| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: WoT |
| CIA's counter-terrorism rendition program gets nod from Obama |
| 2009-02-02 |
| UNDER executive orders issued by the US President, Barack Obama, last week, the CIA still has authority to carry out what are known as "renditions", or the secret abductions and transfers of prisoners to countries that co-operate with the United States. Current and former US intelligence officials said that the rendition program might be poised to play an expanded role because it was the main remaining mechanism - aside from Predator missile strikes - for taking suspected terrorists off the street. The rendition program became a source of embarrassment for the CIA and a target of international scorn as details emerged in recent years of botched captures, mistaken identities and allegations that prisoners were turned over to countries where they were tortured. The European Parliament condemned renditions as "an illegal instrument used by the United States". Prisoners swept up in the program have sued the CIA as well as a subsidiary of the Boeing Corp, accused of working with the agency on dozens of rendition flights. But the Obama Administration appears to have determined that the rendition program was one component of the Bush administration's war on terrorism that it could not afford to discard. The decision underscores the fact that the battle with al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups is far from over and that even if the United States is shutting down the prisons, it has not finished taking prisoners. "Obviously you need to preserve some tools. You still have to go after the bad guys," an Obama Administration official said. "The legal advisers working on this looked at rendition. It is controversial in some circles and kicked up a big storm in Europe. But if done within certain parameters, it is an acceptable practice." One provision in one of Mr Obama's orders appears to preserve the CIA's ability to detain and interrogate terrorism suspects as long as they are not held long-term. The little-noticed provision states that the instructions to close the CIA's secret prison sites "do not refer to facilities used only to hold people on a short-term, transitory basis". Despite concern about rendition, Mr Obama's prohibition against the use of most other counter-terrorism tools could prompt intelligence officers to resort more frequently to the "transitory" technique. The decision to preserve the program has not drawn major protests, even among some US human rights groups. "Under limited circumstances, there is a legitimate place" for renditions, said Tom Malinowski, the Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #14 537 |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-02-02 22:11 |
| #13 Red on Red alert: Daily Kos reacts to Obama's decision and the screams of betrayal begin. |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2009-02-02 17:28 |
| #12 thats right. and thats good. Depending on whether the President has a (D) or an (R) after his name... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2009-02-02 13:01 |
| #11 If we do not receive adequate cooperation from a state that harbors a terrorist whose extradition we are seeking, we shall take appropriate measures to induce cooperation. Since Saddam harbored terrorists for years in Iraq, including the Jackal, why do these same asshats claim Bush waged an illegitmate war? Just following the law as introduced by the Dems. |
| Posted by: ThealingBorgia 122 2009-02-02 12:51 |
| #10 Renditions done by Bill Clinton the "patriot"; Rendtions done by Obama the "chosen one"; Renditions done by Bush the "bad"; go figure. |
| Posted by: whatadeal 2009-02-02 12:40 |
| #9 #1 thats right. and thats good. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2009-02-02 12:21 |
| #8 Didn't Clinton start the rendition program? (1995) o Return of Indicted Terrorists to the U.S. for Prosecution: We shall vigorously apply extraterritorial statutes to counter acts of terrorism and apprehend terrorists outside of the United States. When terrorists wanted for violation of U.S. law are at large overseas, their return for prosecution shall be a matter of the highest priority and shall be a continuing central issue in bilateral relations with any state that harbors or assists them. Where we do not have adequate arrangements, the Departments of State and Justice shall work to resolve the problem, where possible and appropriate, through negotiation and conclusion of new extradition treaties. (U) If we do not receive adequate cooperation from a state that harbors a terrorist whose extradition we are seeking, we shall take appropriate measures to induce cooperation. Return of suspects by force may be effected without the cooperation of the host government, consistent with the procedures outlined in NSD-77 (1992), which shall remain in effect. (S) --http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/pdd39.htm |
| Posted by: Injun Angulet2150 2009-02-02 12:20 |
| #7 I doubt aragula-boy will ever have tasted cracklins, and certainly never have prepared them. The same goes for hog-head cheese, chitlins and collard greens. Those are all primarily Southern delicacies. He's more into Wagyu steaks and imported wines. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-02-02 09:55 |
| #6 Why, yes Rambler you are correct. And it will be OK again under the O'man, disappearing down another memory hole* *(c)Ministry of Truth, 1984 |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-02-02 09:22 |
| #5 Does this mean he also approves renditionering and cracklins...? A cracklin is a piece of fatty pork skin or hog membrane that's left after the grease is cooked out. The cooking, or rendering, process is done in a large cast iron pot sitting over a wood fire. In the old days when we butchered a hog, much of the fat and scraped skin was cut off and tossed into the pot ... |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-02-02 08:33 |
| #4 Didn't Clinton start the rendition program? It only became evil when Bush continued to do it, of course. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2009-02-02 06:03 |
| #3 Maybe they can use the rendition program to take care of traitors in Congress. [/I can wish for hope and change, can't I?] |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2009-02-02 00:52 |
| #2 AND NOW, all of those wonderful leaks that kept the NYT afloat are now officially ended. Those malcontents at Langley that kept blathering to the NYT were out to do one thing, embarrass GWB, now that he is out, no one wants to embarass BHO |
| Posted by: James Carville 2009-02-02 00:41 |
| #1 bla, bla..there is a legitimate place" for renditions, said bla, bla, bla... Of course, from the Almighty everything can only be good. |
| Posted by: Injun Angulet2150 2009-02-02 00:29 |