BREAKING: Obama just pardoned the entire George W. Bush Administration

[Dig]

Panetta: ‘Reality’ of 9/11 excuses Bush scandals
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/08/02/panetta-reality-911-excuse-bush-admin/
By Stephen C. Webster  Published: August 2, 2009

CIA director and Democratic appointee Leon Panetta, in an article published Sunday, said Democrats must recognize the “reality” of 9/11 is what drove the conduct of George W. Bush administration in the months following September 11, 2001, which somehow justifies not looking into suspected crimes.

He added, in an apparent warning to the House Intelligence Committee, that that “focusing on the past” could hurt the CIA’s core mission amid a climate of recriminations over its practices.

“I’ve become increasingly concerned that the focus on the past, especially in Congress, threatens to distract the CIA from its crucial core missions: intelligence collection, analysis and covert action,” Panetta opined in the online edition of The Washington Post.

“In our democracy, effective congressional oversight of intelligence is important, but it depends as much on consensus as it does on secrecy,” he continued. “We need broad agreement between the executive and legislative branches on what our intelligence organizations do and why. For much of our history, we have had that. Over the past eight years, on specific issues — including the detention and interrogation of terrorists — the consensus deteriorated. That contributed to an atmosphere of declining trust, growing frustration and more frequent leaks of properly classified information.”

Several paragraphs later, he appears to offer a blanket excuse for torture, CIA black sites, kidnapping, indefinite detention, the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and warrantless spying, among a litany of other notable scandals.

He says: “The time has come for both Democrats and Republicans to take a deep breath and recognize the reality of what happened after Sept. 11, 2001. The question is not the sincerity or the patriotism of those who were dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11. The country was frightened, and political leaders were trying to respond as best they could. Judgments were made. Some of them were wrong. But that should not taint those public servants who did their duty pursuant to the legal guidance provided. The last election made clear that the public wanted to move in a new direction.”

Panetta, a California democrat who was once a staunch critic of the CIA’s interrogation programs, continued to press for an end to the inquiries.

“Intelligence can be a valuable weapon, but it is not one we should use on each other. As the president has said, this is not a time for retribution,” he added.

Panetta added the agency has ended controversial interrogation and detention practices authorized by the administration of president George W. Bush. “Yet my agency continues to pay a price for enduring disputes over policies that no longer exist,” he wrote. “Those conflicts fuel a climate of suspicion and partisanship on Capitol Hill that our intelligence officers — and our country — would be better off without.”

Panetta further cited the uproar following a briefing he gave last month to congress on his decision to cancel a classified anti-terrorist program.

New Yorker investigative reporter Seymour Hersh was the first to reveal the existence of the program, a so-called a special “assassination squad” that reported to the Office of the Vice President and was supposedly aimed at alleged terror leaders in foreign countries. It was authorized by the Bush administration after the September 11, 2001 attacks, though official sources claim it never became fully operational.

“After 9/11, I haven’t written about this yet, but the Central Intelligence Agency was very deeply involved in domestic activities against people they thought to be enemies of the state,” Hersh told a crowd at a public discussion of “America’s Constitutional Crisis,” held at the University of Minnesota.

“It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently,” he explained. “They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. … Congress has no oversight of it.”

Hersh continued: “It’s an executive assassination ring essentially, and it’s been going on and on and on. Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving. That’s been going on, in the name of all of us.”

Rather than setting a precedent for closer cooperation with Congress, Panetta argued in his editorial that his Congressional briefing “sparked a fresh round of recriminations about the past.”

“Debates over who knew what when — or what happened seven years ago — miss a larger, more important point: We are a nation at war in a dangerous world, and good intelligence is vital to us all. That is where our focus should be.”

Democratic Congressman Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, has accused the agency of having “deliberately lied” to his panel and said they will undertake an investigation of the intelligence agency.

With AFP.

[Dig]

Any so called progressive who does not demand that Obama release the torture photos, all corresponding documents, other insane pre and post 9/11 anti-constitutional activities, documents on surveillance, wire taps, suspension of habeus corpus, energy meeting notes, and strategy conversations about pre-emprive war initiatives is either totally insane or not really a progressive.

[larsonstdoc]

  Of course Panetta would excuse Bush.  They are all on the same team.  RAT BASTARDS.

