Former CIA Director: No One Told Me Not To Tell Congress

NPR ^ | 07-13-2009 1:50 PM ET | Mark Memmott

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The man who ran the CIA from 2006 through January says he wasn't told by then-vice president Dick Cheney not to brief Congress about a covert program aimed at members of al-Qaida, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly reports.

Gen. Mike Hayden's statement is at odds with a New York Times report Sunday that said the CIA:

Withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program from Congress for eight years on direct orders from former Vice President Dick Cheney, the agency's director, Leon E. Panetta, has told the Senate and House intelligence committees, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said Saturday.

Hayden tells Mary Louise that "I never felt I had any impediment in briefing Congress."

Update at 2:35 p.m. ET. Here's a clip from the report Mary Louise filed a short time ago for NPR News:

[savedbygrace]

That’s gonna leave a mark.

[Dixie Yooper]

I wonder what bills Congress will slide through while this Red Herring is being chased around Washington by the media?

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

This is definitely bizarro land. NPR not on board with a Democrat’s attempted hachet job of Cheney. I smell a rat.

I know! I know! Next Panetta is gonna say that Hayden was part of the cover up!

[Sacajaweau]

Neither Hayden or Cheney are afraid of the truth.

In the meantime....watch what the other hand is doing.

I expect Obama to go for a hamburger soon.

And Michelle??? What happened?? Where is she?? I want a fashion show!! This isn't fair!!!

What will Michelle's next gig be?? The Washington Zoo??

[angkor]

A variety of news article citations, including the NYT at bottom. Note the article dates:

1. CIA TRYING TO TAKE OUT HUSSEIN ALLIES - NEWSPAPER.Europe Intelligence Wire (March 29, 2003)(234 words)

2. Report: CIA considers assassinations.United Press International (Oct 29, 2001): p1008301u2706. (766 words)

3. Report: CIA preparing to kill certain terrorists.(NATIONAL).The St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL) (Oct 28, 2001): p5A. (509 words)

4. Attack on Afghanistan: Covert action: CIA given licence to kill: ‘Gloves are off’ as agency gets extra $1bn.(Guardian Home Pages).The Guardian (London, England) (Oct 22, 2001): p2. (482 words)

5. Report: CIA told to kill bin Laden.United Press International (Oct 20, 2001): p1008294u5038. (61 words)

6. US `failed in 2 plots to snare bin Laden’.South China Morning Post (Oct 4, 2001): pSCMP19133755. (510 words)

3. CIA Paid Afghans To Track Bin Laden; Team of 15 Recruits Operated Since 1998.(A Section).Bob Woodward. The Washington Post (Dec 23, 2001): pA01. (1330 words)

4. CIA Told to Do ‘Whatever Necessary’ to Kill Bin Laden; Agency and Military Collaborating at ‘Unprecedented’ Level; Cheney Says War Against Terror ‘May Never End’.(A Section)(Central Intelligence Agency, Osama bin Laden, Dick Cheney).Bob Woodward. The Washington Post (Oct 21, 2001): pA01. (2719 words)

Title:BUSH ‘APPROVES TERRORIST HIT LIST’.
Source:Europe Intelligence Wire (Dec 15, 2002)(394 words)

Full Text :COPYRIGHT 2002 Financial Times Information Ltd.

(From ONASA News Agency)

SARAJEVO, Dec 15 (ONASA) - US President George W Bush has authorised the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to kill about a dozen terrorist leaders named on a list prepared by the White House, US media has reported. Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahri are among those singled out as targets, the New York Times newspaper says. The report comes a month after the CIA killed six al-Qaeda suspects in a missile attack on a car in Yemen using a pilotless aircraft. The newspaper quoted sources as saying that killing was permitted “if capture is impractical and civilian casualties can be minimised”. An official told the Times the names on the list were “the worst of the worst” of terrorist leaders. A presidential order providing the basic executive and legal authority for CIA agents to kill terrorist leaders was signed by Mr Bush following the 11 September, 2001, attacks on the United States. The authority to eliminate suspects circumvents a government ban on assassinations because the presidential authority defines al-Qaeda members as enemy combatants and thus legitimate targets of lethal force. The ban was introduced in 1976 by US President Gerald Ford following public opposition to covert operations by the CIA against foreign targets. Under the presidential order, the CIA is not required to seek presidential approval each time it plans specific attacks against terrorist leaders. According to the Times, the list is updated as targets are killed or captured or as new suspects emerge. The creation of the list is part of an expanded US offensive in its war on terror, the newspaper reported. The US described the killing of the al-Qaeda members in Yemen in November as “a very successful tactical operation”. One of the dead, Qaed Senyan al-Harthi, also known as Abu Ali, was a major suspect in an attack two years ago on the American warship the USS Cole in a Yemeni port that left 17 sailors dead. US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said: “One hopes each time you get a success like that, not only to have gotten rid of somebody dangerous, but to have imposed changes in their tactics and operations.” The al-Qaeda suspects died when the jeep they were travelling in was hit by a missile fired from an unmanned CIA plane - believed to be a Predator drone.

[Walrus]

Health care and Cap-and-Trade. Perhaps Porkulus The Sequel, as well.

[EagleUSA]

** RED HERRING **

[silverleaf]

they’re trying to speed through a bill expanding the number of congress critters who get access to the highest levels of intelligence

Putting our national security at risk by leaking anything and everything by these collective POS’s

[Jackson57]

Uh oh, is Panetta being caught lying to Congress AND the public just to provide cover for Pelosi? Hmmmmm ... oh, yes, please let the investigations begin. Just like the Bush “war crimes” hearings. The LAST thing the Dems want is real hearings. They’re getting much more mileage out of the media and their “Bush lied, people died” meme, rather than the truth.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Related threads I posted :

Democrats to investigate “secret” program reported by NYT in 2002 ...Panetta steps in it!

and the update I just posted :

Democrats to investigate “secret” program reported by NYT in 2002 ( Updates )

**********************************

And as they say.....

DEVELOPING

Using

pelositerroristsgate

To tie several threads together on this DemonicRAT effort.

[kezzek]

The media could care less about the truth. They will report 1st, what helps Obama, and 2nd what helps the deomcrats. Truth is of little importance.

This is all trumped up by the left to help Pelosi. I’m sure in the daily conference calls with the democrat party and press they discussed how to achieve their goal.

I’m surprised they had time to do it, what with all the Palin destroying that needed completion.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks.

[Da Coyote]

Hmmm. What a dilemma.

Believe a democrat.

Believe a general.

Believe a democrat.

Believe a general.

Which one has a history and tradition of accomplishment, integrity, and courage?

[capt. norm]

This is just like the Plame farce....no crime committed, just another red herring to distract from 0’s plunge in the polls and his failed economy fixes.

[listenhillary]

It takes a brilliant mind to keep multiple lies straight. Bill Clinton may have been able to pull it off as I had heard that he was an “exceptionally good liar”.

[Jeff Chandler]

And Michelle??? What happened?? Where is she??

I'm thinking it's time to check those tomato plants.

[Michael.SF.]

Telling Congress, would have been equivalent of telling the NY Times, who would then tell Al Qaeda via a Page one Headline.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[fso301]

Really old news. Note the NYT Articles Date