Former Cheney Aide Suggests That Hersh’s Account Of ‘Executive Assassination Ring’ Is ‘Certainly True’
Former Cheney Aide Suggests That Hersh’s Account Of ‘Executive Assassination Ring’ Is ‘Certainly True’
Last month, The New Yorker’s Seymour Hersh revealed in Minnesota that former vice president Cheney presided over an “executive assassination ring.” “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,” Hersh explained.
Today, CNN interviewed Hersh and former Cheney national security aide John Hannah. Although he expressed regret for revealing the story (calling it a “dumb-dumb”), Hersh stood by his initial statements. “I’m sorry, Wolf, I have a lot of problems with it,” he said about the assassination scheme:
HERSH: I know for sure…the idea that we have a unit that goes around, without reporting to Congress… and has authority from the President to go into the country without telling the CIA station chief or the ambassador and whack somebody. … You’ve delegated authority to troops in the field to hit people on the basis of whatever intelligence they think is good.
Hannah replied that Hersh’s account of the assassination scheme “is not true.” Yet in the same breath, when asked about a “list” of assassination targets, Hannah echoed Hersh’s statements. Hannah said that “troops in the field” are given “authority” to “capture or kill certain individuals” who are perceived as a threat. “That’s certainly true,” he said:
Q: Is there a list of suspected terrorists out there who can be assassinated?
HANNAH: There’s clearly a group of people that go through a very extremely well-vetted process, interagency process…that have committed acts of war against the United States, who are at war with the United States or are suspected of planning operations of war against the United States, who authority is given to our troops in the field in certain war theaters to capture or kill those individuals. That is certainly true.
Hannah didn’t directly dispute Hersh’s claim that Congress wasn’t informed about the assassinations. “It is extremely hard for me to believe,” he said. Watch it:
Speaking about the program to MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann, former Nixon White House counsel John Dean said, “It’s potentially a war crime, it‘s potentially just outright murder, and it could clearly be in violation of the Ford executive order” — referring to a 1976 Executive Order that said, “No employee of the United States government shall engage in or conspire to engage in political assassination.”
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Blaa, blaa, blaa, Bush and Cheney will never be held accountable for their WAR CRIMES….
….if we do it, it’s ok…
….if another country does it, then invade and hang their leader, that’s ok…
….a nation of immoral hypocrites.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:59 pmSo, without admitting it, Hanna admitted it.
Put him on the list with the other war criminals. He knows.
Amazing isn’t it…if you or I get caught at something we can be convicted with circumstantial evidence, but these rapers of the country have a mountain of evidence piled up and everyone acts blind.
*turns and spits*
March 30th, 2009 at 6:06 pmLet’s ask the Attorney General to investigate and let the chips fall where they may.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:07 pmI hope Spain is taking notes. Holder, you’d better find a spine, and soon, or you will make us an international laughing stock.
Oh, wait, we already are.
(hangs head in shame…)
PEACE
March 30th, 2009 at 6:22 pmAnd they’re proud of it.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:27 pmPrez OBAMA when you say enough is enough the more we learn about the bush admin the more of the illegal crap they comitted..
it takes brave people to stand up to villiany to criminality in our govt…many whistleblowers have had that courage and have been shot down and demoted and subjagated to humiliation scorn and the very people looking out for us.. will you put and end to it? will you take a stand? will you stand up for us against the criminals?? will you use the abilities you have now as pres to bring this coutry back to where we use to be a shining beacon of freedom and hope and justice??
we will hope to have your response dont let us down
March 30th, 2009 at 6:38 pm“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
- Thomas Jefferson
PEACE
March 30th, 2009 at 6:43 pmPeople, people, people…
Do not be naive…
There is absolutely, utterly NO PHUQING WAY anybody in the Obama regime will try to bring ANY charges against ANY former Bushevik.
That is because there is not a single jury in the whole country that would convict any of them for ‘excessive’ zeal in ‘trying to protect the American people.’
We are ALL good Germans now…
March 30th, 2009 at 6:44 pmCheney & Bush were cold-blooded murderers and their crimes are catching up with them. Americans need to begin to press and protest this WH to bring them to justice before we are further implicated in their crimes by the international community.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:48 pmhate to disagree with you tokin librul but there are plenty of us who would wholeheartedly agree with anyone who believes that no one is against the law and the constitution of this country.
Obama would get incredible kudos from the american people who are sick and tired of the Bush/Cheney crimes and want to see justice served.