[Dig]

CCCCHHHHHHHHAAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[_CREATIONIST_]

Panetta: ‘Reality’ of 9/11 excuses Bush scandals
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/08/02/panetta-reality-911-excuse-bush-admin/
By Stephen C. Webster  Published: August 2, 2009

CIA director and Democratic appointee Leon Panetta, in an article published Sunday, said Democrats must recognize the “reality” of 9/11 is what drove the conduct of George W. Bush administration in the months following September 11, 2001, which somehow justifies not looking into suspected crimes.

He added, in an apparent warning to the House Intelligence Committee, that that “focusing on the past” could hurt the CIA’s core mission amid a climate of recriminations over its practices.

“I’ve become increasingly concerned that the focus on the past, especially in Congress, threatens to distract the CIA from its crucial core missions: intelligence collection, analysis and covert action,” Panetta opined in the online edition of The Washington Post.

“In our democracy, effective congressional oversight of intelligence is important, but it depends as much on consensus as it does on secrecy,” he continued. “We need broad agreement between the executive and legislative branches on what our intelligence organizations do and why. For much of our history, we have had that. Over the past eight years, on specific issues — including the detention and interrogation of terrorists — the consensus deteriorated. That contributed to an atmosphere of declining trust, growing frustration and more frequent leaks of properly classified information.”

Several paragraphs later, he appears to offer a blanket excuse for torture, CIA black sites, kidnapping, indefinite detention, the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and warrantless spying, among a litany of other notable scandals.

He says: “The time has come for both Democrats and Republicans to take a deep breath and recognize the reality of what happened after Sept. 11, 2001. The question is not the sincerity or the patriotism of those who were dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11. The country was frightened, and political leaders were trying to respond as best they could. Judgments were made. Some of them were wrong. But that should not taint those public servants who did their duty pursuant to the legal guidance provided. The last election made clear that the public wanted to move in a new direction.”

Panetta, a California democrat who was once a staunch critic of the CIA’s interrogation programs, continued to press for an end to the inquiries.

“Intelligence can be a valuable weapon, but it is not one we should use on each other. As the president has said, this is not a time for retribution,” he added.

Panetta added the agency has ended controversial interrogation and detention practices authorized by the administration of president George W. Bush. “Yet my agency continues to pay a price for enduring disputes over policies that no longer exist,” he wrote. “Those conflicts fuel a climate of suspicion and partisanship on Capitol Hill that our intelligence officers — and our country — would be better off without.”

Panetta further cited the uproar following a briefing he gave last month to congress on his decision to cancel a classified anti-terrorist program.

New Yorker investigative reporter Seymour Hersh was the first to reveal the existence of the program, a so-called a special “assassination squad” that reported to the Office of the Vice President and was supposedly aimed at alleged terror leaders in foreign countries. It was authorized by the Bush administration after the September 11, 2001 attacks, though official sources claim it never became fully operational.

“After 9/11, I haven’t written about this yet, but the Central Intelligence Agency was very deeply involved in domestic activities against people they thought to be enemies of the state,” Hersh told a crowd at a public discussion of “America’s Constitutional Crisis,” held at the University of Minnesota.

“It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently,” he explained. “They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. … Congress has no oversight of it.”

Hersh continued: “It’s an executive assassination ring essentially, and it’s been going on and on and on. Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving. That’s been going on, in the name of all of us.”

Rather than setting a precedent for closer cooperation with Congress, Panetta argued in his editorial that his Congressional briefing “sparked a fresh round of recriminations about the past.”

“Debates over who knew what when — or what happened seven years ago — miss a larger, more important point: We are a nation at war in a dangerous world, and good intelligence is vital to us all. That is where our focus should be.”

Democratic Congressman Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, has accused the agency of having “deliberately lied” to his panel and said they will undertake an investigation of the intelligence agency.

With AFP.

I hate to play Devil's advicate, but where in that article does it say Obama specifically pardoned the entire Bush Administration? I dont see it.

[ramallamamama]

Busy news day it is, especially for a Sunday. A quickening of events, in real time.

Sane, we aint seen nothin' yet.

[Dig]

I hate to play Devil's advicate, but where in that article does it say Obama specifically pardoned the entire Bush Administration? I dont see it.

Several paragraphs later, he appears to offer a blanket excuse for torture, CIA black sites, kidnapping, indefinite detention, the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and warrantless spying, among a litany of other notable scandals.

