Boston Globe editorial goes after Pelosi

[ProSense]

Pelosi's silence on torture

May 22, 2009

LET'S GET at the truth about torturing alleged terrorists - the whole truth. The back-and-forth over what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knew about the Bush administration's harsh interrogation policies and when she knew it is another reason to open the book on that troubling chapter of decision-making after Sept. 11.

Last week, Pelosi acknowledged that she knew about so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques," including waterboarding, by early 2003. She accused the CIA of misleading her during an earlier briefing in September 2002. Her assertion led CIA director Leon Panetta to tell agency employees that records show CIA officers briefed lawmakers truthfully in 2002.

Republicans are delighting in the prospect of taking the anti-torture high ground away from Democrats in general, and Pelosi in particular. That's a foolish hope for the GOP. These policies were conceived, defended, and implemented by a Republican administration. Still, it's a mistake to treat this as a partisan matter. It now seems clear that top Democratic leaders like Pelosi knew about the policy, and chose not to challenge it.

After participating in the secret briefings, Pelosi apparently saw little way to change course until Democrats took control of Congress and the White House. Still, it would be nice to see if CIA notes on those confidential briefings showed her at least raising private doubts about those techniques.

The country should have access to all explanatory memos and other backup information about the interrogation policy. That way Americans will know exactly what Bush officials were thinking and what lawmakers - Republicans and Democrats - were told. The country needs to hear the truth.

(emphasis added)

This is the thing that needs to be investigated? Really?

CIA Briefing Document Lists Goss As Congressman -- Even Though He Was CIA Director At The Time

What are the chances the CIA lied? Looks like Pelosi has got a solid case:

[Cha]

1. That means they want

bush-cheney even more.

[ProSense]

2. Yeah, it may not be the thing to investigate,

but whatever gets the ball rolling is fine.

[Captain Hilts]

3. This is stupid and has to stop. nt