When asked whether extraordinary renditions will continue, Panetta answers without hestitation: ‘No.’
When asked whether extraordinary renditions will continue, Panetta answers without hestitation: ‘No.’
Last week, the LA Times published a story asserting that President Obama “left intact” the CIA’s authority to carry out extraordinary renditions. (The unfounded claim was thoroughly debunked.) At his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee today, Leon Panetta, Obama’s pick to head the CIA, declared decisively that the CIA would not carry out extraordinary renditions:
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA): Will the CIA continue the practice of extraordinary rendition by which the government will transfer a detainee to either a foreign government or a black site for the purpose of long-term detention and interrogation, as opposed to for law enforcement purposes?
PANETTA: No we will not.
Watch it:
Panetta made the distinction between “extraordinary rendition” to indefinitely hold detainees for interrogation — and torture — and law enforcement rendition. As Scott Horton wrote, the earlier rendition program under President Clinton “regularly involved snatching and removing targets for purposes of bringing them to justice by delivering them to a criminal justice system. It did not involve the operation of long-term detention facilities and it did not involve torture.”
Transcript:
FEINSTEIN: Will the CIA continue the practice of extraordinary rendition by which the government will transfer a detainee to either a foreign government or a black site for the purpose of long-term detention and interrogation, as opposed to for law enforcement purposes?
PANETTA: No we will not because under the executive order signed by the president, that kind of extraordinary rendition, where we send someone for the purposes of torture or for actions by another country that violate our human values — that has been forbidden by the executive order.
I understand the powers that the president has under Article II, and they are broad powers, but nobody is above the law. Nobody is above the law. And I think that even the President of the United States has to abide by the statutes and by the laws passed by the Congress. So yes, he has broad authority under Article II, but I do not think he can violate the laws of this country.
I was disappointed by those comments because the implication is that somehow this country is more vulnerable to attack because the President of the United States wants to abide by the law and the Constitution. I think we're a stronger nation when we abide by the law and the Constitution.
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Crap, Leo, you didn’t leave a back door.
Nice job.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:49 pmDamn!
February 5th, 2009 at 3:54 pmI really love how Iggy Pop lays down “Sixteen”. Extraordinary rendition indeed!
Obviously, this means the American Taliban Party will have no choice but to filibuster the nomination.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:55 pmI particularly like the part “Noone is above the Law”
I predict mass evacuation to Paraguay in the near future for the BushCO Criminal Cabal.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:58 pmNobody is above the law.
Then, I should assume that some members of the Bush Administration will be under indictment?
February 5th, 2009 at 3:59 pmAnd this too..
“I think we’re a stronger nation when we abide by the law and the Constitution.”
Go Boy!!
February 5th, 2009 at 3:59 pmI think we’re a stronger nation when we abide by the law and the Constitution.
Hear, hear! Amen! etc.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:01 pmVia Yahoo/AP:
And since everything everybody did was cleared by a compromisaed and criminal DoJ, everything’s hunky-dory, I guess…
We Must Look Foreward…yadda yadda yadda
February 5th, 2009 at 4:01 pmDick Cheney’s warning is CLEARLY more than enough reason for the Whitehouse to issue a Code Orange and Nationalize the banks.
Go Big, Barack!!
February 5th, 2009 at 4:02 pmoops
February 5th, 2009 at 4:02 pmDick Cheney says – What this is outrageous! How can we keep America safe without torture and kidnapping anyone we please?
America voted in Terrorist loving Democrats and now will reap what they sow.
There’s going to be a mushroom cloud above an American city any second now.
There are thousands of terrorists just out side our borders just waiting with briefcase nukes and chemical weapons waiting for us to not torture anymore, then boom, we will all be dead!!! You just watch and see.
Fcuk off Dick
February 5th, 2009 at 4:03 pmAhh, It feels good to have people at the top that base critical decisions about our country on the Constitution and not on whatever happened in the most recent episode of 24. Panetta has already earned my approval.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:03 pmDr. Hussein Matt Says:
Yes! The adults are in charge.
Where is tokin to whine about this?
February 5th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
What flavor’s the Kool-Aid in there Matt…I’ll get the Dims to send you a case of it…
February 5th, 2009 at 4:03 pmI think we’re a stronger nation when we abide by the law and the Constitution.
Yes, let’s stop being the nation of “do as we say, not as we do.”
PEACE
February 5th, 2009 at 4:04 pmWow, someone who actually GETS it in charge @ CIA? What a concept!
But … WAIT … did he pay all of his taxes?? Did his wife?? Did his kids? How about his cousins?? That’s what America REALLY cares about!!
February 5th, 2009 at 4:06 pmI know I’m off thread but The President is laying the law down!
February 5th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Soory here is the link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/05/obama-time-for-action-is_n_164317.html
February 5th, 2009 at 4:07 pmPanetta says:
but I do not think he can violate the laws of this country.
I think we’re a stronger nation when we abide by the law and the Constitution.
Nuff said.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:10 pmI guess we’re about to find out if Dick Cheney still has the man sized safe and if it has Panetta sized room still left within.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:10 pmRule of law out of the way, let’s get to the real deal. Did Panetta pay the tax on that Pancetta sandwich he had the other day?
February 5th, 2009 at 4:12 pmNo he didn’t McWars. A street person bought it for him from cadged coins. His IRS burden.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:15 pmThe Borgen Project has some good info on the cost of addressing global poverty.
