Hersh: 'Executive assassination ring' reported directly to Cheney...

[Indi Guy]

Source: The Raw Story

Muriel Kane
Published: Wednesday March 11, 2009

Investigative reporter Seymour Hersh dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when he told an audience at the University of Minnesota that the military was running an "executive assassination ring" throughout the Bush years which reported directly to former Vice President Dick Cheney.

The remark came out seemingly inadvertently when Hersh was asked by the moderator of a public discussion of "America's Constitutional Crisis" whether abuses of executive power, like those which occurred under Richard Nixon, continue to this day.

Hersh replied, "After 9/11, I haven’t written about this yet, but the Central Intelligence Agency was very deeply involved in domestic activities against people they thought to be enemies of the state. Without any legal authority for it. They haven’t been called on it yet."

Hersh then went on to describe a second area of extra-legal operations: the Joint Special Operations Command. "It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently," he explained. "They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. ... Congress has no oversight of it"...









Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Hersh_US_has_been_running_executive_0311.html

[Mithreal]

1. Story posted at link

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/sabra/10476

[aquart]

2. What I want to know is how many did they kill in the US?

[greenkal]

5. With the est. budget I heard reported...

the numbers could be in thousands!

[bottomtheweaver]

6. I think that's a fair guess.

Don't forget we only occasionally heard about a few very high-profile ones, like Stephanie Tubbs Jones (ruptured brain aneurysm, mm hmm), but these fluky car collisions, sudden heart attacks, suicides and the like happened at all levels.

[bjobotts]

32. Start with all that died on 9/11 When Cheney made sure our defenses were down, personally

[bjobotts]

33. Still think Cheney was not capable of orchestrating 9/11. Bush was "my pet goat".

[AndyTiedye]

49. Anthrax in the Mail, and Making Airplanes Fall Out of the Sky

[aquart]

68. I'd bet money on the anthrax.

It was grotesquely botched and that says "Cheney" to me.

[jwirr]

55. Paul Wellstone?

[wroberts189]

60. THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.

Many names come to mind... small airplanes can be bad for ones health.

[No Elephants]

3. Also known as "the small plane unit." I believe the CIA has always had an assassination unit.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. And the "Anthrax Boys". N/t

[sellitman]

14. I was thinking that too.

The Anthrax crimes could be what nails the bastards if it's ever really looked into.

[truthisfreedom]

4. Good ol' "just one beer shoot 'em in the face" chain-ster.

Puke.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. K&R. KO brought that up...

This is scary stuff... Hope that we finally hear the truth about Cheney's undercover plots... :scared::grr:

[mwb970]

10. The evil cheney did remains largely unknown.

Just the way he wants it, the slimy snake. But with Hersh and others on the job, I predict that the next few years will yield unbelievable revelations about what this vile man has done to the very idea of America. cheney is unquestionably a war criminal and traitor. The only question is, will he ever be held accountable?

I further predict that as a side effect of the continuous drip, drip, drip of newly revealed bush administration criminality, there will be a continuing slide in bush's approval rating as president. I hope the pollsters continue to ask the question. I would guess he would hit single digits at some point during Obama's first term.

Some "legacy".

:puke:

[Rhiannon12866]

13. I truly hope so.

There are so many things that have hit the news and then just disappeared. There is just so much that it all can't remain on the front page. Everytime we thought that the latest revelation had to finally bring them down, something new and even worse hit the headlines... The American people deserve to know all the truth about Bush*-Cheney's illegal and shocking transgressions. I've always felt that if we knew all of the truth that the entire country would turn on them. Let's hope that we get it. I'm just afraid that the majority just wants to put all this ugliness behind us. We are incredibly fortunate to have the likes of Sy Hersh on the job... :patriot:

[TankLV]

20. Fucking APPROVAL RATINGS?!!!! This "drip drip drip" should lead to TRIALS & CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

of bush* AND cheney, goddammit!

when will the "drips" become so prevalent that NOBODY can IGNORE them anymore, and ACTION IS FINALLY TAKEN?!!!!

[DainBramaged]

23. It's called 'alleged' and irrefutable proof is required

getting your panties in a knot over a Seymour Hersh revelation is like another day at the beach.

When Seymour has proof, I'll listen.

[Wapsie B]

22. He won't be held accountable.

He'll take a dirt nap before anything happens with regards to having him answer for his crimes. After that, the matter will be dropped, if indeed it's pursued at all. To the government it'll be like nothing happened, just like the gop wants.

[aquart]

35. You know, we had a DUer who said that wasn't Cheney.

TominTib insisted that Cheney did not shoot Whittington, that it was the mysterious extra woman who did it while they were all drunk. Then he pm'd me with some family background as to how and why he heard that. Said he would get back to me. Next day his DU membership did not exist.

[lisa58]

9. I was waiting for something like this...

...Hersh was on one of the Sunday shows during the summer or early fall and said that when he talks to his contacts they just say, call me after noon on January 20th.

[soothsayer]

11. we will not be sovereign until we do away with the black budgets

[L. Coyote]

17. Actually, it has more to do with whom they serve, with who is in charge of them.

Opposing state secrets per se may be reactionary to opposing who controls the state remaining a secret.

