Carl Levin: Republicans Were Given Every Opportunity to Dissent to SASC Report
Carl Levin shoots down Kit Bond over the Republicans Johnny-come-lately dissent to the Senate Armed Services Committee report and the release of more pictures of abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bond: First Carl I would say that there's a very strong dissent from five members of your committee who said that your report was fallacious, it's counter productive and your report itself was the one that offers the greatest opportunity for negative publicity and the high level abusive techniques that you talk about.
[.....]
Levin: I've got to answer that one thing because I'm chairman of the committee. There was no objection to this report. Seven Republicans were there when we voted on it. Not one dissented. We had months and months of opportunity for any dissenting views. That's the report. It's a unanimous report of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Sen. McCain, Sen. Lindsey Graham and other Republicans specifically were there when this approved. Had every opportunity to file a dissent. Did not do that and it seems to me that it is clearly the action of a bi-partisan Senate Armed Services Committee.
So they now a few Republicans to say they disagree. They've got a right to do so but they had an opportunity which they didn't use.
John Amato:
Carl Levin draws the torture line from Gitmo to Abu Ghraib and blames Bush administration officials including Donald Rumsfeld, who authorized torture and passed it around.
Levin: and so the threat to our troops came when these techniques, these abuse and coercive techniques were authorized by top level administration officials, Rumsfeld specifically authorized these kinds of techniques; nudity, use of dog handlers. In Guantanamo, they went directly to Abu Ghraib. Our bi-partisan report, 200 page report directly connects the authorization for the use of these techniques in Guantanamo to Abu Ghraib. That is what endangers our troops.
And a typical practice by Bush apologists to to attack the messenger which is Carl Levin and the SASC report. It passed in committee without any dissents with all Republicans signing off on it, but now we have the disgraceful Kit Bonds of the right lying about the report openly. And when Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and others embraced torture---they brought all this negative publicity on themselves and shame to our country.
"Damn you, if you hadn't said anything, the terrorists wouldn't know we were torturing our prisoners!"
It continues to challenge rational thought how Kit Bond has avoided morphing directly, in public, into Sean Hannity. The similarities in looks, style, mannerisms (maybe not so much here), and amount of total lie material each can spew - endlessly.
ANYTHING Kit Bond didn't (and sometimes did) author himself, had the contents approved by Limberger, re-done with more embellishment of HIS reality and then published as 'truth' should be labeled by those in the sphere of reality, "Immediately Disregard"...
A TOTAL tool....
have ties because of inside state politics....and family connections.
if you have a "great idea" that will hurt the u.s.a. if it ever arose to the public's knowledge, THEN DON"T DO IT! that is the first clue that it is a bad idea.
Poor Kit must have drawn the short straw. Now he has to go out in front of people and tell the Big Lie and make a fool out of himself. If I was from MO I might feel sorry for him but I’m not and I don’t.
And I don't feel sorry for him.. never voted for him and wouldn't.. he looks like a mortician's clown in this and sounds like MO, the mean stooge he was when I encountered him as a doorman in Kansas City.
Is not only one of my Senators....but also a distant relative.
I don't feel sorry for him. He's a fool.
Once upon a time he had SOME character..but that's been gone for a long time.
uggh
I'd go into permanent seclusion.
is just another psychopathic Republican't. What friggin' planet do these people come from? And can we send them back?
but he is running for what he will be doing in his retirement.
He has a house here in Missouri, and he apparently does spend some time there..so he is trying to cater to his local constituency in the rural upstate region.
is called Little Dixie.. he's from Mexico, MO, which is towards the central part of the state.. as an affordable housing advocate in MO, I encountered national efforts to win his support since he chaired the Senate's committee dealing with housing, he played friendly but ineffective and always deflected progressive policy with some alternative bs that never went anywhere.. he has the reputation of 'bringing home the bacon' which knowing the corrupt nature of this state means the right people got taken care of..
FOX is a popular (among morons) channel.
But it is NOT news.
For a politician to go on there
is tantamount to appearing as a guest star
on American Idol (like the lowly bush did and got booed).
However, if you're a politician and looking for eyeballs
and must go on fixed news to get them,
you might as well open up to other programs like
top model, grey's anatomy, and entertainment tonight.
