Incredibly Reluctant Hat Tip

May 12th, 2011

As we have noted with disdain, the criminals of the previous administration have seized upon the operation which killed Osama Bin Laden to not only excuse acts of torture but also to justify their advocacy of this immorality.

Enter Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Sen. McCain is a servant of the people about whom I am greatly ambivalent. Nevertheless, his forceful counter to these manipulators and violators of America's values is to be hailed as an important contribution.

From today's WaPo.
"We did not learn Abu Ahmed’s real name or alias as a result of waterboarding or any ‘enhanced interrogation technique’ used on a detainee in U.S. custody. None of the three detainees who were waterboarded provided Abu Ahmed’s real name, his whereabouts, or an accurate description of his role in Al-Qaeda."

It gets better...

"In fact, not only did the use of ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed not provide us with key leads on bin Laden’s courier, Abu Ahmed; it actually produced false and misleading information." EMPHASIS OURS

Hats off, Mr. Senator. And God Bless you for this one.

Meet Matthew Alexander

May 10th, 2011

No matter how many members of the American right, ex-Bush administration figures in particular, have come forward to defend the use of torture during the last regime they are consistently finding push-back from one group of intelligence professionals... interrogators themselves. Matthew Alexander is one of these professionals. The most disturbing observation Alexander and others keep making is that all this pro-torture blather is the number one recruiting tool for Al Qaeda and groups like them.

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Quotes Of The Day - Here and Now Edition

May 9th, 2011

Over at Forbes, Osha Gray Davidson has a terrific piece pushing back against the "torture-got-Bin-Laden" lie being so heavily promoted HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. Davidson interviews one of our top interrogators who has questioned suspects in GITMO, Iraq and Afghanistan as he describes this rush to defend the crimes of the previous administration as "propaganda [that] degrades our intelligence operations more than any other factor I can think of."

Notable:

"Simply the idea of our interrogators using torture or coercion recruits jihadists, facilitators, suppliers, supporters, and even suicide bombers, against us and our allies."

"Listen, waterboarding and/or other coercive techniques did nothing to contribute to our attempts to track down UBL (Usama bin Laden). What did succeed was weeks, months and years of diligent, laborious, and dedicated work – all within the bounds of legal and ethical boundaries….No torture, no waterboarding, no coercion – nothing inhumane – is considered a useful tool in our work."

The Money Quote:
"I cannot even count the amount of times that I personally have come face to face with detainees, who told me they were primarily motivated to do what they did, because of hearing that we committed torture." EMPHASIS OURS