Sen. Kit Bond (R-MI), Vice-Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, spoke with bloggers today on the recent scandal over the release of CIA memos on interrogation tactics and the idea that former government officials involved in planning them should be prosecuted for their role. President Barack Obama formerly said he would not consider prosecuting those individuals but has since changed his mind.

Bond openly wondered whether future CIA officials can count on a President that to “have their back or stab them in the back” when it comes to their abilities to protect Americans. Now, Bond said, officials won’t know what they can and can’t do.

“The detainees — al Qaeda and other leaders — know that if they are captured they can expect no more harsh techniques than we use on our volunteers that go into training...this sends another big black eye to the US when we are trying to re-establish our relations with the Islamic world,” said Bond.

Bond assured callers that the full Intelligence committee was briefed on what was going on with the interrogation techniques in the fall of 2006 and language was approved saying that the program was valuable and providing results.

“If Nancy Pelosi thought it was illegal or immorally wrong, there was plenty she could have done and should have done,” Bond said, adding that the Speaker could have met with members, sent letters or called for a closed session of Congress.

Bond said that the CIA will not carry out plans if they are told those plans aren’t favored — but leadership authorized them to move ahead. Because of this and an Administration that kept America safe from more terrorist attacks after 9/11, Bond does not believe the aforementioned government officials should be prosecuted.

“The question is, what is THIS [emphasis mine] Administration going to do to protect the American people? It seems to me that looking backwards is the wrong direction to be looking when we know that al Qaeda and others are...committed to inflicting harm on the United States,” said Bond.

Bond said he believes that MoveOn.org and other George Soros-inspired agendas have a “heavy influence” over those making decisions for the Democrats in this country.

“It seems to me that there are a lot of people still suffering from ‘Bush Derangement Syndrome’....we watched for 8 years...Democrats in every area trying to find out what they could do to take a poke at George W. Bush -- the Administration that kept us safe after the horrendous 9/11 attacks,” Bond said.
 
In response to the release of Guantanamo Bay detainees, Bond said he and many others — including Democrats — will not stand for terror suspects being released in their states.

“The President has not told us how these detainees won’t pose a threat to Americans,” he said. “The record so far — 18 confirmed, 43 suspected Guantanamo graduates returning to the fight (terror activities).”

Bond touched at the recent cap and trade legislation debate at the end of his remarks, calling the bill “inefficient” and an “ineffective way to cripple jobs.”