Even the New York Times admits it.
President Obama’s national intelligence director told colleagues in a private memo last week that the harsh interrogation techniques banned by the White House did produce significant information that helped the nation in its struggle with terrorists.
“High value information came from interrogations in which those methods were used and provided a deeper understanding of the al Qa’ida organization that was attacking this country,” Adm. Dennis C. Blair, the intelligence director, wrote in a memo to his staff last Thursday.
Admiral Blair’s assessment that the interrogation methods did produce important information was deleted from a condensed version of his memo released to the media last Thursday. Also deleted was a line in which he empathized with his predecessors who originally approved some of the harsh tactics after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
“I like to think I would not have approved those methods in the past,” he wrote, “but I do not fault those who made the decisions at that time, and I will absolutely defend those who carried out the interrogations within the orders they were given.”
Ah, but here are the political considerations.
Admiral Blair said in a written statement issued last night. “The bottom line is these techniques have hurt our image around the world, the damage they have done to our interests far outweighed whatever benefit they gave us and they are not essential to our national security."
There it is:
1. World Opinion
2. Protecting American Lives
Where in the constitution does it says we must maintain America's reputation among the coward nations?
2 comments:
This is so sad, and it shows how disheartening it is at the same time. Politics, politics.
I finished watching season 6 of "24" on the plane yesterday. Vice President Powers Boothe offers a mea culpa for his harsh assessment of President Wayne Palmer, saying you never appreciate what the President deals with until you sit in his chair. Sounds like that is playing out now for President O mama.
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