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Pakistan Frees Nuclear Salesman A.Q. Khan

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MJ2/06/2009 11:19:53 am PST

Some of what Panetta said is truly disturbing:

Panetta formally retracted a statement he made Thursday that the Bush administration transferred prisoners for the purpose of torture.
“I am not aware of the validity of those claims,” he said.
Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., chastised Panetta for careless words. “You cannot be making statements or making judgments based on rumors and news stories,” he said.
Because he has not yet been confirmed, Panetta has not been briefed on the details of the secret program.
Panetta said he believed the Bush administration was trying to protect the country from terrorists with its use of secret prisons, renditions and harsh interrogations.
“I think they made some wrong decisions, I think they made mistakes,” he said. “I think sometimes they believe the ends justifies the means, and that’s where people sometimes go wrong.”
Panetta said he thinks that in the fear of another Sept. 11-style attack, Bush administration officials thought, “We can’t be bothered with legalisms.”
Panetta said, however, that he believes the greatest weapon the United States has against terrorists is its moral authority and commitment to the rule of law.