Open Thread: Book Reveals Pelosi Knew About Waterboarding
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has now been formally exposed for lying about her knowledge of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding by a new book from a former CIA counterterrorism officer who actually gave her a briefing about them.
In other words, Pelosi and other congressional Democrats who later decried the use of "torture" when it became politically advantageous, knew about and did not object to them for years beforehand:
In his new book, “Hard Measures,” Jose Rodriguez reveals that he led a CIA briefing of Pelosi, where the techniques being used in the interrogation of senior al-Qaeda facilitator Abu Zubaida were described in detail. Her claim that she was not told about waterboarding at that briefing, he writes, “is untrue.” “We explained that as a result of the techniques, Abu Zubaydah was compliant and providing good intelligence. We made crystal clear that authorized techniques, including waterboarding, had by then been used on Zubaydah.” Rodriguez writes that he told Pelosi everything, adding, “We held back nothing.” How did she respond when presented with this information? Rodriguez writes that neither Pelosi nor anyone else in the briefing objected to the techniques being used. [...]
Six days after the meeting took place, Rodriguez reveals, “a cable went out from headquarters to the black site informing them that the briefing for the House leadership had taken place.” He explains that “[t]he cable to the field made clear that Goss and Pelosi had been briefed on the state of AZ’s interrogation, specifically including the use of the waterboard and other enhanced interrogation techniques.”
As Townhall's Guy Benson notes, Pelosi's lie here is really quite outrageous:
To recap: Roughly one year after 9/11, Nancy Pelosi and other select members of Congress were told in great detail about a program of EITs that US interrogators were employing to wring actionable intelligence out of captured terrorists. No one objected. Years later, when Democrats were indignantly denouncing "torture" as an inexpiable sin of Bush and the Republicans, Pelosi disavowed any knowledge of the meeting she had attended. She deliberately lied about a sensitive national security question in order to score the cheapest of political points, tossing the American intelligence community under the bus in the process. This is absolutely shameful. House Democrats' code of Congressional conduct features the following passage, describing the grounds on which a member may be censured:
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Comments
What!!!???
Submitted by c5then on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:22am.
Pelosi lied to the American people!! Really??!!
How shocking!!
/sarc
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Sort of like
Submitted by misterbee241 on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:35am.
gambling at Rick's Cafe, isnt it?
Liberals lie, what else is
Submitted by Scuba Dude on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:33am.
Liberals lie, what else is new?
What is frustrating is no one (except the fine folks here at NB and elsewhere in the blogosphere) is calling them out on it.
One has to wonder how much different this country would have been if in the last 20 or so years the LSM had actually done its job and not played lapdog to the libturds.
Pelosi lied
Submitted by Agnostic on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:38am.
and how many votes will that cost her among her constituents? One - maybe two.
Shiite, Ag!
Submitted by Newsbubba on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:21am.
Daab itch will probably pick up votes!!
Newsbubba,
Submitted by Agnostic on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 12:27pm.
people keep shoveling Shiite into DC and expecting to smell better
Pelosi has to read Jose
Submitted by celator on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:39am.
Pelosi has to read Jose Rodriguez's book before she knows what she was briefed about.
Pelosi~
Submitted by GG_NB on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:43am.
Usually, when Pelosi appears to be lying, she blinks, divert her eyes, squirms and displays other big ole clues that she's fibbing. But from that one podium denial I've seen from her on this issue, she seemed perfectly calm and assertive and more convincing -- so I always figured she just wasn't paying attention at that briefing, or it was all too complicated for her to grasp, or she actually wasn't even present -- something like that.
But after hearing this guy go into detail on what they were specifically told and that yes, she was present at the briefing, well...I guess she has become a more convincing liar. Pretty creepy.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
As George Costanza says: It's
Submitted by motherbelt on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:48am.
As George Costanza says: It's not a lie, if you believe it.
She probably convinced herself it didn't happen.
True, so true~
Submitted by GG_NB on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:17am.
Now if we could just find a way to convince her that she was never elected to office.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
Good morning Georgia
Submitted by cocodrie on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:42am.
Convince her she's a model and get her to do a spread for Playboy along with a lenghty interview for those not interested in the pictures.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
Coco~
Submitted by GG_NB on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:50am.
I can't even "go there." Let's pick something less...drastic.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
GC, you can tell when she's lying, easily.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:23am.
Her lips are moving.
I hope this won't affect her chances to regain the Speakership.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:46am.
Which are, according to her, pret-ty darn good right now.
This old bat will be hanging around til 90 like Lautenberg, unless Satan calls her home sooner.
I think Lautenberg was
Submitted by Free Stinker on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:09am.
I think Lautenberg was already replaced with a Disney Animatron . . .
