contemptable

The New York Times runs an op-ed by former CIA officer Reuel Marc Gerecht supporting torture. He doesn't call it torture when the US or allies do it, of course; the exact same techniques that have always been torture are described in various euphemistic ways ("aggressive interrogation") when attributed to the US and allies, and torture when other people do it. He's pushing extraordinary rendition and "extrajudicial rendition" - essentially the outsourcing of torture and the outsourcing of torture outside of law - as a compromise. Sullivan calls the whole column Orwellian, but then has harsher words.

Over here, Glen Greenwald takes apart Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX, Chair, House Intelligence Committee) and his efforts to see that torture continues under the Obama administration. He's also trying to get Mr. Obama to keep Mr. Bush's Director of National Intelligence and CIA directors - both fervent supporters of the torture-and-domestic-spying regime. Here is an article on enthusiastic media cooperation with CIA spin supporting John Brennan (FISA supporter, et al) and declaring all opponents to him and/or his programme "leftist." The story isn't the CIA going all out for Mr. Brennan (mostly to prevent future Mr. Brennans) but the degree of media cooperation.

And over here we have former Clinton-era Office of Management and Budget wonk calling for yet another new Presidential secrecy power - specifically, to block publication of works and materials by anyone in the administration.

eta: The Vatican hates everything.

eta2: lulz