http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051108/ap_on_go_co/congress_media;_ylt=AkrvhbBxIKCqNKAz9NJ_8yis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-
To quote Kevin Drum at The Carpetbagger…“These guys have officially become parodies of themselves. When the White House leaks classified information to at least six reporters then lies about it, First and Hastert can’t be bothered to even hold a hearing. But when Americans finally get a glimpse into the CIA’s secret gulags, all of a sudden, Republicans are worried about whether leaks might undermine our national security.”
I’m speechless.
These incompetent fuckos need to go.
I swear they’d fuck up a wet dream.
I’m more bemused by the fact that Republicans aren’t outraged by the existence of secret US prisons in foreign countries, but by the fact that this info was leaked to the public. And people wonder why Republicans get compared to fascists…
Well sure. would you really want a wet dream that involved Frist, Hastert, Bush, Rove or even Condi Rice in any way, shape or form? shudders
Nothing to really add to the OP though. I’ve ceased to be surprised by anything these (alleged) people get up to. The sooner the American populace wakes up to what’s being done in their name, the better.
I thought it was an interesting tactical move. They’re trying to dilute the term “leak investigation” so that when it shows up in a headline or news story (“Congressional Lead Investigation Progressing”) people who don’t follow the news very closely will think “Oh, I’m glad that’s going well. Good job, Republicans!”
I’m completely not surprised at Hastert’s involvement in this. After all, he’s the guy who without a shred of irony or embarrassment told Sen. John McCain that he (McCain) had no concept of what sacrifice in war means. Yeah, that McCain, who spent years as a POW being tortured, and who wants to keep the US from torturing prisoners in the current conflicts (and beyond). I have no idea what’s going on in that man’s head, and as a resident of his state, I’m embarrassed that he represents us.
That was weird!
Anyway, it appears that Trent Lott has told CNN (sorry no link yet) that it was a GOP Senator who leaked the presence of these secret prisons.
these guys are looking more and more like Dortmunders gang every day. Exept without the wit, humility and lovable-loserness.
Well, of *course *- we can’t be investigating a fellow Republican, can we now?
The other thing that amuses me is, exactly how did they think this ‘leak’ would damage national security?
What’s been revealed: we’re holding al-Qaeda prisoners incommunicado in a bunch of secret locations in Eastern Europe, and doing nasty things to them there.
Other than making us look like shit (again), what’s the blowback with respect to actual clandestine operations?
Oh yeah - we may have to move these captives to Gitmo or somewhere where we can’t torture them quite so freely. Wow. Color me impressed. :rolleyes:
In pseudo-defense of the Republicans, the “investigation” has been used more as a political tool than a legal one in recent history. It’s a two-pronged attack:
(1) It states the problem as a fact (e.g. “investigation into Iraq failure” implies there is, indeed, a failure in Iraq)
(2) It implies that something is being done about it (e.g. “investigation into FEMA failure during Hurricane Katrina” gives people a sense of security that something is being done)
This is, of course, why the Republicans fight tooth and nail against certain investigations at all. To have an investigation on who leaked Plame’s identity is an admission that Plame’s identity was leaked - it’s better/easier to try and prove she wasn’t undercover, therefore no crime was committed at all.
Do all of them show up for these policy luncheons? Was the existence of a secret prison system a surprise to them? How’d it get brought up during lunch? Did someone give a dog and pony show, with slides and video and stuff?
Oh dear, this could be out of Frist and Hastert’s hands before they even sign their letter demanding an investigation: CIA Moves Toward Probe of Prisons Story