Not only do I disagree with you; in fact, I know what you espouse is untrue. Eric Holder is being pressed to bring investigations and charges as we type.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:50 pmOn one count you are undoubtedly accurate: The longer we sit back and remain silent; the more we look like the germans during Hitler’s crimes.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:51 pmAs we discovered this weekend, Spain is investigating 6 Bushitcos right now on charges of torture. If they take this to the international tribunal not only will other countries join in but this country will be essentially forced to bring these six plus Bush & Cheney to justice as well.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:54 pmtokin librul Says:
——————————————————————————–
People, people, people…
Do not be naive…
There is absolutely, utterly NO PHUQING WAY anybody in the Obama regime will try to bring ANY charges against ANY former Bushevik.
That is because there is not a single jury in the whole country that would convict any of them for ‘excessive’ zeal in ‘trying to protect the American people.’
We are ALL good Germans now…
Does anyone here seriously entertain the notion that it would be better to prosecute, knowing what kind of political hellstorm would be unleashed upon the country, at a time when we’re already factured along our socio-cultural axis?
It would be complete gridlock. But if Obama doesn’t prosecute, he forces The Hague to act, and it becomes a matter of honoring long-held international treaties, and not internecine conflict involving only Americans. Since we are all good germans, as you say, the same remedy must be pursued, as the WW2 war crimes tribunal. It is the natural course this inevitably must take.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:55 pm………and those that were “suicided”…..Hunter Thompson…Gary Webb?
March 30th, 2009 at 7:00 pmWOLF BLITZER IS A MOSSAD AGENT….HE SHOULD BE TELL HERSH….NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND
March 30th, 2009 at 7:00 pmThe sooner the economy gets on track, the sooner these things can come out. Until then it would be a “political hellstorm”. Well, a worse “political hellstorm”! If forced by the The Hague, the “political hellstorm” could possibly be extreme. None the less, it’s gotta happen, and President Obama undoubtedly knows this. President Obama is smarter than a whole pile of political people out there and I’ll bet he has thought about this issue at length.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:04 pmSo who decided which people to murder ? Was there some sort of assassination committee, or did darth Cheney choose all the victims ?
How many other dirty little secrets have yet to be uncovered ?
March 30th, 2009 at 7:05 pmTime will tell.
Barb C. Says:
………and those that were “suicided”…..Hunter Thompson…Gary Webb?
Somebody smarter than me should write a book “The Suiciding of Hunter S. Thomson”. Lots of possibilities there. Too bad David Foster Wallace isn’t around to write it.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:10 pmHERSH: I know for sure…the idea that we have a unit that goes around, without reporting to Congress… and has authority from the President to go into the country without telling the CIA station chief or the ambassador and whack somebody.
Cheney must be a big Remo Williams fan. According to that storyline, only the president knew all the details. Bit it’s obvious Cheney was the cutout, to give Bush plausible deniablity.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:11 pmMomar? Do you mean Moammar? Not that I support murder/execution for any reason but maybe we should atleast make sure we taregt the right guy. Now if we are going to assassinate people should we not expect folks to assassinate us? It is sort of like if we think we need nukes we ought to recognize that others might want some too
March 30th, 2009 at 7:20 pmMuammer? Moamer?
March 30th, 2009 at 7:25 pmWho would Jesus kill?
dbadass Says:
Muammer? Moamer?
Who would Jesus kill?
Everyone, and start over. Good thing he’s a fictional character. The more appropriate question is ‘Who would people that pretend to believe in the miracles of Jesus and have vast quantities of money and influence in world politics kill?’, well, we could draw up a list and it would be long and it would contain people from near and far.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:39 pmTo much smokin, Tokin, makes you sound like a paranoid dope. Their are many right wing Good RepubliCons in America; but their are not enough right wing Good RepubliCons (Good Germans) to turn America into Nazi America. Don’t let the dope, turn you into a defeatist.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:45 pmIt’s all the same to me.
—
March 30th, 2009 at 7:48 pmWhich is exactly the problem. I suppose to each their own but using a broad brush is always ill advised but especially when it comes to advocating killing people when you aren’t even sure how to tell who is whom
Hersch had it right the first time – there was an Executive Assassination Ring! I don’t know how Hannah thought he was going to pretty things up!
March 30th, 2009 at 7:51 pmThe Spanish have begun this tribunal. Keep adding names. Murder is murder.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:05 pmSo where was this assistant when all this was taking place? I guess he had to wait till they were out of office. Nice to see such after the fact courage.