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:16 pm$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget
The LA story was debunked last week, but not too many people heard about it. Rachel Maddow’s guest explicitly explained the difference between lawful rendition, and “extraordinary rendition” a la Bush&Co.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:17 pmI am quite relieved to hear of Panetta’s replies today.
I am also relieved that Darth Cheney words were also cited and specifically denounced.
TP,
Please do something about the damn “Borgen Project” SPAMMER.
It is obviously a BOT. Since all the post are the same, only the poster name changes at times, I would put in a posting filter for “The Borgen Project” , that would stop this junk.
Thanks
February 5th, 2009 at 4:21 pmRC
F uck the Borgen Project, let the Privacy Center handle global poverty
February 5th, 2009 at 4:27 pm“I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
“We do not torture.”
“Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.”
Call me paranoid if I don’t believe everything the government says.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:33 pmohplease Says:
don’t forget “I’m not a crook!”
February 5th, 2009 at 4:40 pm;)
Clinton is not the country….he is an individual and if a individual wants to deny having sex….what the fcuk is it to you?????
We do not torture…is a government/international policy that was broken.
As per the weapons of mass destruction, that was a government agency that provided facts to which were cherry picked to produce evidence that was based on lies.
SO TWO OUT OF THREE WERE GOVERNMENT ISSUES….INDIVIDUALS ISSUES DON’T COMPARE MY FRIEND!!!
February 5th, 2009 at 4:43 pmListen, if Darth Cheney predicts an assault, believe him.
He organized the last one…
February 5th, 2009 at 4:44 pmThe newest type of trolling, where Obama isn’t progressive enough is hilarious since it’s done mostly by right wing nuts. Yeah, I’m talking to you tokin.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:44 pmYeah, I’m talking to you tokin.
You drunk on the kool-aid, child…
I been fighting the progressive fight longer than you been breathing.
i been abbreviating, but shall i spell it out?
ESAD, shitwhistle…
February 5th, 2009 at 4:48 pmThere’s two ears on any given wingnut, a left one and a right one.
February 5th, 2009 at 4:54 pmAnyone feel the need to announce “I have been tokin longer than you have been librul”?
February 5th, 2009 at 4:54 pmare you passin’ that my way?
By the way, bit was back on the Obama/Faith based discrimination thread, trying to canonize Patrick Henry
February 5th, 2009 at 5:00 pmNevar Says:
ohplease Says:
don’t forget “I’m not a crook!”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And the aluminum tubes can ONLY be used for gas centrifuges and The Atta meeting in Prague is pretty much confirmed. True the government has always lied to me. I am adjusted to that. At this point I will be happy if they stop lying to start wars
February 5th, 2009 at 5:02 pmYeah, I saw but I had my bait in the gay marriage pond
February 5th, 2009 at 5:06 pmany nibbles?
February 5th, 2009 at 5:08 pmAnyone feel the need to announce “I have been tokin longer than you have been librul”?
February 5th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I have been stoned longer than most of you have been alive, i’d bet…
Smoked it the first time in HS–1963 or 64…
Steadily since 1968…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:10 pmDo you have an oxygen tank yet?
February 5th, 2009 at 5:12 pmNevar Says:
are you passin’ that my way?
Ear…
My ol’ dad usta say a gentleman should be known for the quality of his intoxicants, and his generosity with ‘em…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:12 pmI half expected Daryll/Rapture Boy here with some security concerns…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:13 pmDo you have an oxygen tank yet?
February 5th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Yano, I quit tobacco 15 years ago, and that really helped…
I got a bit of what I call ‘pot-asthma’…I cough especially on a bong…but my wind’s still pretty good…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:14 pmI quit it all about that long ago, it’s a good thing I did, cause now I’m wildland firefighter…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pmNothing like a good hit of pine pitch….
Nothing like a good hit of pine pitch….
February 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Good on ya…you’re a brave fella…my courage went the way of my physical strength in the advance of age. I’m 63, got sciatica (nerve damage), bad lower back (15 years wearing a carpenter’s tool belt’ll do that), a coupla stents in my heart, AND A BAD ATTITUDE…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:25 pm(heh)
Maybe your telling the truth tokin. Or maybe your just another one of those RNC junior college punks working for a nickel a post. You can be who ever you want to be here.
February 5th, 2009 at 5:32 pmAnd all of this has some impact on how a person says the Constitution is what he holds near and dear? Sorry for your problems, tokin but your projection doesn’t hold true. You hurt, he’s trying.
Lend a hand.
February 5th, 2009 at 5:33 pmAnd I’ve had a bad attitude longer than you’ve been a pothead.
February 5th, 2009 at 5:34 pmJust what is the problem here? We have an appointee who agrees with the Constitution? Someone either explain it or give me drugs so I don’t care.
February 5th, 2009 at 5:38 pmlol, Shayne…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:39 pm;)
Shayne Says:
And I’ve had a bad attitude longer than you’ve been a pothead.
February 5th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Shayneee, boy, I’ve held my breath longer than you’ve been alive…
February 5th, 2009 at 5:43 pm.
R E M E M B E R:
“They hate us for our freedoms…”
… And so on George W. Bush’s watch they attempted to debate, lobby, and legislate away foundational principles, values, and Constitutional Laws.
.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:09 amThere’s a fairly insidious theme emerging that this is all about extraordinary rendition and torture. It isn’t, and it’s a bad idea to act like it is. I’ve posted more on the topic over here, but the short version is that Horton, hilzoy and others are missing (or ignoring) some pretty important points. Let’s not break out the champagne for the return of the rule of law just yet.
February 6th, 2009 at 8:32 ammaybe
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