CIA Report Released
Earlier today, a Democrat-led Senate panel released a scathing report on CIA interrogation practices in response to warnings from lawmakers that 
the findings would “endanger the lives of Americans”. The report claimed that the interrogation techniques they used were extremely brutal, far worse than what the CIA had represented to lawmakers. In addition, the report claimed that the tactics weren’t effective, and the spy agency gave “inaccurate” information about it to Congress and the White House. The report characterized CIA management of the program as “deeply flawed”, although agency officials have staunchly defended it and credited it with helping to track down various terrorist leaders, including bin Laden.
Dianne Feinstein, the head of the panel who ordered the release of the report, alleged on the Senate floor that the CIA techniques could in some cases be considered “torture”. She claims that the report was “too important” to indefinitely shelve. Obama backed the decision to release the report, despite warnings from lawmakers that it could lead to a significant backlash against Americans. In the aftermath of the report’s release, over 6,000 US Marines overseas have been put on “high alert”. Many Republican senators have dismissed this as a “partisan move” by the Democrats. In a joint statement earlier today, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Saxby Chambliss slammed the release, calling is “ideologically motivated”. The report, a roughly 500-page report that summarizes a summary of a still-classified 6,000-page study, is the fullest public accounting from the Democratic Party of the CIA’s alleged use of torture on suspected Al Qaeda detainees in the aftermath of 9/11.
In response to the report, the CIA acknowledged that they made “mistakes” with their detention and interrogation program, yet disputed claims that the interrogations weren’t effective. They claim that the interrogation program was able to produce valuable and actionable intelligence, specifically citing the identification of the courier who led to bin Laden. After 9/11, CIA officials say that the program provided the “bedrock” understanding of Al Qaeda network, which is still being drawn on today. The CIA believes that the report seeks to “minimize” the intelligence that led to the capture of bin Laden. According to former CIA officers, lawmakers encouraged them to do “whatever it took” to prevent another attack on the scale of 9/11.
The report contains plenty of damning evidence about the CIA’s methods, alleging that they used such tactics as waterboarding, sleep deprivation, confining detainees to small boxes, threatening them with death and subjecting them to various inhuman methods to obtain information out of them. Yesterday, the White House reiterated its support for the release of the report, in spite of warnings that it could provoke violence. In anticipation of the release, an advisory has been sent urging US personnel overseas to reassess security measures. It directs all overseas posts, including those used by the CIA, to “review their security posture”.
Obama’s Proposal
Obama speaking to the press about the threat that ISIS poses.
Earlier today, President Obama opened the door to ground combat operations against ISIS, asking Congress to formally authorize military force against the militants. If left unchecked, he said, ISIS will continue to pose a threat, and not just in the Middle East. Obama’s proposal will include limitations to bar enduring offensive ground combat operations, and then let the authorization lapse after three years. According to the proposal, the authorization wouldn’t allow long-term, large-scale ground combat operations, such as those conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, Obama’s request includes no restrictions on where US forces could pursue ISIS. While the current military campaign is centered around coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, Obama’s proposal clearly allows US ground troops to engage.
Obama’s proposed authorization would provide the flexibility to conduct ground operations in limited circumstances, such as rescue operations or the use of special operations forces, as well as the use of US forces where ground combat operations aren’t expected or intended. According to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, this provision would allow special operations missions as well. The request kicks off what will most likely be a drawn-out debate in Congress. Already, certain Senators are concerned about the breadth and vagueness of the message’s language.
The White House insists that it’s already gotten the authority to launch airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, although it wants Congress to sign off so that they can demonstrate American unity. In a letter to lawmakers accompanying the request, Obama urged them to show the world that they are “united”. The resolution listed various atrocities committed by ISIS against both locals and American hostages. Obama’s proposal might launch an ideological debate over what authorities and limitations the President should have to fight extremism. The confirmation of the death of 26 year-old American Mueller has added new urgency to the fight against ISIS, although many are hesitant to have a repeat of the costly and long-running wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obama is offering to limit authorization to three years, extending to the next President the powers and debate over renewal for what he views as a long-range battle. The proposal has no geographic limitations where US forces could pursue elusive militants, and bars “enduring offensive ground combat operations”, which seems to be a very vague term. The resolution by Obama would repeal a 2002 authorization for force in Iraq, but maintain a 2001 authorization against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, even though Obama said in his letter to lawmakers his goal is to refine and ultimately repeal that authorization.
