He explains how the people involved in the decisions, under former CIA director George Tennet, to take our country down the horrid road of torture are still employed by the CIA.  Many of them, he says, are now the senior staff to now director of the CIA Leon Panetta.   He mentions by name John Brennan and illustrates how he became appointed to a position within the National Security Council that would not have to be approved by congress. Brennan was a possible nominee for Head of the CIA but withdrew his name because of justified fears his involvement with torture would come to light and be a distraction to the process. Currently he is Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism under President Obama.  As McGovern puts it “we have the foxes in charge of the chicken coup.”

The stakes are very high here. His main advisers and his senior staff are liable for prosecution for war crimes. The War Crimes statute includes very severe penalties, including capital punishment…

He goes one to explain a little history of the CIA that offers a chilling look into the agency.

there are two CIAs. Okay? The one that was set up by Truman to give him the straight scoop without any fear or favor. And then its covert action arm, which really doesn’t believe — which doesn’t belong in this agency — but is the one that is entitled, so to speak, by one sentence in the National Security Act of 1947 which says ‘the Director of Central Intelligence shall perform such other functions and duties as the President shall direct.’

The CIA knows that an investigation of torture will lead to multiple prosecutions of persons, who up until now, have been rewarded or promoted for their actions.  As well any investigation would lead all the way back to the previous white house.  McGovern says

The Cheney’s of this world are trying to dismiss this as a… differences on policy… torture is not a policy, torture  is a crime.

Then near the end of the interview, he explains why he thinks the current administration is treading lightly with the subject of torture.  His reasoning has unspeakable ramifications if he is correct, he says…

And let me just leave you with this thought, and that is that I think Panetta, and to a degree President Obama, are afraid — I never thought I’d hear myself saying this — I think they’re afraid of the CIA…

…And so if you’re asking why Obama and Panetta are going very very kid-gloveish, with the CIA, I think part of the reason, or the explanation is they’re afraid of these guys because these guys have a whole lot to lose if justice takes its course. And that’s why I think Attorney General Holder is to be applauded.

If there is justifiable reason for the current administration to be afraid, then that is just one more reason to proceed with an investigation.  I agree that Attorney General Holder is to be applauded, and hopefully will go down as a true American patriot for re-establishing our standing within the world.  The only way we can reclaim our glory as an example to the rest of the world is to hold the guilty accountable.  It is not ok when we do it, it is not ok because it saved lives.  Torture is not wrong because it is illegal, torture is illegal because it is wrong.   This is a moral issue and must be resolved.