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A diarist over at DailyKos suggests it is a sign that the Republican Party is imploding. I think that's taking it a bit too far, but... it is a sign of serious problems. And more that that, its damn funny.

Yesterday it was reported that the Republican leadership in both houses of Congress was pushing for an investigation into the leaks that that led to the WaPo's story detailing secret CIA dentition/torture facilities scattered throughout Eastern Europe. They weren't interested in the details of the story itself, no no. They wanted to know who caused the leak.

Apparently that maneuver has backfired. Big time. Sen. Trent Lott, the former majority leader, just told CNN that it was a Republican, not a Democrat, who leaked the info. How does he know? He knows because the information apparently matches what they were told by VP Cheney in a private closed-door session last week.

Cheney was there to make his case for the administration's opposition to Sen. McCain's amendment to clarify the US military's position on torture. He was there, in short, to press for the administration's right to torture secret detainees. What Lott is suggesting, therefore, is that not only was the uppermost reaches of the White House fully aware of the facilities prior to the WaPo story, so too were Republican members of Congress. And apparently one of them was so disturbed by what he had learned that he called up the WaPo and spilled the beans.

Some thoughts...

First, whatever Senator that was that broke ranks with his party and outed the administration is a hero. No matter what Cheney and his staff might think, this nation belongs to us, not them. If they are torturing detainees, they are doing so in our names.

Second, of the remaining members who did not leak the story - and my guess is that this is all but one or two - they are all a national disgrace. They knew, and they said nothing. Remember that.

Third, if the info came from Cheney, it means that this network of secret facilities has been approved all the way up through the White House. I mentioned that above but it bears repeating. The UCMJ and the Geneva Conventions both prohibit torture, and even the President is bound by those obligations. After all McCain's amendment is merely reiterating what is already law. If this came from the top, it means that the White House was issuing orders directly contradicting several explicit laws. It means they were issuing illegal orders.

Got that?

This entire story is just insane. What exactly does the administration think its doing by defending something so utterly indefensible?

UPDATE:
Josh Marshall nails it:

What we have here is an administration under the sway of men with lawless and authoritarian tendencies. Betraying one of the county's own spies to cover up revelations about dishonest actions in leading the country to war, attempts to squelch the press to hide government policy of supporting torture. These actions are all cut from the same cloth: cover-ups and secrecy to hide lies and dishonorable acts, all backed by force and disregard for the law. Now it seems Sen. Lott is telling reporters he thinks the leaks came from Republicans, which is at least one more sign that there are a growing number of Republicans more interested in their country's honor than in the Cheney gang's governance by violence and lies. Let them investigate Republicans, Democrats; let them take it before judges. Whatever. Lies beget coverups which beget more law breaking into a spiralling cycle. The executive is in corrupt hands. Nothing will change till that does.

And ReddHedd wonders, when was the GOP planning to announce their oversight hearings?

UPDATE II: Uh oh... Looks like someone isn't telling us the whole truth. Atrios has an unofficial transcript of Sen McCain's appearance on CNN this morning. Now, before you go getting your knickers n a twist, there is one very reasonable explanation for this. If knowledge of these facilities is classified, as it most certainly is, Sen. McCain cannot legally confirm that he has knowledge of them. That is, after all, the entire point of the discussion about investigating the leak. Legally, McCain has to lie.

Also, Digby provides some thoughts on the "implosion" meme:

This Republican implosion is really becoming interesting to watch. These people lose their wits when they are forced to play defense. They think they are being clever and "turning the tables" on the Democrats by holding hearings into a leak but they apparently don't understand that they are playing right into the Democratic narrative about Republican secrecy, lies and incompetence.

And here I think he's on to something. Lott's comments are a small sign of implosion. But the idea that they are going to lead a special investigation into the leaks, not the facilities, is utterly, totally, and completely nuts. Click through for more...

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