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Specter: "CIA Has A Very Bad Record When It Comes To ... Honesty"
Support for Nancy Pelosi -- and for our point that questioning the CIA's honesty isn't really too radical a position -- has come from a perhaps unlikely new source.
The Hill reports that Arlen Specter, the new Democrat who as a Republican chaired the Senate intelligence committee, told a luncheon audience at the American Law Institute: "The CIA has a very bad record when it comes to -- I was about to say candid, that's too mild -- to honesty."
According to the paper, Specter then referred to misleading information about the CIA's involvement in mining harbors in Nicaragua, and the Iran-Contra affair.
The Hill continues:
"Director Panetta says the agency does not make it a habit to misinform Congress. I believe that is true. It is not the policy of the Central Intelligence Agency to misinform Congress," Specter said. "But that doesn't mean that they're all giving out the information."Because of leaks that have come from Congress, Specter said he understands the agency's hesitancy to disclose all its information.
"The current controversy involving Speaker Pelosi and the CIA is very unfortunate in my opinion because it politicizes the issue and it takes away attention from ... how does the Congress get accurate information from the CIA?" Specter said. "For political gain, people are making headlines."
It says something about the absurdity of the current debate that pointing out the fact that the CIA isn't known for its honesty is news-worthy. But there you go.
As for Specter, after a rocky start, is he finally learning how to be a Democrat?
Josh
Zachary
Once he got his bearings, he gladly begins to shill for the Dmes.
May 20, 2009 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not shilling if it is consistent with the truth, and Arlen's comments meet that test.
May 20, 2009 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
This from the author of the "magic bullet" theory.
May 20, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Arlen's Come to Jesus figuratively speaking
May 20, 2009 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Somebody say "Amen"! :)
May 21, 2009 4:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
It always seemed dumb for the GOP to push this Pelosi flap. I say let's use it. Remind them it's their insistence to have an investigation and we're going along. Investigate what Republicans knew too, not just Congress but administration. Let's use this to get the investigation we need anyway.
May 20, 2009 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, even a closed door investigation on the covert info but stay public about he said she said. Perhaps the "truth-telling" CIA folks can then explain how they put some one's name on the attendance roster who actually has no clearance. Sounds like they made up the memo either to replace the correct one or long after the fact. With errors like that, the CIA at that time had no credibility and also had been the amen choir for the Cheney-Bush administration. Bring on the investigation I say! And while we are at it, investigate the Administration's effort to plan the outcomes of any C*IA investigation.
May 22, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agree with Eric F. The Republicans tried to flex their muscles on Pelosi, but it has backfired. Onward to the investigation.
May 20, 2009 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Arlen says the darndest things. Art Linkletter could turn it into a new TV show.
Wait, he's got a principal around here, somewhere. Oh, don't bother, it was just gas.
May 21, 2009 2:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
This issue is and always has been....about the Republican Party looking for cover on the torture issue.
Right now, they are being branded..."framed" in sense of framing an issue with a characterization.....as an American political party that believes it has a right to torture human beings.
So the natural reaction is to attempt to discredit that frame by showing that the other side does it too.
My feeling is that if Nancy done wrong....we will get to her.
But right now I got my eye on the people who ordered the torture....
not the ones who stupidly stood by and did not say anything. Many key Democratic members of congress kept their mouth shut about the fact that the war on terror was really a war to control the oil resources in the middle east. So the fact that that aspect of the Democratic party is a fact...is not news.
May 21, 2009 6:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh what a surprise! Arlen the Democrat turned Democrat serving his new masters. Good riddance to you Arlen and take the rest of the Rinos with you.
May 21, 2009 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Arlen my darlin, you are a sad bag of bones.
If you think the Democrates want you, guess what you are a new fish again in a pool of sharkes.
May 22, 2009 1:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Arlen the Specter is despicable for the most part, but on this he's right on, despite your slavish adoration of the CIA. The CIA built al-Qaeda, dealt drugs, channeled weapons to Iran, helped murder tens of thousands in Guatemala on behalf of United Fruit, was complicit in overthrowing a democratic government in Iran and installing the Shah, helped overthrow democracy in Chile, Paraguay and other South American nations, supports despots in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and in general has been a boulder of ignorance and corporatism in helping to sink American foreign policy. They're arrogant, they're criminal, and they suck.
May 22, 2009 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Please don't hold back. Get to your point:)
May 23, 2009 11:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
#1)Did Arlen have anything to say about loyalty? #2)Pelosi is such a small fish in this deal. A new target to cover-up the same crimes & failures.
#3)Everyone knows now what they expected to be true, cheney was captain of the SS Diabolical, used bush first, then many after-including the military & CIA to pull off his mission, (the only one actually accomplished) & America is suffering for it.
#4)They're all lying/deceiving, at least a little.
May 23, 2009 11:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cheney's mission:
To foment perpetual war in order to create profits for himself, Halliburton, and KBR.
.
May 26, 2009 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink