White House Confirms President Signed Off on Interrogation Group

Same dance, different tune. However, I’m hoping Nancy Pelosi will have some involvement like she did/didn’t last time (depending on who she was talking to).

Panetta will soon be gone. This is a White House in disarray, but no sensible person expected anything different. This president took office with a total of zero executive experience, and the importance of that fact is now tragically evident.

Don’t Worry!
Our Final line of defense against Terrorism has been secured
by the creation of:
The HVDIG
(High Value Detainee Interrogation Group)
Developed and administered by an Inter-Agency Task Force and a special committee of the National Security Council
Abandoned by the CIA which is glad to be out of the “long term detention business”
Energized by its mandate to abide by the 19 techniques of the Field Manual and scientific / legal research into methods of increasing “intelligence yield”
* no sleep deprivation
* no loud music
* let alone Enhanced Interrogation procedures
(But, oh goodie!, they can leave out advising detainees of Miranda rights)
———–
“Mr. Bin Laden, welcome to our mobile detention facility. Please review the 5 page questionnaire our committee has developed.
Your cooperation in providing complete answers is vital to your having a pleasant stay with us. We will not physically harm you BUT you may be assured you will receive NO dessert unless you comply with our requests.
Thank you”

I bet OBL is shaking in his shoes>

So a new force has been authorized to interrogate terrorist suspects, and is answerable only to the White House.
Hey, that’s neat- maybe they can outfit this group in cool black uniforms with lightning bolt pins for their collars.
For the legal buffs on this thread- how is the creation of this new force legal and/or constitutional, and at what point did a congress in recess vote on the legislation for this force?

-Of course once this new interrogation group is fully operational, I wonder how long it will take to expand its operation beyond terrorists. Say maybe dissenters of this Administration?-
Hopefully, they’ll investigate Senator Lieberman first. He made some comments that weren’t, uh, helpful. And as we all know comrades, nobody can be right outside the party.

Unbelievable. There are so many words you could use to describe what this one man is doing to our country, but that is the only one I can think of to sum it up.
I never thought I’d see the superpower of the world, the greatest country in the world be brought to its knees and made to look like a quivering, yellow bellied mass of goo. By having the very people who protect our lives be hung out to dry like this makes me sick.

The destruction of America cannot come fast enough for the Obama Administration

It was a dream of his father that the radical left would take over America. While Obama started his book, aided by a six figure advance, it took a new book contract and the help of William Ayers to finish the book.
Compared to bomber William Ayers’ book Fugitive Days, same nautical analogies (Ayers worked on a ship but Obama did not), same cooking metaphors (Ayers the fugitive learned to love cooking, Obama prefers to got out), descriptions of boys riding the backs of water buffalo.
Same writing style, ending sentances with the triple dependent clause.
Obama has been elected but it is the radical American Left in control.
Leon Panetta’s days are numbered as William Ayers has more power than he has.

“It might appear that Obama is ending the “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.” Wrong. Bush ended waterboarding in 2006 after is was used on three animals.”
If the techniques had ended why the fuss from Cheney when Obama announced he was ending them.
“Giving al Qaeda the playbook is less than smart, but typical.”
So we shoudl be looking for new and creative ways to torture people?
Is this the right wing mind at work?

“Mr. Bin Laden, welcome ..
Posted by: robertb | Aug 24, 2009 12:12:32 PM***
At least you admit we have a better chance of capturing him now that we’re actually focused on Afghanistan and Pakistan, rather than starting wars elsewhere.
Posted by: Alyson | Aug 24, 2009 1:02:29 PM
Ooh touche! Alyson, we are cut to the quick.
Do you know who Khalid Sheyk Mohammed is, and the information we obtained from him?
Do you know who the other HV detainees were that provided operational and even MORE important logistical, financial and other organizational information?
(Drills and mock firing squads and all??)
Bin Laden is in Pakistan, probably Waziristan.
If you are really ready to try to occupy nuclear power, Pakistan, and upset the balance of Central Asia that Russia and China might not appreciate, I AM WITH YOU and Obama, but it better be made DAM clear what we’re in for.

“Administration and DOJ officials said the group will handle future interrogations of high value al Qaeda and terrorism suspects.”
Sounds like a good plan to me. These interrogations are critical, and it makes sense to have a small group of experts specialize in them. The FBI seems a good fit for this – it is not the Army’s job to play policeman, and the CIA by necessity has too much secrecy (and it’s not really their jobs either).
Obama is slowly dismantling the Bush era secret interrogations, haphazard prisoner handling and prisons cited by legal technicality, but not without ignoring the necessity to continue doing the real job of interrogating prisoners. He’s just setting it up to be done in line with the Constitution. I would have expected McCain, or any professional, to do much the same thing if he had won.
But I will certainly continue my support of the ACLU and similar groups to maintain pressure on this type of group. I am pleased to see things getting back to a professional organization with respect for our Constitution over short cuts and jury-rigs. However, strong oversight from the public is still needed, mostly in the form of maximizing disclosure and engaging the Judicial branch, regardless of who is in the White House. The Administration is no longer playing with fire, but as always they are certainly using it and need to be kept checked as the Founding Fathers intended.

Leon Panetta’s days are numbered as William Ayers has more power than he has.
Dude, Leon Panetta is quitting because a bunch of morons are in charge. He wants no part of it. I can’t blame the guy really. Same reason why nobody wants those jobs at Treasury. Panetta already had his Geithner-style rant at the WH.

Why hasn’t there been stories about all the newly homeless since Obama took office?
Why no new stories about the homeless vets since Obama took office?
“There’s a lot of vets out here on the streets. I’ve seen men lay right in the middle of the road and people walk by like they’re not there. If that was a whale, if that was a dog, wouldn’t someone save it?” ~ 36-year-old Navy veteran who sleeps on a grate near the White House

“The left should love McVeigh”
No but he does have his right wing fans
Ann Coulter: “My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not
go to the New York Times Building.”
Ann Coulter: “No, I think the Timothy McVeigh line was merely prescient…”

“Of course once this new interrogation group is fully operational, I wonder how long it will take to expand its operation beyond terrorists. Say maybe dissenters of this Administration?-”
Which side organized record burnings because a singer of the Dixie Chicks said she was not proud of the President?

So you are ignorant about KSM, huh?
And one more, are YOU in it for the long haul and whatever, wherever it takes? And do you think our Prez is???!!
***
I know who KSM is, and I’m aware that he confessed after waterboarding. I’m also aware that many familiar with torture believe if he cracked after waterboarding just once, he would have cracked without us resorting to torture, yes? Particularly if it’s true that the real kicker was the woman watching it all go down and feeling humiliated by that.
I’m not sure what you mean by am I in it for the long haul whatever it takes. I would say the Prez has made it clear that he’s unwilling to give up our American ideals and principles to the point we become like those who seek to destroy us, or that’s how I understood him, and I would agree with that. But I’m not backing down in my support for going after Osama bin Laden, and I won’t if we don’t demean who we are by lowering our standards. Does that answer your question?
If not, I’ll be back later. Have to do a few things.

-Which side organized record burnings because a singer of the Dixie Chicks said she was not proud of the President?-
Record burnings?!?! OMG!!! So what if some idiots want to burn their CDs?

Evergreen:”"The left should love McVeigh”
No but he does have his right wing fans-
So what? Plenty of lefties think Mumia is great. What is your point?”
The point would probably be that in the last 20 years, only the right wing has turned to murdering Americans due to their religious fanatism. Irrational lefties lay down in roads and cause traffic jams. Irrational right wingers MURDER PEOPLE: McVeigh, Adkisson, Rudolph, Roeder, etc.
Can you CITE any left wingers in our country who MURDERED PEOPLE in the last 25 years based on just their political beliefs?
This certainly colors the discourse. When people fear right wingers showing up to peaceful demonstrations carrying assault rifles, they have some reason to – the right wing has a DOCUMENTED RECENT HISTORY of murdering people based solely on their political convictions.

Meanwhile, Scotland managed to try terrorism suspects successful in their civilian courts, like a civilian democracy.
Posted by: jhw539 | Aug 24, 2009 1:28:17 PM
Scotland just freed the only man convicted of the murder of 270 people on the Pan Am flight—after only 8 years. Successful??

“Ryan C. Obama did say he wanted a homeland security force “as well funded as the U.S. Military”(B.O.)”
This lie…again.
You mean when Obama called for a national volunteer forces like AmeriCorp to be as well funded as the US military?
Oh noes! People volunteering to teach in the inner city and clean up vacant lots.
What horror!

Can you CITE any left wingers in our country who MURDERED PEOPLE in the last 25 years based on just their political beliefs?
This certainly colors the discourse. When people fear right wingers showing up to peaceful demonstrations carrying assault rifles, they have some reason to – the right wing has a DOCUMENTED RECENT HISTORY of murdering people based solely on their political convictions.-
Why only in the past 25 years? PS, the guy carrying the rifle was doing so legally. You should at least make an effort to understand the laws in various states. Otherwise, you cheapen your comment.

“PS, the guy carrying the rifle was doing so legally. You should at least make an effort to understand the laws in various states.”
And he has a connection to militias that planned violence.
PBS:”BETTY ANN BOWSER: The government says the 12 suspects had been conspiring for more than two years to blow up a number of buildings with connections to the federal government or law enforcement in Phoenix. Included on the militia’s hit list were the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, the FBI, the Immigration & Naturalization Service, the IRS, and the Phoenix Police Station. In an affidavit taken last week, an ATF undercover agent who infiltrated the group known as the Viper Militia said the 12 were arming themselves with guns and making bombs to resist the efforts of federal law enforcement. Yesterday and today, ATF agents and members of the Phoenix Police Department’s bomb squad searched the homes of arrested militia members. At the home of alleged militia member Gary Curtis Bauer, bomb squad Lt. Mike DeBenedetto said he couldn’t believe what they found.”

Losfahren:”Can you CITE any left wingers in our country who MURDERED PEOPLE in the last 25 years based on just their political beliefs?
This certainly colors the discourse. When people fear right wingers showing up to peaceful demonstrations carrying assault rifles, they have some reason to – the right wing has a DOCUMENTED RECENT HISTORY of murdering people based solely on their political convictions.-
Why only in the past 25 years?”
How far into history do you have to go to find an example of a left winger murdering someone? The 60′s? Is that your argument – we have reason to fear the drugged out idiots from the 60′s? We have the same racial discrimination as the 60′s driving it? The same draft and war with tens of thousands dying?
In case you missed it, we live in the year 2009, not 1969. It seems prudent to fear current threats – at least from this generation. Feel free to go back all the way to the start of Reagan’s term then. I’m awaiting your citations.

I’m awaiting your citations.
Posted by: jhw539 |
Vladimir Putin.

“Of course, there is nothing to say about the shootings that take place every day in Washington DC.”
And now we have the desperate change of subject since its uncomfortable to point out how many innocent people have died at the hand of right wing lunatics.
“But liberals don’t care about that. Never have, never will. Krugman goes on about racism. Where does he live? Princeton, NJ.”
So what are you saying here….that if Krugman lived in the inner city he would be racist?
Or that he has no right to point out racism because he lives in Princeton?

So Losfahren, can you CITE any left wingers in our country who MURDERED PEOPLE in the last 25 years based on just their political beliefs? Thirty years? How far back do you have to go?

Facist Hyena:”Scotland, not having been victimized by terrorists and facing no substantial terrorist threat,”
Sure, the Glasgow International airport attack wasn’t terrorism at all. The Scots who died on the ground when that jet crushed them to death died of natural causes. Terrorism is only when it’s Americans attacked.

This is just a diversion to keep people from talking about Obamas Death Book concerning the VA
LMAO FOX cruified the Obama lightweights… and the death book has now been taken down
Have you killed a Veteran today???
Do you have the blues?
are you in a wheelchair?
are you a burden on your family?
WHY YOU COULD QUALIFY FOR THE VA DEATH PANEL CONSULT

“This is just a diversion to keep people from talking about Obamas Death Book concerning the VA”
You mean the pamphlet that has been in use since 1997?
The one that the FoxNews talking head wants the Pentagon to replace with HIS popular “death book” pamphlet.

