Imagine a world in which government officials took responsibility for their eff-ups and rotten decisions and came clean about them to the appropriate bodies--say, Congress.

It's said so often that it might lose the power of its meaning, but let's not let it: It's not the crime, it's the cover-up.

Reading about Rodriguez, I had an image of a six-year-old who wants to do something he knows he shouldn't do, but he goes to Mommy and Daddy (separately, of course), hoping to get them in a weak moment when they won't tell him outright not to do it. And then after he does it, he blames everyone he can think of and even resorts to, "But you didn't say I couldn't THAT."

Imagine a world in which the government seems to be made up of adults, rather than a bunch of little brats.

Well I don't know folks, the story is far from over. But the way I see it, it sounds like lawyer shopping to me, the part I like:

"He also says that Rodriguez had been tasked with informing leaders of the intelligence committees in Congress that the tapes had been destroyed."

Sounds like to me lawyer-shopping.

From 2003 through 2005, White House and Justice Department lawyers (with a couple key exceptions) and top CIA officials all advised that the tapes should not be destroyed. But nobody gave an order to that effect. So when the issue arose again in November, 2005 after The Washington Post broke the CIA black sites story, Rodriguez asked again. Two CIA lawyers found that the agency had no obligation to preserve them.

But Rizzo, who's been acting general counsel since 2004, says that even after that, he advised against destroying them. And he told the committee that then-CIA Director Porter Goss "also recommended" the same. Rodriguez went ahead and ordered the tapes destroyed anyway.

You run into this type of thing in many places, like Sarbanes Oxley compliance, "looks good to you huh?" and I guess that goes to the eye of the beholder.

But with a little effort, or even a Google search, you can find the answer that your looking for.

It is the same old deja vue all over again, "never let the facts stand in the way of your convictions."

On the one hand I have to sort of admire Rodriguez for firewalling what would otherwise be an absolute intelligence embaressment, intelligence at it's lowest, pure politics and theatre.

On the other hand, wasn't Porter Goss the former spook, protoge of Bob Graham (who in fairness I contributed to) entered into politics and became a congressman, who then went back to CIA and made those embarrasing tapes disappear?

I mean gosh folks, what a coincidence.

Imagine voting against torture before you voted for it?

Blah, Blah, Woof, Woof.. I mean I really think we ought to at least hear a narrative of how these tapes got destroyed, and a discourse how that torture is no longer part of our US policy, and then lets put this very ugly part of our history behind us as we endeavour to keep the wheels from coming off the economy and our dollar strong.

I say give him immunity and see if he is intelligent enough to repudiate torture, not implicate the panel that is questioning him, and do a sufficient job in exonerating himself, while not damaging national security.

But I told you all, this was comming down to immunity and or a trial, and I'm betting on the immunity.

So, they have decided who the "official" fall guy will be. Rodriquez gets tagged as the "rogue" in the agency who acted inappropriately. Even if criminal charges get brought, he get off in the Bush general pardon on January 19, 2009.

hope4usa wrote on January 17, 2008 3:28 PM:

Yeah, it is too bad that you can't see all of somebodies posts, link to their post history, if the site was RDMS enabled, but it isn't.

And I get your concerns, but do you imagine that RailRoading this issue and running it through DOJ will come to the conclusion that Yoo, Addington, Cambone, Runsfeld, Cheney(s)-plural, Wolfowitz, and Gonzales get involved?

Nope, the DOJ scope of the investigation will stay on track to the issue of the destruction of the tapes, and similar to the Libby Trial, not make any additional inquiry out side of the scoe of that investigation.

It would take a special prosecutor to do what you suggest, to look into the case and then follow the information and the implications where it leads.

I have said repeatedly that at the very least, the very freaking least, that Yoo should be professionally debarred.

If you read all of my posts you would see I agree that this issue has it's origin higher up the foodchain, but I also know from experience that there is a reluctance in everything from ethics investigations to inquiring the full role of Senate and Congressional involvement in the torture issue.

My bet... and again, have a damn good prediction success on this story, or a limited hangout if you will, is the narrative that I suggest.

The younger folks involved will face this later, but Cheney and Rumsfeld? these were hardened veterans of the beltway, they will be in the grave when the Jr. members are held to account.

Big wheels turn slowly, take progress at progress's rate, and if you really oppose the policy of torture take the small steps to ending it.

there is no equivocating on the issue

The Theory of Unitary Executive has done huge and un-told damage to our country and this is yet another example of Executive power gone awry. Emails, video tape, what's the difference, it all should be erased.

Your former Repub strategist turned PUPRLE,
Mr. Purple

the new Libby---

Rodriguez -- I hope your insurance is paid up, because it your buddies' just through you under a bus.

Why won't you testify? Clearly, they have no intention of protecting you. Why are you protecting them?