“Officials” break rules RE Bush CIA “finding” But who cares?

According to an AP report published in the NY Times and sourced by various unnamed officials who admit they are breaking the rules. Snippets of that report follow:

“The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program, said the spy agency’s program never got off the ground.”

“The Wall Street Journal, anonymously citing former intelligence officials, first reported Monday that the secret program was a plan to kill or capture al-Qaida operatives. The Journal’s sources said the plan was an attempt to carry out a presidential finding authorized in 2001 by President George W. Bush.”

“That official said former President George W. Bush authorized killing al-Qaida leaders shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and that Congress was made aware of that.”

“Panetta told the committees there was no indication that there was anything illegal or inappropriate about the effort itself, the official said.”

CIA directors since 2001 agreed with Cheney’s decision not to inform Congress (editor note: did they not already know about the “finding?”) because the highly classified operation, described as ‘’sporadic” and ”embryonic,” never managed to turn up the intelligence needed to carry out a kill and was not considered a covert operation, according to a former intelligence official. That official also was not authorized to discuss the program and spoke on condition of anonymity.”

“Congress has a right to know everything the CIA does, but the president can by law limit those told about covert operations to just the top four members of the House and Senate from the two parties and the senior members of the intelligence committees. Democrats on the House intelligence committee are pushing for a legal provision that would require the president to brief both committees in their entirety more often, but the (editor clarification = Obama) White House has threatened to veto the move.”

“Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he agreed with Feinstein that the CIA should keep Congress informed. But Cornyn said the new assertion ”looks to me suspiciously like an attempt to provide political cover” to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats. Pelosi has accused the CIA of lying to her in 2002 about its use of waterboarding, or simulated drowning, which many people, including Obama, consider torture.” Democratic Leon Panetta the CIA Director said that was not true earlier and did not reverse himself while discussing this separate issue.

“government officials with knowledge of the operation said Monday.”

“according to one official with direct knowledge of the plan.”

“the law is very clear.” (making it the first)

“The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on a pending matter.”

“Some are calling for a congressional investigation.” Not a political one though. No political selectivity either. All laws and rules are blindly being enforced.

“WASHINGTON (AP) — A secret intelligence program canceled by CIA Director Leon Panetta in June was meant to find and then capture or kill al-Qaida leaders at close range rather than target them with air strikes that risked civilian casualties,”

“The government official said the CIA effort was meant to avoid such collateral damage.”

There you have it.

Nothing really important in these snippets above.

Right. Now how can we hang Cheney and smear Bush some more?

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