Edwards: independent investigation for CIA tapes

[JohnLocke]

Edwards: independent investigation for CIA tapes
By O.Kay Henderson--Radio Iowa News
Thursday, December 13, 2007
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The Democratic presidential candidates will gather on the same stage this afternoon for a debate in Johnston, Iowa. On the eve of that debate, candidate John Edwards rolled through Iowa in a campaign bus with Hollywood actor Tim Robbins as a drawing card for rallies in Iowa City, Grinnell and Des Moines.

"The primary purpose of well-known figures, celebrities is they help attract a crowd and when you attract a crowd, you get to make your case to 'em," Edwards says.

Edwards, who served one term in the U.S. Senate and was a member of the Senate's Intelligence Committee for four years, says there should be an investigation of the C.I.A.'s decision to destroy two tapes of interrogations of terror suspects. "People need to get to the bottom of this and be held accountable," Edwards says.

That means an independent investigation of the matter, according to Edwards. "I'm completely supportive of an independent prosecutor," Edwards says. "I think that having somebody who is not from the (Bush) administration is the best way to get to the bottom of this." The C.I.A interrogations took place in 2002 and agency officials say they notified congressional leaders in 2003 that they intended to destroy the videotapes. One of the techniques used was waterboarding, which some -- like Republican presidential candidate John McCain -- label torture.

"The very idea that we're having a debate about torture in America is offensive in and of itself because America should not tolerate any form of torture and that's something I intend to do something about as president of the United States," Edwards says, "and the fact that these tapes have been destroyed just feeds the idea that there are things being done that have to be hidden."

(...)

http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=D468F476-BB8D-B1A4-DBD77D52D9A8FD9B

[1corona4u]

1. Uh, he's a little late, isn't he?

Joe called for this days ago.

[JohnLocke]

2. Kick

[frogmarch]

3. Edwards is golden

This may not have been the first time he addressed this issue but merely the first time it was covered in the gd news. Edwards is kept in the shadows, unlike the top Congressional candidates.

[gateley]

4. I hope since Edwards has added his voice to Biden's, people will begin to listen.

I've heard Boxer and a few others are calling for an independent counsel as well. People have been resistant to Biden's call for it, but now maybe the two of them together, with whomever else (few though they are) agree can get some momentum going.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. "I agree with Joe" (take a drink)