Paper Trail

Who authorized the CIA to destroy interrogation videos?

By Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Dec 11, 2007 | Updated: 4:11 p.m. ET Dec 11, 2007

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Posted By: moyafoyah @ 01/14/2008 12:11:59 AM

Comment: According to information posted on the website www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com, Zubaidah's interrogation was designed to trick him into believing he'd been handed over to the Saudis with the idea that fear of their well-known torture techniques would scare him into revealing information. To their surprise, he was relieved to think this, and promptly gave his interrogators, from memory, the personal cell phone numbers of very high ranking members of the Saudi Royal family and said they would be given instructions. Public knowledge of this would expose the relationship between the Saudi govenment and Al-Qaeda. American oil interests (the Bush family) are too dependent on the House of Saud to allow this to happen, therefore the tapes were ordered destroyed.
Posted By: faminchin @ 01/03/2008 7:08:01 PM

Comment: There have been many things that have confused me over the past 6 years, but this has to be the one that takes the cake. So the same congress people that demanded Scooter Libby be imprisioned for leaking Plame's name, now demand who ever destroyed these tapes to hide the idenity of the CIA operatives be punished as well. It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't!

For those who consider waterboarding to be torture, consider this fact. The CIA waterboard's their own operatives as part of their training.

What I would like to see one time is some of these congressmen express their outrage over our enemy beheading innocent civilians. If Democrats would just go after our enemies, with the same determination they have went after Bush, we would have defeated terrorism years ago and all our troops would already be home!
Posted By: Texas Jake @ 12/28/2007 8:52:10 AM

Comment: PEOPLE have been abusing other people through out all of history. Both the moral and immoral individuals have done so equally. What the tapes actually show cannot truly surprise anyone, so who cares what is on them, ore what happened to them. My position is simply to protect myself, and keep my loved ones out of harm???s way. Besides, whatever is on the tapes is in the past. Currently, we are paying for a SCAM of an investigation into the matter, costing us billions and accomplishing nothing. Currently, we are reading legitimate news articles from respected publications citing ???unnamed sources speaking under a condition of anonymity because of (fill in the reason)???, and accepting it as real. Americans are living under a nameless, faceless government where opposing versions of the truth are offered to distract us from our own TORTURE: The money is being siphoned off and we are all bound and gagged to the machine. It is time for a Boston Tea Party!
Posted By: Texas Jake @ 12/28/2007 8:51:52 AM

Comment: PEOPLE have been abusing other people through out all of history. Both the moral and immoral individuals have done so equally. What the tapes actually show cannot truly surprise anyone, so who cares what is on them, ore what happened to them. My position is simply to protect myself, and keep my loved ones out of harm???s way. Besides, whatever is on the tapes is in the past. Currently, we are paying for a SCAM of an investigation into the matter, costing us billions and accomplishing nothing. Currently, we are reading legitimate news articles from respected publications citing ???unnamed sources speaking under a condition of anonymity because of (fill in the reason)???, and accepting it as real. Americans are living under a nameless, faceless government where opposing versions of the truth are offered to distract us from our own TORTURE: The money is being siphoned off and we are all bound and gagged to the machine. It is time for a Boston Tea Party!
Posted By: Texas Jake @ 12/28/2007 8:51:34 AM

Comment: PEOPLE have been abusing other people through out all of history. Both the moral and immoral individuals have done so equally. What the tapes actually show cannot truly surprise anyone, so who cares what is on them, ore what happened to them. My position is simply to protect myself, and keep my loved ones out of harm???s way. Besides, whatever is on the tapes is in the past. Currently, we are paying for a SCAM of an investigation into the matter, costing us billions and accomplishing nothing. Currently, we are reading legitimate news articles from respected publications citing ???unnamed sources speaking under a condition of anonymity because of (fill in the reason)???, and accepting it as real. Americans are living under a nameless, faceless government where opposing versions of the truth are offered to distract us from our own TORTURE: The money is being siphoned off and we are all bound and gagged to the machine. It is time for a Boston Tea Party!
Posted By: Loopytoe @ 12/24/2007 10:27:46 AM

Comment: The people that are allegedly being tortured, at one time or another, intended harm to this country and it's citizens. Now, I understand that many of the bleeding hearts posting on this blog are out of harms way, but what about those that are in the major cities...still targets. Those of you that have kids, would you not do anything to keep your kids safe? My government is doing just that, keeping my kids safe. If that means a few people have to get a bath, i will bring the soap. To many people get wrapped up in the details to see the big picture.
Posted By: Sprachkundiger @ 12/22/2007 10:33:35 AM

