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CIA Used Waterboarding 266 Times on Two Terrorism Suspects

Posted Apr 20, 2009 5:20 AM CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss

A 2005 Justice Department memo released last week discloses that the CIA used waterboarding 266 times on two al-Qaida suspects.

Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded at least 83 times in August 2002 and Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, was waterboarded 183 times in March 2003, the New York Times reports. Bloggers first discovered the information, which was redacted in some copies of the memo but was visible in others.

The story also cites a footnote to another 2005 Justice Department memo that says waterboarding was used more often and with more water than CIA rules permitted.

The Times report says the frequency of waterboarding “may raise questions about its effectiveness.”

But former CIA director Michael Hayden and former Attorney General Michael Mukasey said in an opinion column in the Wall Street Journal on Friday that the harsh interrogations were successful. “Fully half of the government's knowledge about the structure and activities of al-Qaida came from those interrogations,” they wrote.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Hayden refused to comment on the number of waterboardings, the New York Times reports in a separate story. Hayden became CIA director after the period of time in which waterboarding was used.

Hayden criticized release of the memos, saying the information will give al-Qaida an advantage because it can prepare its followers on how to deal with U.S. interrogation methods.

Comments

1.

B. McLeod
Apr 20, 2009 6:14 AM CST

So, as many professional interrogators already predicted, it is evident the CIA did not even manage to develop useful information with its torture tactics.  The agency has shown itself to be as incompetent as it is immoral.  How can these defective blunderers be trusted with any facet of the nation’s security?

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2.

J.D.
Apr 20, 2009 8:12 AM CST

^ So the failing NYTimes says the number alone “raises questions about effectiveness” but the head of the CIA says that over half our intel on the throat-slitters came from those interrogations…. and you side with Columbia journalism majors? Wow.

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3.

B. McLeod
Apr 20, 2009 8:16 AM CST

Half of nothing is still nothing.

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4.

B. McLeod
Apr 20, 2009 8:17 AM CST

“Over half” of nothing is also nothing.

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5.

B. McLeod
Apr 20, 2009 8:18 AM CST

And, “nothing from nothing leaves nothing.”

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6.

DR
Apr 20, 2009 8:45 AM CST

Sounds like that Sound of Music song:  “Nothing comes from nothing.  Nothing ever could.”

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7.

J.D.
Apr 20, 2009 10:32 AM CST

Sounds like you two have been spending too much time at musicals…

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8.

Paul the Magyar
Apr 20, 2009 11:21 AM CST

“Fully half of the government’s knowledge about the structure and activities of al-Qaida came from those interrogations.”

The information came within the first six waterboardings on each detainee.  The other 200+ waterboardings were done “just for the fun of it.”  Justification enough for a torture apologist.

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9.

Paul the Magyar
Apr 20, 2009 11:23 AM CST

“Nothing from nothing leaves nothing.”—Billy Preston on “Will It Go Round In Circles” written by Bruce Fisher and Billy Preston, and recorded by Preston for his 1972 album Music Is My Life.

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10.

J.D.
Apr 20, 2009 12:40 PM CST

Let’s not forget that these numbers are not yet official fact despite the failing NYT’s desire that they be so—they’re taken from partially-redacted memos and there seems to be some speculation. Is it not odd that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed—who represented himself at trial—made no mention of this water-dunking, which would have had to occur 6 times a day, 7 days a week to match these numbers? Wouldn’t the litany of terrorist-rights groups that were there have maybe, just maybe mentioned this earlier?

The left’s complaints always come down to the belief that those protecting them from being flown into a building are doing what they’re doing “just for the fun of it.” Seems like simpleton mentality.

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11.

DR
Apr 20, 2009 12:43 PM CST

The song I was referring to was “Something Good” (words and music by Richard Rogers).  “Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could.  Somewhere in my youth, or childhood, I must have done something good.”

But then again, there’s the much loved children’s book:  “Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.”  At the end, the proverb is this:  “See, you can make something out of nothing!”

