Torture Memo Update

It looks like the Obama administration might side with transparency and accountability on this issue after all. The Caucus reports:

After a tense internal debate, the Obama administration this afternoon will make public a number of detailed memos describing the harsh interrogation techniques used by the Central Intelligence Agency against al Qaeda suspects in secret overseas prisons.

The interrogation methods were among the Bush administration's most closely guarded secrets, and today's release will be the most comprehensive public accounting to date of the interrogation program that some senior Obama administration officials have said used illegal torture.

The "tense internal debate" was driven in large part by concerns raised by the CIA that releasing the documents, or releasing them without significant redactions, could inhibit the CIA (which is kind of the point, if they're using criminal methods) and that "the revelations could give new momentum to a full-blown congressional investigation into covert activities under the Bush Administration."

Huh. I didn't know it was the CIA's job to cover up a former president's crimes. Interesting.

Meanwhile, as Steve notes, Senate Republicans "recently vowed to derail administration nominees for key legal positions unless the White House agreed to suppress the torture memos," so look for the GOP to go nuclear on Obama if/when his administration fails to adhere to their extortionist ultimatum.