Comment: Of course the tape flap is being used, in part, for grist for the opposition political mill--that's just opportunistic strategy--but there are a FEW members of Congress who care about our cherished freedoms, and the long-vaunted morality that this nation is supposed to possess. I'm sorry to say that it is now too late to do anything really significant about our government and its hand -in-glove military and sixteen (visable) intelligence organizations. Folks, these guys and gals operate entirely outside the framework of morality, so don't expect sweetness and light. Big Brother is already here We have a Congress that, without a doubt, is the most useless, spineless bunch of people that have ever sat in the Legislative branch. Their main output is gas--unfortunately not the kind we can use to run our overbloated Escalades and Navigators.
Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 12/15/2007 11:53:54 PM

Comment: Why so much hue over the tapes. The US and CIA in particular has done many atrocities before and will never stop doing them whether they admit it or not. The whole thing will just fizzle out. It is only brought to light because someone or some party is using the issue for his/her/their advantage. Obviously the Republcan and in particular the President is putting all the blame adding to the various "bad intel" to the CIA. This is just a simple election time media play - a scapegoat story. By the way the ending will be- nobody will be blamed for it and no damage will be done to anyone.
Posted By: garylhern@hotmail.com @ 12/14/2007 12:00:38 AM

Comment: The United States declared war on terrorists, after Abu -gray - no one would want to be caught in an em-
barrising situation.. CIA, doesn't stand for christions in action.. Those claimming foul are the ones who
voted for a war, and it isn't a situation any longer, is it?
Posted By: Payne23 @ 12/13/2007 10:44:16 AM

Comment: Of course the CIA is taping all the interrogations. If they are not they are dumber than I thought . We will never see them of course because for some reason we are still on this argument about how unpatriotic it is to stand for one's morals and principles even in a time of crisis. Hell thats the only time there veracity can be tested. Republicans love to campaign on their moral superiority and adherance to biblical doctrine when in reality they strike the match and stoke the fire that burns the witch, and praise God while they do it. This administration has used religion to get elected 9/11 for political gain and this war for money and oil. If this isn't unpatriotic then perhaps conservatives should post their definition. I would love to read it.
- Posted By: lesjak123 @ 12/24/2007 9:33:10 PM
  
  Comment: The Democrats "who happen to be the majority in congress, voted along with the Republicans for the war. The Democrats are now telling the Country what it wants to hear, but has not done anything to stop the war "could it be they really think that it is necessary, or are they in it for the money and oil like the Republicans. Whether the war is wrong or right, how can Democrats judge us Republicans for sticking to our guns. Is what we are doing wrong? I guess it depends on what the meaning of the word is is!
- Posted By: Loopytoe @ 12/24/2007 10:35:34 AM
  
  Comment: Unpatriotic (Adj)
  Defined as Payne23 and anything Payne23 does or says.
  (Please included a picture so we can see what it looks like now that we have a definition)
Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/13/2007 7:13:25 AM

Comment: people that dont agree with the US are just a minority, just like the gay green party,...you guys will never rule this country.
Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 9:52:25 PM

Comment: Apologies for all the redundant wilsan posts, folks; Each time I hit the "Post Your Comment" button, I got a message that said "you can not post at this time. Please try again later". So I did.

Again, apologies.
Posted By: chbronze @ 12/12/2007 8:32:34 PM

Comment: What I find fasinating is the CIA doesn't videotape every interogation. I can't believe hey don't review the things constantly ooking for clues. Or do they?
Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:48:25 PM

Comment: Rowann... - Seems to me the closer we get to the end of Bush's 2nd Term, and he proves that he has done a pretty credible job, the crazier the Bush-haters get. And I doubt that Bush is going to issue a couple hundred Presidential Pardons on his last day in office in order to fund his Presidential Library. Talk about 5th grade.
Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:38:22 PM

Comment: Rowann... - Seems to me the closer we get to the end of Bush's 2nd Term, and he proves that he has done a pretty credible job, the crazier the Bush-haters get. And I doubt that Bush is going to issue a couple hundred Presidential Pardons on his last day in office in order to fund his Presidential Library. Talk about 5th grade.
Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:38:06 PM

Comment: Rowann... - Seems to me the closer we get to the end of Bush's 2nd Term, and he proves that he has done a pretty credible job, the crazier the Bush-haters get. And I doubt that Bush is going to issue a couple hundred Presidential Pardons on his last day in office in order to fund his Presidential Library. Talk about 5th grade.
Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:36:00 PM