Everyone who did, saw, heard,justified or ordered has committed treason and have forfeited their right to SERVE in government, to collect a pay check or pension.
From The TREASON leader GEORGE W. BUSH to the guy that mopped up the blood.
This is a wildfire cancer . What part can we afford not to excise?
14 mins ago
WASHINGTON – The U.S. is declaring a public health emergency to deal with the emerging new swine flu.
We now return to our regularly scheduled programing.
... some swine.
Watch out for people staggering around jumping off bridges or walkng in front of cars after their Tamiflu vaccination.
NASDAQ - 26 minutes ago
VX) Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) said Sunday it stands ready to deliver 3 million doses of flu treatment Tamiflu to the World Health Organization.
April 26 (Bloomberg) -- Russia suspended imports of all meat from Mexico and the U.S. states of Texas, California and Kansas shipped after April 21 on concern about the spread of swine flu, the country’s veterinary watchdog said.
Okay
... what a prick.
Kit Bond - I mean, I just looked the guy up on wikipedia. what a mediocre career. subcommittee member, subcommittee member, subcommittee member, subcommittee member, and subcommittee member. never chaired ANYTHING! mediocre standing at 54% approval rating. does not plan to seek re-election in 2010.
Carl Levin - Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Drafted multiple bills, most of which successfully passed, including the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act. 63% approval rating.
Chris Wallace - another member of the "mediocrity" club, just rolls his eyes and plunges the conversation forward. thank you, Heather, for posting this so that the rest of us can further validate our belief that FOX News is trash.
its so unfortunate that 99% of FOX News viewers more likely turned to their annoyed spouses to complain that Senator Levin was "rudely interrupting Chris Wallace" or something - and probably talked over Senator Levin just like Mr. Wallace did - than actually listen to him slap down Senator Bond
...Wallace accused (I forget who) of wanting to engage in "a food fight" when he tried to respond to some baseless attack and Wallace wasn't about to let him respond.
Today, it was Bond's accusation that there was dissent that never existed, and he wasn't about to let Levin respond, so he had to force them to listen.
* There are two types of Republicans: millionaires and suckers.
"Mugsy's Rap Sheet": Recording history for those who seek to rewrite it.
see, I know its kind of pointless, but when that skinny mediocre little schlep purses his lips and rolls his eyes it just really grates on me.
the guy's as judgemental, close-minded and antiquated as Wilford Brimley .... with about 1/10th the "grit".
Meanwhile.
SOS
What is your conceptual, continuity?
That after Kit got through with his line of lies the fox jack-off tries his best to leave it their, He even uses the "you will get a chance later" line where the chance never appears.
It amazes me that people still think fox noise is fair and blanced.
for the most part. So it's not surprising.
nice ending in that piece by carl levin-chairman of the senate armed services committee. kit bond is obviously sheepish in his hindsight dissent. once abu ghraib photos/story came out the troops/citizens were in/became in more danger.
You are retiring from the Senate knowing full well that the morons that put you in the Senate will no longer support you.
So stop making a fool of yourself and quietly slither away...........please!
'Talk to the hand'
him on Fox? Nothing to lose. He won't be running. If they put someone out there that will be running again, they run the risk of losinf another seat.
The Republicans have endangered the troops by sending them off to fight a lie based war against those who did not attack us. 4500 dead and countless others scared for life. Where has Kittens Bond been since 2003?
is this the same report that warned about active military being recruited by right wing extremists? There are so many of these damned reports, my brain is confused.
Thanks to anyone who can answer.
The "report that warned about active military being recruited by right wing extremists" was a DHS Intelligence Report (Dept of Homeland Security).
Democracy is too important to be entrusted to politicians.
Rise Up!
Protest!
Thanks, MM. Seems there's so much info finally coming out now it's hard to remember where it all came from.
The Senate Armed Services Committee Report corroborates Col Janis Karpinski's account of use of torturous "enhanced interogation techniques" at Abu Ghraib, that they were not the work of a "few bad apples" nor the result of her alleged failure to command Abu Ghraib properly, but originated instead with Rumsfeld.
