The CIA Torture Report

[Semicolon]

Has anyone else been following this story? I've seen it everywhere. For those not in the US, the Senate Intelligence Committee recently released a small part of a report on the use of torture by the CIA. A basic overview can be found here.

Here are the key findings of the report:

• The CIA's use of its enhanced interrogation techniques was not an effective means of acquiring intelligence or gaining cooperation from detainees.
• The CIA's justification for the use of its enhanced interrogation techniques rested on inaccurate claims of their effectiveness.
• The interrogations of CIA detainees were brutal and far worse than the CIA represented to policymakers and others.
• The conditions of confinement for CIA detainees were harsher than the CIA had represented to policymakers and others.
• The CIA repeatedly provided inaccurate information to the Department of Justice, impeding a proper legal analysis of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program.
• The CIA has actively avoided or impeded congressional oversight of the program.
• The CIA impeded effective White House oversight and decision-making.
• The CIA's operation and management of the program complicated, and in some cases impeded, the national security missions of other Executive Branch agencies.
• The CIA impeded oversight by the CIA's Office of Inspector General.
• The CIA coordinated the release of classified information to the media, including inaccurate information concerning the effectiveness of the CIA's enhanced interrogation techniques.
• The CIA was unprepared as it began operating its Detention and Interrogation Program more than six months after being granted detention authorities.
• The CIA's management and operation of its Detention and Interrogation Program was deeply flawed throughout the program's duration, particularly so in 2002 and early 2003.
• Two contract psychologists devised the CIA's enhanced interrogation techniques and played a central role in the operation, assessments, and management of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program. By 2005, the CIA had overwhelmingly outsourced operations related to the program.
• CIA detainees were subjected to coercive interrogation techniques that had not been approved by the Department of Justice or had not been authorized by CIA Headquarters.
• The CIA did not conduct a comprehensive or accurate accounting of the number of individuals it detained, and held individuals who did not meet the legal standard for detention. The CIA's claims about the number of detainees held and subjected to its enhanced interrogation techniques were inaccurate.
• The CIA failed to adequately evaluate the effectiveness of its enhanced interrogation techniques.
• The CIA rarely reprimanded or held personnel accountable for serious or significant violations, inappropriate activities, and systematic and individual management failures.
• The CIA marginalized and ignored numerous internal critiques, criticisms, and objections concerning the operation and management of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program.
• The CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program was inherently unsustainable and had effectively ended by 2006 due to unauthorized press disclosures, reduced cooperation from other nations, and legal and oversight concerns.
• The CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program damaged the United States' standing in the world, and resulted in other significant monetary and non-monetary costs.

Here is a link to the report: Link

[sg1008]

For some reason I feel like everyone already knew (or had an inkling) of this (prior to the report).

Lol..it's perfect timing....to remind people why (among other things) the republicans were voted out. People tend to have very short memories...those years with Bush were hell.

[Semicolon]

For some reason I feel like everyone already knew (or had an inkling) of this (prior to the report).

Lol..it's perfect timing....to remind people why (among other things) the republicans were voted out. People tend to have very short memories...those years with Bush were hell.

It's actually bad timing if you look at it from that perspective. An election just happened, and there won't be another one until 2016. That election will be dominated by the presidential race, which the Democrats will have to hold on to in order to prevent the Republicans from gaining control of both Congress and the White House. As you say, voters have short memories.

As far as timing, this is more relevant to the omnipresent fight between the intelligence community and open government advocates. It will be difficult for President Obama to push through new government powers with this report out, and the media will probably keep it in the news for a few days as people react to the incompetence of the CIA.

[sg1008]

For some reason I feel like everyone already knew (or had an inkling) of this (prior to the report).

Lol..it's perfect timing....to remind people why (among other things) the republicans were voted out. People tend to have very short memories...those years with Bush were hell.

It's actually bad timing if you look at it from that perspective. An election just happened, and there won't be another one until 2016. That election will be dominated by the presidential race, which the Democrats will have to hold on to in order to prevent the Republicans from gaining control of both Congress and the White House. As you say, voters have short memories.

As far as timing, this is more relevant to the omnipresent fight between the intelligence community and open government advocates. It will be difficult for President Obama to push through new government powers with this report out, and the media will probably keep it in the news for a few days as people react to the incompetence of the CIA.

I cannot say I disagree with anything you've said. I thought it was good timing because the president is in the "sitting " phase right now, but with immigration, keystone pipeline, and this, he's been in the news a lot, and not in the way republicans like. Plus gas prices dipped...people are feeling good, and though the election just passed, this is the time families might have time off and a chance to talk politics.

Time to win some debates...
 

