Pushing the Envelope on Presidential Power | Cheney | washingtonpost.com

Shortly after the first accused terrorists reached the U.S. naval prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Jan. 11, 2002, a delegation from CIA headquarters arrived in the Situation Room. The agency presented a delicate problem to White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales, a man with next to no experience on the subject. Vice President Cheney’s lawyer, who had a great deal of experience, sat nearby. The meeting marked “the first time that the issue of interrogations comes up” among top-ranking White House officials, recalled John C. Yoo, who represented the Justice Department. “The CIA guys said, ‘We’re going to have some real difficulties getting actionable intelligence from detainees'” if interrogators confined themselves to humane techniques allowed by the Geneva Conventions.

This series from the Washington Post looks to be an important recap of what has changed in the way the Executive Branch of our government is run. I will be following it closely as it unfolds. If you believe in the American form of Democracy you may want to study this series. The fear you will feel as you come to understand what is happening behind the facade at the White House is real.