In her October 26, 2005 interview by Amy Goodman at Democracy Now! Karpinski states that these "enhanced interogation techniques" were brought to Abu Ghraib directly from Guantanamo by Major General Geoff Miller by order of Rumsfeld and his assistant Cambone.
She also states that she, although technically in command of Abu Ghraib (and several other prisons), had been ordered to turn over command of Abu Ghraib to Miller's interrogation teams.
October 26, 2005 interview by Amy Goodman at Democracy Now!
Democracy is too important to be entrusted to politicians.
Rise Up!
Protest!
...and with each passing weekly Sunday windbag-fest, the truth is inexorably coming out. The truth is what we've known, most of us, for some time. There is another truth that isn't yet fully known but is coming to be so. The liars, connivers, deceivers, apologists, enablers, and just outright assholes are being shown for who they are. Pathetic, small-minded, piteous little people.
Kit Bond, I'm talking about you.
Also noticed in this episode of FnS:
Bond suggests Republicans are better than Democrats because they "could have prosecuted Sandy Berger" but didn't (unlike Democrats now going after Bush officials).
Wallace & Bond try to link recent violence in Baghdad to "troop withdrawals", however no troops have been withdrawn from any large Iraqi city, only outlying areas.
Kristol was upset with people that believe we should have "wasted time conducting some social experiment (standard interrogation techniques)" in response to KSM's comment "In a few months, you will know", rather than start torturing him right away.
"General" Kristol is quickly becoming "Grand Inquisitor" Kristol.
Earlier in the program, with the interview of Larry Summers:
Summers said he was not opposed to Chrysler filing for bankruptcy. :(
At another point, he paraphrases Rumsfeld, saying, "There are two kinds of economists: Those who don't know, and Those who don't know they don't know."
I'm liking him less & less (not that I ever liked him).
* There are two types of Republicans: millionaires and suckers.
"Mugsy's Rap Sheet": Recording history for those who seek to rewrite it.
I appreciate Pelosi claiming, albeit not too convincingly, that she didn't know about torture in our secret facility in Bulgaria, and at Abu Ghraib and at GITMO and, I appreciate Levin shouting down the deceitful Kit Bond, but where were all of these Democrats when Bush and Cheney were running the circus?
It's easy to take the moral high ground when you have a majority behind you but, it takes moral courage to speak out when you stand alone.
There was a great instance when Levin went after Bond and Wallace for "blaming the troops" for committing acts of torture, but not the people that set the policy.
* There are two types of Republicans: millionaires and suckers.
"Mugsy's Rap Sheet": Recording history for those who seek to rewrite it.
This will push the anti-Democratic America hating Teabaggers closer to succession. Obama approval rating knocking on 70% door. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/... America haters Todd Palin and Rick Perry are probably drawing up their successionist plans at this very minute.
I sure hate it for you nutters but you know, this is an American democracy and the overwhelming majority of voters support Obama. If you don't like America's democratic process quit bitchin and leave! America, love it or leave it and don't ket the door hit you in the ass on the way out!
unless gov. perry needs something from the feds. now he may need help for the swine flu, fema for fires,military/homeland security for the borders,food stamps........his grandstanding is pathetic.
Big surprise another bald faced Reslug liar, ranting known lies again, on Faux Noise.
Levin hilariously slapped around and totally shut up liar Kitty Bond appropriately once again.
"Carl Levin draws the torture line from Gitmo to Abu Ghraib and blames Bush administration officials including Donald Rumsfeld, who authorized torture and passed it around."
and guess what...Fox news permitted it. They made torture permissible and palatable to the public. The problem was the public wouldn't eat off the plate of inhumanity.
Jeanne
Has anyone noticed that Kit Bond always has his head tilted this way? I see it on still shots (as on this article) and also when watching a video. Maybe he has an ear infecion. My children used to put their heads that way when they were very young, and had an ear ache. That's how I always knew, even before they could SAY it.
Hey Kit! Maybe you need ear tubes.
You see very clearly in this clip how Wallace tried to orchestrate the propaganda by trying to leave a deviant accusation to go unanswered Levin wouldn't allow him to do it. Good job Levin. However what does it say for our country when this type of process is taking place in a "news" channel every single day?
See the following links for more on the SASC report and its methodology:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/or_...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/...
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