject to torture. We diminish our own values as a Nation – and lose credibility as an advocate of human rights around the world – by engaging in, or outsourcing, torture. The American people deserve to have detailed and accurate information about the role of the Bush Administration in developing the interrogation policies and practices that have engendered such deep criticism and concern at home and around the world. I ask that you promptly respond to the following questions and document requests. Please produce any and all directives, memoranda, and/or orders, including any and all attachments to such documents, regarding CIA interrogation methods or policies for the treatment of detainees, including but not limited to the directive signed by President Bush governing CIA interrogation methods, or allowing the CIA to set up detention centers located outside of the United States. Please produce any and all Department of Justice directives, memoranda, and/or guidance, including any and all attachments to such documents, regarding CIA detention and/or interrogation methods, including but not limited to the August 2002 Memorandum from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel to the CIA General Counsel regarding CIA interrogation methods (the “2nd Bybee memo”). Please produce any and all documents in the custody of the Department of Justice regarding the legality of specific interrogation tactics and/or federal criminal prohibitions on torture and abuse that were used in the preparation of the 2nd Bybee memo referenced above. Please state whether the 2nd Bybee memo was withdrawn, replaced, or modified after the Administration withdrew the Office of Legal Counsel’s memorandum regarding U.S. obligations under anti-torture law, dated August 2002 (the “1st Bybee Memo”) in December 2004. If so, please produce any and all revisions, or modifications of the 2nd Bybee memo. Please produce any and all Department of Justice documents that interpret, or advise on, the scope of interrogation practices permitted and prohibited by the Detainee Treatment Act or the Military Commissions Act. Please produce an index of any and all documents relating to investigations and/or reviews conducted by the Department of Justice into detainee abuse by U.S. military or civilian personnel in Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib prison, or elsewhere. I look forward to comprehensive responses to the above questions and document requests. Sincerely, PATRICK LEAHY United States Senator cc: General Michael V. Hayden, USAF Director Central Intelligence Agency Room Number 7D56 OHB Washington, D.C. 20505
In a letter addressed to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, chairman-to-be of the Senate Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has requested the release of documents that outline the Bush Administration's interrogation policies. #
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#1. To: Zipporah, MUDDOG, Mekons4, aristeides, Fred Mertz, tom007, Eoghan, Itisa1mosttoolate, Cynicom, Dakmar (#0)
(Edited)
A press release issued today contends that Leahy "had previously requested all documents relating to the treatment of detainees from the Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA and the Department of Defense." "Yoo Two" ping!
"The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer." It will be interesting to see how the GOP spins this. The will have to fight it in the political arena as Leahy will just issue a subpoena if the GOP behaves as they have behaved in the past, e.g., classifying the documents, jerking the clearances of the people who are to view the documents, etc. It is nice to see a little oversight creeping into the process. I expect to hear loud howels of outrage from the GOP noise machine however.
The hatefest should be fun to read:
Fun? Uh I need some Pepto first.. :P
To: Sub-Driver "If President Bush and the Justice Department authorized the CIA to torture its prisoners, the public has a right to know," said Jameel Jaffer, an ACLU attorney involved in the case. Bush already said that we don't torture people, so then the public has no need to know the details of our interrogation methods, which Leahy obviously wants to use entirely as a political weapon against Republicans. In response to this request, Bush can say that we don't use torture and then classify these documents and prevent their release and their misuse in a purely political witch hunt. 14 posted on 11/17/2006 5:17:17 PM PST by defenderSD (The concept of national martyrdom, combined with nuclear weapons, is extremely dangerous.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]
Good lord.. a "political witchhunt".. they need a major reality check.. makes one wonder how anyone can be this idiotic.. OH I forgot they're freepers :P
That's the kind of game Nixon tried to play, only in his case it was "executive privilege." The Supreme Court shot him down.
Katrina was America's Chernobyl.
