Coup by a Thousand Cuts

Part Wev in an ongoing series with too many parts to recount.

Bush administration officials as high as the vice president micromanaged a torture policy at "a series of meetings where CIA interrogation methods, including waterboarding, which simulates drowning, were discussed and ultimately approved" after the Justice Department endorsed their legality, as requested:

The meetings were held in the White House Situation Room in the years immediately following the Sept. 11 attacks. Attending the sessions were Cheney, then-Bush aides Attorney General John Ashcroft, Secretary of State Colin Powell, CIA Director George Tenet and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.

…The former intelligence official described Cheney and the top national security officials as deeply immersed in developing the CIA's interrogation program during months of discussions over which methods should be used and when.

At times, CIA officers would demonstrate some of the tactics, or at least detail how they worked, to make sure the small group of "principals" fully understood what the al-Qaida detainees would undergo.

I wish I could say I were surprised, but the only thing that really surprises me in the whole article is Senator Ted Kennedy's response to this revelation: "Who would have thought that in the United States of America in the 21st century, the top officials of the executive branch would routinely gather in the White House to approve torture?" Um, I dunno—anyone paying attention? I sincerely doubt the Democrats are that fucking stupid, which means they're playing stupid to excuse their pathetic, unjustifiable inaction against this criminal administration. The fact that deliberately appearing to be cataclysmically ignorant and tragically naïve is their best strategy tells you everything you need to know about the integrity and efficacy of Congressional Dems at the moment.

Pam—who wonders "Are any of these people going to end up in the clink for this?"—has more on ABC News' coverage of the story.