As if we need anyone to tell us that it is probably true. Just name the crime and this last group has done it.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:22 pmU.S. conducts summary executions hand to hand in addition to drone fired missile? How democratic…
March 30th, 2009 at 8:23 pmExcellent! I’ll bet the big “O” will be using this very effective tactic. Semper Fi!
March 30th, 2009 at 9:00 pmWhich tactic do you mean Rolyat136? Please be specific
March 30th, 2009 at 9:19 pmeffective?
how, exactly?
- without citing works of fiction.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:21 pmjust like the rest – he can’t, and won’t, back up the clever-sounding bigboy talk.
textbook righty.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:22 pmThe Bush adminstration was truely wacked. We didn’t think our elected officials would ever go down this path again. Public opinion will have to steer this one. I wouldn’t want Obama to even touch it. The Congress has its hands full on this one. You wonder what else is going to fall out of the woodwork.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:23 pmThe Republicans can take great pride in this!!!!!!!
footnote: This senerio sounds similsr to another adminstration. Can anyone enlighten?
March 30th, 2009 at 9:25 pmRemember the Niger forgeries?
Something similar to Cheney’s right-wing death squads happened in Italy, where forged Niger documents were planted, and then the CIA station chief and the office of the U.S. ambassador to Italy were bypassed, so the documents could wind up in the office of Vice President Cheney and his intelligence chop shop.
These forged Niger documents, alleging that Iraq’s Saddam Hussein had been seeking yellow cake uranium from French-controlled uranium mines in Niger, were used by the Bush/Cheney administration to justify both their Authorization to use Military Force request in late 2002 as well as their preemptive invasion of Iraq in March 2003…along with this manufactured lie showing up in Bush’s 2002 State of the Union address.
But the key was that the CIA station chief in Rome and the U.S. ambassador to Italy were apparently both bypassed so that these forged Niger documents could “get legs” and make it into the Bush/Cheney anti-Iraq portfolio.
Remember when a Muslim cleric was kidnapped off an Italian street and renditioned to a more torture-friendly location? The CIA station chief must have been involved, but the U.S. ambassador to Italy was no doubt left out of the loop. And one has to wonder who in Italian intelligence circles cooperated with the CIA agents who kidnapped this guy, even though an Italian judge later issued arrest warrants for the CIA agents who did the kidnapping?
So the idea that Cheney’s snatch and grab of (and even killing of) suspected “terrorists” has been limited to “war zones,” and executed by our soldiers in the field who are just following orders, is laughable…since in the Bush/Cheney “Global War on Terror” mindset, the entire world is a “war zone” and even our allies, like Italy, apparently have not been immune from these clandestine Bush/Cheney operations.
But Bush and Cheney are now gone (though never forgotten, since their terroristic legacy will linger for a long, long time). The real question is what President Barack Obama (and Vice President Biden) intend on doing with all the secretive, bullying, totalitarian crap handed off to them by Bush and Cheney? Will the new administration succumb to the same temptation? The jury is still out.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:38 pmThis is the result of Iran/Contra being left un-investigated and, for the most part, un-prosecuted. The same characters and their proteges. This demonstrates the need to investigate and prosecute the Bush administration.
March 30th, 2009 at 10:56 pmI guess it is time to start writing letters again. I had stopped for awhile because it is just so tiresome, and I had hoped for more on this from Obama.
It disgusts me to no end that torture and other war crimes have been committed in the name of the people of the US.
I also disagree with the viewpoints that have expressed a desire to postpone this or punt it to the international courts. Yeah, things might get messy, but that’s what happens when the rule of law dissolves and institutions abdicate their responsibilities. This country went through 4 years of civil war, but it can’t investigate a former president? People broke laws. The slippery slope is history. We’re already sliding down, and I think it is time we start climbing back up. We should take out our own trash and show some dignity and sense of justice.
March 30th, 2009 at 11:12 pmAfter WW II we paraded the local inhabitants of German villages through the death camps to make sure they saw them.
We asked them how they couldn’t know what was going on.
Well, now Americans have an answer.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:27 amIt looks like sales of aluminum hats and kool aid are way up. What, did the unibomber escape and start writing blogs?
March 31st, 2009 at 12:35 am.
Dear Klatuu, Rolyat136, rjulseth,
Maybe you can explain the ethos to circumventing International Law?
