Former CIA agent: ‘highly likely’ Bush saw torture tapes.

[kpete]

Former CIA agent: ‘highly likely’ Bush saw torture tapes. Larry Johnson, a former CIA agent and State Department counterterrorism official, told The Bill Press Show this morning that it was “highly likely” President Bush had viewed the videotapes of the 2002 interrogations that were later destroyed:

Bill Press: You said that you believe President Bush actually saw one of these videos?

Larry Johnson: I think it’s highly likely.

more plus video at:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/12/11/former-cia-agent-highly-likely-bush-saw-torture-tapes/

[Sabriel]

1. That wouldn't surprise me. Ew.

And maybe not in a "Commander in Chief" sort of way, either.

[Stoic]

2. Bush probably asked everyone to leave the room

and requested a towel afterwards.

[kentuck]

3. I had read several months ago....

that a few people had died under interrogation. Wonder if one of these was on videotape?? Who knows?

[deminks]

4. I have thought outloud for a long time that

someone in this misadministration had a jones for torture. It was my own little tinfoil hat.

[Tesha]

5. Had they not been destroyed, you could have told by the semen stains on the cassettes.

And with modern DNA techniques...

Tesha

[Xipe Totec]

6. Check the White House's bathroom for extra copies of the tapes nt

[DS1]

7. And once again, someone is jizzing up the Oval Office

only, for very different reasons

[KansDem]

8. This reminds me of Hitler watching movies of those who plotted against him put to death!!!

The first trials were held in the People's Court on 7 and 8 August 1944. Hitler had ordered that those found guilty be "hung like cattle".<6> The treatment that had been dealt out to those executed as a result of the Rote Kapelle was that of slow strangulation using suspension from a rope attached to a slaughterhouse meathook. For the July 20 plotters piano wire was used instead.

The executions and trials were reportedly filmed and later reviewed by Hitler and his entourage. A version of these films was later combined into a 30 minute movie by Goebbels and also shown to cadets at the Lichterfelde cadet school but viewers supposedly walked out of the screening in disgust. <7>

Wikipedia

How much more fucking Hitleresque can this SOB become?

Oh, and a personal note to Dana Perino. This happened 10 years before I was born but I know enough about it to reference it here! And history was never a strong subject with me.

[Ganja Ninja]

9. Highly likely he giggled all the way through and watched it again.

And I wouldn't doubt he saved a personal copy to show his dad so he could make him proud.

[Solly Mack]

10. I think he did too.

I base this on the speech Bush gave where he mentions Abu Zubaydah

"We knew that Zubaydah had more information that could save innocent lives, but he stopped talking. As his questioning proceeded, it became clear that he had received training on how to resist interrogation. And so the CIA used an alternative set of procedures. These procedures were designed to be safe, to comply with our laws, our Constitution, and our treaty obligations. The Department of Justice reviewed the authorized methods extensively and determined them to be lawful. I cannot describe the specific methods used -- I think you understand why -- if I did, it would help the terrorists learn how to resist questioning, and to keep information from us that we need to prevent new attacks on our country. But I can say the procedures were tough, and they were safe, and lawful, and necessary.

Zubaydah was questioned using these procedures, and soon he began to provide information on key al Qaeda operatives"


Sure, it could be a case of the CIA briefing Bush on how long (35 seconds)Abu Zubaydah lasted being water-boarded, but I get the feeling Bush actually saw the tape.

Especially this part here

"As his questioning proceeded, it became clear that he had received training on how to resist interrogation."

He says "As his questioning proceeded, it became clear...."

He isn't saying the CIA said or I'm told...he's speaking as if he saw it himself.

[TahitiNut]

12. Good catch, Solly. I agree.

:thumbsup:

[Solly Mack]

15. I'd have to hear the speech to know for sure

because it's not enough to just read it...though the language used is key. Also, that man's ego would demand he watch.

[EFerrari]

13. I have two reservations about that. One, George Bush doesn't speak

that way. It sounds "written" for him. And second, George Bush has no attention span.

Imho, this has Cheney all over it, not Bush.

[Solly Mack]

14. I'm sure Cheney watched as well. But I still believe Bush watched

and I also factor in Bush's ego and his strutting about like a banty rooster. The cowboy persona is real for Bush. He's not a cowboy but he still wants to come across as John Wayne.

Mister "Dead or Alive, Bring it on" would want to watch and feel like a tough guy for the doing.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Then is Bush lying about not knowing about the tapes?

(does a bear shit in the woods?)

[L. Coyote]

16. My question, "Did Bush and/or Cheney directly participate in torture?" using remote viewing

I suspect the videos were made so that the sessions could be viewed remotely in real time and they were destroyed to prevent disclosure of who was involved at the viewing end of the connection.