Speaking on the set of “Meet the Press”, former Vice-President Dick Cheney spoke on the recent CIA report about enhanced interrogation techniques (EIT). Speaking directly to the Chuck Todd, the show’s host, Cheney was unequivocal in his assertion that CIA-approved EITs produced valuable information. The political left is quick to point out that current CIA Director John Brennan denied that EITs produced useful intelligence.
However, that is a distortion of Brennan’s words. The CIA director, who personally disapproves of EITs, said detainees subjected to EITs did in fact produce valuable information. However, Brennan pointed out it was not possible to discriminate the effect EITs had on the intelligence the detainees ended up giving and other methods they were also subjected to. What his words meant is that people who were subjected to EITs did produce valuable information.
At the same time, Brennan said it was impossible to determine whether the detainees would have offered up the intel through other means. Lost in the raging debate over the EITs are the fact that President Obama has no plan to obtain information from detainees given that he opts to kill terrorists via drone strikes. No one subjected to EITs is reported to have died from it.
Also lost in the debate is that fact that unlike Al Qaida and ISIS, no one subjected to EITs had their heads cut off. No one in the care of the US had their religious rights violated. All those who were subjected to EITs were examined by a physician afterwards to ensure they were in good health. All of this was in direct contrast to how the terrorists treat their captives.
Cheney said he would do it all over again. His job was always the defense of all Americans and the nation’s way of life.