Need answers on CIA tape destruction

Here's a link to the Register's editorial on the Justice Department's decision to convert the inquiry into the destruction of videotapes of the interrogations of two al-Qaida suspects into a criminal inquiry. That doesn't necessarily mean indictments will be forthcoming, but at least they brought a purportedly independent federal prosecutor from Connectict into the case rather than leaving it to the Northern Virginia prosecutors who deal with other CIA-related cases. I hope Congress continues to investigate the situation aggressively (though the fact the Justice Department is doing so also could create complications). I suspect strongly that the CIA destroyed the tapes because it didn't want such tangible evidence of torture, which suggests a guilty conscience, but we may never know for sure. The important thing is for us to learn as much as possible about what the government is doing with our money and in our name.

Destroyed CIA tapes

We'll probably never know for sure what was on those tapes of interrogations of two suspected al-Qaida members that were destroyed by the CIA. It seems likely they show torture or treatment tantamount to torture, but I'm not prepared to declare it so without something a lot more substantial than what we have seen so far. Nonetheless, it's a good idea to investigate the circumstances under which they were destroyed -- and not just to have the CIA itself and the Justice Department do it. The administration's attempt to block congressional and judicial inquiries into the matter are simply unconscionable. The excuse that to let Congress and the judiciary have at it before the executive departments have completed their investigations sounds just like that -- an excuse. This may be the most secretive administration ever, and especially dangerous in that it seems to see secretiveness as a primary principle of good governance. Good for the government, maybe, but not good for the people it is supposed to be -- ha ha -- serving.

Here's the Register's editorial on the subject.