Okay, I have to get back to the practice of law.

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12.

zekethewonderdog
Apr 20, 2009 8:07 PM CST

Good!  I hope it worked.

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13.

fed up
Apr 20, 2009 8:25 PM CST

No one is asking the most important question: does torture work in getting reliable intelligence?  If not, lets move on to something that does.

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14.

B. McLeod
Apr 20, 2009 9:56 PM CST

The reason no one is asking that question is that eight years of illegal kidnappings, killings and torture have brought the CIA no closer to catching Osama Bin Laden than they were on day one.  We’ve launched a couple of really awesome wars, and killed and maimed a lot of people who DIDN’T attack our country, but without inflicting so much as a scratch on Bin Laden.  The CIA is completely incompetent, and is giving us shell games and unverifiable, bullshit stories instead of results.  They have failed continuously for nearly a decade now.  It is time for a “sack and replace,” to get someone in the saddle who can actually carry out the mission.

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15.

J.D.
Apr 21, 2009 8:48 AM CST

^^ You’re right. The liberal left constantly claims harsh interrogation “doesn’t work” and are ready to move on. But they have no idea what they’re talking about because none of these talking heads are involved in national security in any way.

The fact is, we ARE getting information from harsh interrogations—i.e. dunking jihadists’ heads in water, making them strip naked, etc.

But as for “torture”... well, we haven’t tried that yet. Cutting off fingers, scalping, burning… No, we haven’t tortured anyone. And we probably won’t have to.

And to McLoed: You’re shortsighted in thinking that once we capture Osama, everything will be wonderful. He could be dead for all we know. We’ll still have to dunk jihidists in water for many decades into the future. And “the CIA is completely incompetent”??? You’re clearly have no idea how many attacks they’ve stopped—worldwide—over the past 15 years.  When your arguments start to sound identical to Osama bin Laden’s, I think it’s time to stop reading the DailyKos.

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16.

B. McLeod
Apr 21, 2009 1:27 PM CST

Taking out Osama Bin Laden may or may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.  As nations understand and deal with issues of this type, actual and direct consequences to Bin Laden represent a minimum, threshhold accomplishment that must be achieved for the United States to make progress in this conflict.  Incompetent failure to achieve it, while misdirecting attention and effort to unnecessary targets, is only self-defeating.  As far as CIA’s vaunted “attacks they’ve stopped,” you have no idea either.  Nobody does, because the claim is an example of the unverifiable flotsam the CIA is putting out to try to make it look like they are doing something competent or useful.

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17.

J.D.
Apr 22, 2009 9:50 AM CST

And when it comes to preventing my family from being flown into a building, I’m willing to give the gov’t a cautious benefit of the doubt. But you and the Left are calling for an end to self-defense while admitting that you don’t know all the facts. Seems a little stupid.

BTW, we never killed Hitler or the Emperor of Japan or Mussolini and those conflicts ended up just fine.

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18.

B. McLeod
Apr 22, 2009 5:58 PM CST

Hitler, Mussolini and the Japanese military officers who headed the real government in Japan all lost their lives in the war or its aftermath.  Some of the Japanese officers were killed for war crimes, and Hiter and Mussolini would have been similarly killed if we had taken them.  Clearly, they did not survive the consequences of their actions, and that is the important thing.  Bin Laden, similarly, must become an example.  Spurious claims to have “marginalized” him are insufficient in that regard.  He must be dealt with as Rome dealt with Hannibal.

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19.

J.D.
Apr 24, 2009 8:59 AM CST

And I’m sure he will. But your argument seems to be the same as many on the left: Once we kill Osama, the war is no longer necessary.

Well, it’s not that simple.

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20.

B. McLeod
Apr 25, 2009 12:39 AM CST

War is extraordinarily simple.  Of all things, it is simple.  Of course, I appreciate the opportunity to benefit from your great experience and wisdom concerning war and international relations.

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