Deadly Distraction

Peter Brookes / July 13, 2009

First came the May brouhaha between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and CIA Director Leon Panetta over the agency allegedly misleading Congress about interrogations, which the recently-minted head spook refuted at the time.

But like a double-agent, Panetta has now changed sides, reportedly telling Congress that the CIA withheld information from the Hill on another post-9/11 intelligence program, targeting al Qaeda.

According to the media, the CIA conceived the program, but it was never “operationalized”; that is, it was never put into practice. Moreover, then-Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly directed that Congress not be briefed regarding the program.

Now, adding a new wrinkle, late breaking news reports Congress did actually authorize the 7-year-old program in question, which Director Panetta deep-sixed after finding out about its existence in June and subsequently notifying Congress. (more…)