President tries to reassure CIA officers

After he made the controversial decision to
release memos related to enhanced interrogation methods used by the CIA,
President Obama paid a visit to the clandestine agency Monday to assure them that
they have his full support.

Obama traveled to the Central Intelligence Agency’s headquarters in Langley,
Va., where, after meeting with senior officials including Director Leon Panetta
and Deputy Director Steve Kappas, he told more than 1,000 agency employees that
“there is nothing more important than protecting the identities of CIA
officers.” 

{mosads}”So I need everybody to be clear:  We will protect your identities
and your security as you vigorously pursue your missions,” the president
said. “I will be as vigorous in protecting you as you are vigorous in
protecting the American people.”

Obama has come under fire from his critics on both sides of the aisle both for
making the memos public and for pledging not to prosecute CIA officers who
employed the controversial interrogation methods.

Obama noted that while CIA officers’ successes usually have to stay secret, they are blamed for the agency’s failures. The president noted that as he
directly addressed the release of the memos.

“Now, in that context I know that the last few days have been
difficult,” Obama said.

Obama said that he had some conversations before his publicized remarks with
“senior folks here at Langley in which I think people have expressed
understandable anxiety and concern.”

“So I want to make a point that I just made in the smaller group. I
understand that it’s hard when you are asked to protect the American people
against people who have no scruples and would willingly and gladly kill
innocents,” Obama said. “Al Qaeda is not constrained by a
constitution.  Many of our adversaries are not constrained by a belief in
freedom of speech, or representation in court, or rule of law.  I’m sure
that sometimes it seems as if that means we’re operating with one hand tied
behind our back, or that those who would argue for a higher standard are
naïve.  I understand that.  You know, I watch the cable shows once in
a while.”

Sure enough, Republicans who criticized the president’s decision last week did
not hesitate to dismiss his remarks at Langley as an attempt to find political
cover for a bad decision.

Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Obama’s
“pep rally” would do little to assuage the anger of some agency
officers who viewed last week’s decision as a sign that they do not have the
full support of the president.

“Despite the president’s trip to Langley today the message he sent our
terror-fighters last week was loud and clear – the CIA’s new mission is CYA,”
said Bond.

Obama urged the CIA officers, who greeted him as though they were at one of his
campaign rallies, not to “be discouraged that we have to acknowledge
potentially we’ve made some mistakes.” 

“That’s how we learn,” Obama said. “But the fact that we are
willing to acknowledge them and then move forward, that is precisely why I am
proud to be president of the United States, and that’s why you should be proud
to be members of the CIA.”

Bond’s office dismissed the president’s effort, saying that the “admission by
the U.S. government will be seized upon by all of American’s enemies.”