Controversial CIA Torture Report

In 2014, the Senate Select Committee released its key findings of the CIA torture report. Their conclusions and summary listed in the report were shocking. For years now, debate has been going on as to whether the CIA torture reports should have been released. It may even be considered one of the biggest conspiracy theories of all time. Some claim it should not have been released, to protect the citizens. While others argue, it should be released because it is our right to know. The controversy lies in if cruel and unusual punishment was occurring, then the public should have been informed. Secondly, if inhumane treatment is being administered by our government, the world’s perception of America ‘the land of the free’ is vastly compromised

In the Toronto Star Newspaper editorial “Send in the psychologists to study the psychologists” (2015), Rick Salutin asserts that the American Psychological Association (APA) conspired with the Department of Defense (DOD) to allow and participate in the torturing of detainees for their own selfish motivations and had they been objective scientists, they would have recognized the phenomenology of torture (2015). Salutin addresses the recent scandal involving the APA and some members, physically participating as well as sanctioning the legality of torture. He cites his reasoning with the recent reports released by government, news outlets, and an independent investigation. The author also offers that several high level officers

Torture has been used throughout history to obtain pertinent information from terrorists of the state by using many different techniques both physical and emotional. The definition of torture as it pertains to gaining information is any “act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession” according to the Convention Against Torture. The legality of torture has been discussed within the international community multiple times creating multiple treaties. Such treaties came from the Geneva Convention and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. While the countries who sign these treaties have an obligation to create effective legislation against the torture of terrorists, some countries still skirt around the international laws. The United States has used torture in the recent years to obtain intelligence from suspected terrorists. The moral dilemmas behind these actions are controversial and are debated whether or not such actions should be used to achieve information. While some organizations believe the torture of terrorists is beneficial to the United States, torture is immoral, unjust, and should not be used by any organization or state to achieve its goals. The basis for the argument against torture can be affirmed using well known and accepted moral understanding from known

On December 9th, 2014, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) released a 525 page excerpt of a 6,000 page report detailing the findings of the study of the Detention and Interrogation Program conducted by the CIA. The SSCI condemned the actions of the CIA and its constituents for they had committed numerous acts of tortious conduct. As this report is processed by the public, the CIA has distanced itself from the situation pronouncing premature accusations have been made considering the whole truth has yet to be unclassified. A central debate is whether or not the torture committed by the CIA provided intelligence information that prevented acts of terror or aided in the apprehension of terrorists. Two ethical issues

Mohamed al-Kahtani was a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay who endured numerous disgusting and truly horrifying acts of torture. Being seduced by prostitutes and female officers, told to act like a dog and forced to crawl on his hands and feet while barking, and forced to urinate himself are just a few examples of the type of life prisoner’s at Guantanamo Bay are living. They are held in solitary confinement, while all day and night their lights in the rooms are kept on. Each day prisoner’s are tortured. Whether it is psychical or emotional torture, it is occurring all round the camp. Prisoner’s being tied down and forced to listen to extremely loud rock music for and extended period of time is one of the tactics used

The US Senate Intelligence Committee released a report in 2014 about the interrogation tactics used by the CIA during George Bush’s Presidency after 9/11. Composed mainly by Democrats, it is seen as containing a strong bias which led to the CIA being depicted as cruel and unjust, and guilty of illegal torture. Coined the “torture report,” it’s unsurprising that there are a few who are wary of the CIA after reading this. However, it seems that the Senate report misinterpreted the interrogation methods of the CIA as torture. There may be instances in which the interrogation goes too far, but there is no denying it has significantly helped America’s fight against terrorism and saving lives. Although the CIA’s interrogation program is intensive,

A prison located in Iraq, “Abu Ghraib” was occupied by United States army in the early 2000s, where Iraqi detainees and tortured. While the United States hoped to acquire information about terror in hopes to save a greater number of people, reducing other people to merely a means was unethical. In this review of the case of Abu Ghraib, I will examine various events and possible contributing factors to unethical treatments of prisoners. Further, This essay will explore two opposing perspectives for and against reasoning for tortures. To respond to the unethical nature of the guards' behavior, I will apply Kant's method to ethics. Additionally, while trying to explain why the United States actions, I will refer to Utilitarianism. Lastly, This

