Money and Politics

Decision to Release Interrogation Memos

by Karl Rove
Published: April 20, 2009

President Obama’s decision last Thursday to release U.S. Department of Justice memos outlining the Bush administration’s use of interrogation tactics was a mistake. One that has undoubtedly made America less safe and has undermined the Central Intelligence Agency’s ability to effectively gather information on groups that want to harm our country.
The declassified memos show the integral role medical professionals played in the interrogation process by making certain that detainees were "not likely to suffer any severe physical or mental pain or suffering as a result of interrogation." Now public, this knowledge is sure to serve as a psychological victory for future detainees and a barrier for the CIA in its pursuit for critical information about terrorist organizations.
I encourage you to read at least one of these memos. You’ll be reassured about the precautions the Bush administration took to guarantee compliance with the federal prohibition on torture. You might even characterize its diligence as overcautious.

U.S. Department of Justice Memos Disclosed by the Obama Administration, 4/16/09 (PDF Downloads)

• Interrogation of al Qaeda Operative, Memorandum for John Rizzo, Acting General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency, August 1, 2002
• Application of 18 U.S.C. 2340-2340A to Certain Techniques That May Be Used in the Interrogation of a High Value al Qaeda Detainee, Memorandum for John Rizzo, Acting General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency, May 10, 2005
• Application of 18 U.S.C. 2340-2340A to the Combined Use of Certain Techniques in the Interrogation of High Value al Qaeda Detainees, Memorandum for John Rizzo, Acting General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency, May 10, 2005
• Application of United States Obligations Under Article 16 of the Convention Against Torture to Certain Techniques that May Be Used in the Interrogation of High Value al Qaeda Detainees, Memorandum for John Rizzo, Acting General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency, May 30, 2005