Frist,Hastert Consider Prison Leak Probe

ap on Yahoo ^ | 11/08/05 | ap - Washington

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert are circulating a draft letter calling for a congressional leak investigation into the disclosure of secret U.S. interrogation centers abroad.

The Washington Post reported Nov. 2 on the existence of secret U.S. prisons in Eastern Europe for terrorism suspects. The Bush administration has neither confirmed nor denied that report.

"If accurate, such an egregious disclosure could have long-term and far-reaching damaging and dangerous consequences, and will imperil our efforts to protect the American people and our homeland from terrorist attacks," stated the draft.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the draft request to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas and his House counterpart, Intelligence Committee Chairman Peter Hoekstra of Michigan.

Hoekstra's spokesman, Jamal Ware, declined to comment because the office had not yet received the letter.

Frist and Hastert said the joint probe by the House and Senate intelligence committees should determine who leaked the information and under what authority.

"What is the actual and potential damage done to the national security of the United States and our partners in the global war on terror?" the draft letter asked. "We will consider other changes to this mandate based on your recommendations."

Frist's and Hastert's offices declined immediate comment.

The letter says the leaking of classified information by employees of the U.S. government appears to have increased in recent years, "establishing a dangerous trend that, if not addressed swiftly and firmly, likely will worsen."

"We are hopeful that you will be able to accomplish this task in a bipartisan manner given general agreement that intelligence matters should not be politicized," it added.

The Post story of a week ago said that the CIA has been hiding and interrogating some of its most important al-Qaida captives at a Soviet-era compound in Eastern Europe, as part of a covert prison system set up by the agency four years ago that at various times has included sites in eight countries. The eight, said the story, include several democracies in eastern Europe.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

AS per F & H, if found the reports from the WaPo are proven true by the joint investigation, findings are to be given to the JD, with recommendation to pursue charges against the leaker.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Great, if a RINO, (or who ever) hang em high.

[ElPatriota]

What BACKBONE, SPINE growing?

But of course, in this new era of "concern" for our courageous "CIA agents,"... because that is all the Rats are concerned about, true patriotism, pure altruism, no politics Naahhhhh!

ABSOLUTELY, let's find out who leaked on the prisons, because they actully may put in direct danger some of our soldier's lives. We all know these crazy, blood thirsty fanatics, do not need much to do more of what they are so good at doing, killing.

[conserv13]

Trent Lott told CNN that he believes it was a Republican Senator who told the Washington Post about the secret prisons.

[George W. Bush]

It's pretty ridiculous to think that any secret group of prisons or interrogation centers could remain secret for long.

The investigation is as likely to do harm to the administration and the interrogation objectives as finding out who the leaker really was. About as useful, for instance, as prosecuting Linda Tripp in l'affaire Lewinsky turned out to be.

I suspect this so-called leak probe will come to little or nothing. First they'll announce there is no probe. Then they'll say there's no leak. Then they'll say there are no secret prisons.

Probably the only item of interest would be if WaPo was being slipped info directly by a Dim staffer who was leaking classified Senate intel info. Now that might be worth pursuing.

Now that I think about it, special prosecutor anyone?

[el_texicano]

Yeah, I just saw that on CNN, Lott said it was GOP senator that outed the classified info. Gotta wonder though if Lott has some political payback in mind whenever he spouts off.

[MilleniumBug]

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS! CIA Secret Prison Network! http://varifrank.com/archives/2005/11/exclusive_photo.php

[conserv13]

Maybe its McCain? I know he doesn't like the torture policy, but then again a lot of the Senators don't like it. Plus I don't think McCain has a history of leaking.

[4integrity]

Yep, signed last evening. Thanks for the alert.

[Steve_Seattle]

"When the wussy GOP leadership gets hamered about this by the editorial pages, they'll surrender like the French."

I would like to see those editorial pages, and how the press will suddenly be UNCONCERNED about leaks, or even ALARMED that the government is investigating a leak of classified information. We will be told how leaks are necessary for democracy, for truth, for justice, and the American way. And the hypocrisy will be stupefying. As we all know, leaks are good UNLESS they (1) harm a Democrat or (2) benefit a Republican.

[double_down]

This should be referred to the sacred Special Counsel Fitzgerald. His office is all set up and he said in his press conference that he and all Americans should be outraged at the Plame leak because of the damage it does to the CIA now and in the future.

Why on earth would we want Fiztgerald involved in this matter unless we need some additional perjury or obstruction charges. It would take Fitz a year or more just to figure out where the CIA is located.

[kellynla]

some leaker's gonna get indicted...
you can take that to the bank!

[DemHunter]

Sorry, guys. Had my facts wrong on Kerry outing the CIA Agent. He actually did this during the John Bolton hearings:


United States senators, including former presidential candidate John Kerry, may have inadvertently blown the cover of a CIA agent.
At a hearing to discuss the nomination of John Bolton as US ambassador to the United Nations, politicians discussed a dispute over Bolton’s treatment of an intelligence analyst.

The analyst was referred to as “Mr Smith” but when Kerry read from a transcript of closed door interviews he mentioned a name that had not previously come up.

“Did Otto Reich share his belief that Fulton Armstrong should be removed from his position? The answer is yes,” Kerry said.
“Did John Bolton share that view? Yes.”

While it was not completely clear whether Armstrong was the spy, Bolton replied: “As I said, I had lost confidence in Mr Smith, and I conveyed that. I thought that was the honest thing to do.”


Hmmm, so why isn't Kerry being hammered for this? Probably the same reason the media didn't talk about his less than honorable discharge status from the Navy.

We don't need cover-ups. The press does there own share of creating 'em.

[libill]

This prison leak if perpetrated by a politicized CIA itself goes way beyond politics and perceived torture and is EXTREMELY dangerous for ALL Americans regardless of political affiliation as well as being EXTREMELY dangerous for our allies.

WaPo was traitorous to print anything. They expect a pat on the back for refraining to print details. Gee thanks, they should face sedition charges anyway.

Does anyone remember the Greenbrier bunker fiasco?

[ricoshea]

I could not agree more.The Republicans have become the stupid party.They are in power yet they cannot stop the Democrats and the media spreading falsehoods everyday about Bush.I happen to be fed up with the way the White House has decided not to respond to anything as if the people will still be with them.Sorry that tactic is going to backfire.You cannot have the 24 hr media stations telling you everday that Bush lied,He has no ethics etc and it not have an effect on people.Whoever decided that was the way to go,should go right out the door.I know two people who were very pro Bush a few yrs ago and they are against him now and I know it was the continual negative press and their lack of defense that did it.The Republicans better smarten up.Limbaugh cannot keep carrying their water for them.They have to defend themselves.

[ElPatriota]

...Trent Lott told CNN that he believes it was a Republican Senator who told the Washington Post about the secret prisons...

If this is true, then with more reason to find out... I am beginning to think, that our nice Gop Senators are not as immaculate as we want to be. Because if we accept corruption...then we are not better than the Rats. And if there is someone who is truly corrupt, even if it's of ours - and not just the victim of a witch hunt - well... pay the consequences.

[grey_whiskers]

Oh, you mean like Arlen Spectre [note spelling :-) ] or one of the other RINO's?

The less RINO's around the better...

Full Disclosure: I have no idea whatsoever about the source of the leak. I just wish the Senate Republican leadership would grow a pair.

[AIC]

If anyone was really serious about closing the leaks, I
would suggest first looking in the direction of Sen. McCain, Sen. Kerry and Sen. Ted Kennedy and those who work for them.