Direct link.

"Now, how long before we know what the program was?"

You're kidding, right?

The Shadow knows!

"Now, how long before we know what the program was?"
You're kidding, right?

The same was though of Nixon and watergate which was chicken feed compared to this.

The only thing that's missing form this is DeepThroat..

And more force than inertia.

Send his ass to prison.

Eventually all this stuff comes out - nobody seriously believes Dick Cheney is innocent of Obstruction of Justice and Perjury, if not worse, and the truth will probably have to wait until the old buzzard's batteries finally give out. One can only hope that he is charged with offences before he kicks the bucket, but it probably won't happen. Meanwhile, ignore him. It's the best way to express one's feelings about this man.

this clear violation of our Constitution,

#12 | Posted by celisary

Is this the seceret program that you were talking about?

yes the one that by law has to have congressional oversight, the one that cheney ordered the CIA to lie to congress about thus breaking the law.

as for me I figure this is only the beginning of what will be many revelations about the bush administration

BUT....

BUT....

BUT....

NANCY PELOSI LIED!!!

If it had something to do with demoncrat leaks to the SLM re: Karl Rove I would not be surprised. If it had something to do with terrorism I would.

If it had something to do with demoncrat leaks to the SLM re: Karl Rove I would not be surprised. If it had something to do with terrorism I would.

#11 | Posted by JROD at 2009-07-11 09:09 PM | Reply | Flag:

What???? Please translate from newspeak.

So Cheney was running anti-terror projects out of the White House with illegal orders telling the CIA to keep it secret.

Now the project will come to light and will no doubt be another extralegal, outside the Constitution nightmare like Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, torture and extraodinary rendition.

Did he think Bush was going to be president forever and it wouldn't come to light?

Cheney was sent from hell to test us.

Yeah, hang 'em high! And while you're at it throw all them sum-bitches who voted for them in jail to! Let's round up their families and do what we done with them Mexicans, throw 'em out!! Git rid o' all o'em. Worthless bastids!

Find a new, more odious venue! This shit is getting old! We have a new Administration now, that one can do us NO MORE HARM!

Keep your eye on THIS current crop, 32 CZARS and three more being added! Good GOD Gertie, what a gash! No accountability from 35 people, directly responsible for various parts of this economy, and you bitch about Chaney?

Keep trying to change the subject though, sooner of later it WILL work!

OK, so will anything really happen??? America seriously doubts it.

No accountability from 35 people, directly responsible for various parts of this economy ...

I don't like the czar positions (an idea that was around before Obama). The Cabinet system was working OK without ladling an extra level of bureaucracy at the top that doesn't require Senate confirmation.

But the idea that there's some kind of mad power grab here -- without accountability -- seems absurd to me. Obama is accountable for what these people do. Just as he's ultimately accountable for any appointment he makes. And these people are accountable to him. It's not exactly secret shadow government.

Booo! Cheney did it.

Yet another deflection to attempt to shift the focus away from Pelosi and act like Panetta is "cleaning up the place".

You libs take the bait so easily and swallow it so deep, no need for a treble hook.

I know the Justice system in this Country works slow, I hope it happens soon so that these WAR CRIMINALS can be brought to JUSTICE....

Midtowncowboy-
re: Yet another deflection to attempt to shift the focus away from Pelosi and act like Panetta is "cleaning up the place".

Right.

They were "keeping you safe", so you don't care what laws they broke because you're a patriotic American who wets his pants on command, but you hate Democrats.

Isn't that you in a capsule?

Isn't that you in a capsule?

#20 | Posted by BetelG at 2009-07-11 10:06 PM

Nope. Congress is trying to get briefings to full committee. But OB opposes as he should. I will let the article speak for itself.