[jimshoes]

12. When does deadeye get his Supervillain classification?

Unless of course there is no truth to this (yeah right) and slick dick is just a law abiding ex-VP and never used his office to skirt the law and/or the Constitution of the United States. Actually he makes supervillains look pretty tame by comparison.

[amyrose2712]

15. ...

[byeya]

16. The VP has only one duty in the Constitution: To Preside

over the Senate. Everything else is the President's responsibility so G.W.Bush bears responsibility for these alleged acts and those acts that may be uncovered.

[peacetalksforall]

18. Why doesn't anyone mention Rumsfeld. They've been partners for decades?

It was a perfect set-up. Dick the Presdient, Donald, the Military. They never seemed to get a willing enough partner in the CIA - that is why the restructuring that gave us Negroponte, Chertoff, Poindexter, Abrams - old death soldier=partners they are. The restructuring attempt which included destroying/minimizing the CIA

And now Kissinger gets a role in this White House? I don't get it. Yet.

[aquart]

36. Yeah. Now there's someone who has been very very quiet.

[Lucky Luciano]

19. Mr Hersh should stay away from small planes...

...and big ones too probably if he really plans on trying to get a book published on this as is discussed in the article.

[bushmeister0]

28. And get someone to start his car and taste his food

while he's at it.

"A year or two" can be a long time.

[indepat]

21. Will it be ho-hum, nothing here, move on?

:P

[Misskittycat]

31. Yes, because he didn't, after all, have sex with an intern. n/t

[singingbiscuit]

24. Anyone read this yet?

"Angler": The Cheney Vice Presidency

[radhika]

25. Who Did the 'Wet Work'?

CIA is the obvious choice, followed by specially-commissioned military units. But Blackwater et al might have been happy to participate. Lots of topics to be revisted, arent' there. Hope this will give some impetus.

I wouldn't even get on a LARGE PLANE with Hersch at this point:) Hope he keeps backup files in secure places.

[fjc]

26. Reality is nothing but an imitation of cheap art.

[spamlet2002]

27. yet obama too busy "looking forward"

and everyone else isn't pragmatic enough to see the 10-dimensional chess he's playing

/delusion

[LeftHander]

29. Hmmm....Rat Shot Baxter...Ken Lay Heart Attacked.....nt

[No Elephants]

41. No one will ever convince me that Ken Lay is dead.

[wroberts189]

61. His death was so faked ... I hope they get him someday. nt

[vinylsolution]

30. Cheney's list of victims is long one....

Off the top of my head I can think of Mel Carnahan, Paul Wellstone, Jean Palfrey, Bruce Ivins, Mike Connell.... and there may be many more.

Patrick Leahy and Tom Daschle lived to tell the tale, they were extremely lucky the anthrax didn't get 'em.

[LeftHander]

40. Yup and Madoff scam funded it....probably....nt

[louis-t]

43. Don't forget the DC Madam.

[fascisthunter]

34. hmmmm... is this where the Anthrax had come from

me thinks there is a connection.

[crankmob]

37. who does it report to now?

[960]

38. Holy Crap.

Not that I didn't suspect this sort of thing. But I never expected it to be discussed publicly in any way.

I can deal with Bush rotting in his Dallas mansion, but Cheney MUST be investigated and prosecuted.

[acmavm]

39. Whether we investigate will determine what kind of people we

elected last November.

They are either honest, decent people with dignity and integrity OR they are lying snakes no better than the crowd of criminals they are covering for.

There IS NOT MIDDLE ground on this one.

[formercia]

42. Straight from the horse's ass

http://military.einnews.com/news/jsoc

[louis-t]

44. My personal, amateur, psychological profile of Chee-ney

is this: Here is a guy that has more money than just about anyone, yet he can't enjoy it. His health has been horrible for 30 years. He can barely stand up (Ohh, the Dr. Strangelove analogy is too good). His idea of "hunting" is being driven around in a car on a hunting preserve and shooting out the window. He is being held together with sewing thread and Scotch tape. He is jealous of anyone who can live a normal life. His hatred for humanity is obvious. Having the power to kill humans and scorch the earth makes him feel superior. We all know people of incredible character who become great humanitarians when stricken with poor health, people who give of themselves when confronted with unbelievable physical obstacles (I just lost a family member to ALS. My beautiful, sweet cousin never complained and was more concerned about her husband and kids). Chee-ney is not one of them. He chose to embrace the dark side and lash out at the world in anger over his failing health. He is a bitter, hateful, uncaring, unfeeling waste of human flesh.

[Piewhacket]

45. yup.... er... you didn't mention 'war criminal'.

[sixmile]

46. Keep kicked

I'm speechless. just keep kicked.

[Stuart G]

47. Kicked, rec, Thom Hartman just talked about this.. What on

earth could this really be?

[steven johnson]

48. Hard to prosecute & convict.

Obama is a smart lawyer who knows the almost impossibility of convicting a former president or vice president. Name one case prosecution of presidential criminal misconduct that was successful.

