Some of you may have missed this article yesterday about a facility in Poland alleged to have housed short-term detainees as part of the rendition program. Pontificator blogged about it HERE.
Now I had expected the fall-out in Poland to be rather large (and it is) and I had also anticipated that denials would be issued (mind you, the Polish government was contacted for the article, but did not comment then). What I did not expect was that the former head of Polish intelligence would actually suggest that the article was part of a US domestic campaign to influence the 2008 election.
Onwards and over the flip
Zbigniew Siemiatkowski, Polish intelligence chief in 2002, on Thursday denied any such meetings took place.
He also suggested the information presented by Raw Story could be part of the domestic political battle in the US over who is to succeed current Republican President George W Bush. (Source)
I find this remarkable coming from a foreign intelligence head. Now the only thing I have ever said about the 2008 election - if anything - is that we are spending precious time focusing on it this early, considering everything else that is going on. Not that my opinion should matter anyway. It should not and does not with regard to news reporting. But that is neither here nor there, because I find his comments really strange and frankly inappropriate.
Do you?
Update: things are getting very interesting. I got an email from a lunatic this morning that said the following:
"Good job. The terrorists must be very pleased to have empty-headed journalists doing their work for them. Whatever interrogation methods were used at that site, I am confident no one was decapitated.
evil American"
I won't post the email address or the person's name. What I will post is the company from which it was sent: Weston Solutions
Doing a bit of research (h/t Rayne), it turns out Weston Solutions has a DHS contract: http://www.westonsolutions.com/...
They also have a contract with DOD. They also got a $16 contract in Iraq:
Contract: Umm Qasr Naval Base Renovation
Value: $16,279,724
Date Awarded: January 22, 2004
Prime Contractor: Weston Solutions, Inc. (US)
Website: http://www.westonsolutions.com/...
And see this:
"Background
The Pennsylvania-based environment and redevelopment company was founded in 1957. Weston Solutions, which is employee-owned, has 1,800 employees in 60 offices worldwide. The company provides services in environmental remediation, redevelopment and management and compliance.
Iraq contracts
A Feb. 2, 2004, company press release says Weston Solutions had been awarded a $10.2 million task order for "construction and renovation services" at the Umm Qasr naval base. Information obtained from the CPA in March 2004 shows that Weston Solutions has performed work worth nearly $16.3 million at Umm Qasr naval base. CPA awarded the contract on Jan 22, 2004.
The task order was issued under the Worldwide Environmental Restoration and Construction (WERC) contract, which supports the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas.
Weston Solutions is among 27 companies that provide services to AFCEE clients worldwide through WERC. According to AFCEE, the program ceiling for WERC is $4 billion with a potential of $10 billion.
Government ties
Chairman William L. Robertson spent more than 20 years with the Defense Department, including a stint as the associate chief of engineers for strategic initiatives in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Charles Heaton, the director of Weston's unexploded ordnance program, served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1979 to 1997, both as an active-duty engineer and as a civilian in the Department of the Army. He was a manager at the Corps Ordnance and Explosives Directorate in Huntsville, Alabama.
Joe R. Miller, the manager for senior client services for water resources, is the former director of public works for the city of Jacksonville, Fla. Miller also served as Commander of the Jacksonville District for the Army Corps of Engineers.
Thomas W. Hoog, a director of Weston, served on then-Gov. Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. Prior to that, he worked as chief of staff for former Sen. Gary Hart. Hoog also worked on the presidential campaigns of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and former Sen. George McGovern. He was a naval aviator for six years. "http://publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro&ddlC=97
Now this guy could be a lone nut or this company might want to protect some current contracts. I don't know. But I find it very interesting. I will keep you posted as I have sent them an email asking for a response.