We are aware of some of these “enhanced interrogation techniques” from various leaks and the CIA’s torture report. Some of these techniques consist of rectal feeding and rehydration which is a debatable technique itself since it is thought to be a helpful method to dehydrate detainees who refused to eat. Another technique is the confinement in a box where detainees are kept inside small boxed for long periods of time. The most commonly heard about, waterboarding: where the detainee is strapped on the board tilted down, head to the ground while the face is being covered with a cloth and water is poured down making them have a drowning sensation. Other techniques also include beating and threats to their family members and loved ones, along with

Torture, being defined by the 1984 Convention Against Torture is the “cruel, inhumane, or degrading infliction of severe pain or suffering, physical or mental, on a prisoner to obtain information or a confession, or to mete out a punishment for a suspected crime” (Beehner), is condemned and considered illegal by the United States of America and carries severe punishment for those that carry out the act. Yet the numerous amounts of maltreatment of the detainees held by the US during the War on Terror has led to humanitarian interference and, more notably, concern from the United Nations assembly. The most prominent facility in which these detainees are being held is the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, a site used for indefinite detention (mostly without trial), yet other secret prisons (operated by the CIA) are scattered about the world, which are also used for “enhanced” interrogation purposes.

“With its provocative detail splashed across the TV screens, front pages and websites of our media, the report will undoubtedly endanger American lives” (PRO: Report gives extremists a rallying cry). The Senate report released about the CIA tortures detailed actions made by CIA officials towards torturing prisoners. It explains the use of various forms of torture in the United States ever since the September 11th, 2001 attack and 2006 during the war on terror. Many people argue that the CIA torture report did not hurt the United States and its interests, but there is enough evidence to believe otherwise. For starters, the Senate report encourages extremists to further attack the United States, it leaves the US completely defenseless due to the fact that not many countries will be willing to help the US in any oncoming war, and lastly it caused immeasurable damage to the United States' public standing, as well as to the United States' longstanding global

The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence reviewed the eight most cited examples as evidence of success by the CIA and assessed whether the Enhanced Interrogation Program played a legitimate role in these cases. (Please note that in the following cases, information given about the cases themselves are based on research by Apuzzo et al. In the article “Does Torture Work? The C.I.A.’s Claims and What the Committee Found,” references are made to the Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. For clarity of citations, quotes from the Senate report will be cited as “U.S. Senate page

Another alternative explanation pertaining to the proposed relationship between the frequency of terrorism and the influx of torture may be a result of the alleged effectiveness of such techniques. Despite the Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture, some senior Five Eyes intelligence officers support the effectiveness of torture and believe that the techniques were critical to protect national security. Specifically, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has taken the position that EIT and other methods designed to ensure national security and save lives should be the most important priority for policymakers. For this reason, CIA officials have suggested that more coercive methods be used against suspected terrorists, even if the

Through Langbein’s discussion of the history of torture, it is evident that throughout history we have made grave mistakes but thought that in that moment they were correct. His essay shows that with time and growth, those choices once made may not have been the best possible choice at that time. This could be applied to the issues surrounding Guantanamo Bay and the torture of suspected terrorist detainees. Most Americans may not mind the idea of torturing someone who has killed so many citizens if it means saving many lives. While this utilitarian approach has its benefits, it is not a decision that should be made so hastily. The use of torture to gain information may have had its moments of effectiveness, but with the few who have been tortured for years and have yet to talk, it begs the question, is this really

According to the author of Oath Betrayed, Steven H. Miles, a total of 130 different countries employ health professionals to carry out torture in interrogation practices. Clearly, this directly conflicts with the normative perspective of doctors in the presence of war who are expected to uphold human rights and follow an ethical and professional path to helping all people whether they are enemy or not. Doctors are the very foundation to the health and well-being of society. Yet doctors actively participate in torturing prisoners of war. Without the presence of a moralistic figure, the only shred of reason and sense of humanity is subsequently lost. Doctors are both a physical and moral necessity for all war participants; thus, when their roles are altered and their skills are exploited for the wrong reasons, corruption ensues and their war contribution is counterproductive.

Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest binding documents in history, and it is still held sacred by physicians to help the ill, to preserve a patient's privacy, but most importantly it is taken by doctors swearing to practice medicine ethically. Practicing medicine ethically might have been very sacred centuries ago, but unfortunately it is not the case in today's society especially in the United States. Doctors in the United States face more than just high education costs, liability insurance payments, and long hours of work just to stay on top of the latest advancement in medical technology, but many of them also have to deal every day with insurance companies that do not want to cover their patients recommended treatments. A doctor's