They Can Learn A Lot from THIS Guy!

Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Drexel Hill (Delaware County) will welcome Mr. Jack Devine, retired Spymaster and Acting Deputy Director of Global Operations for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a 1958 graduate of Monsignor Bonner and a former faculty member, to the school. Mr. Devine will speak to the student body at an assembly at the beginning of the school day.

 

Thursday, November 9, 2017 8:00 a.m.

Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast 

Catholic High School Auditorium

403 North Lansdowne Avenue

Drexel Hill, PA 19026 (Delaware County)

In addition to addressing the entire school, Mr. Devine will also speak to students in two AP Government Classes during 1st and 2nd periods.

During his time in the CIA (1967-1998), Mr. Devine oversaw some of the most well-known CIA operations of the last few decades including the capture of Pablo Escobar and Charlie Wilson’s War in Afghanistan. He’s a past recipient of the CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal. He is also a published author whose 2014 book, “Good Hunting: an American Spymaster’s Story” was a New York Times best seller.

Notes: For information about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit http://www.aopcatholicschools.org/. For information about Faith in the Future please visit http://faithinthefuture.com/.

Here We Go - Getting Even CLOSER To The Truth!

Multiple sources tell Fox News that President Obama's national security adviser made the request; John Roberts has the roundup for 'Special Report'

Scary! . . . It's Enough To Make You Shudder!

MARCH 8, 2017

Right Here, It's All Explained For You . . .

Is This The Scheme? Is THIS How It Worked?

They Want To Know; They're Out For The Truth!

Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the United States Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury regarding records related to the investigation of retired United States Army Lieutenant General Michel Flynn’s communications with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak (Judicial Watch v. Central Intelligence Agency et al. (No.1:17-cv-00397)). (The National Security Agency refused to confirm or deny the existence of intelligence records about communications between Gen. Flynn and Amb Kislyak.)

Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit after the agencies failed to respond to a January 25, 2017, FOIA request seeking:

Any and all records regarding, concerning, or related to the investigation of retired Gen. Michael Flynn’s communications with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak between October 1, 2016 and the present.

This request includes, but is not limited to, any and all related warrants, affidavits, declarations, or similar records regarding the aforementioned investigation.

For purposes of clarification, please find enclosed a CNN report regarding the investigation, which cites information that was provided to CNN by members of the Intelligence Community.

In its complaint Judicial Watch asks the court to order the agencies to search for all records responsive to its FOIA requests and demonstrate that they employed reasonable search methods; order the agencies to produce by a specific date all non-exempt records and a Vaughn index of all withheld records; and instruct the agencies to cease withholding all non-exempt records.

On January 23, 2017, CNN reported that the government was investigating Flynn, former national security adviser to President Trump:

The calls were captured by routine US eavesdropping targeting the Russian diplomats, according to the intelligence and law enforcement officials. But the officials said some of the content of the conversation raised enough potential concerns that investigators are still looking into the discussions, amid a broader concern about Russian intelligence-gathering activities in the United States.

The officials all stressed that so far there has been no determination of any wrongdoing.

FBI and intelligence officials briefed members of the Obama White House team before President Barack Obama left office about the Flynn calls to the Russian ambassador, sources said.

“President Trump is on to something. The Obama-connected wiretapping and illegal leaks of classified material concerning President Trump and General Flynn are a scandal,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Judicial Watch aims to get to the truth about these crimes and we hope the Trump administration stands with us in the fight for transparency.”

Scalia: Constitution Does Not Prohibit Torture

"Listen, I think it's very facile for people to say, 'Oh, torture is terrible.' You posit the situation where a person that you know for sure knows the location of a nuclear bomb that has been planted in Los Angeles and will kill millions of people. You think it's an easy question? You think it's clear that you cannot use extreme measures to get that information out of that person?

"It seems to me you have to say, as unlikely as that is, it would be absurd to say you couldn't, I don't know, stick something under the fingernail, smack him in the face. It would be absurd to say you couldn't do that."

