Dick Cheney Accused of Running Assassination Ring

by Rob Walker | March 31, 2009 at 05:26 am

658 views | 55 Recommendations | 14 comments

Famous journalist Seymour Hersh has alleged that former Vice-President Dick Cheney was in charge of a 'secret assassination wing' that would enter a country and execute people on a list - bypassing local government and US CIA operatives.

While of course Cheney has denied any involvement, former aide John Hannah said during an interview that the account is 'certainly true'. Hannah agreed that troops in the field are given the authority to capture or kill certain individuals.

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.

In an interview on CNN's The Situation Room, Hersh said the group — called the Joint Special Operations Command — reported to Vice President Dick Cheney and was delegated authority to assassinate individuals based on their own intelligence.
"The idea that we have a unit that goes around and without reporting to Congress — Congress knows very little about this group, can't get hearings, can't get even classified hearings on it…goes around and has authority from the president to go into a country without telling the CIA station chief or the ambassador and whack someone, I am sorry Wolf, yes I have a problem with that," Hersh said in the interview with Wolf Blitzer.

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Rhonda J Mangus

at 05:29 on March 31st, 2009

Thanks for this, Rob!

René

at 06:28 on March 31st, 2009

funny.

tikun

at 06:42 on March 31st, 2009

Oh my Hersh uncovered a cover up and covert at that. Gee Golly. Lol

dysamoria

at 06:48 on March 31st, 2009

this is an evil country run by sociopaths.

BMCWrites

at 06:52 on March 31st, 2009

Seymour Hersh is delusional!

Barbara McPherson

at 09:07 on March 31st, 2009

Gosh, wasn't this made into a popular prime time TV show for the masses -- The Unit. It glorifies this covert lawlessness.

Swan

at 09:43 on March 31st, 2009

Hello Rob,

Thank you for this surprising article and inclusion of the video! I heard rumors of this last year but since no proof could be provided, dismissed it as hyperbole.

The fact that former President Bush was "in on it" surprises me even more - and yes, I know I'm naïve when it comes to American political secret actions

I like to see the good in people but I'm quickly becoming aware that such thinking is also naïve and prevents me from seeing the real truth of corrupt American politics.

Some things are difficult to internalize - but once the scales are lifted from one's eyes, many issues become clear.
~ Swan

duo

at 11:24 on March 31st, 2009

Good article. I wish this allegation was shocking to more people. It is as though people are not surprised that someone would say such wild things.

nyctuber

at 12:20 on March 31st, 2009

It's tiring to have so many accusations against Bush and Cheney, who were obviously the most evil MFers ever to set foot in the White House, and have none of it stick. Really enough already. Every time Cheney opens his scowling mouth it's the same derisive BS, and Bush has the patented smirk plastered on his dopey face 24/7. Karl Rove thinks the US Attorney firings hearing is a joke. Alberto Gonzales is nowhere to be found and 'can't remember' what happened. I really just hope they all rot in Hell forever, because it doesn't look like they'll be rotting in a prison cell anytime soon.

Iffy (not verified)

at 14:12 on March 31st, 2009

It was a war people! In times of war you fight it to win and you defend your people. It isn't pretty, WWII wasn't pretty. Cheney did the right thing. And as for all this false naivety, come on, everyone knew we were getting medieval with the medievalists.

nyctuber

at 21:54 on March 31st, 2009

You're supposed to fight the ENEMY WHO ATTACKED YOU in times of War. Iraq was a war for profit period the end.

Stewart G (not verified)

at 14:50 on March 31st, 2009

Domestic activities are mentioned too. Domestic?

http://www.minnpost.com/ericblackblog/2009/03/11/7310/investigative_reporter_seymour_hersh_describes_executive_assassination_ring

Full version -

http://www.minnpost.com/client_files/audio/Politics/HershInterview.mp3

Short version -

http://www.cce.umn.edu/media/greatconversations/hersh_jacobs_mondale/hersh_jacobs_mondale.mp3

Irmgard Kronsbein-Bellchambers (not verified)

at 13:46 on April 1st, 2009

One of the worst consequences of this "Joint Special Operations Command" in Europe is, that it was taken over wholesale by the Russians and former East German MfS in Germany, who spread like wildfire though under cover of false identities into the West and into Africa to cause civil war, due to the fact, that the Frenchwoman with father in the USA who thought she'd get the job, didn't, so stole the identity of those who did and totally arbitrarily took the US "permission" for purposes of personal enrichment by methods of the Russian mafia. There are 7 women up our street in a northern suburb of Frankfurt am Main, who kill at will to get at real-estate for resale for personal profit. And, guess what? The first stop for killing is nothing but the local Jewish oldage home! So much for Frenchwomen beating the Nazis at their crimes in the Year of our Lord 2005!

HELLO! (not verified)

at 17:14 on April 14th, 2009

SCANDALS! SCANDALS! SCANDALS!

SOME OF THE WORST CASES OF RACIAL PREJUDICE IN WORLD HISTORY!

The American people are thrilled to have their first African-American president.

Speaking of Barack Obama—Barack Obama is a racial-minority individual and does not like racism:

And Michelle Obama is a racial-minority individual and does not like racism:

WORLDWIDE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION RELATING TO SCANDALS:

(I) I do solemnly swear by Almighty God that George W. Bush committed atrocious, racist, hate crimes of epic proportions and with the stench of terrorism which I am not at liberty to mention. Many people know what Bush did. And many people will know what Bush did—even until the end of the world. Bush was absolute evil. Bush is now like a fugitive from justice. In any case, Bush will go down in history in infamy.

(II) It is opined that Bill Clinton committed terrifying, racist, hate crimes during his presidency, and I am not free to say anything further about it. ‘Be sure your sins will find you out’ (Numbers 32:23).

(III) What if basically all racial-minority people would subscribe to the interpretations that George Herbert Walker Bush committed monstrous, racist, hate crimes while he was the President of the United States? It will eventually come out: it is only a matter of time.

(IV) I know it may be hard to believe. However, Ronald Wilson Reagan committed horrible, racist, hate crimes during his presidency.

- The Dissemination Machine

(There are thousands of copies on the Internet indicating the contents of (I), (II), (III), and (IV). For example, one can go to Google right now, type “George W. Bush committed hate crimes of epic proportions and with the stench of terrorism,” hit “Enter,” and readily find 1,000 or more copies indicating content of (I). For example, one can go to Msn right now (14 April 2009), type “It is opined that Bill Clinton committed racist hate crimes, and I am not free to say anything further about it,” hit “Enter,” and readily find more than 460 copies indicating content of (II). For example, one can go to Msn right now, type “George Herbert Walker Bush committed monstrous, racist, hate crimes,” hit “Enter,” and readily find more than 210 copies indicating content of (III). For example, one can go to Msn right now, type “Ronald Wilson Reagan committed horrible, racist, hate crimes during his presidency,” hit “Enter,” and readily find more than 180 copies indicating content of (IV). The contents of (I), (II), (III), and (IV) exist very extensively in all major search engines. And there are thousands of copies in very many countries around the world. For example, there are countless copies on the Internet in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, etc.)

“BAD NEWS FROM THE UNITED STATES: ON THE RACIST HATE CRIMES AND ETERNAL INFAMIES OF GEORGE W. BUSH, BILL CLINTON, GEORGE H.W. BUSH, AND RONALD REAGAN” BLOG
________________
‘If only there could be a Ban against invention that bottled up memory like scent & it never faded & it never got stale.’ Off the top of my head, it came from my Lower Merion High School yearbook.