If America is to be the leader of the Free World, the Leader of Truth and Justice, the Nation that established the Rule of Law for all people, the Nation that wrote the book on Geneva Conventions and guided the founding principles of International Law and war, just how is She then, to live up to these High Moral Principles if She is seen as seemingly above those very principles and Laws?
What future does America carve out for the next generation if She is allowed to be seen as the leader of Tyranny around the world? The leader of being beyond reproach? Just where is the respect and moral dignity in that?
Saying you have morals and principles is one thing, living up to them in good times and bad is quite another thing. It is then, were character is defined. So, how can you settle for unamerican principles that tolerate the usurpation of International Law and by default, U.S. Law, if you say you’re a Patriot and American?
Would you prefer to be safe living in a dark age of Tyranny once again? Where the president(read King) can determine for himself, what laws apply and to whom? Just how far then, are you willing to redraw those boundaries that determine what is and isn’t principled; When it suits the need at any given moment? Where then, is there room for ANY Justice?
More so, when they come for you, where will that Justice be? You think that’s a farce? Well, it mat be, but then again, would you care to test that theory? Maybe going after you is not convienient, NOW, but someday, it just may be and with your permissiveness today, you’re welcoming it upon yourselves someday. I only pray that your wishes for America will not be fulfilled for if they are, America Herself will have been lost and The People will no longer be secure from a form of Government that seeks to restrain the People…
… She no longer will be free from Tyranny. The very foundation our Founders sought to establish.
How much more do you hate America that you would prefer to see Her perish?
.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:27 am.
R E M E M B E R:
Tha House Madame took the remedy “OFF THE TABLE”…
… And her appeasers stood by and said, “O.K.”!
Damned be the 108th-110th Congress for their tacit permissiveness and their lack of willingness to abide to their Oath of Office. For IF they had the courage and fortitude, this National embarrassment would have been our own. But because the players of those Congress’ shrugged their sworn Oath and Duty to the Nation, that shame is seem around the world.
Constituents, you know what you should do. Yet somehow don’t.
America, you know what you should do. Yet somehow won’t.
Some leader….
.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:35 amCheney attended Yale University, but he flunked out. Cheney was twice prosecuted for and convicted of drunk driving. Cheney lied to former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey about the grounds for going to war in Iraq. Cheney is a pathological liar. Cheney is incompetent. Cheney would like to think that he is above the law. However, Cheney must pay for crimes against the United States and the world.
Maybe God is judging and punishing Cheney in afflicting Cheney with further heart problems in the here and now (15 October 2008) notwithstanding God’s fiery judgment against Cheney in the afterlife.
Maybe God is also punishing Cheney in having placed Cheney in a wheelchair for whatever period of time.
And now, it has been discovered that Cheney was involved relative to an executive assassination ring.
Cheney should be locked up immediately.
Cheney is severely mentally ill and needs help.
Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang, J.D. Candidate
March 31st, 2009 at 3:46 amB.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
Klatuu Says: 18
My GOD you are ignorant. Reagan made no attempt to assasinate Khadaffi he BOMBED TUNIS. Yes it killed his daughter but it was a BOMBING raid not an attempted assasination. It was in retaliation for the bombing of a Berlin disco that we had ZERO evidence was in any way tied to Libya. Raygun was a fool. Not as stupid as YOU but pretty much mainstream rightwing stupid
March 31st, 2009 at 4:53 amrjulseth Says:
It looks like like you are a MORON stupid beyond all belief
March 31st, 2009 at 4:56 amand what about the political opponents? Paul Wellstone comes to mind.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:01 amRafik Hariri anyone?
I would not put it past this hit squad Hersh talks about, or the Mossad, to try and frame Syria for Hariri’s death and push them out of Lebanon, which is what happened. Nothing is below the neo-cons, even to the extent of assassinating allies.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:07 amThis is regurgitation of an error from Obermann last night. Read the Hannah quotes carefully. He is NOT saying the Hersh account is “quite true”. He said there is an assassination squad with authorization from the president “that reports to commanders in the field”. The clear distinction that Hannah was trying to make, that Obermann and apparently this site missed, is the claim that the assassination squad reported to field commanders (Petraeus?) and not to Cheney. There are plenty of heinous Bush Admin facts to report. Please do not overstate what is said as it dilutes the message.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:05 amjjray7 Says: He said there is an assassination squad with authorization from the president “that reports to commanders in the field”
Gee golly whiz, that makes me feel much better.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:57 amjjray7,
Yet Congress is not being briefed properly, if at all.
