From HP:
I asked CIA Director Leon Panetta for the facts, and he told me the following: The trail to bin Laden did not begin with a disclosure from Khalid Sheik Mohammed, who was waterboarded 183 times. The first mention of Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti — the nickname of the al-Qaeda courier who ultimately led us to bin Laden — as well as a description of him as an important member of al-Qaeda, came from a detainee held in another country, who we believe was not tortured. None of the three detainees who were waterboarded provided Abu Ahmed’s real name, his whereabouts or an accurate description of his role in al-Qaeda.
In fact, the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” on Khalid Sheik Mohammed produced false and misleading information. He specifically told his interrogators that Abu Ahmed had moved to Peshawar, got married and ceased his role as an al-Qaeda facilitator — none of which was true. According to the staff of the Senate intelligence committee, the best intelligence gained from a CIA detainee — information describing Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti’s real role in al-Qaeda and his true relationship to bin Laden — was obtained through standard, noncoercive means.
So, that there should END the latest round of lies the legion of truth-challenged republicans have been so desperate to unload on us. The timeline of the trail to Bin Laden did NOT begin with the waterboarding of Khalid Mohammad but the diligent work of regular interrigation. Good and good.
Why is it that the bulk of the GOP feels the need to LIE their way into every conversation, stand up for crimes that are not only punishable in this country but others, and diminish our standing with every new breath.
These people are pathetic. Low, grovelling, racist, arrogant and callous. This is NOT and never has been our identity as a country. Fortunately, the correct path in times of war has yielded fruit. The dark path that of which the Bush administration swore by - had resulted in cold trails and eight years without the kill or capture of the man who attacked us. No wonder Bush spent a good deal of his time trying to paint Osama as insignificant. It was the last good lie to push on the American people so they would stop asking, "Why haven't you captured him?"
While I disagree with anyone who feels that we must not kill to protect ourselves (the Bin Laden killing, in so many ways, is completely justified), I agree with most who feel that the Bush administration has diminished our standing in the world. Thanks to Obama for understanding that it's important to win it back.
And thanks to John McCain for doing the right thing - and standing up for the right thing - for a change.