Lawmaker won’t deny secret CIA program was ‘Cheney assassination ring’
Published: July 10, 2009
Updated 4 months ago
Early Friday morning, MSNBC followed up on a theory posted Thursday on the Huffington Post which alleged that a secret CIA program shut down in June by director Leon Panetta could have been related to a purported effort led by Vice President Dick Cheney to assassinate intelligence targets abroad.
This past March, as RAW STORY reported, investigative reporter Seymour Hersh dropped a bombshell when he told an audience at the University of Minnesota that the Bush Administration was running an “executive assassination ring” which reported directly to former Vice President Dick Cheney.
“It’s an executive assassination ring essentially, and it’s been going on and on and on,” Hersh stated. “Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving. That’s been going on, in the name of all of us.”
“The revelation from seven Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee that they were misled about a critical CIA program has sparked a debate that touches on the most sensitive areas of national security policy,” Huffington Post’s Sam Stein wondered Thursday. “What program, exactly, was being kept secret?”
Panetta admitted that the CIA had been “concealing significant actions” from Congress since 2001.
Stein wrote that one “theory being bandied about concerns an ‘executive assassination ring’ that was allegedly set up and answered to former Vice President Dick Cheney,” although his article didn’t cite sources for the claim. The reporter spoke to Rep. Anna Eshoo, (D-Calif.), a signatory to the CIA letter, about the theory.
Asked if this was the basis of her letter to Panetta, Eshoo said she could not discuss what was a “highly classified program.” She did, however, note that when Panetta told House Intelligence Committee members what it was that had been kept secret, “the whole committee was stunned, even Republicans.” A Republican committee member told Who Runs Gov’s Greg Sargent it was something they hadn’t heard before.
MSNBC took another shot at asking Eshoo about it on Friday morning.
After correspondent Contessa Brewer summed up the “Cheney assassination ring” backstory, MSNBC anchor Dylan Ratigan remarked, “That’s one of those ‘it’s horrifying and not surprising’ in the same sentence for a lot of folks I know.”
Ratigan asked Eshoo, “Can you comment at all on Contessa’s report about a possible private army reporting to Dick Cheney being the thing about which you and others were misled?”
“No, I can’t,” Eshoo responded, “it’s highly classified and I can’t discuss it.”
Ratigan shot back, “Right, cause my theory is we were about to invade Canada, we were going to pick up St. Bart’s from the French, or Cheney had a private army.”
Eshoo held firm, and wouldn’t divulge details about the program. She did, however, drop some clues.
Some of my colleagues have, in many ways, pooh-poohed it and said it wasn’t this and it wasn’t that. I believe that’s a complete mischaracterization of what director Leon Panetta informed the committee.
Now, I give him credit for coming up to the Hill the day after he was informed about this program. I also think it’s quite curious that his own people didn’t brief him when he first became director after he was confirmed.
….
But what I can tell you is that people were instructed not to inform the Congress. Now, that’s in direct violation of the law. The National Security Act… When the committee was informed by Director Panetta, everyone was stunned across the board, Republicans and Democrats. As well as we should be in terms of having something absolutely concealed from all members of Congress. The top leadership of the Congress didn’t know. So this is serious.
A report in Friday’s Washington Post, however, seemed to throw water on the “secret CIA program may be an assassination ring” theory.
Paul Kane and Ben Pershing penned:
The program remains classified, and those knowledgeable about it would describe it only vaguely yesterday. Several current and former administration officials called it an “on-again, off-again” attempt to create a new intelligence capability and said it was related to the collection of information on suspected terrorists that was instituted after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Congressional Republicans said no briefing about the program was required because it was not a major tool used against al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. They accused Democrats of using the matter to divert attention away from Pelosi’s accusation that CIA officials intentionally misled her in 2002 about the agency’s interrogations of suspected terrorists.
But Democrats waved away such claims and said they may open a congressional investigation of the concealment of the program.
“Current and former administration officials familiar with the program said it was not directly related to previously disclosed high-priority programs such as detainee interrogations or the warrantless surveillance of suspected terrorists on U.S. soil,” the Post reporters added. “It was a intelligence-collection activity run by the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, officials said. It was not a covert action, which by law would have required a presidential finding and a report to Congress.”
A “former top Bush administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the issue,” told the Post, “This characterization of something that began in 2001 and continued uninterrupted for eight years is just wrong. Honest men would question that characterization. It was more off and on.”
The paper adds, “The official said he was certain that, if the nature of the program could be revealed, it would be seen as ‘no big deal.’”
Another report out late Thursday also seemed to rule out the “Cheney’s private army” theory.