Comment: Rowann... - Seems to me the closer we get to the end of Bush's 2nd Term, and he proves that he has done a pretty credible job, the crazier the Bush-haters get. And I doubt that Bush is going to issue a couple hundred Presidential Pardons on his last day in office in order to fund his Presidential Library. Talk about 5th grade.
Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:35:34 PM

Comment: Rowann... - Seems to me the closer we get to the end of Bush's 2nd Term, and he proves that he has done a pretty credible job, the crazier the Bush-haters get. And I doubt that Bush is going to issue a couple hundred Presidential Pardons on his last day in office in order to fund his Presidential Library. Talk about 5th grade.
Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:35:15 PM

Comment: Rowann... - Seems to me the closer we get to the end of Bush's 2nd Term, and he proves that he has done a pretty credible job, the crazier the Bush-haters get. And I doubt that Bush is going to issue a couple hundred Presidential Pardons on his last day in office in order to fund his Presidential Library. Talk about 5th grade.
Posted By: Rowann @ 12/12/2007 5:18:16 PM

Comment: It seems that the closer we get to putting some of the Bushies in prison, or at least on trial, the crazier their supporters get. "The government owns you and your entire family." Sorry, but that's why we rebelled from England and now "we the people" own the government. It's a shame some of these posters never went to school beyond the 5th grade; maybe their rants wouldn't be quite so ludicrous if they had.
Posted By: fortress @ 12/12/2007 12:46:40 PM

Comment: The terrorists have no better friends than these gentlemen. They would rather see the US Capitol building in ruins than allow the US to protect the citizens if it involves restricting the 'right" of any terrorist or might in any way present the Bush Administration in a favorable light. Read the story, if you can find it, of the clean cut Muslim father in Canada who brutally murdered his 16 daughter who only wanted to wear a scarf.

There is a

Y
Posted By: fortress @ 12/12/2007 12:38:32 PM

Comment: With you two reporting the terrorists need no others. Without a doubt on the wrong side of terrorism.
Posted By: knowledge @ 12/12/2007 11:13:27 AM

Comment: Hopefully Newsweek and other forms of news outlets will eventually get to the real truth of all that has gone on during this period of darkness in the American political seen. Let us get away from the three little monkeys; Hear no evil, See no evil and Speak no evil and get to the truth of what this administration is doing. Yes Democrats want to know what is going on. It is a shame that anyone would follow along brainlessly as the executive branch of our government, be it republican or democrat, refuses to make the truth known about anything. It would be so very enlightening to have someone from the present administration go under oath and answer the many questions that have been raised over the past 7 years. Questions that are actually so very much more important than sex in the oval office.
Posted By: knowledge @ 12/12/2007 10:53:55 AM

Comment: What we see with these comments against Mike and Mark is the real Republican hatred for minorities and especially those who don't kiss the feet of this group of unethical and dishonest neocons and their poor brainless followers who espose such drivel as is evident in their remarks. Isn't it ironic that we, the taxpayers of this country, can't get anyone from this overly corrupt administration to testify, under oath, so we can have a reasonable idea of what the hell is going on in our country. I guess it is just easier to follow the errant ways of GW and his handlers than to seek truth.
Posted By: neoconx @ 12/12/2007 8:39:35 AM

Comment: glad to see newsweek perpetuating the latest phony scandal....further underlining their ineptitude at delivering actual news. how nauseating....except to the morons buying into it, I guess....they're called democrat voters, I guess...
Posted By: gommy goomy @ 12/12/2007 8:36:39 AM

Comment: Way to go Mike. Congratulations. This looks like it might be the big one. It looks like you, and whoever the hell that other guy is-Mak Hosenball-,might finaly get these guys. The terrorists? NO. Of course not. The guys FIGHTING the terrorists, silly. Maybe even Bush and Cheney. Forget about 18 minutes of blank tape, you've got NO TAPE AT ALL. I know you guys are Jewish, but you gotta admit that this is one hell of a Christmas presesnt. This is the kind of stuff that dreams are made of. Woodward and Bernstien? That's old news. Now you're gonna get Issikoff and what's his name. The people have right to know everything. And they're gonna know it even if me and Horseballs have to make it up. Right Mike? If you thought the koran down the toilet was news, you ain't seen nothing yet. Fellow Americans. Can you imagine how guys like Mike and Horsecrap could HELP the war effort if they spent more time on REAL stories and less on stirring the pot and looking for dirt on their own country? If this ain't supplying aid and comfort to the enemy at a time of war, then there is no such thing. So you and Horseface, you go get em. And after a bunch of folks are murdered by the Muslem lunatics because, like your bogus koran down the toilet fairy tale, they go out in the streets because of your CLIMACTIC, ESSENTIAL and INDISPUTABLE story of how rotten WE are, you and Horsehead can start washing your hands again.
- Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/12/2007 9:15:52 AM
  