The law requires the president to make sure the intelligence committees "are kept fully and currently informed of the intelligence activities of the United States, including any significant anticipated intelligence activity." But the language of the statute, the amended National Security Act of 1947, leaves some leeway for judgment, saying such briefings should be done "to the extent consistent with due regard for the protection from unauthorized disclosure of classified information relating to sensitive intelligence sources and methods or other exceptionally sensitive matters."

In addition, for covert action programs, a particularly secret category in which the role of the United States is hidden, the law says that briefings can be limited to the so-called Gang of Eight, consisting of the Republican and Democratic leaders of both houses of Congress and of their intelligence committees.

The disclosure about Mr. Cheney's role in the unidentified C.I.A. program comes a day after an inspector general's report underscored the central role of the former vice president's office in restricting to a small circle of officials knowledge of the National Security Agency's program of eavesdropping without warrants, a degree of secrecy that the report concluded had hurt the effectiveness of the counterterrorism surveillance effort.

I know the Justice system in this Country works slow, I hope it happens soon so that these WAR CRIMINALS can be brought to JUSTICE....

#19 | Posted by celisary at 2009-07-11 10:03 PM

List the charges or STFU.

I know the Justice system in this Country works slow, I hope it happens soon so that these WAR CRIMINALS can be brought to JUSTICE....

#19 | Posted by celisary at 2009-07-11

And in between your racists rants, provide the evidence or STFU.

Midtown-
re: "the law says that briefings can be limited to the so-called Gang of Eight, consisting of the Republican and Democratic leaders of both houses of Congress and of their intelligence committees."

That didn't happen.

Because it never became operational! NOT OPERATIONAL, understand? It was being staffed up and then left alone. Not really that important! Dig some more! Some day it may work out for you!

Midtown-
What if they were Democrats? (Sorry..."Demoncrats")

Because it never became operational! NOT OPERATIONAL, understand? It was being staffed up and then left alone. Not really that important! Dig some more! Some day it may work out for you!

#25 | Posted by dogen at 2009-07-11 10:46 PM | Reply | Flag:

So, as good pant-wetting Republicans, it's really none of our business!

(What if it were Democrats...sorry..."
Demoncrats"?)

That didn't happen.

#24 | Posted by BetelG at 2009-07-11 10:45 PM

According to the law, "that" is not required. The NSA and Justice were informed.

From the following excerpt off the article, Cheney's actions were not illegal, in the view of the inspector general, they made the programs less effective.

From the article:
The disclosure about Mr. Cheney's role in the unidentified C.I.A. program comes a day after an inspector general's report underscored the central role of the former vice president's office in restricting to a small circle of officials knowledge of the National Security Agency's program of eavesdropping without warrants, a degree of secrecy that the report concluded had hurt the effectiveness of the counterterrorism surveillance effort.

CZAR's are the way to plausible denial! 'I didn't know what it was he was doing!' Simply establishing a get out of trouble card without undue harm to the President!

Most of these CZAR's take power from Hilary at State so I wonder how long she will stay (no good feelings there)! But NONE of them are reportable, or accountable, to CONGRESS, the guys who control the PURSE. I wonder how they (congress) feels about that?

Of course it's plausible denial for them to!

And you're right, all the latest Presidents had some, but not one for each separate aspect of government! Excessive, over-arcing control of EVERYTHING, who are these people, and are they qualified in their assigned fields? I have heard some (read most) are not!

The more I read about THE DICK...
the more it looks, by all appearances,
that this was the man whom held all the
strings.

yes, I know, sounds like I'm simply
reiterating some of the most paranoid
claims about this man.

However, given his track record and manipulation
for both, the Energy Department, chairing
the committee that decided which energy companies
and which war service companies were awarded the
most lucrative contracts..

and, given that it was likely THE DICK,
who started the faulty intelligence about
the mobile chemical weapons labs for our reason
for going into Iraq...

and, given his pushing of the signing statements
as a way for Bush to circumvent--what was then--
Federal law, to indeed change it...

this SHOULD be investigated fully and thoroughly.
and IF the DICK is guilty of half as much as I suspect he is, he should be thrown in jail for the rest of his creepy not so natural life...

