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Democrats Destroy A CIA Program That Would Have Killed Our Enemy
Flopping Aces ^ | 07-16-09 | Curt

Posted on 07/16/2009 11:38:05 AM PDT by Starman417

So this was the reason for all the hub-bub?

On June 23, 2009, Director of Central Intelligence Leon Panetta learned of a highly compartmentalized program to assassinate al Qaeda operatives that was launched by the CIA in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. When Panetta found out that the covert program had not been disclosed to Congress, he canceled it and then called an emergency meeting June 24 to brief congressional oversight committees on the program. Over the past week, many details of the program have been leaked to the press and the issue has received extensive media coverage.

That a program existed to assassinate al Qaeda leaders should certainly come as no surprise to anyone. It has been well-publicized that the Clinton administration had launched military operations and attempted to use covert programs to strike the al Qaeda leadership in the wake of the 1998 East Africa embassy bombings. In fact, the Clinton administration has come under strong criticism for not doing more to decapitate al Qaeda prior to 2001. Furthermore, since 2002, the CIA has conducted scores of strikes against al Qaeda targets in Pakistan using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the MQ-1 Predator and the larger MQ-9 Reaper.

These strikes have dramatically increased over the past two years and the pace did not slacken when the Obama administration came to power in January. So far in 2009 there have been more than two dozen UAV strikes in Pakistan alone. In November 2002, the CIA also employed a UAV to kill Abu Ali al-Harithi, a senior al Qaeda leader suspected of planning the October 2000 attack against the USS Cole. The U.S. government has also attacked al Qaeda leaders at other times and in other places, such as the May 1, 2008, attack against al Qaeda-linked figures in Somalia using an AC-130 gunship.

A program being set in place to kill the leadership of our enemy....and somehow, someway, this is shocking to people. Why in the world would we NOT have a program like this set up?

As early as Oct. 28, 2001, The Washington Post ran a story discussing the Clinton-era presidential finding authorizing operations to capture or kill al Qaeda targets. The Oct. 28 Washington Post story also provided details of a finding signed by President George W. Bush following the 9/11 attacks that reportedly provided authorization to strike a larger cross section of al Qaeda targets, including those who are not in the Afghan theater of operations. Such presidential findings are used to authorize covert actions, but in this case the finding would also provide permission to contravene Executive Order 12333, which prohibits assassinations.

In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Bush and the members of his administration were very clear that they sought to capture or kill Osama bin Laden and the members of the al Qaeda organization. During the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections in the United States, every major candidate, including Barack Obama, stated that they would seek to kill bin Laden and destroy al Qaeda. Indeed, on the campaign trail, Obama was quite vocal in his criticism of the Bush administration for not doing more to go after al Qaeda’s leadership in Pakistan. This means that, regardless of who is in the White House, it is U.S. policy to go after individual al Qaeda members as well as the al Qaeda organization.

But now a real lightweight scared little politician, in one Leon Panetta, has blown the whistle and caused it's demise. And we fall farther back into the realm of September 10th, 2001. Just asking to be attacked.

Hell, even Time writer Robert Baer, a CIA veteran, is calling this controversy bulls&*t:

(Excerpt) Read more at floppingaces.net ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: agenda; alqaeda; assassinate; bho44; bhocia; cia; counterterrorism; panetta

1 posted on 07/16/2009 11:38:06 AM PDT by Starman417
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The Freepathon is still going strong.  Let's put an end to it.


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2 posted on 07/16/2009 11:38:52 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (_Resident of the United States and Kenya's favorite son, Baraaaack Hussein Obamaaaa...)
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To: Starman417
"Democrats Destroy A CIA Program That Would Have Killed Our Enemy"

Our enemy, their friend.

3 posted on 07/16/2009 11:42:22 AM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 177 of our national holiday from reality.)
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To: null and void

Like I said Panetta is a pimp. A tattletale kid who wants Mama Pelosi to kiss him.


4 posted on 07/16/2009 11:44:46 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: Starman417

In reading American history the Democrats starting with Hamilton (read his perspective on how the country should be run) have done more to harm this country than any enemy we’ve fought since the Revolution.


5 posted on 07/16/2009 11:47:36 AM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: SkyDancer
Democrats don't want to hunt Osama anymore. It's OK with them that He attacked our country. They are just hoping he will fade away.

But Osama's ilk have figured out they stay in power with World-Wide Terrorism. As long as it pays for them to do it, they will continue.

