CIA Blamed in Downed Missionary Plane (xpost from Veterans)

[unhappycamper]

CIA Blamed in Downed Missionary Plane
November 21, 2008
DoD Buzz|by Colin Clark

It must be the worst nightmare of every CIA director.

The agency ignores its own rules and regulations, kills innocent Americans, and then the people in charge of the operation lie to Congress to cover up what happened.

This nightmare became reality Nov. 20 when Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) announced that a report by the CIA inspector general found that agency officers seemingly ignored standing rules and regulations governing when they could shoot at aircraft during counter-drug operations in Latin America. The lapses led to the death of at least 10 innocent civilians, Hoekstra said, including Americans Veronica "Roni" Bowers, 35, and her daughter Charity in April 2001. They were missionaries in Peru heading home in a single engine Cesna when the CIA provided targeting data to a Peruvian Air Force jet that shot down their plane.

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"It is a blot, a dark stain, a sad day for CIA," Hoekstra said at a Capitol Hill news conference. "The CIA knew about repeated serious issues with this program, but took no corrective actions, which could have prevented this needless tragedy."


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/cia-blamed-in-downed-missionary-plane.html?col=1186032310810

[Billy Burnett]

1. Thanks for posting this important story.

Gee whiz, I wonder why Morales and Chavez don't trust USCIADEA drug operations.

No matter, there will always be defenders of US imperialism (and the resulting death and destruction) in Latin America.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Thanks for your post. It carries something very worthwhile...

From the article:

In addition to his press conference, Hoekstra wrote a letter today to the CIA Inspector General John Helgerson asking him to declassify as much of his report as possible. In a clear shot across the CIA’s bow, Hoekstra reminded Helgerson that information must not be classified to "conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or administrative error" or to "prevent embarrassment to a person, organization or agency."

Hoekstra ended his letter to Hayden with a clear warning, and a promise: "I will not let this matter rest."

Very unexpected decent behavior from a Republican, isn't it? Maybe they've got some good ones who've been waiting for the climate to change in the House.



He's even more pleasant looking,
(kinder, more intelligent, alert,
calm, civilized demeanor)
than they usually are!
Rep. Pete Hoekstra.

[EFerrari]

3. Iirc, this is the gentleman who was going to get to the bottom of the CIA

destroying the video tapes of torture sessions.

He may be doing an Arlen Spector because I don't recall that the tape case went any where. :shrug: