CQPolitics
Panetta Hedges on Rendition Remarks
By Tim Starks, CQ Staff
Leon E. Panetta, the Obama administration’s pick to lead the CIA, backed away Friday from earlier remarks that he suspected the United States had transferred terror suspects to other countries so that they could be tortured.
The vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Christopher S. Bond , R-Mo., pressed Panetta on remarks he made on the first day of his confirmation hearing Thursday, with Bond saying “it’s news to me” that the Bush administration did so. He noted that the U.S. government “sought and received” assurances that any suspects transferred to other countries would not be tortured.
Panetta said he knew the United States sought and received those assurances, although there have been claims that suspects were mistreated nonetheless. But on Bond’s question about “deliberative intent” to transfer subjects for the purposes of being tortured, Panetta said “to that extent, I retract it.”
Panetta had said Thursday the extraordinary renditions of the Bush administration would not be allowed under a new executive order: “No, we will not, because, under the executive order issued by the president, that kind of extraordinary rendition, where we send someone for the purposes of torture or for actions by another country that violate our human values, that has been forbidden by the executive order.”
But Panetta also said he had not been fully briefed, and based his remarks on press accounts.
After Panetta retracted his statement, Bond said, “In your position, you cannot be making assumptions or judgments based on rumor or news stories,” noting the intelligence failures of the past. He asked Panetta to affirm he would “not make rash judgment on hearsay.”
“You have my assurance,” Panetta said. “My approach is going to be to seek the truth” in all cases, he answered.
Panetta said the Obama administration would prohibit a form of rendition where terrorist suspects are transferred to “black sites.” But other kinds of rendition could be permitted.
“Using renditions, we may very well direct individuals to third countries,” he said. “I will seek the same kind of assurances that they will be not treated inhumanely. I intend to use the State Department to assure that those assurances are, in fact, implemented and stood by by those countries.”
Bond said after the hearing he had not decided yet whether to support Panetta’s nomination.
Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif., said she intended to schedule a vote on Panetta’s nomination next week.
(Source)