JHW: “the right wing has a DOCUMENTED RECENT HISTORY of murdering people based solely on their political convictions.” (numerous factual and recent citations given)
Losfahren: “Again, no law was broken. Too bad if what some people do makes others “uncomfortable.”… So what if some right wingers have a history of violence? So does the left.”
History? I have cited murders that occurred WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.
Again, CAN YOU CITE ANY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED MURDERS THAT HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED BY THE AMERICAN FAR LEFT IN THE LAST THIRTY YEARS?
I have cited literally hundreds of hard right zealots murdering people motivated by their political beliefs, including babies blown up in their cribs and an old man watching a play at his grandkid’s church (that one was THIS YEAR).
You just vaguely talk about distant history.

Posted by: jhw539 | Aug 24, 2009 2:04:09 PM
Does that mean liberals will stop bringing up Nazis?

“Does that mean liberals will stop bringing up Nazis?”
Posted by: Losfahren
? Like all those “liberals” drawing Hilter mustaches on Obama pics shouting everyone down at townhalls?
The far left wing may shout, key cars, and make comparisions to Hitler. They are idiots and in some cases criminals who should be and are locked up. They are NOT MURDERS, like the farthest right wing tends to be.
So you think making tasteless Nazi comments is EQUIVALENT to walking into a children’s play at a “liberal church” with a shotgun and murdering people? I’m trying to grasp your argument here.
And still waiting on that citation of the last American murder by the bloodthirsty hard left.

“Even on this thread people were proud of Dixie Chick cd burnings.”
I suppose people have a right to burn their own CDs as a form of political expression.

What, you didn’t like that “wildfire” and boy/young man democrat serial killing reference? Oh media ones.

Ryan C really did a number on this post and changed the subject.
The subject is dealing with International Terror and how we interrogate detainees presumably Al Qaeda and other j-hadist organizations.
As I posed to Alyson the questions:
Do you know who Khalid Sheyk Mohammed is, and the information we obtained from him?
Do you know who the other HV detainees were that provided operational and even MORE important logistical, financial and other organizational information?
Are we ready to try to occupy a nuclear power, Pakistan, to root out Bin Laden and what is more important, the organization there and will it EVER be made DAM clear what we’re in for in Af-Pak and WORLDWIDE since there are Al Queda branches or affiliates (not to mention the separate Iranian / Hezbollah threat) in dozens of countries that our special forces are attempting to counter by training native counterinsurgent forces.
I’d appreciate that discussion more than what books McVeigh read – let’s agree he struck against OUR govt whoever was in charge – and killed innocent people – and move on to an international organization proven able, willing and empowered to strike against US at home and abroad.

Ryan C wrote: “So you think its wrong for people that have been blessed with good fortune in this country to help those who were not so fortunate.”
And also: “Do you have a problem with Republicans advocating family values then?”
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I certainly believe that those who are blessed should help those who are not so fortuntate. But that is their choice. I certainly wouldn’t legislate that!
Advocating and educating people about family values is one thing. Again, I just wouldn’t legislate it! People have the right to make their own moral choices (even God gaves us free will). Once again, morality NOR healthy lifesyles should be legislated.

When Scotland elected to try this man in open court, the Glasgow airport attack had not occurred, so it is very difficult to understand why that attack was cited as proof that Scotland had any fear of terrorism or of compromising sources and methods at the time he was tried. Seems quite dishonest, in fact.
In any event, the end result is hardly an advertisement for the use of civilian courts to try terrorists. Had this fiend been tried by a US military tribunal of the kind employed by FDR, we would not have had to endure the spectacle of recent days.
I take by the silence of the left-wingers here that they approve of president Obama’s wise use of indefiite detention without trial. I also assume, unless they say otherwise, that they supported his arguing against granting habeas corpus rights to prisoners at Bagram.

