Pentagon deflects Congress’ subpoenas

My mistrust of the Army and the Department of Defense on the investigation of the Nidal Hasan shootings at Fort Drum Hood is well known. The fact that they won’t allow a lot of testimony to Congress doesn’t bolster my confidence in their own investigation.

The administration offered, however, to allow investigators to look at Hasan’s personnel record and to review parts of an internal Defense Department investigation that names eight people Pentagon investigators said should be reprimanded for their actions in dealing with Hasan before the shootings. The investigators won’t be given copies of the documents, the Pentagon said, but they will be allowed to take notes.

Sens. Joseph Lieberman , I-Conn, and Susan Collins , R- Maine , who issued a subpoena last week seeking the documents and interviews, said they were “disappointed” in the administration’s refusal to allow interviews with the agents, which came in a letter signed jointly by the Defense and Justice departments.

NPR reports;

“We have made a very good faith effort to try to find a middle ground,” [Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell] said.

The administration also offered additional briefings to select senators about the activities of an anti-terrorism task force that reviewed tips about Hasan.

“This is as far as we’re prepared to go,” Morrell said.

If the Bush era Pentagon had been so obstinate, the hippies would be having conniptions about now.

Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden