We have - if you go back in history, there is a constant struggle between trying to run our open democracy and trying to run a secret intelligence service. So, he could've been informed about this in that capacity, before taking over at CIA. Goss was the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. If there's a legitimate request pending from the Congress or the courts or the 9/11 Commission, then you've got a problem, potentially.īLOCK: According to your paper, the New York Times, the CIA director at the time, Porter Goss, was not told about that order from Jose Rodriguez.

Now, the problem comes when the chief of the Clandestine Service - Jose Rodriguez was his name, in 2005 - apparently gives an order that these things be destroyed. They believe, no doubt, in good faith, that they were carrying out the lawful orders of their commanders, and ultimately the president of the United States. WEINER: The - what is being protected here is the officers who were conducting these interrogations. WEINER: On that theory, millions of CIA documents could be destroyed.īLOCK: And one way of protecting the identity, wouldn't it be, pixilate the videotape, alter it in some way? That would apply to a whole lot of documents, photos, tapes in CIA files, no? This kind of tug-of-war has been going on for 60 years ever since the CIA was created.īLOCK: The CIA director, Michael Hayden, has said these tapes were destroyed to protect the identity of CIA colleagues who took part in these interrogations. TIM WEINER (Intelligence Reporter, The New York Times Author, 'Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA'): The struggle here is whether the CIA is able to keep its sources and methods secret in the face of a legitimate order of a court or request by Congress to give up the secrets. He's author of 'Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA.'Īnd, Tim, what are the restrictions on what the CIA can and cannot destroy? We're joined now by longtime intelligence reporter Tim Weiner of the New York Times.

Tim weiner cia