Senate Select Intelligence Committee, Today, 10AM, Hart, "Threats to the US"

The C-SPAN announcer is substantively interrupting Democrats, announcing Republicans during Democrats time, Democrats during Democrats time

Witness:
P Goss, Director of Central Intelligence
C Rodley(?), Office of Secretary of State
Unknown, Unknown
Unknown, Unknown
Admiral Loy|Lloyd

Sen J Warner, Chair The Chair asks himself if he has been remiss in any way.  In lieu of answering, he asks other Senators to consider how they treat detainees. Asks a torture question, in a tortured way. Basically, should the Senators turn over captives in Iraq to the Iraqi forces, who many not have our "stringent" rules vis-a-vis torturing people.
• The first witness suggests that American interogators don't want to use torture, and say it is ineffective.  "What we stand for is what we're fighting for." Denies we'd ever render people to foreign governments for torture.
• Shamelessly relates it to election.  Hopes that the future Iraqi intelligence services wouldn't be tortured, like they were under the bad, bad Saddam.
Concerning Rumsfeld's collection of intelligence, noting it is done within the law (Josh: even though no one in Congress seems to have known about it)

Senator P Roberts talks about "encroachment" of DoD into CIA's bailiwick.  Mentions Goss doesn't look "encroached upon" (Josh: as if it would be obvious)
• Says published reports are wrong.  Says the DoD is AOK.  Explains that the FBI is fine to work overseas.  Just wants things "co-ordinated."  Says it is all just a question of details.  Says they are doing things they haven't done before.

Senator E Bayh asks what has improved in the last couple years, so that Americans can trust the recent scaremongering with regards to Iran.
• Says "we have lots more" and are doing it all better.  "we are moving well."
• Yeah, Yeah.
• Lots more agents, established an Intelligence Directorate, new "Field Intelligence Group" in each office, which wasn't there before.
Re: DPRK, what gives?
• This is just bluster from DPRK. 
Is anyone trying to convince them that they won't survive with nukes?
• No answer.
Might Hezbollah (Josh: a mostly independent Lebanese group) be the trigger for an invasion into Iran?
• Yup.
Could FARC attack the Homeland?
• Yup.

Senator P Roberts notes that Goss says they might be able to produce a weapon "early in the next decade."  The scum bag Roberts says that "like Iraq, Iran" has troubling dual-use technology.  The motherfucker pretends that he wasn't actually saying that Iraq _had_ weapons.
• Calls nukes "the Holy Grail" (Josh: so they must be looking for it, right?)
• Don't even need to have weapons, but appear as they do, to get the effect. Tells Senator Wyden (D-OR) to be patient, even after his light is on. Asks about agro-terrorism (Josh: obvious play to get his state more anti-terrorism funding).  Cites movie.
• DHS is on it.  The Dept of Ag is on it.

Senator J Rockefeller (D-WV), has there been any effort to relook at the reasons we have elevated the color code?
• Yes, we have, and I'll tell you why. (loser answer)
• "Today's Yellow is Yesterday's Orange" (Josh: I shit you not).

Senator R Wyden refers to the fact that, years after Total Information Awareness closed, the Senate has no idea where the Agencies are getting their info on Americans. What rules on data mining exist, how are they enforced?
• Non-answer.  Mentions CAPS II program.
Senator interrupts to ask if CAPS II is the only data-mining operation in his agency.  Again asks if there are any rules.
• No rules.
• DoD has very serious rules about what can be in the files on Americans. The Senator asks if they don't get non-gov't data on US
• We don't keep data on Americans. (Josh: I'm surprised.)
•
• "Has a basis" for bringing it into their databases.
• The only data State collects/maintains is passport data, and that has its own rules, ex. used to notify next of kin.
Senator wants, in writing, what rules on sifting information from non-governmental sources, from each.