The man, by all accounts, looks to have been an absolute Control Monster...

but I'm willing to give him his day in court...
more than he probably deserves...

oooh, oooh.... is it the stargate program?

well, almosr everyone knows he was the real boss.
and real mafia bosses don't like publicity.

not as lovable as Tony

just much meaner and richer

Good for you Dick Cheney.

And Barack Obama is still bankrupting our great country faster than a speeding bullet.

Justice system? I'll explain the justice system for those too young or stupid to understand: There is only one crime in america -- BEING POOR.

That's justice in america. That's it. If you believe otherwise because some putz like Maddoff or Martha does some time in prison, then you are an imbecile, as they were merely sacrificed to give you fucking inbred motherfuckers the idea that the rich pay for their crimes.

Shawn,

Our justice system is far from perfect, but some pretty big players have been taken down.

Even the uber-wealthy.

Martha does some time in prison

Comparing her to Madoff?she stepped up to the plate and did her time.

I liked her better after that then I did before

I seriously doubt if Cheney will ever see a day behind bars but I wouldn't mind if he spent the remaining days of his life in a courtroom (bankrupting himself in the process).

Power and money! Take away the two things he treasures most and wait for the results. I doubt if he'd qualify for an ounce of sympathy, no matter how brutal the inquisition.

If the truth comes out, history will be Cheney's judge, jury and executioner. That will probably be the only satisfaction America ever gets.

Twin,

While I respect your desire for the truth, I also question the best way to go about dealing with a powerful enemy (9-11 anyone?) and the rule of law.

JEFF

It isn't up to you, or me or any other private citizen to determine the best way to go about dealing with a powerful enemy (9-11 anyone)."

That's best left to the people who are privy to a lot more inside information than we'll ever know about.

We (as in private citizen) have only one arrow in our quiver and that's the Rule of Law. As overly simplistic and cumbersome as that sounds, after the votes are counted every four years, it's the only legal way we have to expose and punish people like Cheney . . . a person that we believe to have ground his heel in our precious "Rule of Law" and spit in our faces in the process.

History has it's own version of crime and punishment and it's not nearly as nice as "three hots and a cot" at Club Fed.

Twin,

Good post - I respect your view.

Having said that - how do you propose dealing with assholes who are probable to violently attacking our interests? They spit on our documents, and yet you want to afford them protections they despise???

Disagreements can be negotiated.

I also question the best way to go about dealing with a powerful enemy (9-11 anyone?) and the rule of law.

#39 | Posted by JeffJ at 2009-07-12 06:43 AM | Reply | Flag: Flag: (Choose)
FunnyNewsworthyOffensiveAbusiv
e

A powserful Enemy???!

A few radical muslims took over jetliners with plastic forks and fuckin box cutters and this is your ides of a "powerful enemy"?

That wreaks of bullshit.

Yeah Mr. Dick you can have my constitutional rights because I'm afraid of the big bad enemy.

NOT!

This administration has been the most secretive and underhanded since Nixon.

Powerful enemies....LOL!

In order to maintain order in society is to follow the rule of law for all citizens of that society.

I can't believe this issue is even being questioned.

I guess that's why our government is so messed up in the first place, people accept the breakers of the law because they think it was for a good reason.

Nope, are laws are there for a reason and if they are not followed we no longer honor those who have did to protect our freedom and our laws for our way of life.

This on face value is spitting in the face of those soldiers who died protecting our way of life.

JEFF

I don't "propose" anything nor am I qualified to do the thinking for the Pentagon or the CIA or anybody else who is in a better position than myself to know how to untangle the 9-11 mess.

But this thread is about Dick Cheney getting his "just desserts" and, like any other American citizen, I have a strong sense of his culpability in war crimes during the aftermath of 9-11 (and possibly even before 9-11).

