Jim Kouri
CIA agents being investigated by Obama administration
By Jim Kouri
The Obama White House announced Monday that the CIA will no longer interrogate suspected terrorists. Any and all interrogations will be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direct supervision of a member of the Obama Administration, although no one has been named "Interrogation Czar."
The move is part of the results of Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement that he will appoint a prosecutor to investigate the CIA agents involved in interrogations investigated by the CIA's Inspector General's Office.
Groups such as Amnesty International, Code Pick and others are applauding Attorney General Holder's decision to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate cases brought to the Department of Justice against members of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The premise of this questionable investigation is the allegations of misconduct by interrogators who questioned suspected terrorist leaders and their foot soldiers.
According to the CIA's inspector general's report, during Bush-era interrogations of suspects, CIA agents carried out mock executions — although no one was physically harmed — and the agents made threats of violent torture.
"Attorney General Holder has been biting at the bit since he took office in January to go after someone — anyone — regarding what he views as torture, although the IG's report reveals there were only threats of doing physical harm to the terrorists and their associates," said former NYPD Det. Sid Frances, a former intelligence officer.
"The timing of this news is suspect, as well. Obama's having trouble with his left-wing supporters and with this move by Holder, the Obama Admninistration is throwing them a bone to keep them from deserting him during his push to pass a health care bill," said the decorated detective and former Marine.
Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA's executive director, issued the following statement on the release of various documents and announcements regarding Holder's action:
"That the Bush administration was prepared to abandon America's human rights legal obligations is a cautionary tale for those who think any nation can disregard human rights in the fight against terrorism. The report demonstrates that the US government agencies' internal monitoring systems are unreliable in upholding American values or laws. Compliance comes through disclosure and reform."
"The IG's report demonstrates that it is more important than ever that a comprehensive and independent investigation with the full force of the law is created to reveal and hold accountable those who requested, devised and carried out illegal counter-terrorism practices. It's time to appoint a special prosecutor to prove that U.S. laws will be enforced, no matter who violated them," said Cox.
Meanwhile, many security and intelligence professionals are not happy about this latest round of accusations and its creation of a new media feeding frenzy during a time of war.
"Holder was a Clinton Justice Department bigwig who — along with another Associate Attorney General, Jamie Goerlick — actually contributed to the US being blind-sided on September 11, 2001. During the Clinton Administration, [Attorney General Janet] Reno, Holder and Goerlick prohibited FBI agents from sharing information with the CIA and vice versa. They even forbade FBI agents involved with intelligence gathering or counterintelligence from communicating with FBI agents involved in law enforcement. A terrorist couldn't have created a better scenario," said security analyst George McHugh.
"These people — Obama, MoveOn.Org, the ACLU and others — are working hard to make Americans less safe and terrorists more secure. It's insanity," he said.
© Jim Kouri
August 25, 2009
The Obama White House announced Monday that the CIA will no longer interrogate suspected terrorists. Any and all interrogations will be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direct supervision of a member of the Obama Administration, although no one has been named "Interrogation Czar."
The move is part of the results of Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement that he will appoint a prosecutor to investigate the CIA agents involved in interrogations investigated by the CIA's Inspector General's Office.
Groups such as Amnesty International, Code Pick and others are applauding Attorney General Holder's decision to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate cases brought to the Department of Justice against members of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The premise of this questionable investigation is the allegations of misconduct by interrogators who questioned suspected terrorist leaders and their foot soldiers.
According to the CIA's inspector general's report, during Bush-era interrogations of suspects, CIA agents carried out mock executions — although no one was physically harmed — and the agents made threats of violent torture.
"Attorney General Holder has been biting at the bit since he took office in January to go after someone — anyone — regarding what he views as torture, although the IG's report reveals there were only threats of doing physical harm to the terrorists and their associates," said former NYPD Det. Sid Frances, a former intelligence officer.
"The timing of this news is suspect, as well. Obama's having trouble with his left-wing supporters and with this move by Holder, the Obama Admninistration is throwing them a bone to keep them from deserting him during his push to pass a health care bill," said the decorated detective and former Marine.
Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA's executive director, issued the following statement on the release of various documents and announcements regarding Holder's action:
"That the Bush administration was prepared to abandon America's human rights legal obligations is a cautionary tale for those who think any nation can disregard human rights in the fight against terrorism. The report demonstrates that the US government agencies' internal monitoring systems are unreliable in upholding American values or laws. Compliance comes through disclosure and reform."
"The IG's report demonstrates that it is more important than ever that a comprehensive and independent investigation with the full force of the law is created to reveal and hold accountable those who requested, devised and carried out illegal counter-terrorism practices. It's time to appoint a special prosecutor to prove that U.S. laws will be enforced, no matter who violated them," said Cox.
Meanwhile, many security and intelligence professionals are not happy about this latest round of accusations and its creation of a new media feeding frenzy during a time of war.
"Holder was a Clinton Justice Department bigwig who — along with another Associate Attorney General, Jamie Goerlick — actually contributed to the US being blind-sided on September 11, 2001. During the Clinton Administration, [Attorney General Janet] Reno, Holder and Goerlick prohibited FBI agents from sharing information with the CIA and vice versa. They even forbade FBI agents involved with intelligence gathering or counterintelligence from communicating with FBI agents involved in law enforcement. A terrorist couldn't have created a better scenario," said security analyst George McHugh.
"These people — Obama, MoveOn.Org, the ACLU and others — are working hard to make Americans less safe and terrorists more secure. It's insanity," he said.
© Jim Kouri
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