Ex-CIA Officials : Cheney Is Right, Obama Is Wrong

The debate on how to conduct the “War” on Terror continued yesterday after President Obama and former Vice-President Cheney delivered speeches on this issue. Once again, both discussed the interrogation techniques, the release of the CIA memos, and the necessity of Guantanamo Bay. FrumForum.com interviewed former CIA officials to get their views regarding these issues. They want to remain anonymous, because "many of the former CIA officials have already taken quite a beating from the media, Congress, and this administration." The release of the CIA memos by the Obama administration has created a public debate on national security. President Obama tried to explain why he released the memos. He stated, “the existence of that approach to interrogation was already widely known… The American people can better understand how these interrogation methods came to be authorized and used. “ All the former CIA officials wish the memos had not been released. In their views, it is not “a rally cry for the enemy,” as Obama stated. They see just the opposite, that this action gave “aid and comfort to the terrorists.” Instead, they agree with Cheney that the American people should know the content of the memos as well as the techniques. As one former official stated, “I think there are things that could safely be released that would point to what was essential to our security that came out of the interrogation program which still has not been shared by this administration.” Another stated that he does not understand the administration’s argument. This public debate has tied the CIA’s hands, frustrated them, and left them wondering when it is going to stop. The harsh interrogation techniques were necessary and actionable intelligence was gained. As another official pointed out, “this information has got to come out because it’s the only way to protect our reputation.” The harsh interrogation techniques were used on only three of the most dangerous terrorists. As Cheney noted, “It is a fact that only detainees of the highest intelligence value were ever subjected to enhanced interrogation. You’ve heard endlessly about water boarding. It happened to three terrorists. One of them was Khalid Sheikh Muhammed – the mastermind of 9/11, who has also boasted about beheading Daniel Pearl.” Besides Muhammed, Abu Zubaydah was also water boarded. The consensus is that these two individuals devoted their lives to murder Americans and that they would continue to murder Americans in the event of being released. A former FBI agent who was present during the early interrogation of Zubaydah concurs when he told FrumForum.com that he “is probably one of the smartest terrorists I interrogated… I think he is borderline genius.” The former CIA officials want Americans to understand that the terrorists were water boarded to get intelligence as quickly as possible to stop further attacks from happening. One former CIA official summarized, “there were emergency circumstances, post 9-11. There was no time to build a relationship.” Waterboarding worked because as another official pointed out, “it is almost impossible to resist… when detainees know that you will check out the information and come back to them if you find it wrong then they are motivated to tell you true stuff.” So why aren’t these harsh interrogation techniques used today?   Part of the reason for using the harsh interrogation methods in earlier years was that the agency did not have the money for the necessary resources. The former officials blame both the Clinton and Bush administrations because the agency’s budget was cut drastically for years prior to 9-11. There was not enough money to hire and train operatives to infiltrate the terrorist organizations. However, there has not been another attack in this country since 9-11 because, as one noted “we have had eight years to develop sources within Al Qaeda and there is no need to gain information through harsh interrogation because we have other methods in place.” He also pointed out that if a captured terrorist threatened to nuke a city in the United States; everyone would say “do whatever is necessary to find out the when and where.” All the former CIA officials agree with Cheney that in a life or death circumstance like that, even “President Obama has reserved unto himself the right to order the use of enhanced interrogation should he deem it appropriate.” The former CIA officials do not see a problem with the terrorists’ incarceration in high security American prisons under certain circumstances. They would put the terrorists in solitary confinement as is done with other hard core dangerous and vicious prisoners. The consensus amongst the CIA agents is that the prisoners should not be allowed to do crossword puzzles and play soccer like in Guantanamo. Instead, the terrorists should be in solitary confinement with prison rules forcing them to stay in a cell 23 hours a day without any outside contact with other prisoners. As a former CIA official stated, prison treatment would be “a lot harsher than they are getting in Guantanamo right now.” However, Guantanamo should still be an option for those terrorists who cannot be prosecuted because of insufficient evidence. These terrorists have clearly indicated that if released they would return to terrorist activities; therefore, closing Guantanamo would not be practical. As one official stated, “No other country will take them… somebody has to come up with something. Closing Guantanamo doesn’t quite cut the mustard.” To sum up the CIA officials feelings after yesterday’s speeches: they want the debate to end and they resent the fact that the intelligence community is the focus of this partisan political battle. They want Americans to remember that they saved many lives because of the successful interrogations and that under certain expedient circumstances, harsh interrogation methods must be used. One former official told FrumForum.com with resignation in his voice, that he wishes the debate would come to end because “it makes the agency look like a rogue organization and its not… It is just a bunch of people who really love their country and want to serve it.”