From Media Matters: Ingraham encourages listeners to jam phone lines of Democratic voter assistance hotline As the weblog Firedoglake first noted, during the November 7 edition of her nationally syndicated talk radio show, Laura Ingraham urged listeners to jam the phone lines of 1-888-DEM-VOTE, a voter assistance hotline sponsored by the Democratic Party. Ingraham stated: "I want you to call it and I want you tell us what you get when you call 1-888-DEM-VOTE. They're on top of all of the shenanigans at the polling stations. One problem: you can't get through." Minutes later, while talking with a listener who called the hotline, Ingraham said: "Let's keep 'dem' lines ringing." Mistake, Laura: John Amato at Crooks and Liars is reporting that soon-to-be-Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is calling for DOJ to investigate Laura Ingraham's call for her listeners to jam the Democratic voter assistance hotline. He has the audio, it's here. Laura ingraham's show is carried by the Talk radio Network which is also home to such luminaries as Michael Weiner Savage and Jerry Doyle. Contact Talk Radio Network, and demand Ingraham's suspension or termination in light of the potential investigation. Their affiliate relations number is (888) 383-3733. Emails can be sent to affiliates@talkradionetwork.com. Let's make an example of Laura and get the airwaves free of this kind of crap, and while were at it, let's talk about restoring the Fairness Doctrine. It is time for the end of the reign of the AM hatemongers. This is MY industry, and I take it very personally. If a local station carries any TRN programming, call them and insist they drop it. Attack. Now. End the catapultation of the propaganda. defenderSD seems not to have noticed Cheney's admission that they use waterboarding.
Katrina was America's Chernobyl.
Guess there is good reason his name is 'defender'..
Dick didn't have his own hand-picked court, though.
Nixon did have his own appointees on the court, however: Burger, Blackmun, Rehnquist. If memory serves, Rehnquist didn't vote in the Nixon Tapes case, and Burger and Blackmun voted against Nixonh.
Katrina was America's Chernobyl.
I think Powell was also on the court by that point, and that he too voted against Nixon.
Katrina was America's Chernobyl.
Bill Maher had 5 excellent guests on his show last night. Richard Dreyfuss, Dan Rather (by satellite), Norman Lear (briefly by satellite), Dana Priest (Washington Post) and a relatively unknown young man from Axis of Justice, Tom Morello. The topic was mostly about the changing news room and how it went from being non-profit to profit, and how that altered the quality of the news delivered. Dreyfuss was especially rousing, stating how important it is that we investigate and have impeachment hearings, because if we don't we are indicating our acquiescence to torture, loss of liberties, a war based on lies, etc. Everyone on the panel and in the audience was in agreement and hugely appreciative.
"The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer."The companion document, the so-called “Yoo Two” document (named after legal counsel John Yoo) is believed to contain a list of actual techniques that have been approved by the Department of Justice—and which are therefore legally protected interrogation methods used by intelligence operatives against suspected terrorists.
---Henry Kissinger, New York Times, October 28, 1973
#2. To: Zipporah (#0)
#3. To: Zipporah (#0)
#4. To: Minerva, robin, all (#2)
Expect the "state's secrets" card to be played now.
#5. To: Minerva (#3)
The hatefest should be fun to read:
#6. To: Zipporah (#5)
Freeper logic in action => Bush already told us the answer so nobody needs to look into the matter any further. LOL!!
#7. To: Minerva (#6)
which Leahy obviously wants to use entirely as a political weapon against Republicans
#8. To: lodwick (#4)
Expect the "state's secrets" card to be played now.
#9. To: Zipporah (#7)
Leahy wants to investigate Laura Ingraham!!!!!
#10. To: Zipporah (#7)
#11. To: aristeides (#10)
defenderSD seems not to have noticed Cheney's admission that they use waterboarding.
#12. To: aristeides (#8)
The Supreme Court shot him down.
#13. To: lodwick (#12)
#14. To: All (#13)
#15. To: aristeides, All (#14)
He went even further, speaking to the future, saying in one or two generations America could end up a fable, a blip on the screen of history, that is basically thousands of years of oppression.
---Henry Kissinger, New York Times, October 28, 1973
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