Isabel Present

Enhanced Interrogation

On September 11th, 2001, a new era began. Panic engulfed Americans as they realized their own government could not keep them safe from the threat of the terrorists. A few weeks after the 9/11 attacks, terrorists sent powdered anthrax to news organizations and two American senators (Senate Select Committee on Intelligence). To avenge the terrorist attacks, President George Bush, CIA (Central intelligence agency) director George Tenet, and psychologist James Mitchell decided to capture both those directly responsible for 9/11 and those suspected to be associated with terrorists organizations. These so-called detainees were incarcerated in black sites, such as Guantanamo Bay and Bagram (BBC news), successfully evading the Geneva conventions. Prisoners were subject to gruesome interrogation techniques such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and subjection to extreme cold. The enhanced interrogation program is rarely effective in retracting accurate information from detainees, violates international law and will give other countries reason to so the same, and is highly unregulated by the federal government, causing an unnecessary amount of force to be used. As a result, the federal government must cease using interrogation techniques on suspected terrorists and instead use social media and technology to increase the ease of reporting suspicious activity and information vital to national security.Accurate information is rarely obtained through enhanced interrogation. On December 9th, 2014, the Senate Intelligence Committee released a 500 page summary on the enhanced interrogation program that examined 20 cases in which the CIA claimed the use of ruthless interrogation techniques was successful in obtaining valuable information from detainees (Huffington Post). According to chair of the intelligence panel, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Each of those examples (the 20 cases investigated) was found to be wrong in fundamental respects. The investigation found that in some cases, the information provided by the detainees in the enhanced interrogation program was unrelated to potential terrorist attacks and useless in providing national security (Senate Committee on Intelligence). In other instances, detainees provided misleading and false information. The senate report found that the information leading to Osama bin Ladens apprehension was acquired from a prisoner in foreign custody, prior to being subject to enhanced interrogation (Watkins and Grim). This contradicts the CIAs claim that the enhanced interrogation program should be credited for providing the information of bin Ladens location. Another instance that exposes the ineffectiveness of enhanced interrogation involves the interrogation of al-Qaeda suspect Abu Zubaydah, whom waterboarding was used on 83 times. Waterboarding involves forcing detainees on their back with a cloth in their mouth. Water is then poured on their faces, causing them to gag and display symptoms of drowning (BBC New). CIA officer John Kiriakou claimed that Zubaydah broke and spilled information within thirty seconds of being waterboarded. It was later revealed that Zubaydah Made things up to satisfy his interrogators (Washington Post). After this incident, even the CIA chief John Brennon admitted in an interview that The cause-and-effect relationship between the use of EITs (enhanced interrogation techniques) and useful information subsequently provided by the detainees is in my view unknowable (Martin). Detainees are being put through hundreds of painful experiences in a program that the chief of the CIA does not trust to produce accurate results. Enhanced interrogation techniques violate international law, United States laws, and internationally accepted ethical standards, giving other counties the president to violate the same law. The enhanced interrogation program breaks binding agreements with international peace making organizations. On February 4th, 1985, the United States signed the UN Conventions against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), forbidding the signers to engage in any misconduct covered in the document involving the torture of humans. In the conventions, torture is defined as 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. Although President Bush claimed that torture was vastly different from enhanced interrogation, the goals and methods used to achieve them correlate to the tactics defined as torture in the UN convention. Enhanced interrogation uses physically painful and mentally straining methods on detainees such as sleep deprivation and confinement in small containers in order to obtain information or a confession. The CAT also states that No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture, countering the formerly used argument that enhanced interrogation can be justified for reasons of national security (ohchr). United States governments laws have been passed that forbid the use of torture, such as the Joint Congressional Resolution Opposing Torture. That resolution, signed by President Regan on October 4th, 1984, forbade cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment or torture. Although U.S. laws expressly prohibit the use of torture or torture-like techniques, the government was able to escape their legal obligation to enforce anti-torture laws by altering the terminology used to describe the treatment of detainees. Justice department lawyer John Yoo proposed classifying suspected terrorists as detainees and placing them in special prisons that dodge the requirements of the Geneva Conventions. President Bush was able to successfully evade the Geneva conventions that prohibit cruel treatment towards prisoners for war information by passing a memorandum in 2002 (law of war). Bushs loophole states that the guarantee of humane treatment to prisoners of war did not apply to al-Qaeda or Taliban detainees (NPR). While the government may have found a temporary loophole to continue their interrogation, America breaking