What Did Key Democrats Know About CIA Interrogation Techniques And When Did They Know It?

The answers seem to be: Just about everything and September 2002.

Of course they, including Nancy Pelosi, were so horrified they did….nothing.

Among the techniques described, said two officials present, was waterboarding, a practice that years later would be condemned as torture by Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill. But on that day, no objections were raised. Instead, at least two lawmakers in the room asked the CIA to push harder, two U.S. officials said.

"The briefer was specifically asked if the methods were tough enough," said a U.S. official who witnessed the exchange.

…

Yet long before "waterboarding" entered the public discourse, the CIA gave key legislative overseers about 30 private briefings, some of which included descriptions of that technique and other harsh interrogation methods, according to interviews with multiple U.S. officials with firsthand knowledge.

…
"In fairness, the environment was different then because we were closer to Sept. 11 and people were still in a panic," said one U.S. official present during the early briefings. "But there was no objecting, no hand-wringing. The attitude was, 'We don't care what you do to those guys as long as you get the information you need to protect the American people.' "

Thank God the military and intelligence agencies have done such a great job of preventing further attacks on America. They made it safe for the Democrats to play irresponsible games with national defense to further their political agenda.

The World's Safer Now? [Ace]: As Democrats claim "the world was different then, when we approved of torture," an Instapundit emailer asks:

"If it was an acceptable practice five years ago, when the world was a more dangerous place, then what has happened in the past five years to make the world a less dangerous place where such harsh methods are no longer necessary?"

Good question, as the Democrats maintain nothing -- nothing -- the government or our troops has done since 9/11 has made America even an iota safer.

This would be a good question for Russert et al. to ask -- which statement are you lying about, the part about America being no safer or America now being safe enough that Democrats can oppose harsh interrogation methods (with political safety)?

But of course no one will ask it, because the question has no good answer and the MSM knows it.

posted by DrewM. at 03:31 PM

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