Nancy Pelosi Claims CIA 'Misled Congress' on Torture Techniques

by Jarrett Martineau | May 14, 2009 at 01:34 pm
163 views | 6 Recommendations | 10 comments

After being grilled by the congressional press corps during press conferences held Thursday morning by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner, it became clear that senior White House officials were aware of the use of "harsh interrogation techniques" -- including the infamous technique of 'waterboarding' -- dating back as far as 2003.

Facing intense scrutiny over exactly what she knew, Pelosi claimed that she had first learned of waterboarding in 2003, but only that "it was not being employed".

Pelosi, who has publicly condemned the use of so-called 'harsh interrogation techniques', has been under fire as many are calling for the prosecution of U.S. government officials who authorized the use of 'torture techniques' on detainees and prisoners.

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Rep_ Hoekstra Responds to Pelosi Press Conf 5-14-09

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Rep_ Hoekstra Responds to Pelosi Press Conf 5-14-09

For his part, Boehner disputed Pelosi's claims, stating that it was hard for him "to believe one intelligence member would mislead a member of Congress".


"The CIA gave me inaccurate information" about waterboarding, and she added that the CIA "misled the Congress." Pelosi also said that the GOP interest in her knowledge of enhanced interrogation techniques was a "diversionary tactic to get the spotlight off of those involved."
 
Pelosi then criticized the Bush administration's policies in the lead up to the Iraq war, saying, "They mislead us all the time. I was fighting the war in Iraq at that time."

 


See additional NowPublic coverage on this story:

Pelosi says she learned of waterboarding in 2003

VP Dick Cheney's Office Suggested Waterboarding Iraqi Prisoner

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1
albertacowpoke

Unfortunately, Nancy Pelosi keeps changing her story.  Although this is probably a conversation we should have, it is way to partisan for me.  I mentioned a few weeks ago once the lid is off this box, it will be hard to put back on.  The real question is, are enhanced interrogation techniques (torture) ever justified?  Politicians need to quit running for cover.

http://my.nowpublic.com/world/do-what-you-have-do-schumer-2004

0
djermano

They need to shut-down and close the CIA for good. It's time to get rid of that rotten organization..it has only hurt the US image over the years.  Think of the money saved for US tax payers...and extra money to use to replace the money they are raiding from Social Security. Whatever Nancy has to say....she is a politician.....and politicians are liars... Really no debate about that... Perhaps the question should be: Nancy: why did you tell the CIA in support of Bush and Cheney to use waterboarding? Don't think for a minute this is a nice a lady. She said absolutely nothing about the month of bombing in Gaza.... Who the hell are they to declare who are terrorists? They are the terrorists.

Rev. Jermano

0
N Waff

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I'm just waiting for Pelosi's equivalent of Clintons "little blue dress" to close the deal.
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0
tikun

Ah and then the world will be a better place? Americans will then feel safer?   The CIA is a spook agency. It does stuff in order to counteract its enemies stuff they try to  do. This is not a cumbaya world just yet.

0
tikun

djermano,

"She said absolutely nothing about the month of bombing in Gaza.... Who the hell are they to declare who are terrorists? They are the terrorists."

 Oh Gaza again. Poor "freedom fighters" . Gee Gosh golly poor Hamas and their need to kill the Jews. My goodness the nerve of anyone calling them Terrorists. But hey they are TERRORISTS. There, I said it. I feel better now. lol

1
djermano

Come on Tikun you know the real war is not about land disputes in Israel and Palestine...it is about the nuclear arsenal Israel holds over the Arab States.. Israel and the US want to control the Arabs who have the majority of the Worlds Oil supply.....They don't want Arabs to have any negotiating power..that's why they invaded Iraq. And any group who comes along that challenges the Iraq war and the take over by the US and Israel are labelled terrorists.....Everything else about land disputes is propaganda...taking the focus off of Israels power grab threat of using their nuclear arsenal if Arabs ever think of uniting against them.

http://my.nowpublic.com/world/electricity-ends-terror-threat-and-excessive-military-spending.....

Rev. Jermano

0
tikun

No djermano,

Your scenario is so far from reality on the ground. I really don't mind your conspiracy theories because they cause no harm on the internet. However, in fact all the Arab countries surrounding Israel know clearly that the real culprit  and enemy here is Iran and her ability to destroy everyone in the region is her goal. Iran not being Arab couldn't give a hoot about killing millions of Arab inhabitants of the region along with the Jews. 

Israel's so-called nuclear arsenal is not the threat in these parts. In fact, there has been so much back-channeling going on between Israel and the Arab countries in the region about Iranian threat that it is hard to keep tabs of the public and secret meetings between these so-called enemies.

djermano, I urge you to take off your anti-Israeli/American hatred hat and take a breath of the truth that is really presented here as an attempt to curtail the madmen of Iran that will give everyone in the region an opportunity to live another day to finally make a comprhensive peace in the region. It is posssible and  it will  eventually happen.


0
djermano

Hide your head in the sand, does not stop the wind from blowing Tikun. The Persian Arab relationship is a mix....of good and negative..but it does not mean Iran is working against Arab interests....

One could say the US intervention in Iraq by supplying arms to Iran which caused Saddam to become angry, when he thought the US was supporting him; now gives arms to his enemy Iran was why he worked to reclaim Kuwait.  His act by invading Kuwait was a gesture from the Arab world that peace can exist between Iran and Arab countries.. It was the US who betrayed Saddam, who really caused the skud attacks on Israel.  Then America reinvades Iraq to take out Saddam, now trying to paint the lie and belief to the Arabs that Iran is an enemy...

Not to hard to see who is the country not to trust in the Middle East and that is the USA.

