Kerry to Feinstein: Consider timing of CIA report

[DonViejo]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry asked Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Friday to “consider” the timing of the expected release of a report on the CIA’s harsh interrogation techniques.

The official said Kerry called Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to talk about the implications of publicly releasing her committee’s report given the current tense situation in numerous world hotspots. The official, however, said the administration’s support for its release remained unchanged. The official was not authorized to discuss the private call by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

-snip-

According to many U.S. officials who have read it, the document includes new details about the CIA’s use of such techniques as sleep deprivation, confinement in small spaces, humiliation and the simulated drowning process known as waterboarding. President Barack Obama has acknowledged, “We tortured some folks.”

But the report goes much further than to simply condemn the brutal methods, which Obama banned in 2009 and were repudiated by the three most recent CIA directors. It alleges that the harsh interrogations failed to produce unique and life-saving intelligence. And it asserts that the CIA systematically lied about the covert program to officials at the White House, the Justice Department and congressional oversight committees.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2014/12/05/kerry_to_feinstein_consider_timing_of_cia_report/

[merrily]

1. We have been in a "war on terror" since 911. When will there NOT be a tense time

one hotspot or another?

Besides, Arabs and Muslims probably know a lot more about this than do Americans. Maybe the real objective is not to rile Americans up against more "military initiatives" by the U.S.? As it is, Americans are fed up with these wars.

[elias49]

7. My thoughts exactly ..

there will never be a "good time" if we wait for world peace!

[merrily]

10. Especially if our actions in the Middle East keep making more and more enemies for us.

[elias49]

11. Which seems to be the course we're on!

What was once called - euphemistically - the "Arab-Israeli conflict" has metastasized into a complete clusterf***

[Man from Pickens]

2. Preferred timing:

never

[PoliticAverse]

3. So Kerry is now to the right of Feinstein on this issue?... n/t

[DonViejo]

4. I don't believe so....

based on this paragraph from the article:

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said the State Department has “directed all of our posts overseas to review their security posture in light of … a release of this report, to ensure that our personnel, our facilities and our interests are prepared for the range of reactions that might occur.”

I think there's some real concern for the safety of U.S. citizens stationed around the world. I'd like to think the State Dept is waiting to get the "we're ready" for the "range of reactions that might occur," from offices around the world. I'm sure the GOP is readying their "Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi" chant for if and when all hell breaks loose when it is made public, however.

[merrily]

8. Our facilities, personnel and interests overseas are not always prepared for a range of reactions?

Especially in the Middle East? Even after Benghazi? If not, something is terribly, terribly wrong.

And would you expect a statement released by a spokesperson for Kerry's state dept not to back up Kerry?

[DonViejo]

20. No, they're not prepared for a range of reactions....

e.g., what happened at the Benghazi consulate. Yes, I expect a spokesperson for the Secy of State to back Kerry up. I'm willing to give the Secretary of State the benefit of the doubt for a short while longer. I'm not ready to jump up and down yelling; "it's a conspiracy, they're trying to hide the report!"

[merrily]

21. My post took Benghazi into account. But now, it's AFTER Benghazi.

They should be prepared.

[DonViejo]

22. In the final analysis,...

Last edited Mon Dec 8, 2014, 12:40 PM - Edit history (1)

what you or any of us think they "should be" is immaterial and notwithstanding ...we aren't prepared, even AFTER Benghazi. Many people believe the U.S. should have been prepared for the Pearl Harbor attack; for the Communist Chinese invasion of North Korea in the Autumn of 1950; for the Beirut Marine Barracks bombing in 1983; for 9/11; what we would encounter in our invasion of Afghanistan or, Iraq AND the Benghazi attack, but, as you well know, we weren't prepared. Even if it were to be announced, "we're ready, release the report," we wouldn't be ready. In the absence of detailed knowledge of an opposition force's planned intentions/actions, no one knows what that force will do or try to do. If it is announced "we're ready," we won't be but, we'd like to believe we are ready and prepared for whatever onslaught is sent our way.

[merrily]

24. Maybe, but withholding info is not the solution.

[DonViejo]

25. It's not being withheld....

Kerry asked Feinstein to "consider" the ramifications if it is released at this time. Everything I've read in the last 24 hours regarding the release of the report, states it is coming today.

[karynnj]

6. No - he has always been better than almost any Democrat on the issue of torture

He was the first of only two 2004 candidates to speak against Abu Ghraib and to call for Rumsfeld to be fired -- Dean followed with similar comments. This was in 2003 when it came out. That was a tough thing for someone running for President to do - especially in light of Kerry's 1971 testimony.

He also gave a strong speech - like Kennedy and Leahy against McCain's bill that in Kerry's words, "allowed torture". As a Senator he was for the release, but was concerned it be done to minimize the blow back.

I assume that now really is a "worst" time. We have people back in Iraq, but almost more importantly, the ISIS strategy depends on getting the Sunnis to reject ISIS for the the Iraq government that we are aligned with. In addition, Afghanistan has a new government - largely because Kerry brokered it. It is fragile -- and it is really the only hope that Afghanistan could avoid massive chaos.

So, though it is true that there will always be hot spots. Now really is a very tentative time in both of the two most affected countries. The comment that Obama had -- that the US did torture people really is a high level summary. It is also clear Obama changed the policy years ago. This report will be there for history -- and will forever tarnish the Bush administration.

I suspect that the ISSUE of the report being released is a hotter topic here than in most places in the US and that even here, when it is released, it will be commented on for a day or two -- and then it will be on to something else. It is not clear that anyone will be taken to task for what we all know (but not in detail) happened.

Given that history will have this, what is really gained getting it out now?

