The NY Times reports " 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." (more)
From CNSNews the CIA confirms that the techniques were effective in preventing an attack on Los Angeles:
The Central Intelligence Agency told CNSNews.com today that it stands by the assertion made in a May 30, 2005 Justice Department memo that the use of “enhanced techniques” of interrogation on al Qaeda leader Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) -- including the use of waterboarding -- caused KSM to reveal information that allowed the U.S. government to thwart a planned attack on Los Angeles.
At the NY Post,
Former CIA Director George Tenet justified using controversial interrogation techniques, including sleep deprivation and water boarding:
.. to pry intelligence from terror suspects insisting it has saved lives, according to an upcoming interview on "60 Minutes."
Tenet said the agency's methods used on detainees helped the U.S. government foil terror plots.
Tenet said the agency's methods used on detainees helped the U.S. government foil terror plots.
"I've got reports of nuclear weapons in New York City, apartment buildings that are going to be blown up, planes that are going to fly into airports all over again, plot lines that I don't know.
"I don't know what's going on inside the United States, and I'm struggling to find out where the next disaster is going to occur."
When 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Pakistan, the "enhanced interrogations" were a surprise to him, said Tenet.
Interrogation techniques need to remain a surprise to be completely effective. Those techniques have been taken off the table and so has the element of surprise thanks to President Obama, which is one reason a fomer CIA chief has said that Obama has risked National Security in releasing the memos.
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