During 1970s , Saudi Arabia’s main concern over Iran was firstly, Iran’s modernization of its military and its military dominance all over the region secondly, Iran’s repossession of the Islands of Big Tunb, Little Tunb and Abu Moussa in 1971 which challenged the United Arab Emirates claim over the Islands. But it is more importantly to note that the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia was never as friendly as between the years 1968 and 1979.

The rundown on all the Arab countries shows how Iran is moving toward more friendly relationships with the Arabs to unite for their own security. Iran's pursuit of nuclear ambitions surely is a signal to the Arab world for cooperation in securing their own nuclear base.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Arab_relations

The US has hoodwinked the Arabs to believe they have any interest in the Arab peoples, when it is only the Oil the US is interested in. Not to hard to see what they do to Arabs as they did to Saddam, and a million innocent people. How is it Oil Rich countries in the World have no military security to protect their own resources? How is it Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the 19 other Arab countries are held hostage to real negotiations by the US Military Apparatus? Arabs and Iran are to simply bendover to all the demands by you people, who have Atomic Weapons in Israel?  What possible reason is there to have nuclear weapons in Israel?....when the Arabs and Iran are literally stripped of their own security?

Tikun..I have no anti American anti Israel sentiment....What I have a problem with is how Laws are ignored, which are meant to govern the people. Who brings justice to the Millions of innocent people killed? They just forget about it?

The US and Britain have always only thought of themselves before the people of countries they steal resources from. Why do you think the Shah was deposed in Iran? Because of the rape of their Oil resources.. Then Jimmy Carter encourages Saddam to invade Iran, because of  the fall of the Shah, because Iran was seeking to care for its people. Carter is given the Peace Prize for starting a War, by using Iraq to make divisions between the Arabs and the Persians....for who's benefit? Certainly not the people in the region....but for the benefit in creating chaos and the reason to cause trouble...for further military war crimes...which has killed more than 2 million people..when considering the Iraq Iran war, the ousting of Saddam from Kuwait, to the Occupation of Iraq... Really what justice is there for the people?

What kind of Iran or Arab government will stand blindly to the fact of these crimes to their people, and not do something about it?  It is my belief that Iran and the Arab world will join, to seek their own Governmental Security, before they continue on the same trek of terror the US has caused in their lives for all these years.

Israel is not about the Jewish homeland...which would be more than acceptable if that were to be the case to the real truth, but in fact it is about another issue and that is the US and it's poisonous imposition it has fanagled not only upon Israel, but also the Arab countries and Iran....because of the Oil.

And now the world has seen the American Financial System collapse...because of its lies, its madness, and its ever grotesque failed Institutes that dictate laws to everyone, but themselves. They always get away with murder.. and that is legitimate, right, and honest?

With the doomed economy across the world, just how is relief brought to Iraq? to Afghanistan?  You think they are going to be using Saudi Arabia Oil?  No they are not....You think this makes Saudi Arabia happy? Now consider how Oil is causing a major problem in the world due to global warming and pollution. The Arabs go hand in hand with  blind lying Americans, which is not only destroying the dignity of the Arab people, but to all the people in the world.

No Justice, is to be anti-American or anti- Israel ....is about as crazy as thinking waterboarding is legal, lying to go to war is legal, torture is legal, killing millions is legal.  No wonder some people think the holocaust never happened, because of what they now do to the rest of the world. with occupations and the determination to wipe out all of the Taliban .

Rev. Jermano

 

0
tikun

Djermano,

you said "Israel is not about the Jewish homeland...which would be more than acceptable if that were to be the case to the real truth, but in fact it is about another issue and that is the US and it's poisonous imposition it has fanagled not only upon Israel, but also the Arab countries and Iran....because of the Oil."

Hmm. Interesting spin of Israel and the Jewish homeland. I think you are lost on this one. However, soon oil will be a lost leader in the quest for alternative methods of energy that is already making its way seriously on the global scene. Go to Ted.com and get a taste of what is developing. I am still amused at your connections. Good luck my friend.


0
djermano

I am not lost Tikun....I am right here.. And torture comes in many forms, not only from the lies of Nancy Pelosi and the CIA.

It is also a Mormon plot which they as a Religion wish to control the State of Israel the US and the Middle East....to give authority to their belief of the 2nd coming of Christ will come to Missouri... They wish to downplay the holy significance of Israel and the Jewish homeland....and supplant the beginning of religion as America's ....since the 2nd coming will be in Missouri and not in Jesus homeland. 

Why would President Hinckley support Bush to go to war in Iraq? Why is Obama now giving the Utah Governor a postion as the China Ambassador....because they think this guy will be running as President in 2012 against Obama....They are priming the US for a Utah President which will push Mormonism into the limelight... 

Isreal will soon realize that the US only supports Israel's autonomy from the view that they want to control Israel's State....devalue its religious significance...and claim itself as the new Holy Land to the world.

They themselves support the MIC as a Religious Group.....but it is a lie as well. Because religion is not based on a Military State...nor does Jesus recognize military responses are christ like acts.

http://www.cephas-library.com/mormon_tree_of_life.html.....

http://www.moroni10.com/signs_last_days.html....

Isreal has more problems than its physical security in the world. It is being threatened spiritually by the very State you deem as your friend.

http://my.nowpublic.com/world/electricity-ends-terror-threat-and-excessive-military-spending..

Rev. Jermano

God Bless...Tikun

0
tikun

I do not doubt the possibility of all of these scenarios. But if we took all of them to heart we would be in a state of insanity. We need to be diligent and at the same time move on with our lives. NO ONE including the US does anything that is not in its self-interest. No country.

Be Well,

Steve

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