/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
Is anyone doing a spit-take
Submitted by motherbelt on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 10:46am.
Is anyone doing a spit-take over this revelation?
Waiting For Some Leftist To Float
Submitted by stratman on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:27am.
we shouldn't believe a Right-Wing Torturer and any witnesses there may be.
Worth reading~
Submitted by GG_NB on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 12:14pm.
Read this today, and it was news to me, so just passing along. Sorry the links in the article don't work on here.
~GG
Sacred beliefs in Afghanistan and America
by Newt Gingrich
Dear Fellow Conservative,
The Obama administration may have adopted a formula that will come back to haunt it.
In an effort to appease religious elements in Afghanistan it has established a standard that could become a major defeat for secular extremists here in America.
In response to Afghan outrage over the inadvertent Koran burnings by the U.S. Military in February, the Obama Defense Department created a mandatory training for military service members in the region. It is entitled, "Proper handling and disposal of Islamic Religious Materials: Service Members/Civilian Training."
You can read the 11 slides in the briefing here.
The most fascinating slide is the last one. There the Obama administration asserts: "We will hold sacred the beliefs held sacred by others."
Apparently to President Obama, the sacred beliefs of Islam in Afghanistan must be held sacred by the U.S. government, but Christianity in America is a nuisance to be reshaped by ObamaCare, the courts and the bureaucracy with no regard for its beliefs.
Americans are noticing. Consider this protest from a Catholic group as reported to me by my friend and co-author Bill Forstchen:
"Without doubt the most powerful ad, aimed straight at Catholics, to take a political stand based upon our most basic beliefs. This one is incredible and you know I rarely forward such things."
You can see the video here.
The ObamaCare war against religious liberty extends far beyond Catholics. As the president of Louisiana College, a Baptist college dedicated to right-to-life principles told me, "If Obamacare forces us to violate our religious beliefs we will close the college."
Let's challenge President Obama's assertion that "We will hold sacred the beliefs held sacred by others".
If we must hold sacred Korans being used by Afghan terrorists to pass messages back and forth, then certainly we can hold sacred religious symbols held sacred by law-abiding Americans here in the United States. We can put back up the crosses and the Ten Commandments courts have forced us to take down--right?
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
➚ Angry Democrat Mob - hate crime!
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 12:19pm.
A mob of hate-filled Democrats viciously assaulted an American couple in Norfolk Va.
Still no word as to whether the President believes the Democrats acted stupidly.
We can make the observation that Democrats support violence (as long as target maps are not employed)?
As long as Democrats can rationalize the action, it's justified?
This is the result of condescending, patronizing, paternalistic ownership?
Chicken Man Vandamage is unavailable for comment.
Roger Clement is on trial
Submitted by ricklail on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 12:44pm.
Roger Clement is on trial right now for lying to Congress. They lie to us each day. I don't consider Pelosi to be the biggest liar in Congress. I hold that out for Elijah Cummings.
➚ Mein DFMF
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 1:02pm.
Apparently, "Mein DFMF" (Dreams From My Father) contains the President's stereotypical view of white chicks rather than a singlerelationship he had with a woman.
Looks like they must have been "typical white" women.
He's still a racist, unless it's OK to talk about what typical black women do.
(Politico) Obama: 'New York girlfriend' was composite.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 1:16pm.
Note the cleverly misplaced quotes.
It should read Obama: New York girlfriend was "composite."
Unless, of course, I'm wrong and there really IS a literary term for fake characters in AUTOBIOGRAPHIES.
"composite"
Submitted by Agnostic on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 1:23pm.
Just like President Obama's policies are a composite of socialist/marxist programs.
SoL~
Submitted by GG_NB on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 1:45pm.
I think the term is "lie."
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
➚ Typical white women
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 3:08pm.
That's our Ear Leader. To him, all white women can be lumped into one category. The Genevieve category.
What say we tell some stories about what all black women are like? OOPS! That would be racist.
Limousine composite persons, sex or color, matters not.
Submitted by upcountrywater on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 5:01pm.
http://weaselzippers.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/purpleocuupier.jpg
You Didn't Build That.
I got $20 that says
Submitted by bkeyser on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 6:18pm.
a few of the components of said "composite" were testicles.
To quote Philip J. Fry: "I'm
Submitted by LinTaylor on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 1:23pm.
To quote Philip J. Fry:
"I'm shocked, shocked! ...Well, not that shocked."
Junior Seau dead
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 3:10pm.
Shot himself in the chest?
Confirmed suicide, but now not confirmed?
Wow,
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 6:03pm.
Wonder what had his head so tormented?
When he wrote Dreams From My
Submitted by celator on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 5:21pm.