Know Thy Enemy

6 posted on 07/16/2009 11:50:32 AM PDT by sr4402
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To: Starman417

But, but, but, don’t you understand? Killing is always wrong.

/s


7 posted on 07/16/2009 11:51:34 AM PDT by Drill Thrawl (Obama - A flexible container of vinegar and water)
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To: Starman417
a highly compartmentalized program to assassinate al Qaeda operatives that was launched by the CIA in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

I have an issue with "launched". From all I have heard, it was never launched. It was in planning stages and barely got beyond that. It was delayed constantly when questions about logistics, whether allies should be notified, whether certain foreign leaders should be notified, the UN; international law, domestic concerns, the makeup of the teams themselves, if foreign nationals can be part etc etc etc. It was, basically, overthought to death. And, the NYT in 2002 printed a story of it, effectively killing it to start with....

8 posted on 07/16/2009 11:52:36 AM PDT by theDentist (I AM JIM THOMPSON! qwerty ergo typo : i type, therefore i misspelll)
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To: Starman417

And I thought they were following in the footsteps of BoyBillyClinton and were launching missiles to kill Osama!


9 posted on 07/16/2009 12:03:45 PM PDT by PORD (People...Of Right Do (DoI))
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To: Starman417

I wonder when the Commies are going to stop hiding in the Democrat’s closet and come out wrapped in the hammer and sickle? Chris Dodd could be the drum major, and Pelosi could lead the baton section.


10 posted on 07/16/2009 12:08:44 PM PDT by Paperdoll ( Hunter/Palin or Palin/Hunter in 2012!)
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To: sr4402

I’ve seen Obama bumper stickers around here disappear like snow in a heat wave ...


11 posted on 07/16/2009 12:09:24 PM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: SkyDancer
I’ve seen Obama bumper stickers around here disappear like snow in a heat wave

Where do you live?

12 posted on 07/16/2009 12:10:21 PM PDT by sr4402
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To: Starman417

There is an interesting article on Huffington Post today (Yes, I know) about Democrat involvement in an assassination program. (It may surprise you !)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-scahill/the-democrats-selective-a_b_233708.html

ps: I read Huff Po so you don’t have to.


13 posted on 07/16/2009 12:11:26 PM PDT by mrmeangenes
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To: Starman417
If “our team” is not allowed to kill Islamist fanatics - and most especially AQ leadership or spokespersons - by ANY means necessary, then I don't want to play anymore..

It no fun standing about like assholes waiting for them to kill us.

Our “Democrats” are grossly misnamed...
In actuality, they are the self appointed destroyers of everything “American”.
They won't be happy until we are a turd world toilet under the control of some Leftist despot.

When the SHTF, the Leftist bastards and Muslim fundamentalists had better have a very deep and secure bunker. There are MILLIONS of armed Americans who'll have "scores to settle"....

14 posted on 07/16/2009 12:13:25 PM PDT by river rat (Semper Fi - You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: Starman417

15 posted on 07/16/2009 12:13:51 PM PDT by ravingnutter
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To: theDentist

[It was delayed constantly when questions about logistics, whether allies should be notified, whether certain foreign leaders should be notified, the UN; international law, domestic concerns, the makeup of the teams themselves, if foreign nationals can be part etc etc etc]

It would appear from this that the CIA hired Jimmy Carter as a consultant.


16 posted on 07/16/2009 12:16:41 PM PDT by haroldeveryman
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To: sr4402

I live in Liberal City - near Seattle ......


17 posted on 07/16/2009 1:04:01 PM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: SkyDancer
near Seattle ......

Wow, that's saying something. Liberalism/Progressivism needs a nuanced approach otherwise folks notice how bad it really is.

That's why my prayers for them are: Go Left Liberals/Progressives, Go Left. Uncontrollably Go Left Go Liberals/Progressives. Until the nation has to repent of you!

18 posted on 07/16/2009 1:08:34 PM PDT by sr4402
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To: sr4402

We’ll have a small revolution - maybe - things are going like DC - we have Demo. Gov and a Demo Legislature - stupid port spending like crazy and they want to raise taxes to pay for it ... I’m waiting for when the economy here tanks and Boeing, the largest employer outside of Microsoft (who’s been cutting staff) starts really laying off people ... Princess Gregoire will wonder where she’ll get her money from then .....


19 posted on 07/16/2009 1:20:38 PM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Starman417

20 posted on 07/17/2009 8:53:06 AM PDT by rhema ("Break the conventions; keep the commandments." -- G. K. Chesterton)
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