And we don't even know what it was

[EruditioSalvatus]

It's been revealed that the CIA was forced to hide a programme by order of the former VP Cheney. Whatever the programme was, which is now and will possibly never be revealed, was so problematic that the new CIA Chief immediately canceled it upon its finding. This compiled with constant misleadings of the Senate about its actions has the CIA looking more and more like a secret police force than a legitimate government agency.

Full article

[ryanmercer]

Well... you know... an intelligence agency can't work effectively if it announces everything it does...

Undercover police officers don't go around saying "I'm a cop, I'm investigating you, I'm trying to gather information on you and the other people, please tell me everything, I'm a cop, I'm undercover, I'm pretending to be someone else"

An intelligence agency that regularly does CLANDESTINE work... has even more reason not to share MANY things about it's operations.

Edited July 12, 2009 by ryanmercer

[Islander]

Most people do not understand what it needs to be done by a few thousands in order to keep 300 million people safe. Unfortunately, the intelligence agencies have to do this song and dance EVERY time there is a change in tenants in the White House, depending on what colors they fly. It is a sad and demoralizing game and demagogues and politicians do not understand what it costs in terms of failures in intelligence gathering, delays in planing and operational capacity building and loss of experience thru flight in human capital.

People complain about the use of military contractors and the reliance on research and think tanks outside the NSA. The Iran-Contra affair pushed 3000 people into "retirements" in the late 80's and early 90's. Guess where the went? For almost 20 years we have been limping in terms of real intelligence capabilities and relying heavily on the Israelis (which is not always the best choice for a number of reasons). But, most people watch CNN for 15 minutes a day and they believe they are political pundits and foreign policy experts.

[Moksha]

Hey this is only a rumor mind you, but has anyone thought how much Cheney had to gain if the CIA were to covertly obtain the Spear of Destiny and open the Gates of Hell?

Now, remember this is only a rumor - but aren't you glad Panetta canceled it!

[ryanmercer]

Hey this is only a rumor mind you, but has anyone thought how much Cheney had to gain if the CIA were to covertly obtain the Spear of Destiny and open the Gates of Hell?

Now, remember this is only a rumor - but aren't you glad Panetta canceled it!

Blah not the Spear of Longinus... and you know if you follow some rumors... the U.S. Captured it from the Nazi base in the Arctic after WWII and a replica was given to back to the Kunsthistorisches Museum... and now that replica sits in the Schatzkammer... so perhaps it's at Area 51, or at the Smithsonian in storage. Of course the Vatican supposedly has one, and of course there is the Echmiadzin one too... although some think the Echmiadzin is the one that Vatican has.

[EruditioSalvatus]

Most people do not understand what it needs to be done by a few thousands in order to keep 300 million people safe. Unfortunately, the intelligence agencies have to do this song and dance EVERY time there is a change in tenants in the White House, depending on what colors they fly. It is a sad and demoralizing game and demagogues and politicians do not understand what it costs in terms of failures in intelligence gathering, delays in planing and operational capacity building and loss of experience thru flight in human capital.

People complain about the use of military contractors and the reliance on research and think tanks outside the NSA. The Iran-Contra affair pushed 3000 people into "retirements" in the late 80's and early 90's. Guess where the went? For almost 20 years we have been limping in terms of real intelligence capabilities and relying heavily on the Israelis (which is not always the best choice for a number of reasons). But, most people watch CNN for 15 minutes a day and they believe they are political pundits and foreign policy experts.

I've got no problems with covert activity but when the people are possibly being unethical and/or illegal then there's issues. This is why aspects of the intelligence community are tracked and monitored.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

I've spent several years, more than half my life, outside the united states and in countries considered by most to be hostile; the thing that separates 'good' from 'bad' are ethics.

[Just_A_Guy]

But a close reading of the article doesn't explain why Panetta cancelled the program--it just has hints and innuendo dropped by Senator Feinstein.

Google the woman. She's not exactly a reliable arbiter of what is and isn't "ethical".

[Islander]

I've got no problems with covert activity but when the people are possibly being unethical and/or illegal then there's issues. This is why aspects of the intelligence community are tracked and monitored.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

I've spent several years, more than half my life, outside the united states and in countries considered by most to be hostile; the thing that separates 'good' from 'bad' are ethics.

Partially agree. The lines ma seem clear cut from behind a computer keyboard. They are not so, believe me, in real life.

Beyond that, operations range from the bizarre to the embarrassingly ridiculous. So, we can guess but we may never know. Some "experiments" with LSD and telepathy conducted in the 60's are seen now as totally ridiculous. Back then it was a serious endeavor.

[Just_A_Guy]

We know what it was now . . . apparently it was a plan to assassinate top AQ leaders.

And guess what? There's a reason the plan never came to fruition:

President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney didn't support such an operation.

So, you've got a plan hatched by the CIA; Bush and Cheney decide not to do it, and it languishes in the bureaucracy until Obama's man in the CIA (Panetta) claims credit for killing it and tries to make it look like the Obama administration has saved us from yet another nefarious legacy of Bush/Cheney. And the press, with one or two exceptions, buys it.

Mainstream journalism at its finest.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Just_A_Guy

[Prodigal_Son]

"The Bush administration may have broken the law, Sen Feinstein said..."

:lol::lol:

Ya think?

[john doe]

It was a red herring, designed to help Pelosi regain her composure in her campaign of lies.