[steven johnson]

50. CIA: 'Utter nonsense'

From today's Minnesota Post:

"Utter nonsense," is the quote from CIA spokester George Little.

The CIA responds to Seymour Hersh (via MinnPost)

[Zhade]

51. ARREST BUSH AND CHENEY NOW

NT!

[aquart]

69. I've been saying that for 8 years. Does no good.

[Tab]

52. I swear, this dude knows more about this country than anyone else

except for the actual people involved.

If there was a Seymour Hersh fund, I'd contribute.

[MasonJar]

53. Thank God above for great journalists like Seymour Hersh. May he stay safe.

His expose of Abu Gahrib (sp?) led to the beginning of the end for Bushista. I do not care if Bush was not in the loop. He allowed Cheney to chose himself V.P. and he was the place the buck stops. Therefore, Bush is equally guilty.

[jwirr]

54. When Rachel asked the question, "Who were the leaders they assassinated?"

the first leader I thought about was the woman in either Pakistan or India - Bhata (sp?). What other ones can you think of that were assassinated?

[bos1]

65. sorry, rachel who? link? nt

[jwirr]

66. Rachel Maddow and I do not have a link.

[Marie26]

56. Weren't they also going to invade Iran?

Don't get mr wrong, I totally believe this, but Hersh needs more than "unnamed sources" say if he wants this to stick.

[wroberts189]

59. Yes you have a point ..but they did have plans too.

Why they changed their minds ..who knows..

It may have been a bluff ... but a lot of good that did.

[CJCRANE]

63. The neocons wanted to

but it seems the military top brass pushed back. There was also a report that due to financial mismanagement they literally couldn't afford to attack Iran.

I'm sure in the coming years we'll find out how close they came to launching an attack.

If you think back you'll realize there were a couple of trigger points which were defused (e.g. the British sailors who entered disputed waters and were captured by the Iranians. Blair and Bush were starting to threaten the Iranians when all of a sudden Ahmedinajad released the sailors).

On edit: if you remember at the time the freepers and RW were frothing at the mouth and saying we should bomb Tehran.

[sofa king]

57. Color me unsurprised.

No, really, I'm not surprised, and I haven't been since at least 2004:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5121009#5121076
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2993674#2994484
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1997476#1998857
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2514049#2514399
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2961232#2961441
http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2674304#2674847
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=566223&mesg_id=566446

What will surprise me is if they get caught conducting actual, verifiable assassinations on U.S. soil.

There's more to it than this. Much, much more, if the drunken fairy tale I heard way back when continues to be proven true. But this part of it makes perfect sense to me: Cheney orders his wet boys to make a list and then knock them off. The wet boys are contractors, so there is no official oversight. The bodies are dumped weekly by KBR trucks, usually around Baghdad, and when those bodies are discovered, we get our weekly (now monthly) "bodies found in Iraq" story. The Department of Justice knows about it, too, and was forced to stop their investigation, if the rumor mill is again proven correct.

[wroberts189]

58. Betcha its just the tip of the iceberg. nt

[bos1]

62. Six possible TRIBUNAL questions about this DEATH SQUAD

The questions and reaction that considerations of Democracy and Human Rights might include
-who were the innocent people killed in the name of the US people?
-what countries did this death squad operate in?
-how is it that US military is murdering people at will in countries that the US is not at war with?
-was any of this activity on US soil?
-how long has this been going on, especially with this lack of oversight?
-who created these lists of people they were killing?

[Rebellious Republican]

64. Well Duh! isn't that who their supposed to report to, the "President"

of the United States. :think:

[sarcasmo]

67. Seymour, please get a bodyguard, these Men don't care about life.

[davsand]

70. You can bet that if I saw Seymour get ON a plane I'd try like hell to get off it.

Doesn't matter if he can ever prove his allegations about this--he said it in public and out loud. That by itself is probably enough to make him a marked man--even today with Obama in office.

I think he'd be well advised to fear for his life, and I would NOT want to run the risk of flying on any plane he's on.


Laura

[wmbrew0206]

71. Mods - This belong is the 9-11 forum

I normally enjoy Keith, but my jaw hit the floor when I saw what he was reporting. Hersh is playing on his ignorance of the US Military, as well as the public's. JSOF is widely known within the National Security community and is NOT what Hersh claims it is.

JSOF is not some super, tippy, top secret agency that no one has ever heard of. It is well known in the military and the intel agencies and has been written about at great length. It even has it own logo you can google (see below).

JSOF does answer to the SecDef and CJCS through SOCOM. It is mainly made up of Tier One assets (elite units).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Special_Operations_Command
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/jsoc.htm

Books written that deal with or mention JSOF:
http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Bin-Laden-Commanders-Account/dp/0312384394
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b_0_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=blackhawk+down&sprefix=blackha
http://www.amazon.com/Hunting-Jackal-Soldiers-Frontlines-Terrorism/dp/0060564105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236981662&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Delta-Force-Americas-Counterterrorist/dp/0385336039

[glinda]

72. Please have "Legal Action" instead of trying to sell a book. Pleeeeeeze.