PETER URBAN PETER URBAN

Connecticut federal prosecutor John Durham can clear at least one task off his full plate. Connecticut procurador federal João Durham pode claro, pelo menos, uma tarefa fora seu prato cheio. His criminal investigation into the destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes won’t touch waterboarding. Sua investigação criminal para a destruição da CIA interrogatório vídeo não irá tocar waterboarding.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey told the House Judiciary Committee last week that his lawyers concluded that the CIA’s use of waterboarding in 2002 and 2003 was legal. Attorney General Michael Mukasey disse ao Comitê Judiciário Câmara na semana passada que seus advogados a CIA concluiu que o uso de waterboarding, em 2002 e 2003, foi legal. So the department cannot investigate whether a crime occurred. Portanto, o departamento não pode investigar se o crime ocorreu.

Two months ago, Mukasey called on Durham to lead an investigation into the destruction of videotapes that showed CIA officers using tough interrogation methods while questioning two al-Qaida suspects. Dois meses atrás, em Durham Mukasey chamado para conduzir uma investigação sobre a destruição de vídeos que mostraram CIA funcionários usando métodos duros interrogatórios enquanto questionamento duas al-Qaeda suspeitos.

Mukasey suggested at the time that Durham would follow the investigation wherever it took him. Mukasey sugerido no momento que Durham iria seguir o inquérito onde quer que ele tomou.

The waterboarding question came up after the Bush administration revealed earlier in the week that the CIA had indeed used the technique on a few occasions. O waterboarding questão surgiu após a administração Bush na semana anterior revelou que a CIA tinha efectivamente utilizado a técnica em algumas ocasiões.

CIA Director Michael Hayden confirmed Tuesday that the CIA waterboarded al-Qaida prisoners Khalid Sheik Mohammed; Zayn al-Abidin Muhammed Husseing and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri at a secret detention site. Director da CIA, Michael Hayden ter confirmado que a CIA waterboarded al-Qaeda presos Khalid Sheik Mohammed; Zayn al-Abidin Muhammed Husseing e Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri detenção secretos em um site. He defended the use of waterboarding as necessary to obtain information about potential terrorist attacks. Ele defendeu o uso de waterboarding, quando necessário, para obter informações sobre possíveis ataques terroristas.

Vice President Dick Cheney also hit the Republican speakers’ circuit last week to defend the practice. O vice-presidente Dick Cheney também atingiu o republicano falantes "circuito na semana passada, para defender a prática.

“It’sa tougher program for a very few tougher customers,” Cheney told the Conservative Political Action Convention and the Pennsylvania State Victory Committee. "É um programa mais duras para alguns poucos clientes mais duras", disse Cheney a Conservador Político Acção Convenção e da Pensilvânia Estado Comité Victory. “The program is run by highly trained professionals who understand their obligations under the law. "O programa é gerido por profissionais altamente treinados, que compreendem as suas obrigações ao abrigo da lei.

“And the program has uncovered a wealth of information that has foiled attacks against the United States.” "Eo programa tem revelado uma riqueza de informações que tem foiled ataques contra os Estados Unidos."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers asked Mukasey straight up about the program during an oversight hearing last week. House Judiciário Comité presidente John Conyers pediu Mukasey reta-se sobre o programa durante um lapso audiência na semana passada.

“Are you ready to start a criminal investigation into whether this confirmed use of waterboarding by United States agents was illegal?” asked Conyers, D-Mich. "Você está pronto para iniciar uma investigação criminal em saber se esta confirmada pela utilização de waterboarding Estados Unidos agentes era ilegal?" Perguntou Conyers, D-Mich.

“That’sa direct question, and I will give a direct answer. "É pergunta directa, e vou dar uma resposta directa. No, I am not,” Mukasey said. Não, não estou ", disse Mukasey.

Here’s his torturous reasoning. Aqui está o seu raciocínio tortuosa.

At the time of the waterboarding, it was done “as part of a CIA program” that had been cleared as “permissible under the law as it existed then” by the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel. No momento da waterboarding, foi feito ", como parte de um programa da CIA", que tinham sido apuradas como "admissíveis nos termos da lei, uma vez que existiam, em seguida," pelo Ministério da Justiça do Office of Legal Counsel.

To launch a criminal investigation of a technique used by someone who relied on a Justice Department opinion as legal would put in question not only that opinion “but also any other opinion from the Justice Department,” Mukasey said. Para iniciar uma investigação criminal de uma técnica utilizada por alguém que baseou em um parecer do departamento jurídico da Justiça poria em causa não só a opinião ", mas também qualquer outro parecer do Ministério da Justiça," Mukasey disse.

“Essentially, it would tell people: ‘You rely on a Justice Department opinion as part of a program, then you will be subject to criminal investigation when and if the tenure of the person who wrote the position changes or, indeed, the political winds change.’ And that’s not something that I think would be appropriate and it’s not something I will do,” he said. "Basicamente, seria necessário informar as pessoas: 'Você dependem de Justiça Departamento parecer como parte de um programa, então você estará sujeito a inquérito criminal, quando e se o mandato da pessoa que escreveu a situação muda, ou, na verdade, a política ventos Mudança. "E isso não é uma coisa que eu acho que são necessários e não é algo que irá fazer", disse.

Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., a former state attorney general, seemed skeptical of that logic, noting that the “law is the law” and that relying on bad legal opinions to shield oneself from prosecution would be a new legal doctrine. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., um ex-advogado estado geral, pareciam céticos desta lógica, salientando que a "lei é a lei" e que confiem em mau pareceres jurídicos para proteger-se da acusação seria uma nova doutrina jurídica.

“You know, this is brand-new legal theory, at least in terms of my own legal scholarship,” he said. "Você sabe, esta é a marca nova teoria jurídica, pelo menos em termos da minha própria bolsa legal", disse.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wasn’t satisfied with Mukasey’s answer either. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Não estava satisfeito com a resposta do Mukasey quer.

“If we don’t establish a bright line, in this country, that we don’t torture, then it makes it very hard for us to argue to other countries that they shouldn’t torture our people, period,” he said. "Se não estabelecer uma linha brilhante, neste país, que não tortura, em seguida, que torna muito difícil para nós defendem a outros países que eles não deveriam tortura nosso povo, período", afirmou.

Mukasey countered that there is a bright line: “We bar the torture.” Mukasey combatida que existe uma brilhante linha: "Nós bar a tortura".

Simple? Simples? Well, then he adds the legal footnote: “The evaluation of whether a particular practice constitutes torture could be presented to me only in a particular situation, namely, whether it was defined, part of a proposed program, in which case I would pronounce on it one way or the other.” Bem, então ele acrescenta a nota legal: "A avaliação da questão de saber se uma determinada prática constitui tortura poderia ser apresentado para mim apenas em uma situação específica, ou seja, se ela foi definida, que faz parte de uma proposta de programa, caso em que eu iria pronunciar sobre É uma forma ou de outra. "

“That’sa bright line that we can hold up to the rest of the world?” Schiff asked. "É brilhante linha que podemos deter-se ao resto do mundo?" Schiff perguntou.

“We have and do defend our position before the rest of the world. "Temos que defender a nossa posição e perante o resto do mundo. We have people in the State Department who do a superb job at that. Temos pessoas no Departamento de Estado, que fazem um excelente trabalho nessa. And we will continue to do that,” Mukasey explained. E vamos continuar a fazer isso ", explicou Mukasey.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd issued a statement urging a brighter line than Mukasey’s. Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd emitiu uma declaração defender uma linha mais brilhante do que Mukasey's.

