Comments on: It’s Not Just that Levin Was Ousted–It’s Bradbury’s Trial Run on Torture

By: earlofhuntingdon

earlofhuntingdon — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:53:37 +0000

We know at least three things about this chain of events. One, the administration never “gives in” or changes tack, it never changes policy. Cheney refuses to; it’s part of his “I’m the boss, Go Cheney yourself,” mentality. Bush is too rigid to maneuver, confusing course with direction, and too dependent on Cheney to challenge him. Instead, they feint, go quiet for a time, then attack surreptitiously elsewhere. Much of that process seems to be in the capable hands of David Addington.

Two, Gonzales is also a dependent personality. Addington was more White House Counsel than Gonzales; he just didn’t have the job title. That’s not a problem for those in Cheney’s shoppe; ordinarily, it’s an advantage, because it makes the real mover and shaker harder to spot. A very Oriental style.

And three, Levin would have been astute not to believe Gonzales about the offer of a USA slot. Boss’ who fire subordinates over major differences in loyalty to essential people and policies (or who can distinguish between the two), do not reward them with independent positions of power elsewhere. The post at NSC, on the other hand, would have kept Levin well within the largely secret intelligence policy community, preventing him from speaking out, and kept him firmly under the observant thumb of Hadley, another Cheney minion.

All in, tactically smart moves, all bent on securing torture’s central place in Cheney’s vision of the power of the presidency. The dozens of other top lawyers and policy makers who would have observed much of what was going on here would not have missed the signals. And they would have impressed their own networks about what got rewarded, what punished, and who was in charge.

By: WilliamOckham

WilliamOckham — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:28:22 +0000

I wonder why this is appearing in the Washington Times:

Cheney linked to torture tactics
Leadership failed at top levels

A former military officer who served as chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday said Vice President Dick Cheney probably knew the U.S. military was using torture on Iraqi detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and at prisons in Iraq.

By: Leen

Leen — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:58:49 +0000

Pelosi has yet to bring up “retroactive immunity”. What planet is she on? Planet Bush

By: Leen

Leen — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:52:08 +0000

Pelosi is so over.

By: BayStateLibrul

BayStateLibrul — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:41:12 +0000

Just give Bushie retroactive immunity from torture.
His blood is everywhichway.
What the fuck will it take?
We’ve got a statement from Gen Tagabu (sp)

By: Leen

Leen — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:18:24 +0000

Jqne Harman rolls over but she all ready had. Her constituents are going to be pissed

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:06:13 +0000

16 - yeah, intel people have already come forward some already. The spooks, the soldiers, the diplomats - while the pockets of courage where smaller in some places than others, they existed everywhere but where they were needed most.

Meanwhile, back when Hezbollah leader Mugniyah was assassinated, the US crowed and seemed interested in deliberately provoking the biggest and best organized terrorist group out there into taking actions to kill in revenge. Now it looks like the Bushies who wanted to poke Hezbollah until it poked back are going to get their wish.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blot.....038;page=1

“They want to kill as many people as they can, they want it to be a big splash,” said former CIA intelligence officer Bob Baer, who says he met with Hezbollah leaders in Beirut last month.

By: al75

al75 — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:54:37 +0000

This puts W. very close to the torture program. Previously, I’d thought that Cheney + Rumsfeld were the major architects of all this. But Meirs is W.’s agent.

By: MarieRoget

MarieRoget — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:51:10 +0000

When the morally courageous start outing the realities of what BushCo authorized & chain of command of same, IMO they won’t come from inside DOJ, but from the ranks of retired intel professionals w/knowledge of everything that happened due to the nature of their work & their networks of contacts.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:45:30 +0000

And isn’t it lovely to read Blunt bragging about all the lawsuits being dismissed and Bond crowing that the WH got a much better deal than they ever believed they could get this morning.

Ah, the fresh smell of palmitoff in the morning.