Torture Takes Over the Hill
Here in D.C. we've had back-to-back hearings touching on the use of torture. Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary subcommittee held a hearing on torture that featured testimony from former FBI agent Ali Soufan, former State Department advisor and executive director of the 9/11 Commission Philip Zelikow, and several legal experts. The spotlights were firmly on Zelikow and Soufan, who testified to the committee from behind a curtained wall in place to protect his anonymity, as they have each been in the press recently for their opposition to torture. Here's a little background.
Soufan's testimony made several interesting points that, if are true, could help to show the torture debate in a new light. He claimed that after the capture of high-level Al Qaeda operative, Abu Zubaydah, he was able to glean more information with traditional interrogation techniques than the harsher techniques imposed on the prisoner after Soufan's departure.
Also, according to Soufan, the CIA agents who witnessed "harsh interrogation techniques" made their opposition known. It was the introduction of a contractor hired by the CIA, James Mitchell (an expert in the military's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, or SERE, program), that brought the brutal techniques. This means that CIA headquarters was ignoring or dismissing the reports from their agents in the field and started to implement their own ideas (or worse, an independent contractor's) of what would work. Not good.
Next up was Attorney General Eric Holder who faced off with the House Judiciary Committee today in a general Department of Justice (DOJ) oversight hearing. Holder said some encouraging things on many of ACLU's issues but still wouldn't commit to naming an independent prosecutor to investigate the use of torture. Some interesting nuggets:
- The much talked about DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility report on the torture memo authors will be out in what Holder called "a matter of weeks." He still hasn't seen the report, so I'd guess the DOJ will want Congress to be in session when this is released. I'd look for the report to be out after the Memorial Day recess.
- Though he wouldn't comment on whether or not he thought a congressional commission to investigate the Bush administration's abuses would be a good idea, Holder did vow that any committee created would have the full cooperation of the DOJ.
- As for the disappointing reversal in President Obama's decision to release the torture photographs the ACLU requested through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, Holder stood by the president's choice.
- That investigation into the CIA's destruction of torture tapes? Still happening. Slowly but surely…
If nothing else, these hearings have proven that Congress isn't done with the subject of torture — nor should it be. Unfortunately, as with most hearings on the abuses of the Bush administration, we're left with more questions than answers. Did CIA agents really object to torture techniques like Soufan testified? How many more facts does the attorney general need to "gather" before appointing an independent prosecutor? Will the American public finally face the disturbing truth of our government's actions in Iraq and Afghanistan? With any luck, the coming months will bring answers to all these questions and more. Maybe if we got that select committee…
May 15th, 2009 at 10:31am
See this poll to vote on this:
Do you agree with Obama's decision to prevent the release of photos showing prisoner abuse by U.S. soldiers?
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/520/index.html
May 15th, 2009 at 3:22pm
Does anyone care what the people whom were are fighting are doing to us. If they capture an American mostlikely they will behead them, after they beat them, mock them, and exploit them for their own personal gain. It is ridiculous that we Americans are fighting for the rights of those who would gladly take your rights if you were to be captured. When are we going to be Americans first. The US can not save everyone, but we can make sure that our people are not messed with by being harsh and showing that it doesn't pay to cross the US. The ACLU is full of it. American Civil Liberites Union. More like, Anyone but American Civil Liberties Union. You guys suck. Leave the Military alone.
May 15th, 2009 at 10:53pm
I'd day Douglas nailed. And the ACLU isn't interested in the average person's rights...only the causes that go against the majority...because that makes news.
May 16th, 2009 at 1:27am
I will tell you this if I knew that you were going to beaten and beheaded with your loved ones in 1 week BUT I AM NOT GOING TO TELL YOU, BY WHO, WHEN OR HOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT TALK ME TO DEATH I HAVE A CAUSE TOO AND I WILL DIE FOR MINE HOW ABOUT YOU?
May 16th, 2009 at 1:29am
Why are you guys always for the the criminals and not for the victums
May 16th, 2009 at 3:25pm
First of all Dougie the U.S. is supposed to be better than the terrorist abd the use of torture will only push more people to join the terrorists in order to get even.Furthermore if the blood thirsty chicken hawks get their way the U.S. military will be no better than the terrorists.
