At Gen. Hayden's Hearing
I’m listening to this and just shaking my head.
Here’s a bit:
Sen. Wyden (D-OR): General, good morning to you and your family. And, Mrs. Hayden you’ll be interested to know your husband went into considerable detail about how much you two love to go to those Steelers games together so I know you all are very devoted to family and we’re glad you’re here.
General, like millions of Americans, I deeply respect the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States. Every day our military risks life and limb to protect our freedom, demonstrating qualities like accepting personal responsibility that are America at its best. Here on the Senate Intelligence Committee, I’ve supported our national security in time of war by voting to give you the tools needed to relentlessly fight the terrorists while maintaining vigilance over the rights of our citizens. Those votes I’ve cast fund a number of top secret programs that have to be kept under wraps because America can not vanquish its enemies by telegraphing our punches.
Now, in return for keeping most of the vital work of this committee secret, federal law, the National Security Act of 1947 stipulates, and I quote here, “you keep the congressional intelligence committees fully and currently informed of all intelligence activities other than a covert action.” It is with regret that I conclude that you, and the Bush administration, have not done so. Despite yesterday’s last minute briefing, for years, years General, you and the Bush administration have not kept the committee fully and currently informed of all appropriate intelligence activities. Until just yesterday, for example, for some time now, only two democratic senators present this morning were allowed by the Bush administration to be briefed on all these matters that are all over our newspapers. These failures, in my view, have put the American people in a difficult spot. Because the committee hasn’t been kept informed, because of these revelations in the newspapers, now we have many of our citizens, law abiding, patriotic, Americans who want to strike the balance between fighting terrorism and protecting liberty. Now they’re questioning their government’s word.
So, let me turn to my question. In your opening statement you said that under your leadership the CIA would act according to American values. We’re not talking about a law here, but we’re talking about values. For me, values are about following the law and doing what you say you’re going to do. When it comes to values, credibility is at the top of my list. Now, General, having evaluated your words, I now have a difficult time with your credibility and let me be specific…
Fox News broke away here, but you can clearly see the tenor of the statements.
Sen. Wyden is upset because
only two democratic senators present this morning were allowed by the Bush administration to be briefed on all these matters that are all over our newspapers.
Okay. The entire committee was not briefed on some things. Isn’t there anything to the fact that Sen. Wyden’s democrat colleagues that were briefed, did not, in their turn, brief him…
He speaks of voting for funding as if the funding would not have come through without his vote.
He’s all for personal responsibility too, when it’s the military. I don’t presume to know his personal views on personal responsibility, but the left’s views seem to be personal responsibility for the right, but not the left (or the left’s chosen groups). Criminals from minority backgrounds are criminals by circumstance, not choice, therefore no personal responsibility. Poor people who are addicted to drugs are addicted by circumstance. High school students in California who can’t pass the exit exams for a diploma can’t do so by circumstance. Give them their diplomas anyway.
And we musn’t forget that all congressional corruption is republican and they all must resign immediately upon even the slightest whisper of corruption, whilst the democrats refuse to return funds and refuse to resign even upon conviction…
