This report in The New York Times notes that Attorney General Eric Holder has named a federal prosecutor to examine alleged abuse of prisoners held by the C.I.A., as officials released a 2004 report detailing abuses inside C.I.A.-run prisons overseas:
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. named a veteran federal prosecutor on Monday to examine abuse of prisoners held by the Central Intelligence Agency, after the Justice Department released a long-secret report showing interrogators choked a prisoner repeatedly and threatened to kill another detainee’s children. […] The decision was a significant blow to the C.I.A, and Mr. Holder said he would be criticized for undercutting the intelligence agency’s work. He said that he agreed with President Obama’s oft-expressed desire not to get mired in disputes over the policies of former President George W. Bush, but that his review of reports on the C.I.A. interrogation program left him no choice.
How will this public report and investigation of interrogation practices impact the U.S. role in the world? Will this be an affirmation that the U.S. is a country that abides by the rule of law and holds itself to a high standard of justice? Will sensational media reports about abuse give support to our enemies and allow them to score propaganda points as they recruit new members? The Council on Foreign Relations offers this summary (CIA Probe and the Torture Debate ) of the debate. This is a complex issue and there are many competing viewpoints. The summary does a great job contrasting sources that say the investigation is needed but it’s not enough, or it’s needed but it goes too far, or it’s not needed and provides propaganda points for our enemies. If you are not familiar with this debate the sources they cite should help you figure out where you stand on an issue that is sure to dominate the headlines for months or years to come.
Photo Credit: CFR/AP