He says: “The time has come for both Democrats and Republicans to take a deep breath and recognize the reality of what happened after Sept. 11, 2001. The question is not the sincerity or the patriotism of those who were dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11. The country was frightened, and political leaders were trying to respond as best they could. Judgments were made. Some of them were wrong. But that should not taint those public servants who did their duty pursuant to the legal guidance provided. The last election made clear that the public wanted to move in a new direction.”

[Dig]

They just did some wrong judgement because of 9/11, see.  

The Brzeznski (or Obama puppet) administration is also about to do some wrong judgement because of the manufactured swine flu.  You know like forcefully injecting 200 million with an untested poison that is immune from any litigation for the genocide it will cause. Or the suspension of the constitution, mass graves, mass build up of concentration camps, deathcare, increased taxes, etc.

The mass genocide will just be a "wrong judgement" and we will "need to move forward" and not "dwell in the past."

ISN'T THAT COOL?!?!?!!?!

[JTCoyoté]

 Oh yes... "you see we must not dwell in the past if we are to see true change..." to quote the local coffee shop Obamanoids...

At least at the Saloon, Pug Ryan's Grill and Brewpub, the reaction today was more... "What??! Are you kidding?? Who did this?? Oh my God... getting to the bottom of this war was the only reason I voted for the son of a bitch."

Well at least half of the county is sane!

JTCoyoté

"I find it very interesting that the very people
who wanted to deregulate everything, are the
same people leading the socialist bail out."
~Jesse Ventura, on Alex Jones, 10/01/08

[Kilika]

If the CIA didn't come out with this position I'd wondered what's up. Of course Pinhead takes that position. SOP.

Here's the kicker: It doesn't matter what the CIA's postion is initially. Their argument only applies in a court of law in defending national security issues that pertain to them only. Until then, it is none of their business what the Department of Justice, or any other government agency does. The CIA does not make policy. The CIA does what they are told to do, that's it.

[Dok]

Did you guys really think that Obama would invetigate anything that Bush and Co. did? I mea nsince Obama's been in office he hasnt changed one thing different. Well, except we pay for other countries abortions, again. There is o difference between these people. There is a 2 party system in this country, and it is Them and Us. Period.

He didnt close Gitmo, He didnt pull us out of Iraq or Afganistan. He could care less about 9/11, he moving us into a Socialist nation. It looks like the plans moving right along from one administration to the next, the same as it always has. 

[Kilika]

It looks like the plans moving right along from one administration to the next

As I've said before, I see Bush as a middle reliever, but Obama is the closer fully intent on throwing fastballs right over the plate. All the public needs to do is jack his junk right over the center field wall.

[Mike Philbin]

only a jury can excuse Bush & co.

[kushfiend]

As I've said before, I see Bush as a middle reliever, but Obama is the closer fully intent on throwing fastballs right over the plate. All the public needs to do is jack his junk right over the center field wall.

heh that's a good analogy.

[TheHouseMan]

Isn't this just Panetta arguing that the admin should be excused?

I'm pretty sure that no one has actually been excused.

[chris jones]

The NWO have declared what we allways knew.

We the Citizens of this nation, are money and blood for the parasites dictating their terms.

Worms in our breeding grounds they can feed from.

Ironic, imagine you have an argument and a fist fight with another, the man you are fighting dies. You will be jailed.
Your family is starving and you steal some food from a supermarket, You will be jailed.
Your hide money from the IRS in hopes to survive, you will be fined and or jailed.
You are a medical qualified individual and refuse to give death vaccines, you will be jailed.

BUT. Our leaders can genocide, demand torture, rob our coffers, PIZZ on our Constitution and Bill of Rights.&&& YUP, they walk free, have a party and divy up the profits.

Bye Bye American Pie.  The American dream is for the illusional.

Thats the last straw don't you think?

[2Revolutions]

“I’ve become increasingly concerned that the focus on the past, especially in Congress, threatens to distract the CIA from its crucial core missions: intelligence collection, analysis and covert action,” Panetta opined in the online edition of The Washington Post.

If you look at the past activities of the CIA, its core mission becomes clear:

Overthrowing and destablizing government, propping up dictators, training death squads, assassinations, money laundering, drug running, false flag terror, etc. 

Serving the banksters faithfully for over 50 years.  Remember submission is freedom. 

