Democrats Want Probe of CIA After Tapes Are Destroyed

The Democrats are calling for hearings & investigations after the CIA revealed that interrogation tapes had been destroyed, apparently after a judge ruled that the items should have been kept as evidence. The tapes may have revealed whether waterboarding or other forms of torture were being used on "terror suspects".

But the CIA has a mandate to protect State secrets, including their sources and methods for gathering intelligence. They destroy items all the time in an effort to maintain secrets, classified information, etc. I predict that the Democrats in Congress will have a hard time making the case that anyone should be punished. Not much has come from their previous investigations and hearings, and I can't see much coming out of this case either.

But on the other hand, the CIA is not completely free to get rid of material that may be important to an investigation. But based on how the other egregious acts by this administration have been handled, I just don't see this case as having much traction. It may have legs...but not very long ones. The only way that this case might gain any real traction is if investigations or hearings lead to more revelations of illegal and unethical activity.