Posted on 08/24/2009 11:23:56 AM PDT by jazusamo
Sen. Kit Bond (Mo.), the senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, ripped the Obama administration Monday over its proposal to create an enforcement team to question suspected terrorists.
The program, known as the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group (HIG), would operate out of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under direct White House oversight. It will be overseen by the National Security Council.
President Barack Obama approved the elite unit last week, which will be made up of intelligence and law enforcement officials.
Traditionally the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has taken the lead interrogating suspected terrorists, but its practices have come under scrutiny because of allegations of widespread prisoner abuse.
“What does the White House have against Leon Panetta? This bizarre move is a vote of no confidence in not only the terror-fighters who have kept us safe since 9-11 but their very own CIA director,” Bond said in a statement.
“Chrysler and Citigroup apparently weren’t enough: now the White House is taking over the CIA and how we interrogate Usama bin Laden.”
Bond called the move a dangerous power grab.
The decision comes just as Attorney General Eric Holder is taking a closer look at prosecuting CIA employees and contractors who are alleged to have tortured and in some cases killed detainees.
The Justice Department’s ethics office has recommended reopening a dozen prisoner abuse cases, according to the New York Times.
Adding to the public scrutiny of the CIA, the Justice Department is expected to release Monday a report on never-before-disclosed details of prisoner abuse gathered by the CIA’s inspector general.
The CIA’s inspector general submitted its findings to Justice for possible prosecution during the former President George W. Bush’s administration. Bush-era officials declined to take up cases but Holder is now weighing the matter carefully.
A Justice Department investigation and possible prosecution of CIA officials could complicate the intelligence agency’s handling of detainees, which may be a reason Obama has decided to set up a new unit at the FBI.
Interrogators in the new unit must follow the Army Field Manual, which is more restrictive than guidelines the CIA has operated under in recent years.
Bond, who has served as the senior Republican on the Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence since early 2007, said creating an interrogation unit with direct White House oversight raised concerns about the politicization of intelligence collection.
“Even the Democrat’s favorite boogeyman [former Vice President] Dick Cheney did not take over terrorist interrogations,” Bond said.
The Loon and his minions will run this interrogation unit as well as Johnson and McNamara ran the Vietnam war.
I can think of nothing that a politician is qualified to do - save for stealing from the rest of us who actually do real work.
I feared things like this happening when the OZeros support dwindled below 50% because his huge ego would not be able to withstand any backlash. Next target will be the second amendment crowd and then talk radio.
I cannot wait till he and his czar posse are vamoosed from DC for good.
This move reverts to the klintoon attitude that terrorism is a Law Enforcement issue, not a military issue.
The psychology of the Left is always based on projection.
On the one hand, if a Democrat is campaigning and suddenly accuses his Republican opponent of taking illegal contributions from foreign nationals, this is tantamount to a sudden, unprovoked confession by the Democrat that he (or she) is taking illegal contributions from foreign nationals.
Likewise, if the Left spins wild and outlandish tales of the Republican administration torturing kittens, puppies and little children, this is basically setting the stage for the next Democrat administration to openly engage in the torturing of kittens, puppies and little children because, after all, the Republicans did that. Only, the Republicans didn't. It was just an outlandish story.
Another little power center under “direct White House oversight”.
Isn’t Obama making a big mistake by making enemies of the CIA?
On the other hand, if anything unpleasantly terroristic happens, the responsibility is all on their squishy little heads. The blood will be on their hands. No blaming the CIA, no blaming the Bushies. They have not thought this through.
Ditto that. I have a feeling these guys have been studying the American version of the SS for a long time. If the WAR of terror is over (tactic?) Then WHY does this ADMINISTRATION need a DOMESTIC INTERROGATION UNIT?
Hmmm... I thought the FBI was geared more for domestic stuff. Ah, this makes sense... the only folks getting interrogated are likely to be us right-wing, "teabagging" extremists who dare question The One's policies.
There is a segment of the population that will ALWAYS blame Bush.
Exactly...Zer0 keeps chipping away so he can directly oversee everything that happens.
That's the way it's supposed to be, the CIA has international connections.
Your neighbor lacks critical thinking skills. Hope you don’t ever need to depend on that person for anything.
I’m in MA. I could tell you stories that would curl your hair.
So, how many copies of the Field Manual ya think will get sold to terror camp directors to train their folks EXACTLY what to expect? Treasonous, I tell you.
Colonel, USAFR
Well this should lead to a lot more "battlefield interrogations" complete with increased disposal of "previously viable enemy combatants".
Know why we won't see another terrorist attack in the near future? Because Obama and the gang is destroying us much more effectively than terrorist actions could. And remember what Sun Tzu said...
Agreed, it is treasonous. Since Zer0 was sworn in the terrorists have learned exactly what to expect.
“Isn’t Obama making a big mistake by making enemies of the CIA?”
Unless zero is planning another “Night of the Long Knives”
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