CIA “Torture” Report: The 54 Countries That Will Be Worried By Controversial Revelations

The US Senate Intelligence Committee released a 500-page summary to a report that outlines a six-year investigation of enhanced interrogation techniques described as violation of international law. The Bush administration deemed measures proposed by contract psychologists as lawful after the September 11 attacks on four airlines, the World Trade Center and the Pentagon: “Nevertheless, such pressure, fear, and expectation of further terrorist plots do not justify, temper, or excuse improper actions taken by individuals or organizations in the name of national security,” writes Dianne Feinstein, chair of the US Select Committee on Intelligence in the report’s introduction. The program, which entailed relocating suspects to pool of “host countries” effectively ended in 2006 and officially ended by presidential order in January 2009. The methods were not effective, the Senate committee maintains, yet more than 50 nations were complicit in brutal methods and the CIA is said to have impeded oversight and marginalized the many internal criticisms and objections: “Few countries are willing to accept the huge risks associated with hosting a CIA detention site, so shrinkage of the already small pool of willing candidates could force us to curtail our highly successful and detention program,” noted talking points prepared for the CIA director in 2005. “Fear of public exposure may also prompt previously cooperative liaison partners not to accept custody of detainees…” The report concludes the program damaged US standing in the world.” – YaleGlobal