the Geneva Conventions gives other countries the validation to break the international peace treaties they currently are committed to. In the event of a war or international conflict, other countries would possess a justifiable reason to torture American prisoners. Through using enhanced interrogation techniques, the U.S. violates ethical standards set out by associations of psychologists and infringes upon accepted criteria in the medical world by using psychologists to exploit the potential for human suffering. The Universal Declaration of Ethical Principles for Psychologists, drafted by three international associations of psychology, lay out five ethical principles widely accepted by psychologists (SPSSI). Those five principles included, respect for the dignity and rights of persons, caring for others and concern for their welfare, competence, integrity, and professional, scientific, and social responsibility. Psychologist James Mitchell and John Jessen broke most of these accepted ethical standards by using their knowledge and experience in the psychological field to create enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding and subjection to prolonged stress positions (Leopold and Kaye). Psychological torture does not display respect for the rights of persons or caring for others. If ethical standards cannot be accepted in the medical world, the line between using technology and knowledge to make the world a better place and using it to cause suffer will dissipate. Medical declarations of ethical principals have been produced and ratified worldwide. The World Medical association bans the participation of employees in the field of medicine in torture or degrading practices (SPSSI). The United Nations Principles of Medical Ethics establishes that it is unethical for physicians to participate in practices that take away the dignity and well-being of other humans (apa). The enhanced interrogation techniques violate internationally accepted ethical standards while producing a negative psychological impact on both the torturer and tortured.The enhanced interrogation techniques are rarely regulated by the government and, until the recent senate report, kept secret from the people. This unregulated approach to interrogation caused an excessive amount of force to be exploited while attempting to force information from detainees led to excessive amounts of force being used. The interrogation techniques were more ruthless than the CIA told congress and other policy makers (Congressional Committee). According to CIA documentation, the enhanced interrogation techniques used an open, nonthreatening approach with detainees. An investigation by the senate intelligence committee found that detainees were subject to 180 hours without sleep and were waterboarded until they experienced convulsions and/or vomiting. Khalid Sheikh was waterboarded 183 times although CIA medical personnel warned against such excessive interrogation. The CIA provided incorrect information to the Justice Department regarding the conditions the detainees were living in, intensity of the interrogation techniques, the effects of interrogation on the detainees, and the accuracy of the information obtained by detainees. Unknown to the Justice Department, the detainees were being kept in sub-human conditions, and experienced paranoia, hallucinations, and insomnia frequently (Congressional Committee). The CIA did not inform the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence of the enhanced interrogation techniques until September 2002, and failed to alert the leaders of the government committee that oversees torture until late 2006. The little information the CIA did relay to the public portrayed a false truth, for it depicted enhanced interrogation as harmless and rarely used. Americans were aware of the secret prisons, waterboarding, and sleep deprivation that took place but were unaware that rectal rehydration was being utilized, or that a detainee died of hypothermia. Since the government and America public were unaware of the extent of the enhanced interrogation techniques, the CIA was able to go against lawmakers wishes to create a more dangerous environment where the unregulated torture of suspected terrorists could occur. To prevent inaccurate information from an expensive program, obey international law, and make sure Americans and the government are informed about their foreign policy, the enhanced interrogation program must be halted. Instead of relying on illegal torture for information regarding potential terrorist attacks, a network of American citizens can be utilized. Terrorist attacks have been successfully stopped through people reporting abandoned vehicles and packages. If Americans were on the lookout for suspicious behavior, secretive black sites will no longer be required to gain intelligence. An expansion of the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, an organization founded to allow local law enforcement and citizens to report suspicious activity that could aid in the downfall of terrorist plots (PBS). Technology and social media can be utilized to the reporting initiative, such as allowing quick and anonymous text messages to be sent to the local police force. Emphatic interrogation, an alternate to enhanced interrogation, was used successfully during World War II. Emphatic interrogation does not involve any physical or psychological damage to those interrogated. The enhanced interrogation program is rarely effective in retracting accurate information from detainees, violates international law and will give other countries reason to so the same, and is highly unregulated by the federal government, causing an unnecessary amount of force to be used. Distrust between the government, the people, and other countries come from an organization being dishonest and using unethical practices when handling people. Citizens and the government are often willing to forgive environmental mishaps or political scandals but outcry ensues when human life is being taken for granted.