The American people have rendered their verdict on the waterboarding of the three high-value terrorists: they approve of it by a wide margin. Perhaps this is because we are, after all, not only a right-wing nation, but a nation of fifty states, each of which is right-wing.

I’m trying to think of a time when I might have burned a book. Can’t come up with one.
Posted by: PD |
I deleted a Dixie Chick mp3.

Posted by: jhw539 | Aug 24, 2009 2:11:17 PM
Give it 25 years… It’ll no longer be important, like the Nazis or communist atrocities. Old news.

“I certainly believe that those who are blessed should help those who are not so fortuntate. But that is their choice. I certainly wouldn’t legislate that!”
Posted by: James Danley
Ensuring a minimum quality of life for everyone, even including convicts, is one of the basic measures of a first world nation. Allowing the ‘not so fortunate’ to beg while literally starving to death on the street would park America firmly in the second world. It is a maintenance of the commons to keep poor – even the lazy, mentally ill, or stupid – from cluttering them up with festering wounds and their emancipated bodies.
That’s reality. The debate is how much the less fortunate, many of whom paid taxes for years and were supporters of this society, should be helped to not merely survive but become contributing members again.

emancipated bodies
Emaciated, the word is emaciated. And in the US, the poor are obese.

“The Nazis were leftists,”
The Nazi’s were right wing fascists.
The right wing logic that because they were National Socialists means they were socialist makes as much sense as the Iraqi Republican Guard being full of people seeking lower taxes.
“Do you object to burning when it’s left wingers burning the flag?”
I object to flag burning.
I will denounce flag burning.

“PD-May I suggest something authored by a guy named, Barack H. Obama?”
Heh. Well, I was tempted to throw my copies several times while I was reading them, but so far I have not burned them.

-I object to flag burning.
I will denounce flag burning.-
But will you be “proud” of it?

Gotta be the right wing talking point of the day.
I blame him:
“Allowing the ‘not so fortunate’ to beg while literally starving to death on the street would park America firmly in the second world. It is a maintenance of the commons to keep poor – even the lazy, mentally ill, or stupid – from cluttering them up with festering wounds and their emancipated bodies.”

PD-I understand, the paper could serve a greater purpose.On another note, did you ever wonder how many terrorists have read his “struggle”.
What else is there to do when waiting for a drone attack (that’s probably going to blow up the wedding in the valley anyway)? “Jibril, when you’re done with Wuthering Heights, I’ll trade you for Dreams of My Father.”

Ah, empty question posing. Can I play? Do you think Al Quaida can destroy America? ….contra….(can)
increased surveillance of our own citizens (to keep us safe of course) – can destroy America?
Posted by: jhw539 | Aug 24, 2009 2:35:02 PM
This is tangential, but I will provide a quick answer.
Al Qaeda can change OUR foreign policy – it did ours in 9/11/01, it changed Spain’s in 3/11/04 and at various times the death or kidnapping by j-hadist elements has changed the policies of S. Korea, Phillipines, Italy, Poland vis-a-vis our efforts in both Afghanistan and Iraq. A foreign enemy, whether with a potent invasion army or a few with box cutters and bombers cannot “destroy” America but they can “destroy” in part or in whole our freedom to pursue alliances and global interests
As to whether “increased surveillance of our own citizens … can destroy America”? I suppose it could, but it did not do so in any way that limited the freedoms that we enjoy, unless of course your name is Johnnie Walker Lindh or Jose Padilla.
Do NOT bring up that famous Ben Franklin warning “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” Ben Franklin, or whichever colonist wrote it, did it on the eve of American revolution — as to whether we would be courageous enough to refuse to limit the “liberty” (by neglect) of colonial institutions and establish OUR own institutions in and throw off the “safety” of the King’s governors and army.

Yep Yusuf, there is a “death panel” located in area 51.

Yes Yusuf. A passenger aircraft that will be more difficult to seize in flight. There is age criteria however, you must be very young or a seasoned citizen.