Newsweek reports that “Panetta has ordered an internal inquiry into the agency’s handling of a contentious and still highly classified intelligence program that has caused a heated dispute between the CIA and Democrats on the House intelligence committee. The move by Panetta appears to be an implicit acknowledgment by the agency that it should have disclosed information about the post-9/11 secret program to Congress much earlier than it did.”
More from Newsweek:
One question Congressional Democrats still want answered: was the program an idea CIA officials had just talked about as a possibility, or had they actually put it into operation? If it was just talk, as some in the intelligence community insist, the argument could be made that there was no requirement to notify Congress. “This program came in post-9/11, and it was indeed on-again, off-again,” the official said. “You could argue that it never really took shape.” The implication is that whatever the details of the program, it carried risks that some officials at the agency strongly felt might not be worth taking.
“You’ve got a lot of people [at the agency] who, after September 11, were thinking of creative ways of doing things,” said one former senior CIA official. “That doesn’t mean you have to run up and tell Congress about it.”
….
Three officials familiar with still-secret details of the dispute said Panetta was not himself complicit in authorizing or covering up the program. One of the officials described the CIA director as a good guy for having voluntarily informed Congress about the information. Two officials also said there was no reason to believe that information about the secret program was about to come out in the media; rather, they give Panetta credit for finding out about it and quickly reporting what he knew to the Hill.
This video is from MSNBC’s Morning Meeting, broadcast July 9, 2009.
Download video via RawReplay.com
30 comments
Printer Friendly |
Email
| Get breaking news alerts: Email/mobile |
I can’t deny it — I’m mildly optimistic about what I’m hearing. And of course the Republicans (and that includes a lot of “Libertarians”) are less than sanguine about the fact that it’s Republican crimes that are or are not being investigated.
And it looks like “are” is in the offing. This is modest progress. This is a refutation of the “absolutely no progress” moan-drone.
Oh! That reminds me: I have to call the White House, and tell them how I’m ashamed of the way Obama vilified Putin (and then came back with a mealy-mouth reversal), who has been the victim of Cold War tactics by us, and Russia still is, as long as the specious “anti-Iran” Patriot batteries are in Poland and the Czech republic.
Ah, the nugget: “But what I can tell you is that people were instructed not to inform the Congress. Now, that’s in direct violation of the law. The National Security Act… When the committee was informed by Director Panetta, everyone was stunned across the board, Republicans and Democrats.”
It’s doesn’t matter what they were doing - it stunned everyone and it was in violation of the law.
Now back to the spin and damage control.
“When the committee was informed by Director Panetta, everyone was stunned across the board, Republicans and Democrats.”
—————————–
Yeah right. Yes I’m sure they were. What nonsense. Tell that to some fool who would believe it. If these parasite war criminals in congress were honestly stunned about something, they would get off the damn pot and for once in their pathetic corrupt lives they would demand that the US Constitution be reinstated and these scum would take their oath of office seriously and justice would be served. Period. But that ain’t about to happen, even though the so-called Democrats have a super-majority in this cesspool of war criminals called congress.
It should have read: “everyone was stunned across the board, Republicans including those who charade as Democrats.”
This was no boating accident…. It was a SHARK! …I mean, this was no “intelligence-collection”… It was an assassination ring!
How long will it take Chump Change to defend this one?
Bhutto?
Forget about what Nacy Pelosi “knew”…..a government agency operating outside the law in secret, with the VP as its only director..being used by the VP as his personal political propaganda machine sure sounds like a political “coup” …..the more I learn about this “organization” operating in secret with in our government, the more I am convinced this was “High Treason”….now, what will President Obama do…?
Well Conservatives,
There goes your’ PELOSI is a big fat liar’ story. Time for as new set of lies & PLEASE don’t trot out your ‘Family Values’ Crap. That one is as dead as your
‘Obama is not a US citizen’ lie.
Enough rhetoric already. Cheney is a war criminal. Put the bastard on trial and put his ass away for the rest of his days. Cheney played a big part in the 911 false flag psyop and then used that event as justification for all his subsequent crimes, including his personal assassination squad.
Pelosi has “plausible deniability”, but I believe she knew enough about what the Bush Crime Family was doing. She would have to be extremely naive not to know that these were habitual criminals. She is part of the problem, not the solution. The whole system is infested with the cancer of greed. Republicans and Democrats are basically the same. They are pay for play scum bags who don’t give a flying fuck about working class citizens. They are owned by the banksters, oil companies, military contractors, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and all the other hugh corporations.
America is now divided into two classes, the robber class and the rest of us. Hopefully the upcoming American Revolution will be peaceful, but I doubt it.
