After Sharp Words On CIA, Obama Faces A Delicate Task

After Sharp Words On CIA, Obama Faces A Delicate Task

www.nytimes.com

WASHINGTON — For two years on the presidential campaign trail, Barack Obama rallied crowds with strongly worded critiques of the Bush administration’s most controversial counterterrorism programs, from hiding terrorism suspects in secret Central Intelligence Agency jails to questioning them with methods he denounced as torture.

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Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Obama and Torture, CIA, torture, Obama and the CIA

Apparently Obama has backed off his original choice to head the CIA because Obama's supporters question Brennan's stand on the methods of detainment of terrorism suspects and his stand on torture. By advocating use of the military's own guide on interrogation tactics--a guide which specifies non-coercive forms of interrogation--Obama is simply asking the CIA to adhere to its own government's rules.

This stance seems to me reasonable and appropriate. It will greatly improve America's standing in the world and regain lost respect for its guiding principles.

People have told me that what is considered torture is relative, and waterboarding, for example, is not torture relative to drawing and quartering. But I think what is and is not torture is clearly spelled out in the Geneva Conventions and in the Army's own manual.

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 4-12-2008 by Sestias]

reply to post by Sestias


After WW2 we executed ALOT of Japanese officers for torture. Charges detailed WATERBOARDING as a preferred method and thus set the precedent 60 years ago that waterboarding is torture, indeed.

Case closed.

reply to post by projectvxn

I agree, the lines have been drawn since WWII.

On this, Obama is more adamant than some of his colleagues in Congress, even some Congressional Democrats. It is important for the president-elect to develop a working relationship with the CIA as well as with Congress. For at least 8 years the CIA has been on the other side of the fence. According to the article, 25% of the CIA like Obama, and 50% are open-minded. so that looks promising.

Are we talking about the CIA or *the* CIA...because i very much dout *the* CIA care very much what obama thinks...as they are above the president and all.

I am sure that the CIA is populated with those who love America.

As they see the buildup during Obama's term in Education, Health, organizing the unemployed, they are sure to be won over,as most are dedicated to the ideas of Democracy and the rule of law allowing them to support a President even if they do not fully agree.


Of course they always have the old JFK scenario.

The CIA Budget should be cut in half. Then the CIA would listen to the President.
Dinwiddy