… But you missed that part I guess.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:58 amCIA/FBI PIMPS
Prostitution, Blackmail, and Political Corruption
By Agents of the United States
Sex Slavery, Forced Prostitution, Human Trafficking, extortion, blackmail?of the most egregious kind?of U.S. Citizens by the U.S. Government Brothel of Bureaucrats
My name is Robin Head, previous owner of Playboy Escorts in Houston, Texas. I was approached by various law enforcement agency’s, FBI, ATF, etc… who wanted me to abet them in entrapping “State and political officials” having sex so they could extort, control and blackmail them, not to charge them with misdemeanor prostitution. At the same time, women at my service were being tricked and trafficked overseas to Bangkok and called me collect from a jail in Vienna.
A madam from Alabama was found hanging in a federal jail cell in nearby Brazoria County. When I refused to abet in the extortion, I was thrown in jail, no bond, a ‘Life’ sentence filed on me, and then my son and family were harassed and attacked endlessly in some kind of gang like Mafia style.
I went to the FBI, but it was like reporting the devil to the witch, they said they would help me but only if I would help them, again, to set up officials. They had no interest in the corruption aspect. Some very high profile names were involved, people seen on TV news commentary.
Who are these agents with this monstrous agenda and what do they want? This is not a left/right wing thing it is a most vicious entity in this country.
This country has become as fearful as any other 3rd world country when it comes to reporting crime to officials just exactly like in Russia, Iraq, Africa, Mexico, etc… where it is the officials that are the perpetrators of the crimes, kidnapping, ransom, drugs, and it is dangerous to report to them.
VegasMadam@hotmail.com.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:53 pmhttp://fbicorruption.250free.com
http://www.defraudingamerica.com/robin_head.html
“Max Anax junius -1 Says:
jjray7,
Yet Congress is not being briefed properly, if at all.
… But you missed that part I guess.”
No, I didn’t miss the point Max. I’m left of Obama and appalled by the fact that Bush turned loose death squads regardless of who they reported to. But if the left blogs & Obermann / Maddow are to effectively push back against the MSM disinformation machine then they have to clearly and accurately report the facts. DON’T REACH. It’s stupid given that there are plenty of incriminating facts readily at hand without inflating what has come to light. This is not an isolated case.
March 31st, 2009 at 2:30 pmMR. OBAMA, THE TIME TO APPOINT A SPECIAL PROSECUTER IS OVER DUE!
March 31st, 2009 at 4:01 pmYOU PROMISED TO RESTORE AMERICA’S MORAL STAND IN THE WORLD, IF YOU DON’T ALLOW THE PROSECUTION OF AMERICA’S WAR CRIMINALS, YOU WILL ALSO OWN THEIR CRIMES!
NO ONE WILL EVER TRUST THE USA AGAIN IF THESE CRIMINALS WALK FREE!
MARK MY WORDS!
Wow. So much for being progressive, I didn’t know Bush haters would keep going even after their heralded Saviour was elected.
You think Bush and Cheney made us the laughing stock of the world? Really???
Of course nobody likes war, and of course we are ridiculed. Mostly because we are doing what we think needs done. Who does the world look to when something happens? US, and always will. The only time we are the laughing stock is when the UN isn’t getting their kickbacks from countries that are under sanctions.
For a moment, I thought this was a Sean Penn fan club….
April 1st, 2009 at 11:23 amI’m so glad if this is true. They are doing their damn best to run this country.Do you think the taliban is setting up websites about how to better protect our childrens well being? Maybe some of the people who planned WTC attacks are sittting at home right now saying “what about the orphans we left behind?” AHHH and the innocent ones like the majority of afghan people? I’m sorry but I live in this country, have since I was born. I care more about my friends and family than some afghan family that lives next door to a terrorist! Where did Yyou people go wrong did your parents form your way of thinking? because god knows the last generation of americans would cry if they saw what has happened to americans and our way of thinking. But most of you are probably like me a first generation american. Maybe its hip to think the way you do? Does some Hollywood actor influence the way you all think? For Rome it was one thing for the once proud nation USA it’s another congratulations, and I hope none of you have children for I wouldn’t want to raise a son or daughter in this doomed land!
April 1st, 2009 at 9:10 pmI doubt there is an assassination wing at the VPs disposal without any check and balance in place.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:01 pm