“The right wing logic that because they were National Socialists means they were socialist makes as much sense as the Iraqi Republican Guard being full of people seeking lower taxes.”
“Republican” relates to “republic” and can have a variety of expression in different societies.
“Socialist” means “socialist.”

“Republican” relates to “republic” and can have a variety of expression in different societies.”
“Socialist” means “socialist.”"
So the People’s Democratic Republic of China means they have a Democratic Republic?

Jhw539 wrote: “The debate is how much the less fortunate, many of whom paid taxes for years and were supporters of this society, should be helped to not merely survive but become contributing members again.”
Now you are sounding more like a
Conservative! You know, helping a man to not merely survive, instead of just feeding the man a fish, but actually helping the man to become a contributing member of society again by teaching the man to fish.

“Now you are sounding more like a
Conservative! You know, helping a man to not merely survive, instead of just feeding the man a fish, but actually helping the man to become a contributing member of society again by teaching the man to fish.”
So why are “conservatives” so adamantly against universal public education if they believe in “teaching a man to fish”?

-Should have read Democratic People’s Republic of Korea…not China.-
3rd grade errors, Ryan. You need to study a little harder…

So why are “conservatives” so adamantly against universal public education if they believe in “teaching a man to fish”?
Posted by: Ryan C |
The left has owned public education in this country for decades. How’s that working out?

can’t wait till they get around to investigating all of the Bush Crime Family

“Still waiting for an explanation as to why the Glasgow airport attack was relevant to Scotland’s decision to try a terrorist in open court….”
Posted by: Fascist Hyena
You originally said:
“Scotland, not having been victimized by terrorists and facing no substantial terrorist threat,”
I pointed out THEY WERE TRYING A MAN WHO HAD MURDERED 11 SCOTS. Yet you said, “not having been victimized.”
Years later, there was terrorist attack at Glasgow, yet you said, “facing no substantial terrorist threat.”
Cute that you ignore the first point that makes your “not having been victimized” obviously wrong, and focus on the evidence disproving your second point (that you appear to be trying to pretend never was posted).

“would anyone care to offer a substantive response?”
A peddler of mass-quantities of right-wing distortion is asking for a substantive response…

“The left has owned public education in this country for decades. How’s that working out?”
Not so well, given the gullibility of the right wing.
Perhaps we should be focusing on math and science and celebrating intelligence versus educational reform being limited to handing out vouchers to a few and instituting bible study.

Ryan is railing against school vouchers for the few – huh aren’t the few, the poor, as with the amazing choice provided to DC urban poor not to take the dregs provided.
And JHW goes on about Glascow and Lockerbie, which is at least about the subject matter, terror.
But if you notice above, Miranda rights are tossed out the window in this new HV DIG. This is in keeping with the emphasis that interrogation is for INTEL gathering not prosecution.
Yes, we CAN prosecute individuals for culpability in specific crimes against Americans, just like Scots can do what they like to pursue justice. And I don’t care what venue or even what location of the trial is as long as our citizens and our secrets are safe in the process.
BUT the priority has been and MUST continue to be to pursue information that will disrupt operations and organization of the terrorists and lead to further captures and kills of their agents.

“Ryan is railing against school vouchers for the few – huh aren’t the few, the poor, as with the amazing choice provided to DC urban poor not to take the dregs provided.”
Railing against them? Hardly.
I just don’t see the point of handing out vouchers to a few while leaving the rest behind.

Ryan C,
Your argument seems to be that although the Nazis chose the word “socialist” in their name, they’re not really socialist because NoKo puts the word “Democratic” in its name. I’m not really buying that.
Wait, maybe you do have something. Consider our Democratic party in this country. This is the party that is at present doing its utmost to namecall ordinary citizens (“brownshirts,” “unamerican,” “unpatriotic”, etc.) for exercising their constitutional rights of expression and avoiding listening to the majority of populace, which by this time believes that Congress and Obama should scrap the current health care proposals and start over.
Today’s Democrats: Working Against Democracy.