Works Cited"CIA tactics: What is 'enhanced interrogation'?" BBC News 10 Dec. 2014: n. pag. BBC News. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. .Costanzo, Mark, Ellen Gerrity, and Brinton Lykes. "The Use of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment as Interrogation Devices." Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015. .Exec. Order No. 13440. 3 C.F.R. 2002. Law of War. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. .Martin, Rachel, host. "Two Views of the CIA's 'Enhanced' Interrogation." Perf. Dianne Feinstein, Dick Cheney, and John Brennan. Weekend Edition. National Public Radio. 14 Dec. 2014. Transcript. National Public Radio. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. .McCoy, Alfred W. "Torture Does Not Make America Safer." Presidential Powers. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "The Myth of the Ticking Time Bomb."The Progressive (Oct. 2006). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 15 Mar. 2015"Ratification of 18 International Human Rights Treaties." United Nations Human Rights. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2014. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. .United States. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Programs. Washington: GPO, 2014. Senate Intelligence Committee. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. .- - -. UN Convention against Tourture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading. New York: GPO, 1985. United Nations. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. ."US senate report of CIA interrogation." Washington Post [Washington, DC] 10 Dec. 2014: n. pag. Print.

Annotated BibliographyAltman, Neil. A moratorium on psychologist involvement in interrogations at. N.p.: n.p., 2006. American Psychological Association. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. .Although this source was a tough read, it provided a clear point of view (from a psychologist). The author is strongly opposed to psychologists involvement in torture.

"CIA tactics: What is 'enhanced interrogation'?" BBC News 10 Dec. 2014: n. pag. BBC News. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. . This was the first source I looked at to write this paper. It provides an easy to read skepticism of enhanced interrogation.

Costanzo, Mark, Ellen Gerrity, and Brinton Lykes. "The Use of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment as Interrogation Devices." Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015. . This was an incredibly useful source in writing my third argument. It lays out the different laws that make enhanced interrogation unethical in the field of medicine as well as illegal.

"'Enhanced interrogation' program was flawed, US Senate & CIA agree." RT. RT, 25 Dec. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. . This was one of the least helpful sours, as the article was very short and provided little detail.

Exec. Order No. 13440. 3 C.F.R. 2002. Law of War. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. . I used this order when arguing that Bush found a way to escape the legal obligations of the Geneva Conventions.

Leopold, Jason, and Jeffery Kaye. "EXCLUSIVE: CIA Psychologist's Notes Reveal True Purpose Behind Bush's Torture Program." Truth Out. Truthout, 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. . This source explores the psychologists that aided the government in creating enhanced interrogation techniques.

Markels, Alex. "Will Terrorism Rewrite the Laws of War?" National Public Radio. NPR, 6 Dec. 2005. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. . Another NPR segment that explains the effects of the war on terror and why the government could have turned to enhanced interrogation.

Martin, Rachel, host. "Two Views of the CIA's 'Enhanced' Interrogation." Perf. Dianne Feinstein, Dick Cheney, and John Brennan. Weekend Edition. National Public Radio. 14 Dec. 2014. Transcript. National Public Radio. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. .This NPR segment compiles the interviews of many prominent people working for and against enhanced interrogation, although the majority of the article is against it.

McCoy, Alfred W. "Torture Does Not Make America Safer." Presidential Powers. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "The Myth of the Ticking Time Bomb."The Progressive (Oct. 2006). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 15 Mar. 2015. This source explained empathic interrogation and provided a ticking time bomb scenario that explains how interrogation cant work. "Preventing Terrorists Attacks." Federal Bureau of Investigatoin. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. . This source was useful in finding an alternate solution to enhanced interrogation.

"Ratification of 18 International Human Rights Treaties." United Nations Human Rights. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2014. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. . This site gave a clear chart that showed what countries had ratified anti-torture treaties.

"'Suspicious Activity' -- Really?" Frontline. PBS, 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 May 2015.

This source provides information on the alternative solution to torture, which is creating a strong network of citizens to report suspicious activity.

United States. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Programs. Washington: GPO, 2014. Senate Intelligence Committee. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. . Arguably the most useful source in writing this paper. Although it is long and boring to read, this senate report explains all the possible reasons why enhanced interrogation is wrong.- - -. UN Convention against Tourture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading. New York: GPO, 1985. United Nations. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. .This convention against torture was the main law I used in my second argument to explain how the U.S. broke international treaties.

"US senate report of CIA interrogation." Washington Post [Washington, DC] 10 Dec. 2014: n. pag. Print. This newspaper article introduced me to the senate report.

Watkins, Ali, and Ryan Grim. "Senate Report Says Torture Program Was More Gruesome, Widespread Than CIA Claimed." Huffington Post 9 Dec. 2014: n. pag. Huffington Post. Web. 15 Mar. 2015. . I often referenced this article, since it explains my most valuable source, the senate report.

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