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Posted by Laura at July 13, 2009 09:58 PMThe CIA was authorized in 2001 to use lethal force against a small group of top al-Qaeda leaders. Although the agency's attacks on terrorist camps using pilotless aircraft is well documented, the newly disclosed program involved operatives "striking at two feet instead of 10,000 feet," an intelligence official said.
Both current and former intelligence officials said the program never progressed to the point where notifying Congress was required.
"It didn't go anywhere," a current official said.
Senior White House officials said President Obama was briefed on Panetta's decision after returning to Washington early Sunday from an overseas trip. The officials said the White House was not consulted before Panetta canceled the program. They declined to elaborate.