When he wrote Dreams From My Father, Bill "kill your parents" Ayers was just trying to make Obama seem like he actually dated real live women once upon a time.
Fail.
China activist Chen Guangcheng leaves US embassy
Submitted by upcountrywater on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 5:36pm.
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng has left the US embassy in Beijing after taking refuge there for a week. Chinese officials have accused the US of breaking the law and demanded an apology. Why?
Possibly the longest case ever of a dissident taking sanctuary in an embassy was that of the Hungarian Catholic Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty who spent 15 years under the protection of the US embassy in Budapest, from 1956 to 1971.
the arrival of Hillary Clinton in Beijing on an official visit may have provided an extra incentive to find a quick solution.
Well DO'H, AND Chinese public transportation baged him...a van is waiting for him...
You Didn't Build That.
Wiki scrubs "Forward" history of campaign slogan
Submitted by Radical1979 on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 5:47pm.
Wiki seems to have, or is planning to, scrub the Marxist history of using the word "Forward" as a political slogan. I guess the fact that mass murderers like Hitler and Stalin used it might impact our own soon to be dictator in a negative way.
➚Vorwartz! Vorwartz!
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 5:55pm.
OK, so it's also the title of a Hitler Youth song, just like "Mein Kampf" translates to "My Struggle" which translates to "Jihad"
There is nothing new under the sun.
OK, so it's also the title of
Submitted by stratman on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 7:45pm.
Which translates to "Dreams Of My Father", which translates to "The Audacity Of Hope".
Link~
Submitted by GG_NB on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 7:43pm.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/04/30/president-obama-is-getting-des...
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
Free Speech Abridged
Submitted by Radical1979 on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 9:23pm.
This story cannot be posted enough. We are no longer allowed to protest where the Secret Service is present, meaning in the presence of the POTUS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=7SGWH3kirzg&vq=medium
DEFECTION DENIED, Thanks to joe BITE-ME,
Submitted by upcountrywater on Thu, 05/03/2012 - 8:12am.
Vice President’s office behind turning away of senior Chinese defector from consulate in China...
The office of Vice President Joe Biden overruled State and Justice Department officials in denying the political asylum request of a senior Chinese communist official last February over fears the high-level defection would upset the U.S. visit of China’s vice president, according to U.S. officials.
The defector, Wang Lijun, was turned away after 30 hours inside the U.S. Consulate Chengdu and given over to China’s Ministry of State Security, the political police and intelligence service.
Wang has not been seen since Feb. 7...
OK Joe BITE-ME what you going to do.
ChinaAid said in a statement issued Saturday that Chen is “under U.S. protection,” according to a source close to the dissident.
“This is a pivotal moment for U.S. human rights diplomacy,” said ChinaAid President Bob Fu. “Because of Chen’s wide popularity, the Obama administration must stand firmly with him or risk losing credibility as a defender of freedom and the rule of law. If there is a reason why Chinese dissidents revere the U.S., it is for a moment like this.”
Rather than turning him away as occurred in the Wang case, the group said, Chen should be handled like the 1989 case of dissident Fang Lizhi, who was allowed to stay 13 months inside the U.S. Embassy in Beijing until Chinese authorities allowed him to leave the country.
U.S. officials said Fang’s stay was approved personally by then-President George H.W. Bush, who authorized U.S. officials to escort Fang to the Embassy.
You Didn't Build That.
This was pathetic
Submitted by jon_torlin on Thu, 05/03/2012 - 9:11am.
Totally pathetic. Who cares what a blind guy wants if he wants to leave China, it goes against Communism and China has the right to hang on to him if they want to. Not only that, if the US were to support his leaving, that would also go against or Lord and Savior's desire to achieve communism in this country. It's called "a conflict of interest." That's why Hillary didn't mention one damn thing about him despite her talking about "human rights." But to commies, "human rights" are on the same level as "animal rights" because of that commie group think thing.
In all honesty, I thought blind people are smarter than this because they can "see" things that "seeing people" can not which is being able to read between the lines and be able to tell who the liars are and etc. That tells me two things, either Chen is just a damn fool for asking Hillary for help, or those dems are far better liars than given credit for. It's both. Chen's screwed.
Now if another commie was involved, oh hell yes, all bets are off, let's help the guy as much as possible, eh? Not that a commie would want to come here, why would a commie want to leave a communist country in the first place? You get the idea. So once Chen gets a little "rehab," he should be ok and won't want to leave again.
As for losing credibility as a defender of freedom and rule of law, that ship sailed back in Jan 20, 2009.
-Jon
This is sad!
Submitted by GG_NB on Thu, 05/03/2012 - 9:39am.
The majority of Americans want our government to do the right thing -- and we all know in our hearts what that is.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan