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An In-Depth Analysis: The Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture

Duane Kelly

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Published in The Senate Intelligence Committee Report On Torture: Committee Study Of The Central Intelligence Agency S Detention And Interrogation Program

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The Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture: Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program

by Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	24225 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	1277 pages

The Senate Intelligence Committee's report on the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) torture program, released in December 2014, marked a watershed moment in the history of American interrogation techniques. The report's findings have sparked a national debate about the ethics of torture, its effectiveness as an intelligence-gathering tool, and the legal implications of its use.

Key Findings of the Report

Torture was not effective: The report found that the CIA's use of enhanced interrogation techniques (EITs) did not produce valuable intelligence that could not have been obtained through other means.
Torture was harmful: The report documented numerous cases of physical and psychological harm inflicted on detainees as a result of EITs, including severe pain, sleep deprivation, and permanent psychological trauma.
Torture violated international law: The report concluded that the CIA's torture program violated both the Geneva Conventions and the United Nations Convention against Torture.
Torture was authorized at the highest levels: The report found that the Bush administration authorized the use of EITs and misled the public about the extent and severity of the program.

Ethical and Legal Implications

The report's findings have raised significant ethical and legal questions about the use of torture. Proponents of torture argue that it is a necessary evil in the fight against terrorism, while opponents condemn it as a violation of human rights and an ineffective interrogation technique.

Legally, the use of torture is prohibited under both domestic and international law. The United States has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention against Torture, which explicitly prohibits torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Despite these legal prohibitions, the Bush administration authorized the use of EITs in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. The report found that the administration's legal justification for the program was flawed and that it misled the public about the extent and severity of the torture.

The Legacy of the Report

The Senate Intelligence Committee's report on torture has had a profound impact on the way that the United States treats detainees. The report's findings have led to a bipartisan consensus that torture is wrong and ineffective.

In the years since the report was released, the United States has taken steps to dismantle its torture program. In 2015, President Obama signed an executive order prohibiting the use of torture by U.S. personnel. The order also requires the CIA to close its black site prisons and to destroy any videotapes of interrogations.

The Senate Intelligence Committee's report on torture is a landmark document that has helped to shed light on one of the darkest chapters in American history. The report's findings have had a profound impact on the way that the United States treats detainees and has helped to ensure that torture will never again be used as an interrogation technique.

Additional Resources

Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture
Human Rights Watch: When Evidence Matters: The U.S. Senate Report on the CIA's Secret Detention and Torture Program
ACLU: Senate Report: CIA Torture Program

The Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture: Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program

by Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

4.4 out of 5