"I don't know what article of the Constitution that would contravene."

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Goerge W. Bush: We Complied With The Constitution

"CIA experts drew up a list of interrogation techniques. ... At my direction, Department of Justice and CIA lawyers conducted a careful legal review. The enhanced interrogation program complied with the Constitution and all applicable laws, including those that ban torture.

"Had I not authorized waterboarding on senior al Qaeda leaders, I would have had to accept a greater risk that the country would be attacked. In the wake of 9/11, that was a risk I was unwilling to take."

"I thought about my meeting with Danny Pearl's widow, who was pregnant with his son when he was murdered. I thought about the 2,971 people stolen from their families by al Qaeda on 9/11. And I thought about my duty to protect my country from another act of terror.
'Damn right,' I said."

-President George W. Bush

H. W. Bush Reiterates Complete Confidence In CIA

"Nearly four decades ago, it was my privilege to go to Langley to lead the men and women of the CIA at a contentious time.
"During my short time there, I learned firsthand that they are among the very finest people serving in the United States government -- whose selfless and often dangerous work, always behind the scenes, went unheralded. I felt compelled to reiterate my confidence in the Agency today, and to thank those throughout its ranks for their ongoing and vitally important work to keep America safe and secure." 
-President George H. W. Bush

Cheyney: Intelligence Saved Lives

Statement from Vice President Cheney:
The documents released Monday clearly demonstrate that the individuals subjected to Enhanced Interrogation Techniques provided the bulk of intelligence we gained about al Qaeda.
This intelligence saved lives and prevented terrorist attacks. These detainees also, according to the documents, played a role in nearly every capture of al Qaeda members and associates since 2002.
The activities of the CIA in carrying out the policies of the Bush Administration were directly responsible for defeating all efforts by al Qaeda to launch further mass casualty attacks against the United States. The people involved deserve our gratitude. They do not deserve to be the targets of political investigations or prosecutions.
President Obama’s decision to allow the Justice Department to investigate and possibly prosecute CIA personnel, and his decision to remove authority for interrogation from the CIA to the White House, serves as a reminder, if any were needed, of why so many Americans have doubts about this Administration’s ability to be responsible for our nation’s security.

Cheyney Answers Panetta

From the Weekly Standard:
Dick Cheney released a statement responded to CIA Director Leon Panetta's suggestion that the former vice president's criticism of Obama administration policies means Cheney is wishing for another attack.
"I hope my old friend Leon was misquoted. The important thing is whether the Obama administration will continue the policies that have kept us safe for the last eight years."
Panetta was quoted in a lengthy profile by Jane Mayer in this week's New Yorker.
“I think he smells some blood in the water on the national-security issue,” he told me. “It’s almost, a little bit, gallows politics. When you read behind it, it’s almost as if he’s wishing that this country would be attacked again, in order to make his point. I think that’s dangerous politics.”

Burger Intelligence Discoveries

From Ben Smith at Politico:

On his trip to get a burger with Brian Williams at Five Guys [Friday] afternoon, the President appears to have learned of the existence of a Defense Department intelligence arm, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, from an agency employee also at the burger restaurant.

"So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial..." Obama said, after the worker mentioned his employer, according to a video of the event.

"We work with, uh, satellite imagery," the worker, Walter replied.

A Politico reader caught the exchange, which starts around 5:45 on this C-SPAN video.

The transcript:

Obama: What do you do Walter?
Walter: I work at, uh, NGA, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Obama: Outstanding, how long you been doing that?
Walter: About six years
Obama: Yea?
Walter: Yes.
Obama: You like it?
Walter: I do, keeps me...
Obama: So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial...uh...
Walter: Uh, we work with, uh, satellite imagery..
Obama: Right
Walter: [unintelligible] ...support systems, so...
Obama: Sounds like good work.
Walter: Enjoy the weekend.
Obama: Appreciate it.

According to the Defense Department:

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a Department of Defense combat support agency and a member of the national Intelligence Community (IC). NGA develops imagery and map-based intelligence solutions for U.S. national defense, homeland security and safety of navigation.

NGA provides timely, relevant and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of national security objectives. The term "geospatial intelligence" means the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. Geospatial intelligence consists of imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial (e.g., mapping, charting and geodesy) information.

Guess they're not getting much airtime in the President's Daily Brief.

Ode To Queen Nancy

From Mike Huckabee at Fox News:

Here's a story about a lady named Nancy;
A ruthless politician, but dressed very fancy.
Very ambitious, she got herself elected speaker,
But as for keeping secrets, she proved quite a leaker.

She flies on government planes coast-to-coast,
And doesn't mind that our economy is toast.
She makes the Air Force squire her in their military jets;
There's room for her family, her staff, and even her pets.

Until now, she annoyed us, but her gaffes were mostly funny;
Even though it was painful to watch her waste our tax money.
But now her wacky comments are no laughing matter;
She's either unwilling to tell the truth, or she's mad as a hatter!

She sat in briefings and knew about enhanced interrogation,
But claims she wasn't there, and can't give an explanation.
She disparages the CIA and says they are a bunch of liars;
Even the press aren't buying it and they're stoking their fires.

I think Speaker Pelosi has done too much speaking;
And instead of her trashing our intelligence officials, it's her nose that needs tweaking.

If forced to believe whether the CIA and her colleagues in Congress are lying,
Or it's Speaker Pelosi whose credibility and career is dying,
I believe in the integrity of the men and women who sacrifice to keep us safe;
Not the woman who has been caught flat-footed, lying to our face.

I say it here and I say it rather clear:
It's time for Nancy Pelosi to resign and get out of here.

Queen Nancy's Popularity: 39%

From Foon Rhee at the Boston Globe:
Embattled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has approval ratings nearly as low as Newt Gingrich when he was the primary lightning rod in Congress, a new poll says.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released this afternoon found that the approval of how Pelosi is doing her job as speaker has dropped from 51 percent in January to 46 percent in March to 39 percent now.
In the new survey, conducted Thursday through Sunday while Pelosi was embroiled in controversy over how much she was told about waterboarding of terrorist suspects, 48 percent of respondents said they disapproved of her performance.
In a news conference on Thursday, she said she had been misled by the CIA -- an accusation that prompted officials of both parties to defend the spy agency and that provoked some angry Republicans to say she should put up proof or shut up and apologize.
Gingrich, the former GOP house speaker during the mid-1990s, has called on Pelosi to resign as speaker. He had his approval rating drop into the low 30 percent and as low as 25 percent in March 1997.

Pelosi's Tangled Web

From Brit Hume at Fox News:
Seemingly lost in the dispute over what Speaker Pelosi says she was not told are the implications of what she acknowledges she was told.
The speaker says she was made aware seven years ago that the CIA was contemplating using so-called enhanced interrogation techniques -- including waterboarding -- and that Justice Department lawyers had advised that such methods would be legal.
She said and did nothing in response to this knowledge. But now she says such techniques amounted to torture and were illegal. She supports a grand investigation to find out if the legal advice provided by the Justice Department was somehow a crime as well.
If she thinks that, then the obvious question is why she didn't object to all this when she had the chance at a time when the practices, as she understood it, had not yet been used. Such a complaint from a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee might have an impact.
But this is not even being discussed now, with Washington mesmerized by the sight of the speaker and the CIA accusing each other of lying.
The Democratic Party has suffered through the years from the perception that it is reflexively anti-defense and anti-spying. This spectacle tends to feed that notion, which may help explain why the president and his spokesman are staying out of the flap, in the obvious hope that it will somehow go away.

Oh, That CIA!

Cartoon by7 Gary Varvel - TownHall.com

Waterborading, Pelosi-Style

Cartoon by Jerry Holbert - TownHall.com