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| Panetta's letter to CIA employees | |
| 2009-05-16 | |
There is a long tradition in Washington of making political hay out of our business. It predates my service with this great institution, and it will be around long after I’m gone. But the political debates about interrogation reached a new decibel level yesterday when the CIA was accused of misleading Congress. Let me be clear: It is not our policy or practice to mislead Congress. That is against our laws and our values. As the Agency indicated previously in response to Congressional inquiries, our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, describing “the enhanced techniques that had been employed.” Ultimately, it is up to Congress to evaluate all the evidence and reach its own conclusions about what happened. My advice — indeed, my direction — to you is straightforward: ignore the noise and stay focused on your mission. We have too much work to do to be distracted from our job of protecting this country. We are an Agency of high integrity, professionalism, and dedication. Our task is to tell it like it is — even if that’s not what people always want to hear. Keep it up. Our national security depends on it. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #8 The agency has said its not going to die for the Donks and their games. The 'last full measure of devotion' is what fundamentally the 'consent of the governed' is really about. I suspect though too many Donks are high on power and don't grasp what happens when there's no one with ability or capability who'll defend/protect them or their power when the system collapses. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-05-16 16:41 |
| #7 The agency will not go after her in public unless she continues to make charges in the press. I think they will remind her of all her other unethical actions they have on file with her that will surface if she continues to be stupid. They will put her in her box, she will make nice with the CIA and all the truth commission crap will go away, protecting all the brave agency men and women she was going to use as political fodder. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2009-05-16 15:06 |
| #6 "Oblahblah" ... LOL. Perfect! |
| Posted by: Zorba 2009-05-16 11:40 |
| #5 Pelosi might Losi her job. |
| Posted by: GirlThurday 2009-05-16 11:24 |
| #4 RJ: As the Agency indicated previously in response to Congressional inquiries, our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, describing "the enhanced techniques that had been employed." Pelosi has said the CIA is lying. Panetta has said the record created at the time of testimony supports the CIA. By circulating a document sure to become public Panetta has fired a shot across Pelosi's bow. You are correct in noting that Obama has let Panetta carry the ball. I bet that Rahm is running shuttle diplomacy and Obama is trying to stay above the fray. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2009-05-16 11:11 |
| #3 Let me be clear: It is not our policy or practice to mislead Congress. Make no mistake: Panetts is there to run political interference for Oblahblah as he certainly does not have the capability to run an effective agency. Leon is saying that the lying/leaking thingy was policy of the Bush CIA. |
| Posted by: regular joe 2009-05-16 10:39 |
| #2 http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/ Enjoy! |
| Posted by: mom 2009-05-16 10:17 |
| #1 I honestly didn't think Panetta had it in him to write something like this. I guess Zero actually could have made worse choices to head the Agency. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-05-16 08:29 |