“There is no such thing as ’simulated’ drowning. "Não existe tal coisa como 'simulada' afogamento. When a person is strapped to a board and water is poured into their mouth and nose with no way to get air, that is drowning; that is torture,” he said. Quando uma pessoa é strapped de um conselho e de água é vertida em sua boca e nariz com nenhuma forma de entrar ar, que é afogamento; que é tortura ", disse.

Dodd said that President Bush should make clear that “all forms of torture — including waterboarding — are always wrong and always illegal.” Dodd disse que o Presidente Bush deve deixar claro que "todas as formas de tortura - incluindo waterboarding - estão sempre errados e sempre ilegais".

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Speaking of torture Falando de tortura

Sen. Joe Lieberman offered some insights into hostilities that afflict moderates from both ends of the political spectrum. Sen. Joe Lieberman oferecidas algumas introspecções hostilidades que afligem moderados de ambos os extremos do espectro político. Lieberman gets the brunt from liberal Democrats while his conjoined twin John McCain takes it from conservative Republicans. Lieberman recebe o fardo de liberal-democratas, enquanto seu conjoined twin John McCain leva-la a partir de conservadores republicanos.

“I do see some similarities. "Vejo algumas semelhanças. It is part of what is wrong in American politics today,” Lieberman said. É parte do que está errado na política americana atual ", disse Lieberman. “At the margins of either party there is a significant group of people who seem to really want to be more in a fight than to get things done.” "A margem de qualquer das partes existe um grupo significativo de pessoas que parecem estar realmente deseja ser mais do que em uma luta para fazer as coisas."

Lieberman says the majority is in the middle looking for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground for the good of the nation. Lieberman diz que a maioria está no meio procurando por democratas e republicanos para encontrar terreno comum para o bem da nação.

“John McCain is a conservative Republican but it is important to say that he is his own man and he will do what he thinks is right. "John McCain é um republicano conservador, mas é importante dizer que ele é o seu próprio homem e que ele irá fazer o que ele pensa que é correcto. As devoted a Republican as he is, if party interest conflicts with what he thinks is in the national interest he will always go with the national interest.” Como consagrado um republicano como ele é, se partido interesse conflita com o que ele pensa que é no interesse nacional, ele sempre ir com o interesse nacional ".

(Yes, it seems Lieberman can’t make the connection between getting things done and getting out of Iraq — something two-thirds of Americans have consistently said they believe is in the nation’s interest.) (Sim, parece Lieberman não pode fazer a conexão entre recebendo coisas feitas e sair do Iraque - cerca de dois terços dos americanos têm consistentemente disse acreditar que é do interesse da nação.)

Drip. Gotejamento. Drip. Gotejamento. Drip. Gotejamento.

The White House is defending the use of the interrogation technique known as waterboarding in certain, rare circumstances when suspects are believed to have knowledge of an imminent threat. A Casa Branca está defendendo a utilização do interrogatório técnica conhecida como waterboarding, em certos, raros casos suspeitos quando se pensa ter conhecimento de uma ameaça iminente. VOA’s Paula Wolfson reports the Central Intelligence Agency now admits it used the technique roughly five years ago on three top terror suspects. VOA's Paula Wolfson relatórios da Central Intelligence Agency agora admite que utilizou a técnica cerca de cinco anos atrás em três top terror suspeitos.

Tony Fratto, 04 Jan 2008 Tony Fratto, 04 2008

White House spokesman Tony Fratto says President Bush personally authorized the disclosure - breaking with the long-standing practice in the administration of refusing comment on specific interrogation techniques. Casa Branca voz Tony Fratto diz presidente Bush autorizou pessoalmente a divulgação - rompendo com a longa prática na administração da recusa comentar interrogatório técnicas específicas.

He says the decision to have Central Intelligence Agency chief Michael Hayden go before a Congressional committee and reveal the use of waterboarding in the past was difficult, because it could provide the enemy with information about the CIA’s program for questioning terror suspects. Ele diz que a decisão de ter Central Intelligence Agency chefe Michael Hayden ir perante uma comissão do congresso e revelam o uso de waterboarding no passado foi difícil, porque ela poderia fornecer o inimigo, com informações sobre o programa da CIA para questionar terror suspeitos.

“This decision to allow General Hayden to talk about the technique wasn’t taken lightly,” Fratto said. "Esta decisão permitirá à General Hayden para falar sobre a técnica não foi tomada de ânimo leve", disse Fratto. “There was discussion of great concern about starting to talk about something we don’t ordinarily do for reasons that we feel very strongly about.” "Houve discussão de grande preocupação com a começar a falar de uma coisa que normalmente não fazem por razões que nos sentimos muito fortemente sobre".

Fratto says so much misinformation has been disseminated about the interrogation program, that the White House felt it was time to set the record straight. Fratto diz tanta desinformação foi divulgada sobre o interrogatório programa, que a Casa Branca sentiu que era hora de definir o registo em linha reta.

Fratto says waterboarding - which simulates drowning - was approved in a few specific instances and with certain safeguards in place. Fratto diz waterboarding - que simula afogamento - foi aprovado em alguns casos específicos e com certas salvaguardas em vigor.

The CIA banned the practice in 2006. A CIA proibiu a prática em 2006. Fratto says interrogators might be able to use it again, but emphasized they would need authorization from the president to do so. Fratto diz interrogadores poderiam ser capaz de usá-la novamente, mas enfatizou que seria necessário autorização do presidente para fazer isso.

He noted that any CIA request to use the technique would have to be declared legal by the Justice Department before consideration at the White House. Ele ressaltou que qualquer CIA pedido para usar a técnica teria de ser declarada legal pelo Ministério da Justiça antes de apreciação na Casa Branca. He says approval depends on the circumstances, adding one important factor would be the belief that an attack might be imminent. Ele diz que aprovação depende das circunstâncias, adicionando um factor importante seria a crença de que um ataque pode ser iminente.

“Any change to the enhanced interrogation technique that may be used will follow the process that I outlined which includes a legal review and notification of Congress,” he said. "Qualquer alteração ao reforço interrogatório técnica que pode ser utilizada irá acompanhar o processo que delineou, que inclui uma análise jurídica e notificação do Congresso", disse ele.

Critics have called waterboarding a form of torture. Os críticos têm chamado waterboarding uma forma de tortura. But Fratto says its use in the past under the conditions approved by the attorney general and the president was legal. Mas Fratto diz que a sua utilização no passado, nas condições aprovadas pelo procurador geral e do presidente foi legal.

On Capitol Hill, a senior Democrat - Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois - denounced the use of waterboarding under any circumstances. On Capitol Hill, um alto-democrata - o senador Dick Durbin de Illinois - denunciou a utilização de waterboarding sob quaisquer circunstâncias. He noted that in its annual human rights report, the US State Department is quick to condemn other nations that use harsh interrogation techniques on prisoners. Ele observou que, no seu relatório anual dos direitos humanos, os E.U. Estado Departamento é rápido para condenar outras nações que utilizam técnicas duras interrogação sobre prisioneiros.

“So once a year we stand in judgment of the world, and condemn them for engaging in waterboarding and torture techniques on their prisoners,” he said. "Portanto, uma vez por ano, no stand acórdão do mundo, e condená-los para engajar-se em waterboarding tortura e técnicas sobre os seus presos", disse. “And yet it is clear from the testimony yesterday of General Hayden, that we have engaged in some of those own techniques.” "E, no entanto, é clara a partir do depoimento de ontem Geral Hayden, que se envolveram em algumas dessas técnicas próprias."

