[billethkid]

After reading the summary in this morning's paper I question the following:

I would most certainly like to know the major expenditure categories that amount to $40 million?

The summary itself is very redundant in it's presentation of items; why?

If this report is going to do more harm than good in the world, what was the purpose and intent of allowing $40 million to be spent and why is it being released to the general population of the world?

How can anyone present instances when enhanced techniques being used when the same information was available elsewhere? Should the interrogators have taken years to reach the same conclusion?

Other than political positioning and media fodder, what possible good comes from the $40 million investment.

Does anybody have any real understanding of what it takes to spend $40 million and who was the check book keeper.

The only conclusions based on limited reading of the findings I can reach are:

so what?
$40 million uncontrolled boon doggle!
The immediate benefits have a further negative effect of the USA in the world (so they say). And USA operatives around the world are put in danger.
Another political/media driven frenzy taking our eye off the USA's real problems at home and around the world.
Due consideration of the source is an absolute neccessity!

It is possible to discuss this study without it being turned into a political tit for tat, hit and run dialogue!

[graciegirl]

I have thought about this and thought about this and thought about this.

War is hell. I would ask my Uncles about being in the European theatre during the second world war and that is what they would say.. AND that is all they would say. One was involved with releasing people from the concentration camps. He never went to church again. We know that unspeakable things happen. We are shown the beheadings of OUR people in this day and age.

I have thought about the last moments of the victims in the twin towers. I have the skill to create them here for you with words but I will not.

Guantanamo was a hideous and realistic result of war. I do not any longer respect Diane Feinstein. I do not know why she released this report. I hope to God it wasn't political.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by billethkid

How can anyone present instances when enhanced techniques being used when the same information was available elsewhere? Should the interrogators have taken years to reach the same conclusion?

Calling torture enhanced interrogation is like calling rape enhanced dating.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

Calling torture enhanced interrogation is like calling rape enhanced dating.

I think that is just...............what I expected.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

Calling torture enhanced interrogation is like calling rape enhanced dating.

Not at all. You and most of us have an understanding of what exactly constitutes rape.

There are very few who understand what exactly constitutes torture and less to none comprehend what enhanced interrogation even means.

And who and where was it stated that torture had anything to do with enhanced interrogation?

The use of rape is what I call a lateral arabesque....nothing to do with the subject but throw it in for distraction!!!

[alwann]

Money aside, I get acid reflux just from the hypocrisy of the matter. I've never read the Articles of War. Neither have Islamic State, al-Qaeda, et al, I'm certain. But apparently it is okay to kill a terrorist coming at you with a bomb strapped to his chest. You just can't beat him up to get details about his plans. So, now we welcome home the young men and women who put their lives on the line but scorn those who are working to find a strategic end to the fighting. During the American Revolution, the British generals were aghast that the militia shot at them from behind trees. How uncouth! Hasn't history taught us anything?

[l2ridehd]

Just one more of many examples of the media and left wing politicians doing what ever they can to make this country the laughing stock of the world while trying to destroy us.

Most of the world is looking at as many details of this report as available in order to enhance their own interrogation capabilities. And will use this as an excuse to torture our war fighters even more when captured.

Diane Fienstein should be arrested and tried as a traitor. In most countries she would be.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by billethkid

Not at all. You and most of us have an understanding of what exactly constitutes rape.

There are very few who understand what exactly constitutes torture and less to none comprehend what enhanced interrogation even means.

And who and where was it stated that torture had anything to do with enhanced interrogation?

The use of rape is what I call a lateral arabesque....nothing to do with the subject but throw it in for distraction!!!

The Gestapo used a term for torture, "Verscharfte Vernehmung". Translation..."Enhanced Interrogation". So they must have figured it out.

I have heard the term lateral arabesque. I thought it was a human resources term.

[tedquick]

Originally Posted by alwann

Hasn't history taught us anything?

Oh, the lessons are there, they are just denied and ignored by those whose agendas cannot tolerate the truth.

[tedquick]

Two scenarios: you innocently go to work one day looking forward to all that life has to offer. What you were offered that day was a choice of either burning to death or jumping to your death!! (Thank you, krazorbackfan for the needed reminder of what actually happened. Too many like to forget that fact).

The other scenario: you purposely and purposefully masterminded the Twin Towers murders in addition to many other plans to “kill the infidels”. You were caught and now must face a week of no sleep, loud music, water boarding or whatever, but at the end of which you are still alive. During your interrogation you provide information that has saved the lives of many others. (And many *have* been saved because of those interrogations, irrespective of those who claim otherwise).

So, in one you are completely innocent. In the other you are the murderer, terrorist, the worst of the worst, yet you were submitted to some aggressive questioning, but are alive at the end of the “ordeal” and have provided information that will save the lives of many others.

So where is the problem?

[tedquick]

!!!!

[gomoho]

Personally when I think about 9/11 I have no problem with the techniques that were used. Like Gracie said "war is hell" and they wanted war so there you go.

I believe that was a complete and total partisan waste of money.

[Serenoa]

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is bucking much of his party and coming to the defense of a Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA’s controversial interrogation tactics.

“It’s a thorough study of practices that I believe not only failed their purpose to secure actionable intelligence... but actually damaged our security interests as well as our reputation as a force for good in the world,” McCain said in a speech on the Senate floor shortly after the report was released.
“I believe the American people have a right — indeed, a responsibility — to know what was done in their name, how these practices did or did not serve their interests and how they comported our most important values,” he said.

McCain, who was kept as a prisoner of war for five years during the Vietnam War, has been one of the most vocal critics of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods used during former President George W. Bush’s administration.

McCain comes to defense of CIA critics



So.....could any of you who are here defending Bush & Cheney, torture (enhanced interrogation or whatever you prefer to call it) & the benefits of it that you claim look Sen. McCain in the eye & tell him he's wrong? I really doubt it.