[merrily]

9. Given that history will eventually have almost everything,

what point is there in releasing any info now, under your rationale?

I know you will always jump in, seemingly out of nowhere sometimes, and defend Kerry at length no matter what, but that is one way out rationalization for withholding information from the American taxpayer/voter.

We built that. Or at least, we paid for the Senate and whoever they hired to put that info together. It's our property, not Kerry's, not Obama's. And there is no better time to release info to the American public than when the US government is telling them it's time yet again to surge or to go to war against a new foe.

If this were Bush trying to hold back info about US activities relevant to the Middle East until after he was sure he had sold the public on invading Iraq, DU would be screaming--and rightly so.

[karynnj]

12. Out of nowhere?

This is LBN - and I have been on DU for 10 years and have the post count to show for it. It is pretty ridiculous to claim that I somehow appear out of nowhere.

Yes I do defend Kerry and I do so because I believe he is one of the best statesman we have. I have never made a secret of that and I have the JK group as one of my groups. I don't go around asking people who appear most often on threads defending Snowden (or Hillary) why they simply appear out of nowhere. The fact is a large percent of people have relatively predictable positions and posts -- including you.

As to the idea that it means nothing should be released now, that is not true. Anything likely to result in some action - legislative, judicial or the executive branch to change something that is happening now would have far more justification. Here, the policy has already been changed. It is also completely unlikely that anyone will be indicted over anything they did here. So, the point is that this study is very important mostly for the historical record and to hopefully prevent the US from ever doing the same thing again.

As to Kerry, we do not even know what his personal preference on this is. I actually do think the reason he gave makes since given the tenuous situation in Afghanistan and Iraq may be what he believes. It is however, very possible that he was asked by Obama to persuade Feinstein to delay this. Given that it is PREDICTABLE that the release could cause blowback in Iraq or Afghanistan, it would seem to me that you need to have a very good reason for why it is important to have this report out now.

The fact that you equate what Obama is doing working with the Iraqi government to stop ISIS with Bush invading Iraq is tells me where you are.

[merrily]

13. No, Karynnj, I did not say or imply that you were not a long time DU poster.

I would not claim anything like that.

I meant that almost any time something is posted about Kerry, even if you have not been posting on DU that day or even that week, you seem to show up to defend Kerry. It's like you have a sixth sense about when posts involving Kerry hit the board. At least that how it seems to me--and I did use the word "seems." Also, I didn't ask you why you showed up to do that. Didn't ask why you defend him either. Didn't say anything at all relating to why you defend him. I simply commented on how your appearances seem to me. I said nothing for you to get all that defensive about.

Anything likely to result in some action - legislative, judicial or the executive branch to change something that is happening now would have far more justification.

The government does not belong to any or all of those branches, though. It belongs to the people. We pay for every bit of it and we vote. We are the most relevant ones to consider. The contents of that report are very relevant to us. But, I already posted all that to you and more. No reason to repeat all of my prior post to you simply because you ignored most of my prior post.

Besides, if you don't know the contents of the report, how can you say it's not likely to result in any action of any kind by any branch, including the judiciary? That, too, seems to me like a bridge too far for a rationalization.

BTW, according to Amnesty International,among other sources, torture did not begin orend with the Bush administration. And that's even before we get to drone killings.

Finally, I did not equate Obama/Isis with Bush/Iraq. I did not even compare Obama with Bush in any respect. I made a comment about the behavior of DU posters when something is done by a Republican administration versus when it's done by a Democratic administration. But, you knew that.

[karynnj]

14. I post on many many topics - including many that have nothing to do with Kerry

It is true that I am far more likely to read a thread with Kerry's name in the subject. Other than when busy or on a vacation, I tend to look at DU every day - and I usually will post. I generally look at the most recent DU JK, GD, Politics 2014 and LBN. There is no sixth sense needed - or as I assume you are implying some secret hiding place for Kerry people to put links that need responding to. Not to mention, I have made several posts today - most completely unrelated to Kerry. I did not see you post anything earlier, but I would not assume that you made none. I would assume they were on threads I did not thoroughly read. Maybe you see only my Kerry posts because those are threads that you gravitated to.

In fact, your accusation - and yes it was an accusation even if "seems" was used - is walking a borderline as it comes very close to questioning whether I am an independent DU poster, which I am. It is close to harassment.

I did not ignore anything you said - I simply disagreed with it. I guess you cannot fathom that anyone could read your point and not be persuaded by it.

[mylye2222]

18. This is weird and disheartening

to see that people who are straight up to defend Kerry get almost instant blame.
While people doing the exasy same towards Hillary are cheered.
Question of name recognition and popularity I presume.

Karynnj posts on various topics and is there since TEN long and productive years of well filled and educating posts. Your slam at her is nonsense my friend.

[OnyxCollie]

16. The Obama administration tortured Chelsea Manning.

And changing the policy does not remove the obligation to prosecute acts of torture under the UN treaty.

[Psephos]

17. exactly n/t

[CJCRANE]

5. I know a good time to release it...

Right now.

It's time for us to see the truth.

[TwilightGardener]

15. It's a legitimate worry, considering we have current hostages

held by AQ and ISIS. It's a tough decision.

[Exultant Democracy]

19. We should have thought about hostages before we started the torture.

It more or less the reason we not only signed onto but wrote many of the conventions against torture. We need to release the details and hopefully let some Americans get called up to The Hague. Punishing the malefactors is the only way we get past this quickly enough to make a difference.

[librechik]

23. for fuck sake--now is the perfect time

no elections to come for a couple of years. But I guess they think the campaign is never ending. Our leaders are deranged.

[myrna minx]

26. When would be a good time?

Quit covering up torture. Not in my name!