The UN’s torture investigator also responded to the CIA disclosure, calling on the Bush administration to give up its defense of enhanced interrogation methods such as waterboarding. O investigador da ONU tortura também respondeu à divulgação da CIA, apelando à administração Bush para dar a sua defesa de uma maior interrogatório métodos como waterboarding. Manfred Nowak told the Associated Press in Geneva that these techniques are totally unacceptable under international law. Manfred Nowak disse à Associated Press em Genebra que estas técnicas são totalmente inaceitável à luz do direito internacional.

Harper’s Magazine Harper's Magazine

Late last week, right after official White House spokesmen made a series of either evasive or completely false statements about the mysterious case of the vanishing, then reappearing, then perhaps no really vanished White House emails, Henry Waxman and his Oversight Committee announced some of the conclusions they had reached. Late na semana passada, logo após o funcionário Casa Branca spokesmen fez uma série de qualquer das evasivas ou completamente falsas declarações sobre o misterioso caso da fuga, então reaparecer, então talvez não realmente desapareceu Casa Branca e-mails, Henry Waxman e sua Supervisão Comissão anunciou algumas das Conclusões que tinham chegado.

Dan Eggen and Elizabeth Williamson Dan Eggen e Elizabeth Williamson published an account Publicou uma conta of it on Friday in the Washington Post : De que na sexta-feira no Washington Post:

The White House possesses no archived e-mail messages for many of its component offices, including the Executive Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President, for hundreds of days between 2003 and 2005, according to the summary of an internal White House study that was disclosed yesterday by a congressional Democrat. A Casa Branca possui nenhuma arquivadas mensagens de e-mail para muitos de seus componentes escritórios, incluindo o escritório executivo do presidente e do Gabinete do Vice-Presidente, por centenas de dias entre 2003 e 2005, de acordo com o resumo de um interno Casa Branca Estudo, que foi divulgada ontem por um congresso democrata. The 2005 study — whose credibility the White House attacked this week — identified 473 separate days in which no electronic messages were stored for one or more White House offices, said House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.). O estudo 2005 - cuja credibilidade da Casa Branca atacado esta semana - identificadas 473 dias separados, em que não foram mensagens eletrônicas armazenadas durante um ou vários escritórios Casa Branca, disse House Supervisão e Governo Reforma Comité presidente Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) .

Waxman said he decided to release the summary after White House spokesman Tony Fratto said yesterday that there is “no evidence” that any White House e-mails from those years are missing. Waxman disse ele decidiu liberar o resumo após Casa Branca voz Tony Fratto afirmou ontem que não há "nenhuma prova" que qualquer Casa Branca e-mails daqueles anos estão faltando. Fratto’s assertion “seems to be an unsubstantiated statement that has no relation to the facts they have shared with us,” Waxman said. Fratto afirmação da "parece ser uma infundadas declaração de que não tem qualquer relação com o facto de terem partilhado connosco", disse Waxman. The competing claims were the latest salvos in an escalating dispute over whether the Bush Administration has complied with long-standing statutory requirements to preserve official White House records — including those reflecting potentially sensitive policy discussions — for history and in case of any future legal demands. Os concorrentes alegações foram as últimas salvos em uma escalada controvérsia sobre se a administração Bush está a cumprir com os requisitos legais de longa data para preservar registros oficiais Casa Branca - incluindo aqueles que reflectem potencialmente sensíveis debates políticos - a história e, em caso de qualquer futura exigências legais.

Waxman said he is seeking testimony on the issue at a hearing next month from White House counsel Fred F. Fielding, National Archivist Allen Weinstein and Alan R. Swendiman, the politically appointed director of the Office of Administration, which produced the 2005 study at issue. Waxman disse que está procurando testemunho sobre o assunto em uma audiência no próximo mês de White House counsel F. Fred Fielding, Arquivista Nacional Allen Weinstein e Alan R. Swendiman, o politicamente nomeado diretor do Instituto de Administração, que elaborou o estudo em questão 2005 .

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has now posted a Cidadãos pela Responsabilidade e Ética em Washington já postou um series of studies Série de estudos to help us zero in on just what’s missing. Para nos ajudar a zero em apenas sobre o que está faltando. It will come as no surprise to most that the big offender is the men at the center of the most virulent scandals, and the missing email traffic relates just to those dates in which a federal prosecutor would have the most interest. Ela vem como nenhuma surpresa que a maioria dos grandes homens é o infractor no centro dos mais virulentos escândalos, e os desaparecidos e-mail tráfego diz respeito apenas às datas em que um procurador federal teria o maior interesse. Vice President Dick Cheney’s office destroyed its emails, in violation of the requirements of the federal records act and potentially criminal law, for the following days: O vice-presidente Dick Cheney's office destruiu seu e-mails, em violação dos requisitos do ato federal registros e potencialmente direito penal, para os seguintes dias:

September 12, 2003: The day on which the headlines in the New York Times read “federal appeals court in Washington yesterday rejected the Bush Administration’s effort to avoid releasing documents about Vice President Cheney Energy Task Force.” 12 de setembro de 2003: O dia em que as manchetes do New York Times ler "apelos tribunal federal em Washington rejeitou ontem da administração Bush sobre os esforços para evitar a libertação de cerca de documentos Vice-presidente Cheney Energy Task Force".

October 1, 2003: The day on which the Solicitor General argued to the Supreme Court that Vice President Cheney was entitled to keep all the details concerning his meetings with oil executives and their influence in his formulation of national energy policy confidential, including the names of the participants. 1 de outubro de 2003: O dia em que o advogado geral alegou ao Supremo Tribunal que o vice-presidente Cheney tinha o direito de manter todos os dados relativos aos seus encontros com executivos do petróleo ea sua influência na sua formulação da política energética nacional confidenciais, incluindo os nomes de Os participantes.

October 2, 2003: The day on which senior Congressional Republicans began a rewrite of key energy legislation behind closed doors and without involvement of Democrats—but potentially with the involvement of Vice President Cheney and oil executives involved in his secret energy task force. 2 de outubro de 2003: O dia em que altos Congresso republicanos iniciou uma regravação de energia chave legislação à porta fechada e sem envolvimento dos democratas-mas potencialmente com a participação do Vice-presidente Cheney e óleo executivos envolvidos no seu segredo energia task force.

October 3, 2003: The Senate approved a requirement that all future contracts to rebuild Iraq be granted on an open and competitive basis after airing open criticism on the closed and controversial process that resulted in multi-billion dollar noncompetitive contract awards to subsidiaries of Halliburton, the company which Vice President Cheney headed before he assumed office, and from which, under a deferred compensation agreement, he continues to receive more compensation than he receives from the Treasury for his services as vice president. 3 de outubro de 2003: O Senado aprovou a exigência de que todos os futuros contratos de reconstrução do Iraque ser concedidos em aberto e concorrencial, após ventilação crítica aberta e fechada sobre o controverso processo que resultou em multi-bilionária noncompetitive contrato concede às filiais da Halliburton, O Vice-presidente Cheney empresa, que chefiou antes de ele assumiu funções, e da qual, no âmbito de um acordo diferido compensação, ele continua a receber uma indemnização mais do que ele recebe do Tesouro para os seus serviços como vice-presidente.

October 5, 2003: Publication of the findings of a task force studying the development of the Iraqi oil industry and its potential for funding the costs of the occupation of Iraq. 5 de outubro de 2003: publicação das conclusões de uma task force estudar o desenvolvimento da indústria de petróleo do Iraque e do seu potencial de financiamento dos custos da ocupação do Iraque.

