Rummy on Robertson comment: "Our department doesn't do that kind of thing"

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082300688.html


WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration swiftly and unequivocally distanced itself Tuesday from a suggestion by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson that American agents assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a frequent target of U.S. foreign policy.

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, appearing at a Pentagon news conference, said when asked: "Our department doesn't do that kind of thing. It's against the law. He's a private citizen. Private citizens say all kinds of things all the time."

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Well Don is TECHNICALLY correct

it is not DoD's job (YET), but the CIA does this on a regular basis

[upsidedownaussie]

2. not our department?

"I mean, that kind of thing is really the CIA's job" continued rumsfeld.

[Bob3]

3. Maybe the department of Defense doesn't do this sort of thing

(and even that is arguable considering the number of bombs they dropped in Iraq to kill Saddam. )

But the CIA's carter covers these sort of things. They even have a slang term for it: "wet work". And don't forget all those attempts on Castro. And you mean to tell me the CIA doesn't have a team that could do this kind of thing? In this administration? Pull the other one.

[kcass1954]

4. "It's against the law."

Since when has that stopped this misadministration from doing anything? From stealing 2 elections to torture to outing a CIA agent to - Lord knows what else - illegality is not nor has it ever been a deterrent.

edited for spelling 'cuz I'm a ditz

[Zinfandel]

5. Pat Robertson is a Christian he's against abortion and killing he wouldn't

advocate the killing another human being.

Unless of course, that person was in his way and/or his stocks in Venezuelan oil are not reaping the full benefits as they would if Chavez was out of the way, and the US military invaded Venezuela looking for "WMD" or "bringing democracy to the region".