Lynne Cheney: Terrorist Attacks Worldwide Don’t Affect ‘American Interests’
Cheney replied that attacks on other countries were not relevant to the discussion: “Yes, yes. But we’re talking about American interests.” The audience booed Cheney’s remarks. An incredulous Stewart responded, “Aren’t we interested in [attacks on those countries]? I’d assumed they were our allies.”
Cheney was replying to John Steward’s statement about the various attacks or plots since 9-11 including Madrid and London. Odd war on terror if you’re sole goal to not to stop terrorism per se, but only try and make it so the terrorists only attack others including members of NATO. This is the wife of the grand pooh pahs of all grand pooh pahs of Conservative ideas about national security Dick Bunker Cheney. Republicans do this a lot when circumstances force them into something that resembles a civil discussion. Move the ball. Say something so odd or weird people aren’t sure the heck they’re saying. One assumes the idea is that later they can claim brain fart and then spin some rationale they have since been coached on by their advisers.
C.I.A. Chief Orders Internal Inquiry
The director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Gen. Michael V. Hayden, has ordered an unusual internal inquiry into the work of the agency’s inspector general, whose aggressive investigations of the C.I.A.’s detention and interrogation programs and other matters have created resentment among agency operatives.
A small team working for General Hayden is looking into the conduct of the agency’s watchdog office, which is led by Inspector General John L. Helgerson.
For those unfamiliar with them the federal government’s inspector generals are to use a simplfied analogy like internal affairs department of a large city’s police department. Helgerson has been conducing what appears to be a thorough investigation into CIA detentions and interrogations. Like any internal investigation he rubbed a few people the wrong way. So Hayden is going to investigate the investigator.
Frederick P. Hitz, who served as C.I.A. inspector general from 1990 to 1998, said he had no first-hand information about current conflicts inside the agency. But Mr. Hitz said any move by the agency’s director to examine the work of the inspector general would “not be proper.”
“I think it’s a terrible idea,” said Mr. Hitz, who now teaches at the University of Virginia. “Under the statute, the inspector general has the right to investigate the director. How can you do that and have the director turn around and investigate the I.G.?”
Bush appointee General Hayden thinks its a great idea.
update: Gore, UN Climate Panel Share 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and a United Nations panel on the environment won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for raising awareness about the threat of climate change.
Gore, 59, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were honored for “their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about manmade climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change,” said Ole Danbolt Mjoes, director of the Oslo-based Nobel Committee that picks the winner.
Just had to post this. A well deserved honor to the man and his mission. I was reading some comments over at the NYT that questioned equating awareness of global warming with working for peace. There is a clear connection and when I have more time I’ll write a little more about that.
The Long Goodbye 