January 29, 2004: David A. Kay, the former chief American weapons inspector in Iraq, called for an independent inquiry into pre-war intelligence about Saddam Hussein’s weapons programs as skepticism about the administration’s claims about Iraqi WMD grows. 29 de janeiro de 2004: A. David Kay, o ex-inspector-chefe armas americanas no Iraque, apelou a uma investigação independente em inteligência pré-guerra sobre Saddam Hussein armas programas como ceticismo acerca da administração reivindicações sobre iraquiano ADM cresce.

January 30, 2004: President Bush opposes an independent investigation of intelligence failures surrounding Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction stockpiles despite increasing demands for one by some US lawmakers. 30 de janeiro de 2004: O presidente Bush se opõe uma investigação independente de falhas inteligência circundante Saddam Hussein alegadas armas de destruição em massa, apesar estoques crescentes demandas por uma E.U. por alguns legisladores.

January 31, 2004: Press reports focus on building speculation that an independent commission will be created to look into the White House’s basis for claims that Iraq had WMDs, accusations which were consistently led by Vice President Cheney. 31 de janeiro de 2004: As notícias veiculadas pela imprensa centrar-se na construção especulação de que uma comissão independente será criado para estudar a Casa Branca de base para alegações de que o Iraque tinha ADM, acusações que foram consistentemente chefiada pelo vice-presidente Cheney.

February 15, 2005: Citing the threat exemplified by 9/11, President Bush urges Congress to re-authorize the Patriot Act. 15 de fevereiro de 2005: Citando a ameaça exemplificado por 11 / 9, o Presidente Bush insta Congresso para re-autorizar o Patriot Act.

February 16, 2005: An appeals court orders that two reporters who have refused to testify about their conversations with confidential sources regarding the leak that exposed the identification of CIA agent Valerie Plame should be held in contempt. 16 de fevereiro de 2005: Um recurso tribunal ordena que dois repórteres, que se recusaram a depor sobre as suas conversas com fontes confidenciais relativas à fuga que exposta a identificação do agente da CIA Valerie Plame deverá ser realizada em desprezo. It would later be revealed that both had conversations with members of Vice President Cheney’s staff. Tratar-se-ia mais tarde se revelou que ambos tiveram conversas com membros do pessoal do vice-presidente Cheney.

May 23, 2005: Calls mount for the resignation of Tom Delay pending the outcome of an investigation into ethical violations. 23 de maio de 2005: Chamadas para montar a demissão de Tom Delay enquanto se aguardam os resultados de um inquérito sobre as violações éticas. The Congressional and criminal investigation into Jack Abramoff widens to include long-time associate and fellow architect of the Republican takeover of the capital, Grover Norquist. O Congresso ea investigação criminal em Jack Abramoff expande para incluir longo tempo associado e bolseiro arquiteto do republicano aquisição do capital, Grover Norquist. The White House continues to obstruct efforts to identify who Abramoff saw in his hundreds of visits to the White House. A Casa Branca continua a dificultar os esforços para identificar quem Abramoff viu na sua centenas de visitas à Casa Branca.

The missing Cheney emails fit a pattern that suggests intentional rather than accidental destruction. Os e-mails desaparecidos Cheney correspondem a um padrão que sugere intencional, em vez de destruição acidental. They all occur on days on which, considering contemporaneous press reports, the Vice President or his staff members were in the news and would likely have been communicating on the subjects relating to the press coverage. Eles ocorrem em todos os dias em que, considerando contemporâneos imprensa, o Vice-Presidente ou o seu pessoal eram membros da notícia e teria provavelmente sido comunicar sobre os assuntos relacionados com a cobertura da imprensa. The most persistent themes are the outing of Valerie Plame and Cheney’s secret dealings with a group of oil and gas executives who were directly influencing national energy policy. Os temas são os mais persistentes saída de Valerie Plame e Cheney's secretas negociações com um grupo de petróleo e gás executivos que estiveram directamente influenciar as políticas energéticas nacionais. The Empty Wheel has some excellent analysis O vazio Roda tem um excelente análise of these points. Destes pontos.

I keep wondering: have they checked that man-sized safe in Cheney’s office? I manter perguntando: eles têm verificado que o homem com a dimensão de segurança no Cheney's office? Maybe he kept some copies there. Talvez ele manteve algumas cópias lá.

And in the meantime, E, entretanto, Blimp TV offers Balão TV oferece a promotional videotape for the administration’s proposed new petroleum-based coinage. Um vídeo promocional para a administração da nova proposta de petróleo à base de cunhagem.

“New heat on the White House” "New calor sobre a Casa Branca"

Bush Admin. Bush Admin. May Keep Visitor Records Private While Appealing Court Decision To Open Files Visitante pode manter registros privados, enquanto apelativa Tribunal decisão de abrir arquivos

AP AP

A federal judge agreed Friday to let the Bush administration keep secret the lists of visitors to the White House until an appeals court decides whether the documents are public records. Um juiz federal concordou sexta para deixar a administração Bush manter secretas as listas de visitantes à Casa Branca até um recurso jurisdicional decide se os documentos são registros públicos.

US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth granted the White House request five days after ordering the Secret Service to turn over the records to a liberal watchdog group that sought them under the Freedom of Information Act. E.U. Distrito juiz Royce C. Lamberth concedida a Casa Branca pedido cinco dias após a ordenação dos serviços secretos de passar os registros de um observatório grupo liberal que eles procuraram abrigo do Freedom of Information Act.

The logs being sought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington relate to White House visits regarding nine conservative religious commentators, including James Dobson, Gary Bauer and the late Rev. Jerry Falwell. Os registos sendo procurado pelos Cidadãos pela Responsabilidade e Ética em Washington dizem respeito à Casa Branca em relação visitas nove conservador religioso comentadores, incluindo James Dobson, Gary Bauer, o falecido Rev. Jerry Falwell.

Visitor records are created by the Secret Service, which is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Visitante registros são criados pelo Serviço Secreto, que está sujeita ao Freedom of Information Act. The Bush administration ordered the data be turned over to the White House, where it is treated as presidential records outside the scope of the public records law. A administração Bush ordenou os dados estar viradas para a Casa Branca, onde é tratado como presidencial registros fora do âmbito do direito público registros.

Lamberth ruled logs from the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney’s residence remain Secret Service documents and are subject to public records requests. Lamberth deliberou logs a partir da Casa Branca e vice-presidente Dick Cheney's Secret Service residência permanecem documentos e estão sujeitos a registros públicos pedidos.

Phyllis Bennis is a Senior Analyst at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC She is the author of Before and After: US Foreign Policy and the September 11 Crisis and Challenging Empire: How People, Governments, and the UN Defy US Power. Phyllis Bennis é um Analista Sênior do Instituto de Estudos Políticos, em Washington DC Ela é a autora do Antes e Depois: E.U. Política Externa e de 11 de Setembro e desafiadora Império Crisis: Como as pessoas, os governos e as Nações Unidas Desafia E.U. Power.

A federal judge has taken a significant step in dismantling the wall of secrecy the Bush administration has needlessly built around the White House. Um juiz federal deu um passo significativo no desmantelamento do muro de secretismo a administração Bush tem desnecessariamente construído em torno da Casa Branca.

Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that White House visitors logs were public records and that the public had a right to see them. Juiz Royce Lamberth deliberou que Casa Branca visitantes registros foram registros públicos e que o público tinha o direito de vê-los.

The logs, maintained by the Secret Service, had been public until 2006, when the Bush administration, which adheres to the principle that its business is nobody’s but its own, declared that the logs were presidential records and thus exempt from the Freedom of Information Act under the doctrine of executive privilege. Os registos, mantida pelo Serviço Secreto, tinha sido pública até 2006, quando a administração Bush, que segue o princípio de que ninguém é o seu negócio, mas a sua própria, declarou que os registros foram presidenciais registros e assim isentas da Liberdade de Information Act sob a doutrina do privilégio executivo.