[TexaninVA]

Releasing the one-side report of the CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques is incredibly harmful to America’s safety. Here’s some thoughts:

• I don’t care what one calls these EIT methods. The emotionalists love to call it “torture” and that’s where they stop thinking about it. Call it whatever you want.

• However, in the real world it is UNDENIABLE that these methods produced useful intelligence that prevented attacks and saved lives. The report authors know they have to say that as a prelude to producing the report.

• Jose Rodriquez served as the CIA’s Deputy Director for Operations … in other words, the nation’s chief human intelligence spy. He, and various other former Directors CIA from both administrations have said valuable intel was obtained. This following story is from the Washington Post.Today

• I personally know for a fact the we obtained incredibly useful intel from using EIT

• The Senate staffers did not talk to any Agency operational people, by design. They simply relied on reading classified cables (i.e. basically a form of email)

• The elected leaders of both parties were briefed multiple times on the EIT and usually urged the agency to “do more”

• I remember the pathetic TV scene right after 9/11, with the Pentagon still smoldering, where the entire Congress stood on the steps of the US Capitol, holding hands and singing together … happy that their lives had been spared. How quickly the memories fade.

• The apparent motivation of this report is to give the issuers the ability to say they didn’t know about EIT … that is clearly not the case.

• Releasing the report inflicts terrible damage on our intelligence partners overseas. They will not trust us in the future, for good reason, and thus not want to work with us which means … less intelligence about attacks.

• The people who wrote it are largely armchair quarterbacks and rear echelon commandoes who wouldn’t know how to counter a terror threat if their lives depended on it, which ironically it does.

• The truly idiotic part of this is Washington DC has always been “the number 1” target. The risk level just went up long term, and the authors have cleverly placed themselves and the city at greater risk of terror attack. Nice move … and who knows how karma works in this instance?

• Releasing the report raises the risk levels to all Americans, and has been so acknowledged. What kind of a fool does this in “war?” You can’t be serious about winning a war and still do something like this.

• Claims that releasing this report shows how wonderful America is etc … are totally bogus. The only time we see “America is exceptional” from the people that wrote the report is seemingly when it hurts the country they claim to admire

• When all is said and done, three high level terrorist including KSM, the planner of the 9/11 attacks, were water boarded. Big deal! My question is … why has he not yet been executed? There is no doubt to his guilt. Yet justice is mocked because this guy still lives and is no doubt laughing his posterior off at this report. It confirms what the Islamist enemy has always said … i.e. the US is soft and not serious, and thus not to be feared. Weakness is provocative and thus invites more, not less, attacks.

• What is the difference between a waterboarded terrorist and one who has been blown to smithereens by a drone? Answer the former is still alive and the latter is dead. Also, the former provides intel of varying types whereas the latter does not. How smart a strategy is this?

• Why is droning someone to death ok but not extracting intel? These guys are TRAINED to resist interrogation and without EIT they simply won’t talk. I don’t follow the consistency of the logic … because there isn’t any.

• IMHO most intelligence officers on duty today around the world will predictably ease off because, who knows, some future congress may come after them even though the current one has said it’s ok to kill using drones (which I also support btw if they can’t capture the guy for intel … that should always be the first priority). Intel Officers will become more risk averse and thus less effective. Does this make us safer? Obviously no? Do you think the guys in the field believe that those of us back here at home have their back? Again, obviously no after this report.

• What is the impact of this incredibly stupid move on the “war” with ISIS? Answer … it hurts us because it reduces our intel, not to mention demotivating the intel and military guys on the front lines fighting it. Plus, this type of boneheaded move makes ISIS despise us even more as being weak … which in this case we most certainly are. You want your enemies to fear you, not mock you for being an idiot. This simply raises the risk levels for all of us longer term. Again, nice move ... it's like a self-inflicted wound that reduces your ability to see what's coming at you.

• Finally, as soon as the first American dies as a result of this report causing further unrest in the already unstable Jihadi world occurs, I think the people who wrote this report should be brought up on formal charges of providing aid and comfort to the enemy. That is exactly what it is.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Serenoa

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is bucking much of his party and coming to the defense of a Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA’s controversial interrogation tactics.

“It’s a thorough study of practices that I believe not only failed their purpose to secure actionable intelligence... but actually damaged our security interests as well as our reputation as a force for good in the world,” McCain said in a speech on the Senate floor shortly after the report was released.
“I believe the American people have a right — indeed, a responsibility — to know what was done in their name, how these practices did or did not serve their interests and how they comported our most important values,” he said.

McCain, who was kept as a prisoner of war for five years during the Vietnam War, has been one of the most vocal critics of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods used during former President George W. Bush’s administration.

McCain comes to defense of CIA critics



So.....could any of you who are here defending Bush & Cheney, torture (enhanced interrogation or whatever you prefer to call it) & the benefits of it that you claim look Sen. McCain in the eye & tell him he's wrong? I really doubt it.

I don't know. And you don't either. I know that someone planned to kill those people working peacefully in those twin towers and that group or groups with the same goals are beheading people, taping it and showing the world RIGHT NOW.

There are things we have never known and things unspeakable on this earth. That is the reason we put, or TRY to put, adult, WISE, people in power. I couldn't order those things done, but someone did. And I am not sure they were unwise. Sad as it is to say.

War is no baby game. They would do and do far worse to our prisoners, those unspeakable leaders of the radical groups of Islam. And they radicalize young men who live among us to maim and kill our people. Don't forget the Boston Bombings. Perhaps we should ask the grandfather of the little boy who was killed and his sister had her leg blown off . He lives here in The Villages. War is ugly. VERY ugly. I don't have the balls for it. But someone needs to have them.