I simply want all his dirty laundry aired in a courtroom where it belongs.

As far as history is concerned, I'm reminded of Aaron Burr, a General who made one mistake in judgment, and the word "Traitor" was attached to his name for all eternity.

If that turns out to be Cheney's fate as well, I'm not going to complain.

Efforts to reach Mr. Cheney through relatives and associates were unsuccessful.

Dick couldn't keep his cakehole shut a few weeks ago and now he's back in his hidey-hole?

dickless was trying to keep the genie in the bottle and it just sort a popped out

"Because this program never went fully operational and hadn't been briefed as Panetta thought it should have been, his decision to kill it was neither difficult nor controversial," so says the official."

Hmmmmm....Neither DIFFICULT OR CONTROVERSIAL(???)...it's just about enough unsubstantiated fodder about some unknown spook program to give the Bush/Chaney conspiracy addicts a chance to conjure up all sorts of purported stuff about those evil doers in the last administration.

Unfortunately,this noisy crowd will help deflect attention from the disastrous economic course President Popinjay has set for the nation.

Alas, children must have their fun.

"""Having said that - how do you propose dealing with assholes who are probable to violently attacking our interests? """

Stop pre-emtively attacking THEIR interests, that would be a start...or do you honestly believe the gripe against the u.s. takes root in their hating "your freedom"?

And the last thing you should be supporting is your own gov't breaking the rule of law, lying to the public as well as to the different legislative branches.

Secrecy is one thing but can be done within the rules of the law. A gov't lying and breaking the law is never a good long term strategy for any country.

Once a gov't places itself in opposition to the country or the constituents, actions, lies and deceit need to escalate in order for the game to stay alive.

One would think the democrats have more pressing matters to attend to but something tells me Nancy Pelosi & Co are trying deflect criticism of her handling of water boarding the 3 known terrorist held at Gitmo. The house is on fire and they are screaming "THE FAWCECT IS DRIPPING!".

And to think we have to endure 3 more years of this crap.

Everytime Obama's approval numbers begin to crash, a Bush/Cheney/Palin/Limbaugh story comes out to DESTRACT from Obama's failed policies.

Familes are losing their homes, MILLIONS of workers have lost their jobs since Obama became president, parents are strugglng to feed their kids. Things are getting worse and worse. Obama is generating the highest debts levels in U.S. history and nothing is working. Wars rage on. Gitmo still open. No transparency in governemt. Indefinite detainee holds still in place. Corporate America getting more help than the American people.

Even if the liberals got their wet dream and Cheney was EXECUTED via lethal injection, that does not help one family put food on the table. These destraction stories are disgusting.

All of the above was caused by the previous admin. Obama is slowly but surely trying to pull us out of this. You backed Bush's failed policies for 8 years. Obama can't be expected to correct all these mistakes in 7 months.

And the last thing you should be supporting is your own gov't breaking the rule of law

PanchoVilla, tell us the laws that were broken. But be sure and read the article first.

Cheney should be sent to supermax but I'd spare him execution.

Jackass wrote,

"All of the above was caused by the previous admin. Obama is slowly but surely trying to pull us out of this. You backed Bush's failed policies for 8 years. Obama can't be expected to correct all these mistakes in 7 months."

Trying to pull us out? By bankrupting us first?

Jackass, the economy was doing great until the democrats took over congress and starting spending even more money. Now their proposal to fix everything is spend even far greater amounts of money. How's that working out for you so far?

Obama is not interested in fixing our economy but he is interested in installing his radical communist agenda.

#49 | Posted by panchovilla

Please! When half of Obama's cabinet broke the law by failing to pay their TAXES including unbelievably the Secretary of the Treasury, that is apparently okay. Braking laws is okay for Democrats.

What about this from Feinstein:

"Sen. Dianne Feinstein's husband was a major beneficiary of military appropriations blessed by a subcommittee that she headed, Metro Newspapers reports this week.