Executive privilege is intended to protect the confidentiality and candor of the advice the president receives. Executivo privilégio destina-se a proteger a confidencialidade ea franqueza do conselho o presidente recebe. The logs say only who visited the White House, when and for how long; they contain nothing about the substance of the visits. Os registos dizer apenas que visitou a Casa Branca, quando e por quanto tempo, pois eles contêm nada sobre a substância das visitas.

It might shed light, however, on White House political machinations. Poderia esclarecer, no entanto, sobre a Casa Branca maquinações políticas.

The White House says it will appeal, using that as an excuse not to comment on the legal setback. A Casa Branca diz que vai recorrer, utilizando-o como uma desculpa para não comentar o revés jurídico. One day, it is to be hoped, Congress and the courts will throw open the doors and windows of the Bush administration and the sun will shine in. Unfortunately, it is likely to be long after it has left office. Um dia, é de esperar, Congresso e os tribunais vão deitar abrir as portas e janelas da administração Bush eo sol vai brilhar pol Infelizmente, é provável que seja muito tempo depois ele saiu do escritório.

Scripps Howard News Service Scripps Howard News Service

The Times The Times

The Pentagon has drawn up plans for massive airstrikes against 1,200 targets in Iran, designed to annihilate the Iranians’ military capability in three days, according to a national security expert. O Pentágono elaborou planos para 1200 maciça airstrikes contra alvos no Irão, concebido para aniquilar os iranianos' capacidade militar em três dias, de acordo com um perito da segurança nacional.

Alexis Debat, director of terrorism and national security at the Nixon Center, said last week that US military planners were not preparing for “pinprick strikes” against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Alexis Debat, diretor do terrorismo e da segurança nacional, o Nixon Center, disse na semana passada que E.U. planeamento militar não estavam preparando para "pinprick greves" contra o Irão's instalações nucleares. “They’re about taking out the entire Iranian military,” he said. "Eles estão levando para fora de todo o militar iraniana", disse ele.

Debat was speaking at a meeting organised by The National Interest, a conservative foreign policy journal. Debat estava falando em uma reunião organizada pela National Interest, uma conservadora política externa revista. He told The Sunday Times that the US military had concluded: “Whether you go for pinprick strikes or all-out military action, the reaction from the Iranians will be the same.” It was, he added, a “very legitimate strategic calculus”. O Sunday Times disse que os E.U. militar tinha concluído: "Quer ir para pinprick greves ou de todas as acções militares, a reacção da iranianos será o mesmo." Foi, acrescentou, um "muito legítimo estratégica calculus" .

President George Bush intensified the rhetoric against Iran last week, accusing Tehran of putting the Middle East “under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust”. Presidente George Bush intensificou a retórica contra o Irão na semana passada, acusando Teerã de colocar o Oriente Médio ", sob a sombra de um holocausto nuclear". He warned that the US and its allies would confront Iran “before it is too late”. Ele advertiu que os E.U. e seus aliados iria confrontar Irão "antes que seja demasiado tarde".

One Washington source said the “temperature was rising” inside the administration. Uma fonte disse ao Washington "temperatura foi subindo" dentro da administração. Bush was “sending a message to a number of audiences”, he said to the Iranians and to members of the United Nations security council who are trying to weaken a tough third resolution on sanctions against Iran for flouting a UN ban on uranium enrichment. Bush foi "enviando uma mensagem para uma série de audiências", disse ele aos iranianos e aos membros do Conselho de Segurança das Nações Unidas que estão a tentar enfraquecer uma dura terceira resolução sobre as sanções contra o Irão por desrespeito da ONU proibição de enriquecimento de urânio.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week reported “significant” cooperation with Iran over its nuclear programme and said that uranium enrichment had slowed. A Agência Internacional de Energia Atómica (AIEA), na semana passada, relatou "significativa" cooperação com o Irão sobre o seu programa nuclear e disse que o enriquecimento de urânio tinha abrandado. Tehran has promised to answer most questions from the agency by November, but Washington fears it is stalling to prevent further sanctions. Teerã tenha prometido responder a maioria das perguntas da agência de Novembro, mas Washington teme-se bloqueio para evitar novas sanções. Iran continues to maintain it is merely developing civilian nuclear power. Irão continua a manter-se apenas desenvolver a energia nuclear civil.

Bush is committed for now to the diplomatic route but thinks Iran is moving towards acquiring a nuclear weapon. Bush está comprometido por agora à via diplomática, mas pensa que o Irão está a avançar para a aquisição de uma arma nuclear. According to one well placed source, Washington believes it would be prudent to use rapid, overwhelming force, should military action become necessary. De acordo com uma fonte bem colocada, Washington acredita que seria prudente para uso rápido, força esmagadora, deverá vir a ser necessária uma acção militar.

Israel, which has warned it will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, has made its own preparations for airstrikes and is said to be ready to attack if the Americans back down. Israel, que já avisou que não irá permitir que o Irão a adquirir armas nucleares, fez seus próprios preparativos para airstrikes e se diz pronto para ser o seu ataque, se os americanos de volta para baixo.

Alireza Jafarzadeh, a spokesman for the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which uncovered the existence of Iran’s uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, said the IAEA was being strung along. Alireza Jafarzadeh, um porta-voz do Conselho Nacional de Resistência Nacional do Irão, que revelou a existência de enriquecimento de urânio do Irão planta em Natanz, disse que a AIEA estava sendo strung junto. “A number of nuclear sites have not even been visited by the IAEA,” he said. "Um certo número de centrais nucleares nem sequer foram visitados pela AIEA", disse ele. “They’re giving a clean bill of health to a regime that is known to have practised deception.” "Eles estão dando um atestado de saúde limpo com um regime que é conhecido por ter praticado engano".

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, irritated the Bush administration last week by vowing to fill a “power vacuum” in Iraq. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, o presidente iraniano, irritada a administração Bush na semana passada pelo vowing para preencher um "vácuo poder" no Iraque. But Washington believes Iran is already fighting a proxy war with the Americans in Iraq. Mas Washington acredita que o Irão já está lutando um proxy guerra com os americanos no Iraque.

The Institute for the Study of War last week released a report by Kimberly Kagan that explicitly uses the term “proxy war” and claims that with the Sunni insurgency and Al-Qaeda in Iraq “increasingly under control”, Iranian intervention is the “next major problem the coalition must tackle”. O Institute for the Study of War na semana passada um relatório liberado pela Kimberly Kagan que explicitamente usa o termo "proxy guerra", e afirma que, com a insurreição sunita e Al-Qaeda no Iraque "cada vez mais sob controle", o iraniano intervenção é o "próximo grande Problema da coligação deve atacar ".

Bush noted that the number of attacks on US bases and troops by Iranian-supplied munitions had increased in recent months “despite pledges by Iran to help stabilise the security situation in Iraq”. Bush salientou que o número de ataques contra tropas e bases E.U. pelo iraniano-fornecidos munições tinha aumentado nos últimos meses "apesar das promessas por parte do Irão para ajudar a estabilizar a situação de segurança no Iraque".

It explains, in part, his lack of faith in diplomacy with the Iranians. Ele explica, em parte, a sua falta de confiança na diplomacia com os iranianos. But Debat believes the Pentagon’s plans for military action involve the use of so much force that they are unlikely to be used and would seriously stretch resources in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mas Debat acredita que o Pentágono's planos de acção militar envolvem o uso de tanta força que eles não são susceptíveis de ser utilizadas e seriamente esticar recursos no Afeganistão e no Iraque.