[lavosslayer]

“I’ve become increasingly concerned that the focus on the past, especially in Congress, threatens to distract the CIA from its crucial core missions: intelligence collection, analysis and covert action,” Panetta opined in the online edition of The Washington Post.

If you look at the past activities of the CIA, its core mission becomes clear:

Overthrowing and destablizing government, propping up dictators, training death squads, assassinations, money laundering, drug running, false flag terror, etc. 

Serving the banksters faithfully for over 50 years.  Remember submission is freedom. 

The CIA, FBI, NSA {insert government intel agency} are all rogue and illegal organizations that operate outside the laws granted by the constitution. They manipulate and coerce national governments to comply with an evil, false agenda being imposed by the global elite. Humanity as a whole, would be better off if these organizations and all like them were abolished and never ever reinstated to terrorize people again. The future freedom of mankind relies wholly on truth and openness, not lies and secrecy!

[Protean]

Well surprise, surprise, surprise-----NOT!

[JBS]

So, in other words, if a guy robs a bank, he should be excused because he used "bad judgment". All crimes are excused because it was just bad judgment. Let's pardon the traitors and law breakers and bury it using the excuse "move forward". I am so sick of hearing how govt workers that commit crimes are excused from prosecution. Is it because they are not americans, but instead govt employees exempt from all laws of the old America? I think so, the govt has become it's own country within america and this is not acceptable.

[Anti_Illuminati]

I believe the reason that they dont want to prosecute Bush, Cheney and others for high crimes and treason is because if they did that then more truths would come out about 9-11, their project for a new American century (which basically indicts them for 9-11,etc) and other stuff they dont want the American people to know about.  By indicting these people, the Obama Administration would have to admit that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are based on lies and they would be forced to pull out, which is something that they and the military industrial complex doesnt want.  Once they started getting the truth out and arresting people there would be no end to it and this is what Obama and his handlers are afraid of.

Yup 

[chris jones]

I believe the reason that they dont want to prosecute Bush, Cheney and others for high crimes and treason is because if they did that then more truths would come out about 9-11, their project for a new American century (which basically indicts them for 9-11,etc) and other stuff they dont want the American people to know about.  By indicting these people, the Obama Administration would have to admit that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are based on lies and they would be forced to pull out, which is something that they and the military industrial complex doesnt want.  Once they started getting the truth out and arresting people there would be no end to it and this is what Obama and his handlers are afraid of.

Most likely it would also lead to the second civil war, which by the way is all ready ordained to happen through the prophesy and visions of George Washington at Valley Forge.

For those that dont know about George Washington's vision at Valley Forge, he basically saw three wars that the American people fight on American soil.  He saw the end of the Revolutionary war, he saw the Civil War and he also saw a second civil war that is suppose to happen in the future.  What he saw was a war between the America of the Constitution and the forefathers and the America of the NWO at war with each other.  From what he saw in his vision, the America of the forefathers/constitution beats the America of the NWO, finally setting up a true republic based on the constitution.  Meaning us patriots win the war and set up America based on the Constitution.  Like Alex says, everything we need to set up the republic is in that document.  It is all we need.

 George Washington was quite the guy, one might say an enigma.
I read everthing I could find on this man, and there are many details of his life that go beyond the norm. He was definetly a visionary, and in my oppinion a very brave and illuminated man.
He had his mansion and money, had he been like our current leaders he would have stayed in the lap of luxury. He did not, he risked life and limb for liberty and freedom, he was on the front lines with his men.

Our masters sit behind an oaken desk signing bills, killing the constitution and sucking our blood.

[Geolibertarian]

In view of the fact that most of Obama's election-year cult followers were driven primarily by their deep-rooted disdain for the Bush administration, it will be amusing to watch them now as they twist themselves into pretzels in a desperate attempt to explain why the very administration about which they waxed indignant for several years deserved to be pardoned for all of the war crimes it committed.

Will they start mindlessly accusing those who think Bush officials should be prosecuted, not pardoned, of being "racist"?

If they do, then they will have taken their cult-like devotion to Obama to a whole new level.

And when I say "new level," I mean to the point of making Jim Jones' cult followers look like critical, independent thinkers by comparison!

[Protean]

In view of the fact that most of Obama's election-year cult followers were driven primarily by their deep-rooted disdain for the Bush administration, it will be amusing to watch them now as they twist themselves into pretzels in a desperate attempt to explain why the very administration about which they waxed indignant for several years deserved to be pardoned for all of the war crimes it committed.