“Your argument seems to be that although the Nazis chose the word “socialist” in their name, they’re not really socialist because NoKo puts the word “Democratic” in its name. I’m not really buying that.”
Your argument is that they have socialist in their name therefore they are socialist and not fascists.
I attempted to show you the fallacy of that argument but you remain willfully ignorant.
“This is the party that is at present doing its utmost to namecall ordinary citizens (“brownshirts,” “unamerican,” “unpatriotic”, etc.) ”
ROFLMAO!
At present? Because when the Republican party was doing the same to anti war protesters it was ok?

“Your argument is that they have socialist in their name therefore they are socialist and not fascists.”
My argument is that they were socialist, yes. I said nothing about whether they were fascist.
“I attempted to show you the fallacy of that argument but you remain willfully ignorant.”
No, you attempted to show a fallacy by committing another.

“My argument is that they were socialist, yes. I said nothing about whether they were fascist.”
Except they weren’t socialist.
They were fascists.
The right wing wants to rewrite history with the Nazi as left wingers instead Nazis being on the extremist edge of the right wing.
Its apparently an odd obsession with the right wing to demand people take responsibility for their actions while steadfastly refusing to do so itself mostly by blaming others.

Here we go again, back to repeating the mistakes of the Clinton presidency. This type of thinking is what led to the first WTC bombing, the attack on the USS Cole, and all the other attacks of the 90′s leading up to 9/11. Our enemies are not afraid of us and know that all they have to do is ask for a lawyer and then they will get a jail sentence with an eventual release in exchange for American hostages captured by their comrades. This is very disheartening. We never learn the lessons that history has to offer us.

HW, I am being falsely accused, haha, you have me confused with RyanC.
For the record, my note (above ryans’) said the following:
“The subject of who Eric Holder should or should not be prosecuting brings the Pennsylvania Black Panthers to mind. Hey! Here’s an idea! How about we recruit THEM for the new Interrogation Team? They’ve demonstrated an ability to intimidate, Mr. Holder already has their names and contact info, and it will keep them in shape until they’re needed for the next elections.”

Obama should investigate the whole Bush Administration for lying to the World about Iraq just to control Iraqi Oil. Bush and Cheney are very dangerous people who should have hung along side of Saddam.Bush and Cheney did all they could to destroy America and our Society.These two should be charged with treason.

Thank goodness the FBI will be in charge of interrogating. They have a much better record of not stepping over the line than the CIA.
Logically and historically, we know torture doesn’t work to provide reliable information. Expert after expert has testified, including past victims of torture like McCain, that the person being tortured will say anything to get it to stop. False confessions, implicating innocent people, etc. are not the kind of information that will help us catch the bad guys or prevent a terrorist act.
I am glad that F.B.I. agents have come forward to refute the claims by C.I.A. contractors that torture yielded results. The agents verified that the useful information was retrieved through standard interrogation methods long before the C.I.A. contractors used torture.
I am proud that the F.B.I. was not intimidated by the Bush administration into breaking our pledge to abide by the Geneva Convention, that the F.B.I. recognizes that good interrogation will yield accurate information while torture won’t. Three cheers for the F.B.I.

This ends the ability of the US to gain any intelligence.
It’s over.
No one will do anything more than read questions from a card after Mirandizing terrorists and getting them a coffee and a danish.
No one will risk getting themselves in a legal snare.
So here’s another marker- anything that happens to the US from this day on lies at the feet of Barack Obama.
Anything and everything. Obama has crippled US intelligence. He may cause the deaths of thousands of Americans.

Lydia
To the contrary, the reports indicate that actionable information was obtained with these methods. KSM held out when everyone was nice to him.
There are two things you can do when interrogating- one is to procure a confession and the second is to get intel. If someone provides you with false intel that’s pretty easy to confirm. There is no sense in employing these methods for confession because people might say anything to make it stop.
You know for a fact that it did work because Obama has redacted all the evidence of its success.
This action means that no one in the business of interrogation will do anything that means a risk- that that idiot Holder will be looking to destroy you.
Worse, the terrorists know it as well.

drjohn, you can’t quote but not state where it came from if you want to appear half-way believable.
Unless this isn’t about the truth or wanting to find out the truth but relying on fear instead of reasoning.