Earlier this morning the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee released a 500-page report that is a summary of the CIA's post-9/11 torture program, which was intended to make prisoners of war give up crucial information. It has been widely reported that the Central Intelligence Agency took extreme measures in order to unsuccessfully make al-Qaida members talk in the years following 9/11. President Barack Obama supported the public release of the five-year investigation in the hopes that the American government will use it as a future example of what not to do.
What we are learning from this report is that the people who worked in the "enhanced interrogation program" basically resorted to torture such as waterboarding, mock executions and threatened sexual violence under inhumane conditions for detainees — many of whom were later revealed to have no terrorism ties whatsoever. The U.S. government has confirmed that the program was more horrific than most Americans knew and that it went against our country's code of behavior. Obama quickly banned "enhanced interrogation techniques" once taking office after his 2009 inauguration.
Of course, there is a dangerous downside to this full report being made public, and some lawmakers believe it was a "reckless" move because it can ultimately light a fire under those who are already wishing to bring harm to U.S. business at home and overseas. Embassies are under heavy guard and U.S. government buildings are at a heightened security as everyone waits for the international rage and backlash that is inevitably coming.
What are your thoughts on the CIA's past use of torture techniques as a way of attempting to get information out of detainees? Was Obama right to ban it as a tactic or should the U.S. be allowed to take whatever measures deemed necessary against those who intend to harm American people? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
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