About Nelson Lewis
An exposure to politics at a young age had a profound effect on media maven Nelson Lewis, who worked as a volunteer for numerous Republican politicians in and around his native Savannah. Nelson worked as a reporter and eventually anchor at two Savannah television stations growing up, WJCL ABC-22 and WTGS FOX-28, also recording voice teasers for airing on Fridays on WJCL-FM KIX 96 and previewing his upcoming stories, which aired on the Sunday evening news.
One of Nelson’s favorite experiences at WJCL was reporting live from the St. Patrick’s Day Parade (America’s second largest) from 1998-2000. Continuing in the spirit of his grandfather’s pioneering and trailblazing footsteps (he was the first to bring all-color television and stereo to the Savannah market), Nelson became the first person in Savannah market to bring a kid’s perspective to local news as its first youth reporter. In fact, one of the competing stations, WSAV NBC-3 hired their own youth reporter, Sean Champion, 18 months after Nelson began his reports and WJCL/TGS’s ratings dramatically increased.
Work In Political Media
While a sophomore and junior at Lynn University, Nelson Lewis hosted “Politijam”, a lively political debate show that became well known across the university campus and served as the media editor of the univeristy’s weekly EPulse newspaper. While at Lynn, Nelson was selected to represent the entire undergraduate student population as a member of Lynn University’s Academic Task Force, charged with the duty of streamlining the core curriculum of the universities.
While attending Lynn’s College of International Communication, Nelson developed a friendship with Irving R. Levine, a well-known and nationally recognized correspondent for NBC News who became the network’s first full time economics correspondent, and was the creator of the precursor to CNBC. After a 45-year career in journalism, Levine went on to become Dean of Lynn’s communication program. After finishing college, Nelson Lewis followed Levine’s suggestion and moved to Washington, DC where his first job was as a press intern for a Republican congressman, which then led to a job booking at the Fox News Channel from 2006-2010. Here, he was able to put his love of politics and interest in the Republican Party to good use.
Upon the suggestion of Mr. Levine, Nelson Lewis enrolled in the Masters of Professional Studies in Journalism (International Politics) program at Georgetown University in 2009, where a special emphasis was placed on the dissolution of America’s Fairness Doctrine and on the major player in its demise, Bruce Fein.
Nelson was honored to be invited to speak at a roast honoring Levine’s 2009 death at the National Press Club, where he spoke alongside Levine family members and contemporaries such as former Meet the Press Moderator Marvin Kalb. He subsequently wrote a letter to the editor published in The Hill newspaper eulogizing Levine as a “top-notch raconteur” who many others have tried to emulate.
From his work at Fox News, Nelson Lewis was able to take a firsthand role in the DC journalism scene, and was blessed with the opportunity of meeting entertainment, political, and academic luminaries on a daily basis, including numerous sitting and former representatives, senators, governors and cabinet secretaries. These unique experiences gave Nelson a front row seat to many historic events and gave him a firsthand experience of how the Washington system works, from how laws are created to how news is made.
Through Nelson Lewis’ work creating Her Golf Network, coupled with his extensive booking experiences in segment producing gained at America’s highest rated cable news channel and through his time performing key internships at places such as WPBT’s Nightly Business Report in Miami, where he honed his scriptwriting skills, and at WTOC in Savannah, where he provided copyediting and on-site production assistance at the 2004 Sea Island G-8 summit, have provided him with a solid foundation and understanding of the news business. His time as a reporter/anchor growing up prior to his undergraduate studies helped him get an early start at doing what he loves most, reporting.