Did Dick Cheney’s DEATH SQUAD kill Pat Tillman?
Tillman — a credible, articulate, HERO who was disillusioned with BushCo was a PERFECT TARGET for a Cheney HIT.
NOW — let’s lock up these criminals. Preferably, extradite Cheney to a country that ENFORCES the death penalty.
Did Cheney go into hiding again? He’s not been in front of the camera for at least a couple of weeks. Maybe he’s in contact with WaPo (as in their unidentified “former official” source).
When this information came into light everybody, Repugs and Dems alike, were stunned. Stunned! I tell you!……Yeah Right, Stunned that anyone had the nads to come out and say what everyone in the country knew. CIA lie? Naw, only when their mouths move.
This is high treason. Like I have been saying for 9 years it was a theocratic coup attempt. Now we have this choice. Do we want to be ruled by the Christians ans Zionists who want to nail us alive to their church doors, or do we take a chance on the World government?
Secrecy will be their undoing. They will convict themselves. In the end guilt will win out. The prisons will be full.
The trap is more effective if it’s subtle, and the prey has a chance to get well inside before it springs.
Too much haste and not enough patience could well spoil a good setup.
I keep remembering that:
1. the Dems’ chief failing is that they have not put their predecessors in jail, and
2. most of their critics are or used to be Republicans.
No, look at the timeline. They are talking about 2001. The drive to war based on what? Their everlasting need to kill people regardless of the evidence from several agencies and inspectors on the ground. 2001. George Bush’s paternal problems? Let me take you back to the olden days. Does nobody in this country have a memory anymore?
Let’s consider why Panetta has outed the previous administration. He may or may not have “just found out” about the criminal activities by the CIA and Cheney, but he has undoubtedly been instructed to out them so the current administration cannot be held responsible after the fact, by assisting in the cover-up. A wave of retirements next?
I predict we will see renewed calls for a “truth commission”, in which we will have to agree to accept “the truth” in lieu of prosecutions. That was the whole point of the truth commission anyway.
His “shadow” fascist cabal is well known, but I want to know where and who has those 3 missiles that are missing from last year. The scene of cheney riding a missile from the sky like “Dr. Strangelove ,waving his cowboy hat only would make me happy if the bomb was a dud.
Spot on dennycrane, spot on. Also it wasn’t clear if it was 3 or 4 nuclear missiles that where flown down to the Gulf of Mexico to go “where”. It’s literally impossible for that to have been a mistake, literally impossible. For one, the Base commander would be directly in charge of the move. And all the people associated in the move and the loading would have had to sign off of everything. Also the base commanders under echelon officers would have wondered and why was LIVE nukes going onto a bomber, when it’s been deemed dangerous and against policy of the US and by treaty. Another thing that base commander would have contacted his boss and his boss would have contacted his boss and told them the situation and the reasons why it’s wrong. The president can’t just order a base commander to load up a few nukes because he says so. There’s procedures and he’s responsible for any mess that may happens. Also the nukes are under the Dept of Energy, so if they are moved they know about it.
It may be that some (lets say Cheney ;)) had an alternate command structure and tried to get them out and was ratted out by the military in the press. Nukes just don’t go missing anymore, especially in the US. For the simple fact a commander or a few officers could be off their rocker and decide to mutiny or start a war. Also this assassination ring, where was it operating at is the BIG SECRET HERE. The reason why that would be a secret is because if this team was operating in a country like Canada, Britian, France, Italy or even the US, it would be war crimes that Cheney couldn’t get out of.
Yes. The B52 nukes, USMilSpec anthrax, 7/7 London bombings, Madrid train bombings, Et cetera
And let’s not forget about the number of military personnel that ended up dead within a couple of months of this suspicious event.
Also, it would be very interesting to know whether all of the individuals that made up cheney’s assassination ring were exclusively Americans, or if they hailed from other countries as well.
No matter how you look at it, though, this is treason, plain and simple.
BTW: Where’s that war criminal cheney? What’s he up to these days–planning another attack on Americans to cover his ass?
If we have a secret army what were its secret missions? How many secrets can you hide in a secret of this magnitude? To simplify the matter we might ask,”What is the most super secret secret of them all?” What have we spent more money and political effort on than any other secret event? What enormous fear is concealed by this secret?
Let’s ask Dick. Was it a man hiding in a cave on the other side of the earth?
Have to protect the spooks.
When did we become “them?”