Feinstein (D-Calif.) acted in apparent conflict of interest while approving billions of dollars in military construction expenditures, according to an investigative story by award-winning journalist Peter Byrne. The story was published jointly in the North Bay Bohemian and Metro Silicon Valley weekly newspapers this week."

A PROVEN FACT

this is merely a dem chance to make up for a not so good week

bho #'s fallinig
the ruskies making him look like the weakling he is

so whats the answer

Drag up DARTH VADER..........

and read the entire thing carefully..
this was a program that never crossed the cia desks involved or some way its put..

AND the bush man involved has come out and stated LOUDLY that he notified several members of congress..

BOTTOM LINE.....the AG of the US who lets black panthers go FREE from voting harrassment will go after cheney at the drop of a hint FROM RHOM

AND the ruse continues..obama can STILL lie to us that he doesnt want an investigation when I believe he really does

AND...make no mistake...if this comes out and there is any spike in attacks or numbers of terrorist, he should be fired that day

AND...dems be carefull....,if you start looking into all the workings of our security, and the next administration is republican....YOu will be the ones called out...

"MICHELL has a SIX THOUSAND DOLLAR PURSE "

That was debunked two days ago.

But what am I thinking? That's never mattered to you before.

At least we now know why he's been running around flapping that gaping maw he calls a mouth.

For two months, Cheney couldn't shut his fucking piehole, so where is he on this story?

you mean the pres covered his tracks dont you....

"Braking laws is okay for Democrats.

#56 | Posted by utastaff"

Braking for children in crosswalks? For pedestrians crossing the street? Railroad crossings? What braking laws are you against?

montecore

make sure you harrass biden everytime he makes a misspeak

And speaking of...anyone heard what he said in the phillies clubhouse...I had to leave before I heard what he said but apparently he ran his mouth again about something

I'm hoping he just doesn't speak for te next 3.5 years, afk.

NEWS FLASH: North Korea to launch new missle; Left Wing Media still asking of Cheney's whereabouts on 911.

NEWS FLASH: Great Britain Govermnet Collapses; Left Wing Media asking questions about Haliburton.

NEWS FLASH: Armageddon Begins in Middle East; Left Wing Media seeking answers to Cheney's hunting accident!

NEWS FLASH: Russians Land First Human on the Planet Mars; Left Wing Media wondering if Viagra works for Cheney!

Y A W N ! ! !

Dare we hope for the Perp Walk?

How again is Cheney not a criminal?

How again is Cheney not a criminal?

He hasn't been convicted of a crime.

Yea, how dare Dick Cheney work to protect Americans from being blown up and killed?

What a asshole this guy is for slightly inconveniencing terrorists bent on mass murder.

You left wing scum, make me want to fucking puke.

Your brains are diseased and unclean.

"Yea, how dare Dick Cheney work to protect Americans from being blown up and killed?"

All fine and good, until you don't inform Congress, as the law requires.

Were you born naive and stupid, or is it a learned response?

Do you know the difference between adhering the law, and breaking it, and that everyone, even VPs, are subject to the law?

God knows if Biden were doing it, you'd be frothing even more than usual.

There is no discussion or 'debate', I already made my statements, 'you left wing scum make me want to puke.' and 'Your brains are sick and diseased.'

That is the end of the story.

"There is no discussion or 'debate',"

Of course. Whether or not Cheney violated the law is of no matter to you.

He was later quoted as saying," if you don't do as I command we can go quail hunting. What do you think about that?"

Good for you Dick Cheney.

And Barack Obama is still bankrupting our great country faster than a speeding bullet.

#34 | Posted by buzkiller at 2009-07-12 04:12 AM | Reply | Flag:

YEAH!!!

A TRILLION (plus) DOLLARS to rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure while ours crumbles and close to 5000 dead soldiers.....YEAH!!! AWESOME!!!