*sigh*....it would be nice though if a similar stream of revealing news occurred prior to the next election.

[Semicolon]

For some reason I feel like everyone already knew (or had an inkling) of this (prior to the report).

Lol..it's perfect timing....to remind people why (among other things) the republicans were voted out. People tend to have very short memories...those years with Bush were hell.

It's actually bad timing if you look at it from that perspective. An election just happened, and there won't be another one until 2016. That election will be dominated by the presidential race, which the Democrats will have to hold on to in order to prevent the Republicans from gaining control of both Congress and the White House. As you say, voters have short memories.

As far as timing, this is more relevant to the omnipresent fight between the intelligence community and open government advocates. It will be difficult for President Obama to push through new government powers with this report out, and the media will probably keep it in the news for a few days as people react to the incompetence of the CIA.

I cannot say I disagree with anything you've said. I thought it was good timing because the president is in the "sitting " phase right now, but with immigration, keystone pipeline, and this, he's been in the news a lot, and not in the way republicans like. Plus gas prices dipped...people are feeling good, and though the election just passed, this is the time families might have time off and a chance to talk politics.

Time to win some debates...
 

*sigh*....it would be nice though if a similar stream of revealing news occurred prior to the next election.

The leaders of both parties have an interest in keeping disclosures like this to a minimum, because this can be spun to embarrass them both.

Go win a debate.

[sg1008]

For some reason I feel like everyone already knew (or had an inkling) of this (prior to the report).

Lol..it's perfect timing....to remind people why (among other things) the republicans were voted out. People tend to have very short memories...those years with Bush were hell.

It's actually bad timing if you look at it from that perspective. An election just happened, and there won't be another one until 2016. That election will be dominated by the presidential race, which the Democrats will have to hold on to in order to prevent the Republicans from gaining control of both Congress and the White House. As you say, voters have short memories.

As far as timing, this is more relevant to the omnipresent fight between the intelligence community and open government advocates. It will be difficult for President Obama to push through new government powers with this report out, and the media will probably keep it in the news for a few days as people react to the incompetence of the CIA.

I cannot say I disagree with anything you've said. I thought it was good timing because the president is in the "sitting " phase right now, but with immigration, keystone pipeline, and this, he's been in the news a lot, and not in the way republicans like. Plus gas prices dipped...people are feeling good, and though the election just passed, this is the time families might have time off and a chance to talk politics.

Time to win some debates...
 

*sigh*....it would be nice though if a similar stream of revealing news occurred prior to the next election.

The leaders of both parties have an interest in keeping disclosures like this to a minimum, because this can be spun to embarrass them both.

This is why our government doesn't work. No truth....they all run on lies. How can you expect ANY group to function when nobody knows for certain what they know or think they know, or know that others know, about one another? And on top of everything- no one even cares!? or remembers to care?

[odeon]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

[Semicolon]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

[Parts]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

Which makes it worse since he made it out like he was going to be different as part of his campaign at least you kinda expected it from Bush and Cheney

[Semicolon]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

Which makes it worse since he made it out like he was going to be different as part of his campaign at least you kinda expected it from Bush and Cheney

As I recall, one of his campaign promises was to close the Cuban summer camp.

[Jack]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

Which makes it worse since he made it out like he was going to be different as part of his campaign at least you kinda expected it from Bush and Cheney

As I recall, one of his campaign promises was to close the Cuban summer camp.

That's correct.

[Parts]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

Which makes it worse since he made it out like he was going to be different as part of his campaign at least you kinda expected it from Bush and Cheney

As I recall, one of his campaign promises was to close the Cuban summer camp.

That's correct.

So either he lied about wanting to close it, he is an ineffective executive or both   

[Jack]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

Which makes it worse since he made it out like he was going to be different as part of his campaign at least you kinda expected it from Bush and Cheney

As I recall, one of his campaign promises was to close the Cuban summer camp.

That's correct.

So either he lied about wanting to close it, he is an ineffective executive or both

That's correct.

[odeon]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

I realise that it's still going on, but this is about credibility for the whole nation.

[odeon]

None of it surprised me. Some items were news to me (such as the contractor part).

What I don't understand is why Obama seems to be OK with leaving all of it behind, in the past, when he should open a full investigation and bring those responsible to justice. I know, I know. It's a pipe dream. But still...

There are still plenty of illegal operations going on, with the Cuban summer camp being one of the more obvious ones.

President Obama won't open an investigation because this is still happening. He'd be shooting himself in the face (possibly literally, now that Dick Cheney is involved).

Which makes it worse since he made it out like he was going to be different as part of his campaign at least you kinda expected it from Bush and Cheney

I'm sure his administration does it in a more liberal way.