Rather than update my last post, I decided to start a new one so everyone has a fresh slate on which to vent through the weekend. C.I.A. Director Leon Panetta sent a letter Friday afternoon to C.I.A. employees telling them that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was “truthfully” briefed in 2002 but he also reiterated his statement that Congress must reach its own conclusion on what really happened. In the letter, Panetta urged his staff to “ignore the noise and stay focused on your mission” even though the debate over torture has “reached a new decibel level.”
Pelosi put out a response, praising C.I.A. employees:
“We all share great respect for the dedicated men and women of the intelligence community who are deeply committed to the safety and security of the American people. My criticism of the manner in which the Bush Administration did not appropriately inform Congress is separate from my respect for those in the intelligence community who work to keep our country safe. What is important now is to be united in our commitment to ensuring the security of our country; that, and how Congress exercises its oversight responsibilities, will continue to be my focus as we move forward.”