Now don't y'all be thinkin that Dick Cheeney be gone. He just waiting on out their to makes his way backs to warring on them A-Rabs, communalists and sochallests. He gots lots of friends thats a gonna be rounds fer a long time making them wars and thems don't even needs Dicks Cheeney to makes them wars against them A-Rabs. We needs to show them A-Rabians who be the boss round about this hair plannets. Thems A-Rabs mooslum fellers wants to kills us mens and takes our womens and rapes our dogs in the heinies. I says Dicks Cheeney knows we ain't a gonna puts up with that nonsenses.!!! See Y'all over to the White power TEE PARTAYS!!!! USA USA USA!!! CHEENEY COME BACK!!!!

Commonsense, what does Obama's bankrupting us have to do with George Bush bankrupting us.

If you believed that Bush's meager 300-400 million deficits were bad how can you believe that Obama's 1.87 trillion dollar deficit is good?

Just how many shovel ready jobs have been created? Unemployment is still going up at record pace just like the deficit.

I doubt that anything is going to happen to Cheney. This is been thrown out there to take everyones eye off the ball.

The ball is the failing economy and the continued spending.

#79 | POSTED BY TINYELVIS AT 2009-07-13 02:51 AM | REPLY | FLAG: Annoying

I doubt that anything is going to happen to Cheney. This is been thrown out there...

I think you mean thrown against the wall. Now is this the same Seymour Hersh version? Is this the Panetta revealation? The LA Times reported yesterday that this so called program was never implemented. They also say Hayden knew about this and used discretion. Is this really a story?

After the unemployment crusts at about 13% sometime next year, many so-called independent voters will start twist in the wind and begin to look for other satisfying means. This would be the time that libertarians/conservatives should be preparing for and take advantage off-perhaps the last chance in generation to mitigate the wrongs committed in the name of good intentions. Even "Cheney" won't help democrats to stop this-no matter how hard their fallacious rhetoric sounds.

Is this really a story?

No, I do not believe the Cheney issue is a story at all. I think the Obama admin. is throwing little nibbles out there to the general public to get us to talk and argue about Cheney and the Bush Admin as a deflection to the real stories...

The Economy & Rising unemployment, Iran, N. Korea, etc.

Just like the "Wizard of Oz".

Pay no attention to the man behind the screen.

mmmmm.... secret program to put hits on the upper management of Al Qaeda.

what a terrible, despicable thing to do.

didn't Bush tell everyone that we were gonna hunt these mother fuckers down and bring them to justice? is a plan to do this really a "secret?"

didn't Bush tell everyone that we were gonna hunt these mother fuckers down and bring them to justice?

Yeah. How'd that work out with this "super secret" program?

Where's Osama?

is a plan to do this really a "secret?"

Up until now we could believe (as he said) he didn't care. Now it turns out he cared, somewhat, but couldn't do the job even with a ultra-covert Israeli like hit squad.

1947. 1970's. The lessons ignored.

Is it just me, or is anyone else wondering why, after over 7 years, the program wasn't yet fully operational?

How long did they expect it to take before we began taking out AQ leaders?

s it just me, or is anyone else wondering why, after over 7 years, the program wasn't yet fully operational?

#88 | Posted by Danforth at 2009-07-13 11:16 PM

Because the 'program' was nothing but an idea on paper. Hence, no 'operational briefing'. This is what allows Panetta to offer this program as a sacrificial lamp to congress as an olive branch.

Deflection attempt to remove focus from Pelosi.

"Because the 'program' was nothing but an idea on paper."

According to current and former government officials, the agency spent money on planning and possibly some training.

Huh? Did Cheney order the CIA to keep this from Congress, or not?

The law requires congress to be notified for 'operations'. Not planning excercises.

The timing of the release of this information is clearly designed to take the focus away from Pelosi and her placement of blame on the CIA.

The law requires congress to be notified for 'operations'. Not planning excercises.

[citation required]