May 17th, 2009 at 1:25pm
While the scapegoating of the woman's first House Speaker, Re. Nancy Pelosi, is the reason I began to feel incensed, I began to realize that scapegoating against women in other societies may mean violence to women. In our own society, gender violence is always pervasive...psychologically and sexually. In the workplace and at home, women are still being hurt. I have chosen to work on many other issues in a public way (getting out the vote for Obama in the last election) but I had put violence towards women in all ways on my back burner. I cannot do this any longer. It is hard to watch every newsprogram devolve into fights about who knew when and what concerning torture. Scapegoating Pelosi or other women in office is still off-limits to the pundits and columnists (mostly male and empowered).
For a woman who has had several run ins with glass ceilings, let me just say, "Whoa"
May 19th, 2009 at 9:36am
Claudia, way to make this about you. You are pretty blind to the womens lib thing. Grow up and get out of the 1970's. I am a stay at home dad so I do support womens lib but you are wrong VERY wrong. Let me get this right, if a woman commits a crime we should not punish her? Is that what you are trying to say? You didnt make it clear other than you voted for Obama and you dont like men. I thinks its pretty funny that Pelosi's buddies are no where to be found, shows you what really she stands for.
May 19th, 2009 at 1:02pm
If Re. Nancy Pelosi can't take the heat, she does not belong in politics.
May 19th, 2009 at 5:03pm
It is my opinion that the ACLU is a bastion of justice, representing those who have been victimized and thrown into U.S.A. prisons(dungeons) by the wealthy and powerful politicos without habeas corpus. Many were arrested for voicing support of the victims, thus (criminalizing free speech). The President is not an omnipotent potentate. It's about time that free citizens stop behaving as lackeys in the presence of a monarch. Stand up and support the constitution and the bill of rights.
May 19th, 2009 at 6:14pm
Bastion of justice...yeah right! Maybe a bastion of extreme agendas, headlines, and left-wing policy influence! Gimme a break...if the organization was TRULY a bastion of justice, it wouldn't be so hated in this country! I don't know anyone who thinks highly of the ACLU. Definitely not looking out for the average joe.
May 19th, 2009 at 7:02pm
I say getem' all, especially the high rankers that got promoted. Makes me sick to my stomach that some got promoted for this torture deal. "Our tax dollars at work" Nobody lied to Pelosi, she just didnt care and figured bush had her back. She cant even maintain a decent lie. Bush Cheny, John Woo?,Rumsfeld, Miller, there are other military personel tht authorizes this sick business-for what? We all should know that 911 was an "false flag operation" and there was NO secret intelligence to be found in Iraq. They went there to get OIL, disrupt the country, chasing the Ghosts of ? Osama is Bush's buddy in OIL & a CIA operative. So why the genocide, murder and torture of civilians on 92 tapes? 'Cmon who was the sickie watching the tapes? It's not about water boarding there was SO much more. Spain is having Tribunals, "Crimes against humanity" Do you think they are doing it all for waterboarding? Who was profiting the war our tax dollars funded? I say prosecute all, shameful...
May 20th, 2009 at 2:20pm
dave...you're hanging out with the wrong people. How is protecting people's constitutional rights an extreme agenda? Especially when the people being protected are the ones who have no one else to stand up for them.
May 21st, 2009 at 4:17pm
You People need to read the constitution again Starting with the preamble We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.Domestic Tranquility and common defende Includes protecting ourselves from Terrorists I have no problem with terrrorists being tortured given that it has saved lives. You people are only helping our enemies to kill more americans and have obviously forgotten about 9/11. If we let up on terrorist they will attack us again. Thank God we had a Cheney or it would have happened again. Get your head out of the Sand!
May 25th, 2009 at 6:23pm
Ronald, do you believe the Constitution authorizes us to torture innocent people? Only if they are Muslims?
There is no evidence that torturing anyone saved any lives. Merely talking heads claiming it.
There is no evidence that torturing people innocent or not putting pressure on the real terrorists. I maintain the exact opposite is true.
Jun 21st, 2009 at 5:34pm
Eric Holder does not uphold the Voters Rights Act. He recently dismissed a successful case, video filmed, several witnesses of the worst case of voter intimidaiton in American History. Ask Bartle Bull, lawyer and civil rights movement, walked with Dr. King. The ACLU is a racist organization if all they protect is rights of their chosen color.
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