(2009-05-12) — In an effort to clarify exactly when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knew that the U.S. employed enhanced interrogation techniques, like waterboarding, on terrorists, the CIA today offered to question the California Democrat.
“With the passage of time, memory gets clouded,” said a CIA source who spoke on condition of anonymity. “But we have learned how to clear away the clouds, and bring into sharp focus the relevant details.”
Rep. Pelosi initially said she had not been briefed on the harsh interrogation methods, then said she thought the briefings she did receive were theoretical in nature, and now her associates say the Speaker knew in early 2003, but didn’t protest out of respect for ‘appropriate’ legislative channels.
“A woman in Nancy Pelosi’s high-stress position, can get overwhelmed by the constant drip, drip, drip of information,” the CIA source said. “It’s easy to lose isolated details among the battery of facts that assault her daily. But a little time alone with one of our seasoned counselors should remedy that.”
38 responses so far ↓
1 theporche // May 12, 2009 at 9:03 am
I for one am overwhelmed by her constant drip, drip, drip
2 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 9:07 am
If she knew and did not protest then…have at it!
Drip, drip, drip to your heart’s content.
As I mentioned to JL3 the other day…Nancy does not now nor did she ever speak for me or mine…drip away!
3 camojack // May 12, 2009 at 9:50 am
Pelosi speaks with forkéd tongue. Tail too, prob’ly…
4 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 10:07 am
Camo, oooh nasty (and possibly true)
But…it’s like if the Pubs can prove Nancy knew about and condoned/approved of it that everything would then be OK.
But…it won’t be/isn’t. In truth we would then just add her to the list of folks that we’d, at the very least, say “what were you thinking?” and then, if warranted we’d prosecute them just like we prosecuted the enemys that did it to us.
How could it be otherwise? When “they” do it we prosecute…but when we do it nothing happens?
That just doesn’t cut it
5 JamesonLewis3rd // May 12, 2009 at 10:31 am
It’s not like we agree (or even want to or could agree) with the Leftist cowards regarding EIT; this is about hypocrisy and lies of those Leftist cowards.
Example lie: “When ‘they’ do it we prosecute…but when we do it nothing happens?”
6 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 10:34 am
We executed Japanese soldiers for waterboarding our troops…what lie…exactly?
Politician…hypocrite? Well I never….ah wait…yes I have
7 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 10:37 am
After World War II, we convicted several Japanese soldiers for waterboarding American and Allied prisoners of war. At the trial of his captors, then-Lt. Chase J. Nielsen, one of the 1942 Army Air Forces officers who flew in the Doolittle Raid and was captured by the Japanese, testified: “I was given several types of torture. . . . I was given what they call the water cure.” He was asked what he felt when the Japanese soldiers poured the water. “Well, I felt more or less like I was drowning,” he replied, “just gasping between life and death.”
Nielsen’s experience was not unique. Nor was the prosecution of his captors. After Japan surrendered, the United States organized and participated in the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, generally called the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. Leading members of Japan’s military and government elite were charged, among their many other crimes, with torturing Allied military personnel and civilians. The principal proof upon which their torture convictions were based was conduct that we would now call waterboarding.
8 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 10:39 am
I’ll bet that the Japanese (rightly) felt that our soldiers had “life and death” information…
9 JamesonLewis3rd // May 12, 2009 at 10:59 am
What you “now call ‘waterboarding’” is a much different technique from that which the Japanese used.
The Japanese were never hanged for “waterboarding” alone; they were hanged for Torture.
Except for McCain’s unsubstantiated claim that Japanese were hanged for “waterboarding” there is nothing to say this is true.
The stiffest sentence imposed on the Japanese I can find for using the “water cure” (much different from today’s “waterboarding”) is 15 years at hard labor.
Comparing us to the Japanese murderers of WWII is ludicrous.
10 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 11:09 am
The comparison is completely valid and you darned well know it.
Ok 15 years hard labor for those that condoned such nonsense. Let the sentencing begin. Feel free to take Nancy with you.
Or maybe just “off to Gitmo” with them…who needs a trial?
11 R.A.M. // May 12, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Just having to watch, “The Speaker of the Souse”, during one of her “lie fests”, complete with the drug induced, erratic, bizarre hand gestures, is worse torture than anything our troops have EVER done to America’s ENEMY’s!
It is, quite frankly, like listening to a “thinly veiled” defence of her by a resident troll, simply because she is a wing-nut lib Demdonk!
YES, now that is a “valid comparison”!
12 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Which “troll” would that be? I’ve not written word one in defense of Nancy on any subject.
What name do you give non-troll posters? I’d like to have some insulting thing to hurl back when I’m referred to that way. If it was not me this time it will be soon enough (being referred to as “troll”
13 R.A.M. // May 12, 2009 at 12:40 pm
PS: No waterboarding would EVER be needed to make the trolls here talk, but maybe it would make them shut-up?
