Look Under The Ruckus

As people become aware of what is in the healthcare bill, the Obama administration attempts to turn people away from the bill.  Pay attention.  There may be a very quiet attempt to ram this legislation through Congress next month.  Meanwhile, the administration is attempting to distract us from healthcare and from another report that was released yesterday.

The Washington Post is reporting that Eric Holder has hired a special prosecutor to investigate the actions of CIA interrogators.  Just for the record, these actions have already been investigated and the guilty parties reprimanded.  A second investigation is just for show.

In related news, the government has released the CIA documents showing the results of enhanced interrogation.  The Weekly Standard posted its evaluation of the success of the techniques used.  Generally speaking, no one was harmed (only frightened) and American lives were saved.  If frightening terrorists becomes illegal, what in the world do we say about what terrorists do?  What about the frightened people in the World Trade Center?

Yesterday, the Weekly Standard posted Dick Cheney's statement about the release of the CIA documents on enhanced interrogation and the coming investigation.  This is the statement:

"The documents released Monday clearly demonstrate that the individuals subjected to Enhanced Interrogation Techniques provided the bulk of intelligence we gained about al Qaeda. This intelligence saved lives and prevented terrorist attacks. These detainees also, according to the documents, played a role in nearly every capture of al Qaeda members and associates since 2002. The activities of the CIA in carrying out the policies of the Bush Administration were directly responsible for defeating all efforts by al Qaeda to launch further mass casualty attacks against the United States. The people involved deserve our gratitude. They do not deserve to be the targets of political investigations or prosecutions. President Obama's decision to allow the Justice Department to investigate and possibly prosecute CIA personnel, and his decision to remove authority for interrogation from the CIA to the White House, serves as a reminder, if any were needed, of why so many Americans have doubts about this Administration's ability to be responsible for our nation's security."

Intelligence gathering is our main weapon in the war on terror--to handicap it is foolish and dangerous.