Easy, all they need is another refill--they'll be back to being Good Germans in no time.

[nofakenews]

Well surprise, surprise, surprise-----NOT!

Yep just like the NSA spying on everything is ok by obama when its a violation of our rights. 

[chris jones]

So, in other words, if a guy robs a bank, he should be excused because he used "bad judgment". All crimes are excused because it was just bad judgment. Let's pardon the traitors and law breakers and bury it using the excuse "move forward". I am so sick of hearing how govt workers that commit crimes are excused from prosecution. Is it because they are not americans, but instead govt employees exempt from all laws of the old America? I think so, the govt has become it's own country within america and this is not acceptable.

Hi JBS.  Good take on that. They are an entity unto themselves, we are their voiceless feeding grounds.

[America2]

Did you guys really think that Obama would invetigate anything that Bush and Co. did? I mea nsince Obama's been in office he hasnt changed one thing different. Well, except we pay for other countries abortions, again. There is o difference between these people. There is a 2 party system in this country, and it is Them and Us. Period.

He didnt close Gitmo, He didnt pull us out of Iraq or Afganistan. He could care less about 9/11, he moving us into a Socialist nation. It looks like the plans moving right along from one administration to the next, the same as it always has. 

Exactly! What alot of people fail to see is that Obama has done MUCH more damage than funding abortions overseas(asides from the massive stimulus package, that is). My pastor at my church called out Obama for funding abortions overseas, but that WAS IT!

Otherwise - Obama is doing nothing more than implementing the NWO-groundwork that Bush/Cheney layed out for 8 years. But what if he comes up short? Oh - it'll only be "the next guy who saves them" that'll take his place - which will likely be Rhodes Scholar Bobby "I voted for the RealID Act" Jindal in 2012.

The sheeple really need to get their heads out of their behinds - otherwise, we may not see another election in this country again.

[Volitzar]

Bilder-buddies of a feather stick together.

[Dig]

Patrick Fitzgerald is in position because he is effective at obstructing justice
Finders
Bohemian Grove
Ptech
Johnny Gosch
9/11
Project Babylon
Aquino

http://www.h-files.hraunfjord.org/Sweejak/singh_corbin_1.mp3
http://www.h-files.hraunfjord.org/Sweejak/singh_corbin_1.1.mp3
http://www.h-files.hraunfjord.org/Sweejak/singh_corbin_1.2.mp3

[ConcordeWarrior]

Obama just pardoned the entire George W. Bush Administration...

Has he ever taken any time to look at himself??

Let me have a BIG LAUGH!!!!!

Who does Obongo think he is?

He must believe he is GOD placed above everybody else!!!  

[pissoff404]

http://www.h-files.hraunfjord.org/Sweejak/singh_corbin_1.mp3
http://www.h-files.hraunfjord.org/Sweejak/singh_corbin_1.1.mp3
http://www.h-files.hraunfjord.org/Sweejak/singh_corbin_1.2.mp3

fixed

[peepnklown]

LOLZ!!! 

[SUPREMEMASTER]

CCCCHHHHHHHHAAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy f*** dude -- I can't believe I didn't see this thread earlier


WTF

[rosso]

He says: “The time has come for both Democrats and Republicans to take a deep breath and recognize the reality of what happened after Sept. 11, 2001. The question is not the sincerity or the patriotism of those who were dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11. The country was frightened, and political leaders were trying to respond as best they could. Judgments were made. Some of them were wrong. But that should not taint those public servants who did their duty pursuant to the legal guidance provided.

Anyone holding a position of power should have to pay for their "mistakes" the same as those laws apply to the common people. Period. Bush was a war monger and a pawn, he is no better than Milosevic and should be treated accordingly. 

[sociostudent]

Why would they NEED a pardon if they "didn't commit war crimes"? This shatters the L-R paradigm even more, because otherwise, Obama would have nothing to gain from pardoning anyone for planning/ordering/scheming up ways to get away with torture, in violation of the Geneva convention, right?

[ramallamamama]

As I've said before, I see Bush as a middle reliever, but Obama is the closer fully intent on throwing fastballs right over the plate. All the public needs to do is jack his junk right over the center field wall.

Great analogy, thanks!