In that case, I am all for it, let the waterboarding of the trolls begin!
14 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Show me a large glass of water…I’ll talk…I’ll tell you all about our plans…whether we had any plans or not.
Kinda the point…stupid and useless whilst making us no better than the “enemy”, lowering world opinion…Thanks George
Whatever you do, please do not address my point…please!
15 R.A.M. // May 12, 2009 at 1:22 pm
You forgot to thank Nancy, or did you?
“We’re gonna need more water and a few more boards, this troll is a tough one. He just won’t shut up! 8 out of 14 posts trying to defend, (although “thinly veiled”), his sweetie, “Nan”! That’s ever more mouthy than he usually is, as hard to believe as that is.”
16 JamesonLewis3rd // May 12, 2009 at 1:22 pm
[deleted]
17 boberinyetagain // May 12, 2009 at 2:08 pm
RAM/JL3,
Where did you hide the camera? C’mon…out with it. I know that someone is filming me to document my reactions.
Just when it seemed that you 2 couldn’t be more offensive you manage to outdo yourselves.
I’m now convinced that your mental illness is running rampant and you are major carriers that might even enjoy infecting others. You should be quarantined for the good of EVERYONE else.
Seek professional help, I’m begging you
18 Hawkeye // May 12, 2009 at 2:36 pm
“But we have learned how to clear away the clouds, and bring into sharp focus the relevant details.”
Great line Scott! Keep up the good work.
19 Darthmeister // May 12, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Don’t you think the real torture would be the CIA agents having to listen to this liberal nutbag spilling her guts?
My gawd, Nancy PeObamabot simply doesn’t know how to shut up! Which goes to prove, as with most liberal Democrats, never get between SanFranNan and a “news” camera!
20 JamesonLewis3rd // May 12, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Well, I see who’s side Scott Ott is on. I’m through here.
[Editor's Note: The vast editorial staff at ScrappleFace is on no one's side. We encourage civil debate, and welcome dissenting views expressed in polite language. Perhaps the objective of comments here should be to reason with, and possibly even to persuade one's ideological opponents, rather than to denigrate and libel them, while debasing oneself.]
21 Hari // May 12, 2009 at 4:51 pm
JL3,
This is the second time in several months that you have threatened to leave the site.
Are you really serious this time?
I’m just askin’.
22 gafisher // May 12, 2009 at 4:55 pm
JL3 Re#9: “Except for McCain’s unsubstantiated claim … there is nothing to say this is true.”
Then there is nothing.
23 gafisher // May 12, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Re#10: “The comparison is completely valid …”
The comparison is not valid, it is worse than ludicrous; it is insulting to those who endured real torture to equate it with what was done at Guantanamo. Many who suffered Japanese Water Torture died, particularly if they faced it more than once, and it was historically applied more often for sick “entertainment” than to obtain vital information. No person waterboarded at Gitmo (nor as part of a training regimen applied by the US military to US soldiers) has suffered more than discomfort, even when the technique was used on multiple occasions, and its use is documented to have saved many lives — perhaps your own.
24 mindknumbed kid // May 12, 2009 at 9:13 pm
The left is playing politics with out national security. Their tactics are naive, shortsighted, and dangerous. At the end of each passing day, we are less safe.
Fortunately, God is in control. Whatever happens in the future can only come with his approval. As a nation America is losing her favor with God. I’m not sure we merit much more grace (I know, grace IS unmerited favor) but there will come a time when he will say “enough”. (Genesis 15:16 - But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.) Is America’s iniquity about full? Only God knows. One thing that is for sure, we are filling it at a much greater rate these days.
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
25 onlineanalyst // May 12, 2009 at 9:48 pm
boberin: We executed Japanes war criminals for gratuitous atrocities to their prisoners of war; they committed torture for torture’s sake, not for intelligence.
Take a look at just a few of them. (Now, you may not like Coulter, but she is a lawyer and very well-versed in her history and documentation. I had another source to verify and expand on this information, but I cannot find it in my files.)
Waterboarding by the Japanese during WWII was far different from the technique used in our own CIA interrogations, AND for the Japanese war criminals that waterboarding was but a tiny part of their terror arsenal.
Don’t fall for the false equivalencies of Jon Stewart or Keith Olbermann. Their “research” tends to be superfluous and good only for a gotcha sound bite.
26 Newsman // May 12, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Hey Darth !
As my pal Ronnie would say, “There you go again”
BTW, did you come from the lower end of the gene pool ?
