Officials: CIA program targeted al-Qaida leaders (Democrats upset their friends were targeted)

ap ^ | 7/13/2009 | PAMELA HESS

[tobyhill]

A secret intelligence program canceled by CIA Director Leon Panetta in June was meant to find and then capture or kill al-Qaida leaders at close range rather than target them with air strikes that risked civilian casualties, government officials with knowledge of the operation said Monday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program, said the spy agency's program never got off the ground.

Panetta canceled the effort on June 23 after learning of its existence, its failure to yield results, and the fact that Congress had been unaware of the program since its inception in 2001, according to one official with direct knowledge of the plan.

That official said former President George W. Bush authorized killing al-Qaida leaders shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and that Congress was made aware of that. However, the official said, Panetta also told members of Congress that according to notes that he had been given on the early months of the program, then-Vice President Dick Cheney directed the CIA not to inform Congress of the specifics of the secret program.

Panetta told the committees there was no indication that there was anything illegal or inappropriate about the effort itself, the official said.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Uh....Dems might want to be careful...here....

[colorado tanker]

This is the kind of thing I expected my government would do after 9-11.

These g-- d-- Rats are going to gut the CIA once again, just like they did in the 1970's.

[rightwingextremist1776]

Nooooo.....let them cut their own throats before they cut ours.....

[snowrip]

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program

You mean, it was leaked... which is why it was kept secret from Congress in the first place.

[b4its2late]

They’ll step in it and rightfully so.

[GOPJ]

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program>I>

You mean, it was leaked... which is why it was kept secret from Congress in the first place.

ping

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Some scandal...

[rbg81]

So, this is what the big deal is about? Amazing. Weren’t the Dems constantly complaining that we were not going after Bin Laden aggressively enough? If anything, this approach is more surgical that air strikes, reducing collateral damage. So....why the opposition?

[stocksthatgoup]

its failure to yield results
It was never implemented!

[jeffc]

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program, said the spy agency's program never got off the ground. Panetta canceled the effort on June 23 after learning of its existence, its failure to yield results,

... Panetta also told members of Congress that according to notes that he had been given on the early months of the program, then-Vice President Dick Cheney directed the CIA not to inform Congress of the specifics of the secret program.

Hmmm . . . a program that "never got off the ground" "failed to yield results". Excellent reporting (ha ha)! Another reporter who cannot put two and two together.

Congress should never be informed of the "specifics" of any secret program.
Another attempt by the "unbiased" media to lead the reader to think the way the reporter wants.

[SandRat]

The reporter that accepted what he/she knew was classified information and not authorized to see, know, of possess is in violation of federal law.

The ‘Leaker’ is in violation of federal law in illegally and without proper authorization classified information to unauthorized personnel.

Will they appear before the bench for trial? Not likely as has been proved by many Attorney Generals and Presidential Administrations.

[immadashell]

The sad reality: TELL CONGRESS = TELL THE WORLD

[Gator113]

CIA Director Leon Panetta, the dems and Obama are upset that the Bush administration would have a desire to tactically kill those that planned our country’s destruction, to kill us all and those that desire to cut off the heads of our children.

I double dog dare and pray that these bugs push this until Cheney decides to stick it in and break it off so hard that it bleeds.

It is painfully obvious why Cheney could have entertained such a restriction of information from the leakers that were giving up top secret information that was assisting our enemy, including OBL.

A real president, that we don’t have, would have stepped forward and calmed this several days ago.

Save us from complete failure of our country and the bloody civil war that we may be quickly approaching, IMPEACH THE BASTARD NOW.

We demand justice.

[AnglePark]

Unless I’m horribly mistaken, it’s the CIA’s job to come up with plans to deal with terrorists — not Congress.

Looks like Congress and the Obama administration is upset again because someone’s actually doing their job...

[Parley Baer]

Hehehehe. Is this the big secret program that Cheney instituted? This is what the big uproar in the press has been all about? Bwahahahahahaha. God I love Dick Cheney.

[ScottinVA]

This is our cue to hand them just enough rope to hang themselves. I say, “Go for it, Dems!!”

[muleskinner]

If that's all the program is, then why DID he not want Congress informed?

Possible answer: Senators and Congressmen like Leaky Leahy (T* - Vt)

* - traitor

[ScottinVA]

“The ‘Leaker’ is in violation of federal law in illegally and without proper authorization classified information to unauthorized personnel.”

I would direct my attention in the following order of priority:

1. Diane Feinstein
2. Nancy Pelosi
3. Pat Leahy
4. Harry Reid
5. Dick Durbin

[SoldiersPrayingMom]

What kind of double standard is this??? It’s alright to go after the Bush Administration regarding this matter, but, NOT against the Constitution for Congress not to insist that Obama(their Potus) was properly vetted (making sure that his COLB was examined and cleared)?? This was not even questioned by the majority (Dems) of Congress, because are undoubtedly covering this serious breach of the Constitution! BUT, that’s perfectly alright? How about, totally going against the Constitution, by allowing Obama (their Potus) to appoint 32+ Czars(or is it 40 now) with unprecedented power in-order-to Circumvent the Constitution, which answer only to him and do not have to answer to the Senate or the House?? Where are the checks and balances on this power grab??? This is full well, NOT what the Founding Fathers of America intended and therefore set up the Constitution in such a manner as to avoid this kind of power grab from happening!!

I could go on and on stating many ways in which the Libs and their Potus have breached the Constitution and made a mockery out of it and the acts of treason by certain Liberals giving aid and comfort to the enemy in the time of war and nothing was ever questioned by the liberals in Congress, they just altered the definition of TREASON to suit themselves!! But, that’s okay?? I think NOT!!!

NOW, they are so very set on straining the nat and swallowing the camel?
What’s good for the goose....should be good for the gander!!
Where’s there transparency now?? Are they such good friends with the al Qaeda heads (the enemy) that they are NOW so willing to protect them? Who should care how they are captured if it is done according to the Geneva Convention? They haven’t adhered to, but tried to bypass that law also!!

Wake up America!! We are going backward as fast as Obama and Congress can shove us....headed for an Absolute Power in America, just as fast as Obama and his ilk in Congress can make it happen! Oh! and what about the Census that Obama has set up to be controlled by him in the White House? That is exactly why they are passing bills through, into law and everything they can shove through before Obama is proved a Usurper of the Potus!! When Barrack Hussein Obama said he wanted to move forward and NOT backward, that is but another one of his lies!!