Granma International Granma Internacional
flamesong Flamesong
21st August 2007 21 Agosto 2007

On August 20, the 11th Circuit Appeals Court in Atlanta heard convincing allegations by the legal team defending the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters imprisoned in the United States. Em 20 de agosto de Apelações do 11 º Circuito de Atlanta Tribunal ouviu as alegações convincente pela equipe jurídica defender os cinco lutadores antiterroristas cubanos presos nos Estados Unidos.

The defense lawyers submitted that the prosecution committed serious procedural errors and used intimidation to pressure the jury of the initial trial, which took place in Miami in a climate of apparent hostility toward the five heroes. A defesa alegou que os advogados de acusação cometido graves erros processuais e intimidação utilizado para pressionar o júri do primeiro julgamento, que teve lugar em Miami, em um clima de hostilidade em direção aparente dos cinco heróis.

For the first time eminent foreign legal professionals were present at the hearing of the case of Gerardo Hernández, Fernando González, Ramón Labaniño, Antonio Guerrero and René González, known as the Five in the international campaign for their release. Pela primeira vez eminentes profissionais jurídicos estrangeiros estiveram presentes na audiência do caso de Gerardo Hernández, Fernando González, Ramón Labaniño, Antonio Guerrero e René González, conhecidos como os Cinco na campanha internacional para a sua libertação.

Alicia Jrapko, a member of the International Free the Five Committee, told the Cuban radio and TV Roundtable program over the phone that the presence of prestigious international lawyers was much larger than before and signified strong backing for the Cuban anti-terrorist fighters. Alicia Jrapko, um membro do Comitê Internacional Livre da Cinco, disse o cubano rádio e TV programa Mesa Redonda sobre o telefone que a presença de prestígio internacional advogados era muito maior do que antes e significou um forte apoio para os cubanos antiterroristas lutadores.

Juan Guzmán, the Chilean attorney who brought charges against the ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet, was present and informed the Roundtable program (again by phone) that the US government was unable to refute the defense truths, as reflected in the international media. Juan Guzmán, o advogado chileno que trouxeram acusações contra o ex-ditador Augusto Pinochet, esteve presente e informou o programa Mesa Redonda (novamente por telefone), que os E.U. governo não foi capaz de refutar a defesa verdades, que se reflecte na mídia internacional.

Guzmán appreciated the questions put by the sitting judges and stated that there is really no evidence to justify the charges of espionage against the prisoners, nor that of “conspiring to commit murder,” brazenly brought against two of them. Guzmán apreciaram as questões colocadas pelo sessão juízes e afirmou que realmente não há provas para justificar as acusações de espionagem contra os presos, nem a de "conspirar para cometer assassinatos," brazenly interposto contra dois deles.

It was also abundantly clear that Miami was not an appropriate venue for the original trial, where the Five were handed down sentences ranging from 15 years’ imprisonment to two life terms, because the jury was intimidated, a point firmly established by the defense appeal, Guzmán added. Foi também muito claro que Miami não foi um fórum adequado para o julgamento original, em que os Cinco foram entregues estabelece penas que vão de 15 anos de prisão vida a dois termos, porque o júri foi intimidado, de um ponto firmemente estabelecida pela defesa recorrido, Guzmán acrescentou.

The Chilean legal professional thought that the defense achieved its main objective: to communicate the poor conduct of the US government and the shortcomings of the jury selected for the Miami trial. O chileno legal profissionais pensavam que a defesa atingiu o seu objectivo principal: a comunicar a má conduta de os E.U. governo e as deficiências do júri seleccionados para o ensaio Miami.

“In line with my legal experience, my impression was that those who have knowledge of this case would have to rule in favor of the five Cubans,” Guzmán affirmed. "De acordo com a minha experiência jurídica, a minha impressão foi a de que aqueles que têm conhecimento deste caso, teria de se pronunciar em favor dos cinco cubanos", afirmou Guzmán.

The multinational TV networks Telesur and CNN covered aspects of the hearing and antecedents in the case of the Five. A multinacional redes de TV Telesur e CNN abrangidos aspectos da audição e antecedentes no caso dos Cinco.

This September the Cuban patriots will have completed nine years of arbitrary detention in the United States after they were sentenced for crimes that they did not commit in a rigged trial in Miami, lacking in procedural guarantees, as confirmed by UN experts and three judges at the Court of Appeals in the first hearing. Este Setembro, a patriotas cubanos terá completado nove anos de detenção arbitrária, nos Estados Unidos, depois de terem sido condenados por crimes que não cometeu num rigged julgamento em Miami, na falta de garantias processuais, como foi confirmado por peritos da ONU e três juízes no Tribunal de Apelações na primeira audiência.

Yahoo [via [Via Granma International Granma Internacional ]
flamesong Flamesong
20th August 2007 20 Agosto 2007

The United States pays Cuba $4,085 a month in rent for the controversial Guantanamo naval base, but Cuba has only once cashed a check in almost half a century and then only by mistake, Fidel Castro wrote in an essay published on Friday. Os Estados Unidos pagam Cuba $ 4085 por mês em rendas para o controverso base naval Guantánamo, Cuba, mas tem apenas uma vez trocados um cheque em quase meio século e, em seguida, só por engano, Fidel Castro escreveu em um ensaio publicado na sexta-feira.

The ailing Cuban leader, who has not appeared in public for more than a year, said he had refused to cash the checks to protest the “illegal” US occupation of the land which he said was now used for “dirty work.” A dificuldade líder cubano, que não tenha aparecido em público há mais de um ano, disse que ele tinha recusado a receber dinheiro dos controlos para o protesto "ilegais" E.U. ocupação da terra que ele disse já foi usado para "trabalho sujo".

“The base is needed to humiliate and to do the dirty work that occurs there,” he said of the detention camp where some 355 terrorism suspects are still being held with no legal rights despite international criticism. "A base é necessária para humilhar e fazer o trabalho sujo que ocorre lá", disse ele a detenção do acampamento onde cerca 355 terrorismo suspeitos ainda estão sendo realizadas sem direitos legais apesar críticas internacionais.

Castro, who turned 81 on Monday out of public sight, said the US checks are made out to the “Treasurer General of the Republic,” a position that ceased to exist after Cuba’s 1959 revolution. Castro, que virou na segunda-feira, 81 de vista público, disse que os E.U. cheques são a "Tesoureiro Geral da República", uma posição que deixou de existir após a Cuba's 1959 revolução.

He said only one US check was ever cashed — in 1959 due to “confusion” in the heady early days of the leftist revolution. Ele disse apenas um E.U. cheque foi sempre trocados - em 1959 devido à "confusão" no heady primeiros dias da revolução esquerdista.

Castro’s refusal to cash the checks to protest the “illegal” occupation has been long known. Castro's recusa a receber dinheiro dos controlos para o protesto "ilegais" ocupação foi muito conhecida. In a television interview years ago, he showed the checks stuffed into a desk drawer in his office. Em uma entrevista televisiva anos atrás, ele mostrou os controlos recheadas numa gaveta secretária em seu escritório.

The final installment of Castro’s long historical essay on Cuba’s hostile relations with the United States — written for future generations — was published by the ruling Communist Party newspaper Granma. A última instalação de Castro's longo histórico ensaio sobre Cuba's hostil relações com os Estados Unidos - escrito para as gerações futuras - foi publicado pela decisão Partido Comunista jornal Granma.

