CIA director defends investigation of Agency's Inspector General
CIA director Michael Hayden defended his decision to investigate the CIA's Inspector General--without saying why he launched the investigation in the first place.
The comments by the director, in an appearance on the PBS television program “Charlie Rose,” were his first public remarks on the subject since news reports this month disclosed the existence of the internal review.
General Hayden did not specify what in particular concerned him about the investigations by Mr. Helgerson’s office. He said a small group led by Robert L. Deitz, a close aide to the director, had been working on the review since April and would deliver a report within “the next week or so.”
“This was designed to be low key,” he said. [NYT]
CIA Inspector General John Helgerson has investigated a number of controversial CIA activities including torture and so-called "extraordinary rendition" (kidnapping in order to torture abroad).
Congress should send a bill to Bush's desk making "extraordinary rendition" against US law.
Bush would veto it, but it would send a message to all the other world leaders that Bush approves of US officials grabbing people off the streets of their countries, in violation of their local laws.
Then perhaps those leaders would think twice about supporting Bush.
Posted by: Eric Jaffa | October 23, 2007 at 01:32 PM
“This was designed to be low key,” he said.
That was the only thing Hayden was honest about. By "low key" he means not in the New York Times.
Posted by: Michael Hussey | October 23, 2007 at 08:41 PM
Hayden is a real winner - this is a guy who lied to reporters about the contents of the 4th Amendment.
Posted by: Margalis | October 23, 2007 at 09:31 PM
Tautological secrecy. It boggles the mind - it's meant to.
The 4th amendment is there for everyone to see, btw.
Posted by: mudkitty | October 24, 2007 at 01:00 PM
Helgerson should stay out of small planes and travel constantly with an explosive-sniffing dog.
Posted by: shrimplate | October 25, 2007 at 10:23 AM