Jun 10th, 2009
Posted by Suzanne Ito, ACLU at 11:58am	Torture

Jameel Jaffer Answers CIA's "Propaganda" Charge on Hardball

Last night, ACLU National Security Director Jameel Jaffer went head-to-head with former Reagan DOJ official David Rivkin on Hardball. They discussed the CIA's refusal to release documents related to the destruction of 92 videotapes depicting the harsh interrogation of detainees in U.S. custody. Watch it:

In this clip, Jameel addresses CIA Director Leon Panetta's statement that the documents could be used as "propaganda" by the enemy:

I agree that there's a danger that this kind of information can be used as propaganda. But I think that argument goes too far, because there are all kinds of things that can be used as propaganda. Any news article about Guantanamo or about the torture program itself can be used as propaganda. And if we're going to give the government the authority to suppress information on the grounds that it can be used as propaganda, then we're going to have to have to give it the authority to suppress much more than this.

You can learn more about the ACLU's motion to hold the CIA in contempt for destroying the videotapes, and the and the Freedom of Information request and lawsuit for documents relating to their destruction, at www.aclu.org./torturefoia.

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1. Paen Says:
   Jun 10th, 2009 at 12:50pm

   Don't worry people Ben Laden and friends have all that they need thanks to 8 years of a war of revenge,not to mention the bigoted tirades of the war mongers on the internet.

2. genem Says:
   Jun 11th, 2009 at 5:39pm

   The national interest in the U.S; and that is the Constitution, must never be set aside to protect the interest of any person or group. Not even a "moral majority" supercedes the law of the United States.
   Paridoxically, while the uses of torture are being debated, the blood of brave American sons stain foreign soil. Their sacrafice a monument to the American values of freedom, torture and other abuse of human rights have no rightful measure against the young lives expended.
   How soon we forget that the United States demanded and led a tribunal of war crimes trials against the German reich, Japan, and italy. Prosecuted were those that funded the war, and those who created the lies and propaganda, the torture and murder of millions. the purpose was so that the crimes would never be repeated or forgotten.
   Of course, men do forget, and for political or popular reasons seek to set aside the notion that there should be an accounting and punishment for those who flaunt the law for their own ends.
   How else do we repay those who performed the ultimate sacrafice for their families and countrymen and gave up their lives so others could escape the tyranny of dictators and ego-maniacs?
   Look at history. when the constitution is trifled with for the sake of expediency, the solution is worse than the targeted "problem."