Secret CIA Al Qaeda Plan Leaked In Report

Operation Aimed at Killing or Capturing Terrorist Group Operatives Hidden From Lawmakers

(AP)  A secret intelligence program canceled by CIA Director Leon Panetta in June was meant to find and then capture or kill al Qaeda leaders at close range rather than target them with air strikes that risked civilian casualties, government officials with knowledge of the operation said Monday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program, said the spy agency's program never got off the ground.

Panetta canceled the effort on June 23 after learning of its existence, its failure to yield results, and the fact that Congress had been unaware of the program since its inception in 2001, according to one official with direct knowledge of the plan.

That official said former President George W. Bush authorized killing al Qaeda leaders shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and that Congress was made aware of that. However, the official said, Panetta also told members of Congress that according to notes that he had been given on the early months of the program, then-Vice President Dick Cheney directed the CIA not to inform Congress of the specifics of the secret program.

Panetta told the committees there was no indication that there was anything illegal or inappropriate about the effort itself, the official said.

CIA directors since 2001 agreed with Cheney's decision not to inform Congress because the highly classified operation, described as "sporadic" and "embryonic," never managed to turn up the intelligence needed to carry out a kill and was not considered a covert operation, according to a former intelligence official. That official also was not authorized to discuss the program and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Congress has a right to know everything the CIA does, but the president can by law limit those told about covert operations to just the top four members of the House and Senate from the two parties and the senior members of the intelligence committees. Democrats on the House intelligence committee are pushing for a legal provision that would require the president to brief both committees in their entirety more often, but the White House has threatened to veto the move.

The Wall Street Journal, anonymously citing former intelligence officials, first reported Monday that the secret program was a plan to kill or capture al Qaeda operatives. The Journal's sources said the plan was an attempt to carry out a presidential finding authorized in 2001 by President George W. Bush.

The Journal said the agency spent money on planning and maybe some training for the highly classified effort, but it never became fully operational.

Most attempts to kill al Qaeda's leaders, believed to be hiding in Pakistan's troubled western border region, use armed drones because it is difficult terrain controlled by sometimes hostile armed tribes. But those strikes have sometimes killed and injured innocent civilians and have caused outrage in Pakistan.

The government official said the CIA effort was meant to avoid such collateral damage.

Panetta revealed the CIA program to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees in emergency briefings he called June 24 and told them he had begun an internal inquiry to determine why Congress - and he - had not been told sooner.

His private revelation ignited a storm of protests from Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee, who accused the CIA of lying to Congress. Some are calling for a congressional investigation.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, suggested that the Bush administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress. Feinstein said the Bush administration's failure to notify Congress about the 8-year-old counterterrorism program "is a big problem, because the law is very clear."

According to Feinstein, Panetta told Congress late last month that "he had just learned about the program, described it to us, indicated that he had canceled it and ... did tell us that he was told that the vice president had ordered that the program not be briefed to the Congress."

"We were kept in the dark. That's something that should never, ever happen again," said Feinstein.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he agreed with Feinstein that the CIA should keep Congress informed. But Cornyn said the new assertion "looks to me suspiciously like an attempt to provide political cover" to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats. Pelosi has accused the CIA of lying to her in 2002 about its use of waterboarding, or simulated drowning, which many people, including Obama, consider torture.

Feinstein and Cornyn spoke on "Fox News Sunday." Durbin appeared on ABC's "This Week."

The allegation that Cheney ordered the program kept secret from Congress came amid word that Attorney General Eric Holder is contemplating opening a criminal probe of possible CIA torture. A Justice Department official told The Associated Press that Holder will decide in the next few weeks whether to appoint a prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration's harsh interrogation practices. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on a pending matter.

[daisyjingles]

Illegal is illegal. Even if Cheney did it. Period.

[nofoolling]

Stay tuned for further adventures of Darth the Cheney.

In our next episode, we're going to do an MRI on Cheney's brain to give everyone an inside view of the inner workings of a sociopathic genocidal murderer.

And after that we're doing a 3-part mini-series on how to blow up bldgs in New York and blame it on terrorists plunging the country into not one, but two totally unnecessary wars for profit.

? ooh ooh, ah ah, wmd, wmd, terrorists, terrorists ? bang, bang, vroom, vroom, $$$, $$$, ? (repeat). (Repeat, repeat, repeat)ª.

[nofoolling]

Darth the Cheney, God of Invented War (wmd) strikes again with lies and treachery that would make Adolf Hitler smile.

Darth the Cheney, God of Torture (its only a little water for crying out loud) makes Attilla the Hun look like a little girl.

Darth the Cheney, God of all-around Evil and hero to uneducated gullible suckers everywhere.

This slimeball should be on America's Most Wanted.

Start the war crime trials now!

[surfcity5150]

nofooling,
We need to do an MRI on your head becuase you're an idiot! I see you're a true liberal because you're always on line posting ignorant comments, which means you probably sit around all day long trolling the internet for meaningless issues to ***** about, you're probably president of the "Angry Inch" club, that's why you need to take your frustrations out on a man that has absolutely nothing to do with you what so ever!