27 puzzletop // May 12, 2009 at 11:22 pm
How can waterboarding be the same as what the Japanese in World War 2 be the same as what was used at Guantanamo? This feller that calls himself Boberinagin. *whatever it is” seems to enjoy pushing buttons he has had success with in the past and yet hold a mask of respectable debate over his intentions. I find that dishonest and to suggest what limited interrogation techniques used are similar to the criminals that tortured people I know personally is just plain outrageous. My friends who have since gone to be with the Lord and were captured and truly tortured would have a differnt take on this than bobbysoxagain. (whatever he calls himself) because they lived through it until that big A-bomb blast ended their captivity a few short weeks later.
28 Laughing@You // May 13, 2009 at 3:08 am
“How can waterboarding be the same as what the Japanese in World War 2 be the same as what was used at Guantanamo?”
I’m glad you asked that question. The only difference between the two, seems to be who’s doing the waterboarding?
Is boberin pushing your buttons? You want respectable debate?
Well then puzzletop, whatever you are, boberin is your man! But, maybe you should start by not callimg him names like “bobbysoxagain”.
Bobbysox? I’ve heard of that, kinda old ain’t it?
Everthink?
29 Laughing@You // May 13, 2009 at 3:17 am
“Waterboarding by the Japanese during WWII was far different from the technique used in our own CIA interrogations, AND for the Japanese war criminals that waterboarding was but a tiny part of their terror arsenal.”
OLA, how do you know this to be true?
Everthink?
30 R.A.M. // May 13, 2009 at 3:18 am
Congratulations puzzletop! You read bobblehead just as he is. He tries to mask himself from the left winger he is but, he is not quite as sharp a deceiver as Prez Barry.
In fact, I would rate him about Pelosi or Harry Reid level, (just above jester level)!
In #14 troll boy says that “waterboarding” was, “stupid and useless “, of course he knows more than MOST of our Intel guys, (5 out of 6), who said it DID, not only produce info from terrorists but, SAVED American lives!!!
The ONLY thing “stupid and useless”, is trying to hold up a mirror to this ideolog, and show him the way he looks to EVERY SANE person on this site!
Yes, ANYONE who equates waterboarding to burning bamboo shoots shoved under fingernails, and MUCH worse is a NUT, plain for ALL to see!
At least pointing out about his OVER ABUNDANCE of posts DID seem to have him taper off a bit, even if it is only temporary!
31 Laughing@You // May 13, 2009 at 3:22 am
“At the end of each passing day, we are less safe.”
That’s dramatic! But, how do you know this? Do you have access to the PDB too?
The Lord don’t cotton to exaggeration either, you know?
Everthink?
32 boberinyetagain // May 13, 2009 at 8:13 am
Ah the old “it worked so it’s ok” defense…except no one has yet shown us a single, verifyable instance where our torture methods produced a single bit of useful intelligence that saved a single human (don’t care which country) life.
IF such proof exists, trot it out. Then I’ll tell you that the America I love still shouldn’t torture.
Then there’s the old “what “they” did was worse” defense…so we were right to put them on trial/convict/sentence THEM because what “they” did was “worse”
Are you people even listening to your own arguments? Grade school kids can come up with better logic…and you logic fails you because your “point” in indefensable…AND…you know it.
Is JL3 really gone? I miss him already…
33 onlineanalyst // May 13, 2009 at 6:04 pm
boberin: “Ah the old “it worked so it’s ok” defense…except no one has yet shown us a single, verifyable instance where our torture methods produced a single bit of useful intelligence that saved a single human (don’t care which country) life.
IF such proof exists, trot it out. Then I’ll tell you that the America I love still shouldn’t torture.”
You make the exact point that Cheney has been insisting on. If the interrogation memos are going to be trotted out by Obama, then by all means include the follow-up aspects; that is, the very specific intelligence that was gleaned and was thus used to thwart terrorist attacks. The one destined for Los Angeles is a case in point.
Why is it that pacifists never express outrage over regimes that hideously torture or imprison their political enemies or their adversaries on the field of battle? Isn’t it chauvinistic to suggest that do not have to answer for their behaviors as inhumane?
34 Newsman // May 13, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Puzzletop…. nice to see someone giving one of these guys a well deserved bop on the nose !
35 Left Coast-Right Mind // May 13, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Waterboarding shmaterboarding. It’s whoever that was controlling the thermostat in the interrogation room, cranking it between Antarctica and Death Valley who was the real torturer. One of Allah’s finest might’ve caught a sniffle or something.
36 Friday night funny: waterboarding, same-sex marriage and capitalism « Wintery Knight Blog // May 15, 2009 at 4:03 pm
[...] from Scrappleface, by Scott Ott. He reports on a story that you may not have heard about this week, the CIA’s offer to help Nancy Pelosi remember when she voted for the same interrogation techniques that she now [...]
37 mindknumbed kid // May 15, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Wish I were exaggerating.
38 mindknumbed kid // May 15, 2009 at 9:22 pm
LC-RM - Allah’s finest might be God’s least commendable, however it is duly noted that the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Provided it is properly applied.
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