The New York Times, which first reported the arrest of Mullah Baradar on its Web site late Monday, cited sources as saying that Pakistan was leading the interrogation of Baradar, but that Americans were also involved and had access to the intelligence. One Pakistani officer said Baradar was arrested 10 days ago with the assistance of the United States and “was talking” to his interrogators.

The NY Times said the conditions of the questioning were unclear, noting that the Obama administration has banned harsh interrogations like waterboarding by Americans, but that the Pakistanis have “long been known to subject prisoners to brutal questioning.”

U.S. Has Access to Information from ‘Interrogation’

The source from the U.S. military confirmed U.S. officials have had access to information from Baradar’s interrogation. Senior US officials said Mullah Baradar was “providing intelligence”. “This operation was an enormous success,” one official told ABC News. “It is a very big deal,” the official said. The New York Times, citing US government sources, said the prisoner was the most significant Taliban figure to be detained since the US-led war in Afghanistan began in 2001.

Obama Claims Moral Ground by Banning Waterboarding by U.S.

President Obama had previously acknowledged that the harsh interrogation techniques he has banned might have yielded useful information, but that he was nonetheless willing to rule them out on moral grounds.

He conceded that “it may be harder” to get information, but what “makes us, I think, still a beacon to the world is that we are willing to hold true to our ideals, even when it’s hard, not just when it’s easy.”

Obama Sharp Contrast to Bush-Cheney

In the past week, former Vice-President Cheney has reiterated his support of water boarding for High Value Detainees and Obama has demonstrated a sharp policy difference. Obama maintains a high moral ground by banning the U.S. use of harsh techniques, but then allows other countries to use even harsher techniques and then provide the information to the U.S.

Copyright 2010 blamebush.org

In the wake of his announcement to personally save the world from global warming caused by the devil (referring to President George W. Bush), President Hugo Chavez on Sunday said that all of Venezuela will hold their breath on Thursday preventing approximately 5 million tons of carbon to enter the atmosphere.

We have many things to report,” he said, and kept listeners’ attention with a dramatic announcement. “I call on the whole country: ‘Hold Your Breath.’ As a result of U.S. caused global warming, We are facing the worst drought Venezuela has had in almost 100 years.”

Critics Believe Ploy to Claim Carbon Credits Worth Millions

Critics of Chavez point out that this may be just a gimmick so that Chavez can claim hundreds of millions of dollars in carbon credits related to the prevention of carbon emissions. Additionally, Critics claim that the lack of water in Venezuala is primarily due to the mismanagement of resources by the government.

National Guard to Enforce No Breathing on Thursday

Speaking on his weekly television program, “Alo Presidente,” Chavez railed against those who openly refuse to stop breathing. “I want the national guard in the streets, with the people, to prevent breathing,” Chavez said, calling exhaling carbon dioxide a form of robbery.

According to the EPA, each human exhales 2.3 lbs of carbon each day through breathing.

Chavez showed a photograph in a newspaper of breathers in long lines over the weekend to buy coffins, fearing that inability to breathe could cause death. The president blamed such lines on “teleterror,” saying that opposition media outlets were fueling a panic.

“For one day, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to exhale carbon dioxide,” Chavez said.

Chavez May Expropriate Businesses That Resist

He encouraged people to publicly denounce relatives who breathe freely and threatened to expropriate businesses and foreigners who demand to breathe.

The government would transfer ownership of such businesses to the workers, Chavez said.
Copyright 2010 blamebush.org