Dude, you need to get laid....you might enjoy it!...oh wait, I forgot, liberals don't have sex and they don't inhale either....sucks for you

[surfcity5150]

Wow! Let's have an investigation into something that never happened! Only a Liberal would ask for such...what's next, are we going to try and prosecute Harry Trumans family because he ordered the mass killing of 200,000 Japanese? are we going to prosecute President Roosevelts family because he imprisoned a 100,000 Japanese? Why not go after Lyndon Johnson for lying about the Gulf of Tonkin??
When's it ever going to stop???

I got news for you people, every Politician lies and breaks the law!! that's why they're politicians!! You didn't see Clinton going to jail for lying to congress did you!! A lie is a Lie!!

Funny how this story breaks on the eve of Barry's new poll numbers being released...Wow what a shock! who would have ever saw that coming!

[erasmus111]

When did the time change back to Eastern time?

[hungry1968-16]

It must have been sometime this afternoon, because this AM it was still PDT.

[erasmus111]

Thank you, hungry. : )

[hungry1968-16]

by -----One-American----- July 13, 2009 6:40 PM EDT
This political-cover-for-Pelosi distraction is simply more proof that the Democrats are incompetent fools, and have no business being any part of National Security.

The Obama administration has made a fatal mistake here.







This does nothing for Pelosi, except give her claims 100% credibility.

How nice of Cheney, to be so thoroughly and completely corrupt, that he could give Pelosi, (of all people!!), credibility!!

ROFL!!!!!

[legacyabq]

I think the details here arent as important as the overall viewpoint of the republicans that the executive branch is some kind of monarchy.. Thats the issue here..
Cheney, especially, had almost unbelievable power.. FAR FAR more power than the vice president is supposed to have..

Cheney was, for eight years, the unelected president of the USA..

Im a liberal, I guess, but I like george bush.. Yeah, I said it..

He's too dumb and silly and nice to hate..

He's a puppet, that's all..

Darth Cheney, with his undisclosed location BS is the one who scares me.. Who does he think he is?!?

This here is a free country, we are governed by FELLOW CITIZENS who we elect.. Not self appointed dictators with personal agendas..

Thats the lesson, I think..

Ya'll dont worry so much..

Republicans have good and bad ideas, democrats have good and bad ideas..

We BALANCE EACH OTHER OUT..

Thats how it should be!! That's a good thing people!!

DEMOCRACY WORKS PEOPLE, and AMERICA IS DOING FINE

ARE WE NOT PROSPEROUS?!?! WE ARE A GREAT COUNTRY!!

STOP DEMONIZING EACH OTHER ON PARTY LINES!!


------ EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE JUST FINE! ----------

:-)

[John_Merritt]

CBS, I rebuke you! You allow others to post nonsense at best, and do not allow true thought and truth to be posted. Why is that?

[John_Merritt]

Thank you CBS.

[legacyabq]

John, your comment was posted. I just read it. It doesn't show upon your screen, but it's there; dont worry. CBS couldnt care less what we write hear; why would they?

Good post BTW!

;-)

[John_Merritt]

Well, I can see this entire topic has gone nowhere fast. Simple questions for everyone that are on the topic. Are you ready?

1.) Do you believe if President Obama is presented with information that is so vital for our national security, he must inform everyone in the loop? (Senate and Congress)

2.) What if President Obama knows all the 'personalities' of the participants on the hill and knows there trust worthiness, ability, capacity and want. Does he still owe them all the information that is required knowing 'they' cannot be trusted?

3.) Do you think everything stops at President Obama's desk?

4.) Do you think Raim Emmanuel 'screens' people and information prior to it being given to Pres. Obama?

5.) Where am I going with this? The bottom line, there are things that have occurred throughout history that only a select few might have known about it at any given time.

History usually bears witness to facts, but not necessarily truth. Why? Facts + Motive = Truth.

There are certain things, because of the sanctity, because of their extreme importance for the Nation, its people, and even the world; that we may never know until years down the road.

If we were to 'open the books' of the FBI, the CIA , the NSA and any other agency from their beginning of time, how do think America would react? Some things are just best left UNDONE. Obama knows it, Bush knew it, Cheney knew it, Clinton knew it..........and the list goes on.

Some things we will never know.............because it was meant to be.

[Benton09]

yeah....like the aliens are coming in 2012 or is that the Palin's..both are really scary!

[stevex47]

This isn't surprising at all, coming from a guy who outted a CIA agent.

Real class act. Is he doing the same drugs as limbaw?

[mjlewis6]

I am not sure how many years of 'Victory' we can handle from the previous Bush/Cheney Administration, what with the economy in shambles during the last two years of Bush's term, the lack of progress with our allies in the Bush's War on Terror, and the lack of a definable Win in Afghanistan for the Obama Administration to have to increase our troops there to actually OCCUPY territory and EXERT control of civilian security and business and FORCE the Taliban to flee....

Gee, Mr. Cheney....got an extra '50 billion' on you to cover the cost of the Iraq War that you contemptuously answered a Congressional Committee investigating the Iraq possible expense in April 2003?