  Comment: lol Michael and Mark are a bunch a Jews
Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/12/2007 7:15:39 AM

Comment: People need to STFU. The american government does things to protect its citizens. The fact that Communists, Facists, and the green party want to take power away from the government is futile. These people that think the govenment should not have these rights need to go to Canada and live there. If you dont like the way the Usa does business, create laws, and conducts interrogations.....again, get the hell out of our country becuase you are not a US citizen. I would die for the Unites States of America. I wish the US govenment would knock on my door and give me a assignment to carry out. Even if it meant my death, I would do it......Thats being American. The American government owns you and your entire family.
- Posted By: angelus1967 @ 12/12/2007 12:23:38 PM
  
  Comment: I had such hopes for you boing normal Evolutionist. The American government does not own anyone or their families, they never have, never will, and actually don't want to. I would absolutely die for my country but that does NOT mean that we re right in torturing people. This was over the line and must not happen in a country such as ours.
  - Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/13/2007 7:11:29 AM
    
    Comment: your a female, i can tell, its the reason males run this country. During times of war,...its MEN!!! WHO DIE!!! ITS MEN WHO BLEED TO DEATH CARRYING OUR INTESTINES BACK TO SAFETY AFTER BEING SHOT SO FAT WOMEN LIKE YOURSELF CAN SIT DOWN AND WATCH TALK SHOWS AND STUFF YOUR FAT PHUQING FACE ALL DAY. AGAIN,..PEOPLE NEED TO STFU
Posted By: zeppo50 @ 12/11/2007 9:12:42 PM

Comment: This rates right up there with Nixon's erasing the Whitehouse tapes. That, in part, led to his resignation of the presidency to avoid impeachment.
Bush surely knew about it, but as he and his cronies have perfected the art of lying and denial, proving this will be tough. If proof of his involvement does somehow surface, we may FINALLY have the amunition to IMPEACH the pile of dung!!
- Posted By: fortress @ 12/12/2007 12:48:09 PM
  
  Comment: You, Sir, are either ill informed or a raging idiot.
  - Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 1:25:58 PM
    
    Comment: fortress, I would agree with you completely. Well said!

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Posted By: moyafoyah @ 01/14/2008 12:11:59 AM

Posted By: faminchin @ 01/03/2008 7:08:01 PM

Posted By: Texas Jake @ 12/28/2007 8:52:10 AM

Posted By: Texas Jake @ 12/28/2007 8:51:52 AM

Posted By: Texas Jake @ 12/28/2007 8:51:34 AM

Posted By: Loopytoe @ 12/24/2007 10:27:46 AM

Posted By: Sprachkundiger @ 12/22/2007 10:33:35 AM

Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 12/15/2007 11:53:54 PM

Posted By: garylhern@hotmail.com @ 12/14/2007 12:00:38 AM

Posted By: Payne23 @ 12/13/2007 10:44:16 AM

Posted By: lesjak123 @ 12/24/2007 9:33:10 PM

Posted By: Loopytoe @ 12/24/2007 10:35:34 AM

Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/13/2007 7:13:25 AM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 9:52:25 PM

Posted By: chbronze @ 12/12/2007 8:32:34 PM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:48:25 PM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:38:22 PM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:38:06 PM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:36:00 PM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:35:34 PM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 5:35:15 PM

Posted By: Rowann @ 12/12/2007 5:18:16 PM

Posted By: fortress @ 12/12/2007 12:46:40 PM

Posted By: fortress @ 12/12/2007 12:38:32 PM

Posted By: knowledge @ 12/12/2007 11:13:27 AM

Posted By: knowledge @ 12/12/2007 10:53:55 AM

Posted By: neoconx @ 12/12/2007 8:39:35 AM

Posted By: gommy goomy @ 12/12/2007 8:36:39 AM

Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/12/2007 9:15:52 AM

Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/12/2007 7:15:39 AM

Posted By: angelus1967 @ 12/12/2007 12:23:38 PM

Posted By: Evolutionist @ 12/13/2007 7:11:29 AM

Posted By: zeppo50 @ 12/11/2007 9:12:42 PM

Posted By: fortress @ 12/12/2007 12:48:09 PM

Posted By: wilsan @ 12/12/2007 1:25:58 PM

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