The essay entitled “The Empire and the Independent Island” recounted Castro’s view of US efforts to control Cuba since US troops landed on the island in the Spanish-American War that secured Cuban independence from Spain in 1898. O ensaio, intitulado "O Império e os Independentes Island" recounted Castro é da opinião de E.U. esforços para controlar a Cuba desde E.U. tropas desembarcaram na ilha da guerra hispano-americana que garantiu cubano independência da Espanha em 1898.

The United States retained 46.8 square miles (121 square kilometers) at the entrance to Guantanamo Bay in eastern Cuba for a naval base, which has been used as a prison camp for Taliban and al Qaeda terrorism suspects since the Afghanistan war following the September 11 attacks in 2001. Os Estados Unidos conservados 46,8 milhas quadradas (121 quilômetros quadrados), na entrada de Guantanamo, em Cuba Oriental para uma base naval, que tem sido usada como uma prisão acampamento para Taliban e da Al Qaeda terrorismo suspeitos desde a guerra no Afeganistão após os ataques de 11 de Setembro Em 2001.

The base was initially a coaling station for the US Navy to protect the approaches to the Panama Canal. A base era inicialmente um coaling station para os E.U. Marinha para proteger as abordagens para o Canal do Panamá.

Castro said the enclave was “illegally usurped” by the United States, adding that the base no longer had any strategic military purpose in the age of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers packed with fast fighter-bombers. Castro disse que o enclave era "usurped ilegalmente" por parte dos Estados Unidos, acrescentando que a base já não tinha qualquer objectivo estratégico militar na era da energia nuclear-powered aeronaves transportadoras embalado com fast caças-bombardeiros.

“If we have to wait for the collapse of the (capitalist) system, we will wait,” Castro wrote. "Se temos de esperar para o colapso do sistema (capitalista), vamos aguardar", escreveu Castro. He said Cuba was always on alert to the threat of a US invasion. Ele disse que Cuba esteve sempre em alerta para a ameaça de uma invasão E.U..

Castro handed over power to his brother Raul on July 26 last year after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery. Castro entregou o poder ao seu irmão Raul em 26 de julho do ano passado, depois de submetidos a cirurgia de emergência intestinal. His health is a state secret, but few Cubans expect him to return to office. Sua saúde é um estado secreto, mas poucos cubanos esperam dele para voltar ao escritório.

The Cuban leader, the last of the major Cold War figures still alive, is seen as a Stalinist tyrant by his enemies but is widely admired in the Third World for standing up to the United States, a David-versus-Goliath role he has relished. O líder cubano, a última das grandes figuras Guerra Fria ainda vivo, é visto como um tirano estalinista por seus adversários, mas é muito admirada no Terceiro Mundo para levantar-se para os Estados Unidos, um David-versus-Golias papel que ele tem relished .

Founder of Alpha 66, identified as an accomplice in the conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy

Granma International

It was the CIA that informed Antonio Veciana Blanch, 10 months ahead of time, of a visit to Chile by the president of Cuba; it proposed he should organize Fidel’s assassination, directed him to carry it out in a press conference and provided his transportation with weapons to Santiago in a US diplomatic vehicle. It was the CIA that informed Antonio Veciana Blanch, 10 months ahead of time, of a visit to Chile by the president of Cuba; it proposed he should organize Fidel’s assassination, directed him to carry it out in a press conference and provided his transportation with weapons to Santiago in a US diplomatic vehicle.

This was confirmed to a Miami radio station by Veciana himself who, aged 79, decided to confess some of the crimes he has committed over close to 50 years for the US intelligence services in their dirty war on Cuba.

Founder of Alpha 66, identified as an accomplice in the conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy, this killer trained in Operation 40 was convicted of drug trafficking in New York in 1974.

In an attempt to respond to an interview with General (ret) Fabian Escalante Fonts recently published in Granma International, Veciana gave his version of various acts of terrorism in which he was involved on ‘La noche se mueve’ program on Miami radio.

‘I was in Bolivia working for USAID as advisor to the Central Bank,’ the terrorist chief explained on approaching the issue of the Chile attempt in 1971.

The ‘aid to development’ granted to Bolivia by that official US agency linked from its foundation to intelligence activities, was wide-ranging, he reveals. ‘There was a group of us Cubans. I was a banking advisor in the Central Bank. Rafael Dalmau was in the Mining Bank. Charles Bacon who, despite his American name, was Cuban by birth, was in the Agricultural Bank and the CIA had other people working in the Ministry of the Interior.’

A CIA official told me that Fidel was going to Chile
One day, ‘a CIA official told me that Fidel was going to Chile and asked me if I was prepared to participate in organizing an attempt on his life,’ Veciana related. ‘I had been based in Bolivia for four years. I hadn’t read anything about Castro going to Chile until someone from the CIA called me from Peru.’

The US agency took on coordinating the contact with Chilean police conspiring against the democratic regime of the socialist Salvador Allende.

‘He told me that I could have confidence in the two people who were going to visit me on behalf of the Chilean police.’

At various points in the interview Veciana declined to confirm that one of those individuals was Police Colonel Eduardo Sepúlveda. ‘I cannot confirm to you if it was Sepúlveda or someone else,’ he said enigmatically. Later, he insisted: ‘It could have been Sepúlveda but I didn’t know Sepúlveda. They used false names.’

‘These gentlemen came to see me in La Paz and we had two meetings. Then they informed me that effectively, a visit to Chile by Fidel Castro was planned and would probably be quite extensive. They thought that he would be at least two weeks in Chile and said that they were prepared to cooperate…’

‘I was the organiser’
During the three-hour interview, broadcast by three separate stations. Veciana insisted on attributing the leadership of the operation being planned to himself and cast aside his rival Luis Posada Carriles, who was handling CIA operations from Caracas.

‘I was the organizer,’ he repeated, expressing his dissatisfaction with the Chilean accomplices. ‘I asked them for some support that they never gave. I asked them to give me police uniforms, to give me more facilities. And they told me; we’re just going to give you information.’

Where would Veciana find the support that he needed? In Miami, of course. That city contained the large reserve of killers and conspirators constituted by the CIA years back. And heading up that pack of terrorists were his Alpha 66 buddies, with offices on Flager Street.

‘I sent a coded telegram to Alpha 66…. There are people here still who can back that up… To see if there were any men of action prepared to operate.’

Veciana finally decided to travel to the place that is still the sanctuary of continental terrorism.

‘Andres Nazario (Sargent, then head of Alpha 66) received me… We interviewed various people.’

All the candidates realized that participating in an attempt on the life of Fidel Castro was asking them to commit suicide.

‘They weren’t prepared to give up their lives.’

The ‘killers’: Islander Dominguez and Marco Rodriguez
Veciana returned, disappointed, to Bolivia after four days. However, he recalled, a new coded message from Sargent soon arrived, announcing that two individuals prepared to join the conspiracy had been found.

‘I went back to Miami… The two people belonged to Orlando Bosch’s group.’ They had worked with Poder Cubano (Bosch’s group) and in the CORU; they were Domínguez ‘the Islander,’ I think his name was Antonio, and Marco Rodríguez. ‘I went back to Miami… The two people belonged to Orlando Bosch’s group.’ They had worked with Poder Cubano (Bosch’s group) and in the CORU; they were Domínguez ‘the Islander,’ I think his name was Antonio , and Marco Rodríguez. I provided them with all the means to get to Venezuela and in Venezuela there were certain Venevisión officials who gave me all the facilities.’

‘The plan was to convert the two killers into Venevisión cameramen to subsequently infiltrate them into a press conference to be given by the Cuban president in Santiago de Chile.

Whose idea was that? The CIA’s, Veciana confirmed. ‘They suggested the camera idea… they suggested taking advantage of the conference where 600 or 700 journalist would be present, for the assassination.’

