After CIA And Defense Secretary React With Shock, White House Pulls Back From Re-Opening Overseas "Black Site" Prisons

A sweeping executive order leaked to news sources earlier in the week which would clear the way for the C.I.A. to reopen overseas “black site” prisons, like those where it detained and tortured terrorism suspects before former President Barack Obama shut them down.  Fortunately, the leaked document prompted immediate outrage from both parties, a theme we can only hope continues on many other matters.

After news outlets reported details of the original draft on Jan. 25, lawmakers erupted in outrage, and both the defense secretary, Jim Mattis, and the C.I.A. director, Mike Pompeo, disavowed any prior knowledge of the contemplated order.

The staff members urged the White House to slow down and get input from affected agencies and departments.

On Thursday, the White House circulated among National Security Council staff members a revised version of the draft order on detainees that deleted language contemplating a revival of the C.I.A. prisons.

The draft order retains other parts of the original that focus on making greater use of the military’s Guantánamo Bay prison, which the Obama administration had tried to close.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/04/us/politics/black-site-prisons-cia-terrorist.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/25/us/politics/cia-detainee-prisons.html