Sure, that part is right. The Bush Administration ratcheted up the danger of Saddam Hussein and made the connection that Saddam=Al Qaeda=9/11.
Apparently, the CIA did not brief enough members of Congress. There might be an issue there. An even larger issue is that this article clearly holds the members who
were briefed accountable. The article clearly points out that they did
not object (with the exception of Harmon.)
The Gang of Four did not raise the point and press the point of the need for a Gang of Eight. Who else would press that rule if not the congress members themselves who have the responsibility of oversight? The American people don't even know the law of congressional oversight.
Whether enhanced intelligence techniques were discussed or not, whether waterboarding was discussed or not the Gang of Four at least understood that the briefing was a limited briefing discussing covert activities. They should have demanded the Gang of Eight. Pelosi, Harman, Graham, Rockefeller, Goss, and Roberts
failed to do that. Now all responsibility rests on them.
If the CIA failed to meet the letter of the law, those congress members failed to fulfill their duties of oversight as well.
But isn't the list of lawmakers who held oversight responsibility regarding Bush's detention and interrogation program interesting?
It seems clear when you read the article why Graham and Rockefeller are coming to Pelosi's defense. Crystal clear. Pelosi, Graham and Rockefeller:
Pelosi has changed her story but essentially she knew of EIT's and Waterboarding and did
not object. Graham says he can't remember, can't recall or recollect ever being briefed on EIT's or waterboarding but he famously keeps a daily journal of his life. Republican Senator Shelby who was in the
same briefing with Graham disputes Graham lack of recollection.
Rockefeller...this one is good
"Sen. Rockefeller
was briefed but was not presented with the full picture, nor was he told critical information that would have cast significant doubt on the program's legality and effectiveness," said Jamie Smith, a Rockefeller spokeswoman. "With more information coming to light in 2004, Sen. Rockefeller became increasingly concerned about the program, and in early 2005 he launched a full-scale effort to investigate.-"
Records suggest Pelosi, others were told of harsh interrogations - Los Angeles Times
Rockefeller was briefed. When the wind changed and information about the program began to get out, the Democratic Leadership wanted to hang
Torture around the neck of the Bush Administration and deflect culpability from themselves for their support, inaction to object and ineptitude.
Pelosi, Graham, Rockefeller...they weren't duped, weren't lied to, weren't kept in the dark and they weren't told only
some of the information.
Powell is angry with himself because he gave that presentation when he should have never gone along with Bush in the first place. Bush and Powell misled the American people. Powell cannot now pretend he was duped, misled, lied to...yadda yadda, yadda.
The CIA provided the Bush Administration with intel that accurately depicted Saddam as a non threat. The Bush Administration Cherry Picked and requested intel to frame what they wanted to do. The CIA was even accused of trying to hamper the Bush Administrations policies.Pillar wrote that the prewar intelligence asserted Hussein's "weapons capacities," but he said the "broad view" within the United States and overseas "was that Saddam was being kept 'in his box' " by U.N. sanctions, and that the best way to deal with him was through "an aggressive inspections program to supplement sanctions already in place."
"If the entire body of official intelligence analysis on Iraq had a policy implication," Pillar wrote, "it was to avoid war -- or, if war was going to be launched, to prepare for a messy aftermath."
Ex-CIA Official Faults Use of Data on Iraq - washingtonpost.com
Powell was a reluctant participant but he had a choice to make. He made the wrong one and is now trying to shift his share of the blame.
The soldiers who committed abuses against detainees in Abu Ghraib were not interrogators and they were not ordered to interrogate detainees.
Pelosi didn't have to commit treason. She could have started with demanding a gang of eight for proper oversight if she thought it was torture.
How was Congress suddenly able to get leaks when ranking members of the intelligence committees couldn't get information in briefings? How were lawmakers eventually able to demand inquiries and investigations and get the entire House and Senate briefed without anyone convicted of treason?
If lawmakers can't take notes during these briefings why declassify
classified memos? If we video recorded briefings we wouldn't have these problems but then classified national security information could wind up in the hands of and become known to our enemies. Oops! That already happened when Obama declassified the memos and started this debacle.