It has cost in Excess of 800 billion so far.....so Please, Mr. Cheney, write a check for the difference...you are a former CEO of Halliburton...surely you would not sucker the American People into paying YOUR BILLS!!!!

[gold_standard]

It is interesting to see all the people who think a secret government plan to kill people is a great idea.

Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Saddam, Bin Laden, and a hundred other genocidal maniacs had secret government plans to kill people.

Personally, I feel a bit uneasy living in a nation full of people who think killing is the solution to their problems.

[ABM_21]

Ahhh yes. The old Al-Qaeda excuse. For one thing, I don't think ANYONE in Congress would have disapproved of any plan designed to root out and kill any al-Qaeda operative. So why was it a big secret? Because, Cheney was a moron who wanted to cover up his and Bush's failure to protect the nation on 9/11. Second, why was this program 'off and on', let some in the intelligence community tell it? Because, there was some aspect of illegality going on: either there was some form of torture, murder and/or nation destroying taking place at that time. Nothing that comes out of Cheney's mouth is believable any more, and this notion that the erstwhile president and vice-president who had such a disdain for the rule of law stopped short of breaking said law is preposterous. Cheney and Bush belong behind bars...

[fred-mertz]

Idiot repukes: it doesn't matter whether or not the program was ever "fully functional". If crooks conspire to kill people, that is a crime, whether or not they actually go through with it. Furthermore, when Cheney ordered the CIA to hide the program from congress, THAT was a crime. A secret organization which follows no laws and is accountable to nobody is a threat to the life, health, and freedom of EVERYONE on this planet. It CAN NOT BE and MUST NOT BE ALLOWED. Cheney should fry for this and his many other crimes against the US Constitituion and the people of this country.

[TheMasses0009]

The only crime is partisan pukes such as yourself.
You are as dried up and stupid as your moniker.

[solsenz]

The funny thing is is the Republicans were the majority in Congress for most of Bush/Cheney years, so they got lied to and cheated on too, even though anyone in Congress with an (r) by their name was being crapped on by their own President/VP/Party. Amazing. The bottom line is The President, VP, AND Congress work for us, the people of this Country, and if Congress is not briefed as a branch of the Government, they cannot represent their Constituents in a educated, and level manner. Without us, they would not have a job (President&VP included), and we need to have a voice, which is how the Constitution was set up as a check and balance. The CIA/FBI is also another form of Service for US! That's why congress has the ability to declare war as well as many other services. Why would Cheney/Bush know more than all their representatives in Congress, representing the People, all of which vote and have opinions? If it wasn't illegal, immoral, and slimey, they wouldn't have anything to hide right? So much for loyalty-what did it get the Republican congress? nothing! And we got nothing too, besides a big bill, and an angry world.

[credibility2]

Panetta, the smarmy do-gooder made a monumental mistake by halting this program. Will never know now what impact eradicating more al Qaeda would've had over the past five years had this secret plan moved forward. I really don't think Congress would've been able to intellectually and rationally grasp the potential impact of the program. Big blunder Panetta. Huge!

[ToolMangler1]

by Mortarman29 July 13, 2009 7:13 AM PDT
Sorry. Name one congressman in the last 30 years that has been tried for treason for leaking intelligence. I'll help you out...there hasnt been any!! And there never will be any.

When I was on active duty, and we were in theater...and a congressman showed up (no matter what party) and was on a fact finding tour...they'd come in and start asking questions.

No way we fully answered those questions, especially on intelligence and security matters. We knew that we might as well go out and broadcast it over a bull horn!!

So, he/she would ask about a program, and they would get a truthful answer (we wouldnt lie). But they would never get the good stuff.

We would rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


What you seem to be saying is that lying to the Congress, The Commander-in-Chief and the American public is alright as long as you are the one making the judgement about who can know and who cannot!!!
My!!!!! How totally Chavez/Castro of you.

[tautomer]

This article says nothing of lying to Congress. It says the CIA didn't say anything to Congress. How can you lie if you don't say anything?

I'd love to see the CIA report everything they ever consider doing, Congress would be up to it's ears in reports! "Loen Panetta took a dump at 10AM, at 12:12PM he took a leak"! Then Congress would wnat to investigate the "leak"!

[ibsteve2u]

by tautomer July 13, 2009 9:42 AM PDT: "The funny thing is, Dick Cheney, never had the authority to "order" the CIA to withold imformation from Congress. Any culpability rests with the CIA."

Thanks. I was hoping one of you guys would say something to demonstrate just how quickly the right would turn on the CIA in order to CYA.

[curiously1]

Actually, I support the plan to kill / capture terrorists. Furthermore, we need to do the same thing with gangs inside the U.S. Enough of this cat 'n mouse game !

[tautomer]

Oh no!!! A plot to assasinate Al-Qaeda leaders!!! Al-Qaeda are some of Feinstein's favorite people.

The funny thing is, Dick Cheney, never had the authority to "order" the CIA to withold imformation from Congress. Any culpability rests with the CIA.

Congress wants desperately to create a smokescreen to hide it's own ineptitude at improving the economy.

[Mortarman29]

Too true.