‘CIA personnel participated in preparations fro the attempt: ‘Afterwards the plot was complemented by getting the people who, as experts, were recommended by them: this can be done, this can’t be done… ‘

‘We had somebody who knew about the workings of Cuban press conferences: possibly the people who attended would have to leave their cameras outside and these would be checked. But by using a small weapon and hiding it in a certain section of the camera, when they began to run, the weapon wouldn’t be detected,’ he confessed.

So Domínguez and Rodríguez ‘were trained as cameramen and I got them Venevisión credentials.

‘The preparation of the two terrorists was meticulous.

‘They had to be trained because they were Cuban, they had to know the Venezuelan language… They were in Caracas for 60 to 90 days training so that they would be undetectable as Cubans, but as Venezuelans,’ he stated.

Veciana was then asked: ‘Did these two people receive training as shooters, as killers, as assassins?’

The 79 year old replied with surprising candor: ‘Well, I would call them assassins.

‘They were action men of Poder Cubano who had worked with Orlando Bosch.’

The two ‘assassins arrived in Santiago de Chile ‘long before Castro was due to arrive; in other words, they were there and began interviewing the Chilean government as if they were Venezuelan journalists.’

At the beginning of the interview, Veciana responded to an initial question on the Santiago attempt: ‘I didn’t go to Chile.’ But, on getting into his story of the events, he suddenly told everything about his stay in that country.

‘Yes, of course, I was in Chile,’ he exclaimed and added a strange revelation.

In a US Diplomatic car… with weapons!
‘I left La Paz for Lima in a diplomatic car from the US embassy with the weapons,’ Veciana suddenly admitted on pointing out that other US agents left Lima for Santiago to join the plot.

‘We had rented the apartment in Huérfanos Street in Santiago where they (Domínguez and Rodríguez) were going to pass themselves off as simple journalists and we met up somewhere on the border of Chile and Peru and went from Arequipa, Tagna to Santiago.

‘While we were there, I had a minimum support base of three people who only knew what was being prepared when I needed a certain movement.’
Going back to the story of the idea to blame the planned assassination on the Soviet Union, Veciana gave his own version.

‘Somebody suggested to me: who’s going to be blamed for Castro’s death… Who’s going to make the public announcement? Let’s put the blame on the Soviet Union… That seemed like a good idea to me.’

‘The ‘Islander’ was told to go to a house just to ask for an address… ‘An alleged Soviet agent was living there.

‘He was a professor at the Central University of Caracas who was also a KGB agent… and there was a photographer who took photos so that if there were deaths on our account, it could be stated that these people had been working with the KGB.’ ‘He was a professor at the Central University of Caracas who was also a KGB agent… and there was a photographer who took photos so that if there were deaths on our account, it could be stated that these people had been working with the KGB. ’

And what was happening, in the meantime, with Luis Posada Carriles?

‘Posada didn’t have anything to do with it,’ answered Veciana with something of scorn for the current hero of the Miami mafiosi. ‘He boasted a bit of his anti-Castro activity,’ he commented, noting that the CIA taught him to keep himself ‘compartmentalized.’

Reuters

The Bush administration’s top intelligence official has acknowledged that a controversial domestic surveillance program was only one part of a much broader spying effort, The Washington Post reported in its Wednesday edition.

Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell wrote in a letter that other aspects of the National Security Agency’s domestic spying program remain classified, the Post said.

“That is the only aspect of the NSA activities that can be discussed publicly because it is the only aspect of those various activities whose existence has been officially acknowledged,” McConnell wrote, according to the Post.

Bush acknowledged the existence of a program that monitored domestic phone calls and e-mails without court oversight in December 2005. The administration has not confirmed other secret spying efforts reported by news outlets, such as one that searched millions of telephone records.

Bush signed an executive order that authorized “a number of … intelligence activities” following the hijacking attacks of September 11, 2001, McConnell wrote.

The warrantless wiretapping program was put under court supervision in January but the administration now wants Congress to allow it to do many of the same activities without a court order.

The letter was sent on Tuesday to Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The letter was written to defend Attorney General Alberto

Gonzales, who has been under attack over his testimony to Congress about the warrantless spying program, the Post said.

By Matthew Rothschild

After a myriad of stories about people being excluded from events where the President is speaking, now we know that the White House had a policy manual on just how to do so.

So the truth comes out.

After a myriad of stories about people being excluded from events where the President is speaking, now we know that the White House had a policy manual on just how to do so.

Called the “Presidential Advance Manual,” this 103-page document from the Office of Presidential Advance lays out the parameters for how to handle protesters at events.

“Always be prepared for demonstrators,” says the document, which is dated October 2002 and which the ACLU released as part of a new lawsuit .

In a section entitled “Preventing Demonstrators,” the document says: “All Presidential events must be ticketed or accessed by a name list. This is the best method for preventing demonstrators. People who are obviously going to try to disrupt the event can be denied entrance at least to the VIP area between the stage and the main camera platform. … It is important to have your volunteers at a checkpoint before the Magnetometers in order to stop a demonstrator from getting into the event. Look for signs they may be carrying, and if need be, have volunteers check for folded cloth signs that demonstrators may be bringing.”

In another section, entitled “Preparing for Demonstrators,” the document makes clear that the intention is to deprive protesters of the right to be seen or heard by the President: “As always, work with the Secret Service and have them ask the local police department to designate a protest area where demonstrators can be placed, preferably not in view of the event site or motorcade route.” In another section, entitled “Preparing for Demonstrators,” the document makes clear that the intention is to deprive protesters of the right to be seen or heard by the President: “As always, work with the Secret Service and have them ask the local police department to designate a protest area where demonstrators can be placed, preferably not in view of the event site or motorcade route.”

The document also recommends drowning out protesters or blocking their signs by using what it calls “rally squads.” It states: “These squads should be instructed always to look for demonstrators. The rally squad’s task is to use their signs and banners as shields between the demonstrators and the main press platform. If the demonstrators are yelling, rally squads can begin and lead supportive chants to drown out the protestors (USA!, USA!, USA!). As a last resort, security should remove the demonstrators from the event site.”

The document offered advice on how to recruit members for such squads: “The rally squads can include, but are not limited to, college/young republican organizations, local athletic teams, and fraternities/sororities.”

The document does contain a warning in bold, however: “Remember — avoid physical contact with demonstrators.” It also advises to make sure that whatever action is taken to drown out the demonstrators does not “cause more negative publicity than if the demonstrators were simply left alone.” The document does contain a warning in bold, however: “Remember — avoid physical contact with demonstrators.” It also advises to make sure that whatever action is taken to drown out the demonstrators does not “cause more negative publicity than if the demonstrators were simply left alone.”

Impeachcheney.org

That’s right, we said the “I” word. And you should be saying it too — to your family, your friends, your neighbors, your pets and the hearty 26% of Americans who somehow still believe the Bush/Cheney team more worthy of sitting in the Oval Office than an undisclosed location stripped of all authority to further damage the country we love. And you should be saying it too — to your family, your friends, your neighbors, your pets and the hearty 26% of Americans who somehow still believe the Bush/Cheney team more worthy of sitting in the Oval Office than an undisclosed location stripped of all authority to further damage the country we love.

You’ll want to say it even more after watching our video with the evidence for impeachment right there: http://impeachcheney.org/?utm_source=rgemail

Dick Cheney has been a malevolent force on the checks and balances of American government for over six years. He has subverted government processes to lead us into this tragedy in Iraq, and is now seeking to do the same with Iran. Two countries, mind you, he did business with while CEO of Halliburton.