‘Cheney assassination ring’ RINGS have been in operation in the US for many years. I learned about the rings running in Illinois back in the 90’s from the family I was in who are directly involved in a huge International Drug system with a close link to the CIA. As stated back in the 90’s the Ring here was with designating three Hospitals known by the criminal system as “Killing Machines”. Those targetted were someway through setup car accidents or poisining or harmful attacks made to make sure they were admitted to one of these three Hosptials. While there, the target was then given a dirt nap dose of something they never came out of. i was one of the targets in 2002 but realized from the family what was happening to me and able to remain safe, however a friend of mine ’s friend from over 10 years wasn’t so lucky. He was murdered and my friend and her family will testify in court to what happened. One of the witnesses is a medical student. The Killing Machines act as a function of the assassination ring are supported by a large gang of Special Ops people and corrupt police and others involved in the International Drug smuggline system. Chicago alone gets a weekly $100 million dollar sized shipment of cocaine, this equates to more than $5billion annually. This drug system has a purpose tied in with the CIA and Cheney that I’ve discussed in the past. It too will surface eventually.
Meet the family:
Mexico drug plane used for US ‘rendition’ flights: report - Sep 4, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j6QonBKKMo2gw1e3ql-xUcQEZbVg
Please note that Clyde O’Connor is my ex-wifes brother’s brother-in-law and business partner with their Florida business of air distribution.
As this subject unfolds, expect it to mushroom into something that most everyone won’t be able to beleive. Hopsicker’s articles will help illuminate how huge this is, but again, there is a purpose behind what Bush did with WireTapping, the Drug system and many other things that still need to be understood by most everyone. We aren’t there yet but I’m glad it’s coming fast now.
Furthermore:
There are a handfuul of Huge Drug Lords in Illinois alone. The biggest is in McHenry Illinois who also runs a collection of Security Companies who employ off duty Police and many others. Please note that this is part of an army of people who are tied in to protecting the Drug system. My ex-wife’s family are also Drug Lords as well as laundering money since the later 70’s somewhat tied into the CIA’s operations. They are also linked with the main Drug Lord too. I know their names but won’t publish them now. Another Drug Lord also located in McHenry has an interesting twist since the founder a few years ago mysteriously died out west. Sure I believe everything. One of the biggest Drug Lords is in Florida who runs a Fishery business. Some of my ex-wife’s family members took vacations on their boats.
There is a lot more to this for another time….
Marty Didier
Northbrook, IL
Please note that there is some funny business going on within this website. I posted and when bringing it up afterwards, it didn’t show. Then I logged in and there it was. Why didn’t it show before?. Then I logged out and it still was there. So who is trying to hide what I post?
Marty Didier
Northbrook, IL
Marty, you probably have a clogged fetzer valve. I know from the post preceding yours that Raw get its wires crossed from time to time and they inadvertently receive posts from other planets or alien spacecraft. What I do is compose my posts on word pad and then copy and paste them into the box. They have to be RTF for that though.
Thanks grindermonkey..
Normally I compose in Word but someone has been shutting off my editing capabilities and also using Word as a means to play other destructive games with my systems. I’m using public library computers because most of my personal computers were either destroyed or screwed up. I have one remaining laptop computer that purpopsely is being stopped from being placed on the Internet. Every time I try to make changes to my system hoping to put it on the internet, some new changes are made to stop me. Hence, my project with using the laptop was shelved in place of writing my doc long hand!
Another problem encountered is making editing changes while writing so when I move it over there are new grammar errors. Certainly I do make mistakes while posting but some of these totally insane. It’s frustrating to say the least.
Thanks for your input.
Marty Didier
Northbrook, IL
Is this a regular watering hole for you during rutting season? I don’t think that Raw caters to your specie, but with your luck, who could say? You may have missed an opportunity to work the derivatives division over at AIG. Their predatory approaches and yours are similar.
You know they are looking for models for those weight loss photos advertised on this site. Let me find that link for you.. ah, here it is under some food scraps and bones. Hey, I’ll bet that you know Michael Jackson’s doctor. Care for a Fentanyl patch? How about some Demerol? No meth for me, but thanks any way.
I’ll just bet that you’re one of those onomatopoeia freaks, aren’t you? Kind of an ADD with schizophrenia type. Can’t remember shit. We all get that way eventually; life is completely unfair - but you know that first hand.
Thanks for your comment.
In some ways I understand if we knew what all bush and his adminstration did in our names if would tear us up and other programs we so sorely need, programs concerning our very survivial. need to be started….Both have to be addressed ..We will get back the america we all love.
Appoint a special pros. Having them investigate themselves is like have a team you appoint to judge your ethics ..We have to get honest people in our govt Lets get back the america the world loves.
Well now we have that response.
So will you be returning to your galactic shit hole soon? You won’t be missed.