All smoke and mirrors folks.

“WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to prohibit the use of waterboarding and harsh interrogation techniques by ordering the CIA to follow military rules for questioning prisoners, according to two U.S. officials familiar with drafts of the plans.

The proposal Obama is considering would require all CIA interrogators to follow conduct outlined in the U.S. Army Field Manual, the officials said. The plans would also have the effect of shutting down secret “black site” prisons around the world where the CIA has questioned terror suspects — with all future interrogations taking place inside American military facilities.”

Yeah, but…

“However, Obama’s changes may not be absolute. His advisers are considering adding a classified loophole to the rules that could allow the CIA to use some interrogation methods not specifically authorized by the Pentagon, the officials said.”

In other words, “We’re going to keep our options open”. While I’m still skeptical on just how the Obama administration will handle the War on Terror and whether or not they will be able to sustain the huge success of the Bush administration, I know that there is no way in hell the CIA is going to be hamstrung on interrogations.

Obama must know – or advisers better be telling him – that dissing the intel community and making their life harder in the field will only come back to bite him in the ass.

The media is continuing this type of storyline in order to hint to the Obama administration how they should move on this matter. This point is telling.

“No final decisions have been made about how to adjust the government’s interrogation standards. Obama is still weighing whether to alter interrogation policy by executive order during his first days in office or working with Congress through legislation.

The plans do not specifically address the issue of extraordinary rendition, the policy of transferring foreign terrorism suspects to third countries without court approval.”

Again, rendition as it is currently practiced was perfected during the Clinton administration which used the practice several times, and as such it will continue to be used in the foreseable future. It too is an invaluable tool in the GWOT.

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