How Torture Trapped Colin Powell - By Ray McGovern

[kpete]

How Torture Trapped Colin Powell

By Ray McGovern
May 18, 2009

Four days before trying to sell the invasion of Iraq to the United Nations, Secretary of State Colin Powell was ready to scrap dubious allegations about Saddam Hussein’s ties to al-Qaeda but was dissuaded by top CIA officials who cited a new “bombshell” that now appears to have been derived from torture, a top Powell aide says.


Retired Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, who was then Powell’s chief of staff, said the key moment occurred on Feb. 1, 2003, as the two men labored at the CIA over Powell’s presentation to the U.N. Security Council set for Feb. 5.

“Powell and I had a one-on-one — no one else even in the room — about his angst over what was a rather dull recounting of several old stories about Al Qa’ida-Baghdad ties ,” Wilkerson said. “I agreed with him that what we had was bull___t, and Powell decided to eliminate all mention of terrorist contacts between AQ and Baghdad.

“Within an hour, (CIA Director George) Tenet and (CIA Deputy Director John) McLaughlin dropped a bombshell on the table in the (CIA) director’s Conference Room: a high-level AQ detainee had just revealed under interrogation substantive contacts between AQ and Baghdad, including Iraqis training AQ operatives in the use of chemical and biological weapons.”

Though Tenet and McLaughlin wouldn’t give Powell the identity of the al-Qaeda source, Wilkerson said he now understands that it was Ibn al-Sheikh al-Libi, an al-Qaeda operative who later claimed he gave the CIA false information in the face of actual and threatened torture.

more:
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/051809a.html

[RandomThoughts]

1. When you look at patterns of actions.

You can see chains of effects, and if an action is evil, what it creates in its action usually leads to more evil. And it just spirals worse and worse.

In the same way, good things like goodness kindness, and even justice, (if done with good faith reasons of justice) seem to lead to better and better things.

I think that is visible as the fruits of actions. And the upward and downward spirals.

[roguevalley]

13. I believe you can't do what isn't already there. Powell covered for

my lai. he had it in him.

[Eric J in MN]

2. If they had told me that Al Qaeda is working with Saddam, but that they couldn't tell me...

...who told them that, I wouldn't have trusted them.

[w4rma]

3. Exactly as I suspected. They used torture to sell propaganda to the American people. (nt)

[PuraVidaDreamin]

4. no one else in the room! hmmmmmm

Did they have Powell's office bugged?

[leveymg]

5. "had just revealed UNDER INTERROGATION substantive contacts"

Gee, and that wasn't a sure giveaway that the information from that source was just a wee bit questionable? And, we're supposed to think that Powell and Wilkerson are smart men.
:eyes:

[KharmaTrain]

6. Powell Paints A Sader & Sader Picture

Here was the author of the "Powell Doctrine"...you don't wage a war without an "end game". He was built up as the ultimate citizen/warrior...a new Eisenhower...strong and diplomatic. When he signed on as boooshie's SOS, we were assured, he'd be the adult to keep an eye on things and be the world face of the U.S. That sure didn't last too long.

Over time, Colin became a hostage of the machine that built him up. His "loyalty" to cheney and rummy who advanced his career was turned against him as he became what appears to be an unwilling accomplice in their war for profit. The babysitter ended up being tossed in the basement as the kids trashed the joint. Instead of standing up, he was beaten down...set up to give the big lie to the world, putting his credibility on the line and in the end regretting every word he said. Yet he remained silent. Ever the loyal soldier.

Even now, Powell can't step forward. He could link some important people, places and events that would be critical to an independent commission or any other investigation into war crimes. If he had any real concern for defending the Constitution, the time is now for General Powell to come to the aid of his country and speak up and out...and tell the truth!

[malaise]

8. 100% correct

:hi:

[Hubert Flottz]

9. Cheney and Rummy conducted themselves just like Al

Capone! They belong in jail for life, where they can't hurt anyone else.

[KharmaTrain]

10. More Reason For Powell To Speak Up And Out...

He was at many of the critical meetings where the lies and diversions that led to this disastrous war for profit happened. He surely knew of "enhanced interogation" and if anyone in the government knew what that mean, it should have been he. The only reason I see for him to keep his silence is his fear of being prosecuted.

[Hubert Flottz]

12. I don't think Mr. Powell's hands are totally clean...

He sold his soul a long time ago, IMHO.

[malaise]

7. Powell needs to be a man and get on TV and state

that the CIA lied to him. I'm not holding my breath.

[Mr. Ected]

11. Powell Was Interviewed by Rachel Maddow in April

He basically challenged the media and the pols to investigate the torture claims and that the written reports would be damning.

[Land Shark]

14. k&R nt

[Wednesdays]

15. K&R

:kick: