Sometimes you have to look backward

In 2009 Senator Leahy proposed a national commission to investigate the post-9/11 counterterrorism programs.  Mr. Obama rejected the idea as he wanted to “look forward, not backward.”  This prompted a study by the U.S. Constitution Project, a bipartisan, independent group of experienced people.  

The results of this study were published this week.  The conclusion is that torture occurred at Guantánamo, the C.I.A.’s so-called black sites and other war-zone detention centers.  Further, they state that never before had been “the kind of considered and detailed discussions that occurred after 9/11 directly involving a president and his top advisers on the wisdom, propriety and legality of inflicting pain and torment on some detainees in our custody.”  

Some forms of torture inflicted: the CIA waterboarded prisoners, slammed them into walls, chained them in uncomfortable positions for hours, stripped them of clothing and kept them awake for days on end.  Despite the torture, the task force found “no firm or persuasive evidence” that these interrogation methods produced valuable information that could not have been obtained by other means. While “a person subjected to torture might well divulge useful information,” much of the information obtained by force was not reliable.  


Incidentally, the United States is a signatory to the international Convention Against Torture, which requires the prompt investigation of allegations of torture and the compensation of its victims.