Osama bin Laden's death may reignite torture debate

Updated May 3 with a correction

In the aftermath of the death of Osama bin Laden, both Republicans and Democrats have largely offered praise for President Obama and his handling of the complex operation that brought down one of the world's most-wanted targets.

But as details emerge about the events leading to the terrorist leader's demise, some have begun to point to the role that controversial interrogation techniques may have played in his capture - and question whether the issue should be brought back to front and center in American political discourse.

Throughout his political career, Mr. Obama has consistently been an outspoken opponent of harsh interrogation techniques; just days after his 2009 presidential inauguration, the president issued an executive order barring the use in interrogations of waterboarding (which he has condemned as "torture") - or any other method not explicitly set out in the U.S. Army's field manual.

The position, along with his pledge to shut down the Guantanamo Bay military prison, signaled a departure from the George W. Bush administration with regard to the handling and interrogation of terror suspects.

Yet reports suggest it was through intelligence gathered in Guantanamo Bay and overseas prisons that led to the discovery of Osama bin Laden's location - and ultimately, his death. According to the Washington Post, some of those detainees may have been subjected to the so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" that many decry as inhumane.

At least one Republican was quick to spotlight the issue. In a Tweet on Monday morning, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) wondered, sarcastically, "Wonder what President Obama thinks of water boarding now?"

According to the New York Times, U.S. officials were tipped off about the pseudonyms of two bin Laden couriers by detainees during interrogations at Guantanamo Bay in 2007.

The Associated Press reports that one of the informants was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, who was notoriously waterboarded multiple times while interrogated by the CIA. Abu Faraj al-Libi, who served as Mohamed's successor, reportedly provided similar information.

In a conference call on Sunday night, a senior White House official spoke of "detainees in the post-9/11 period" who "flagged for us individuals who may have been providing direct support to bin Laden and his deputy, Zawahiri, after their escape from Afghanistan."

"One courier in particular had our constant attention," the official continued. "Detainees gave us his nom de guerre or his nickname and identified him as both a prot?g? of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of September 11th, and a trusted assistant of Abu Faraj al-Libbi, the former number three of al Qaeda who was captured in 2005."

"Detainees also identified this man as one of the few al Qaeda couriers trusted by bin Laden," the official continued. "They indicated he might be living with and protecting bin Laden. But for years, we were unable to identify his true name or his location."

If it does turn out that the information was extracted through enhanced interrogation methods, it may be seen as vindication for backers of such techniques.

"We got beat up for it, but those efforts led to this great day," said retired CIA officer Marty Martin, of the controversial interrogation tactics, according to the Associated Press.

"If that information did in fact come from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - which helped lead them to this individual the courier, which led them to that compound - then I think you would have to conclude that the enhanced interrogation techniques which we used... may have played a role in the ultimate capture of Osama Bin Laden," said CBS News' Chris Isham on CBSNews.com's "Washington Unplugged."

Mohammed, Isham added, was "water-boarded on many many occasions, and we know that was instrumental in breaking him."

Former President Bush, however, made no mention of the issue in a Sunday night statement on bin Laden's death.

"Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001," he said. "I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude."

"This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001," Bush added. "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done."

This article initially stated that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded by the CIA in 2006. In fact, the waterboarding occurred earlier than that, according toCIA memos.

[abbe91]

"The United States Department of Defense did not do waterboarding for interrogation purposes to anyone. It is true that some information that came from normal interrogation approaches at Guantanamo did lead to information that was beneficial in this instance. But it was not harsh treatment and it was not waterboarding."

Donald Rumsfeld.

[abbe91]

Assuming they got the courier's name in 2005 or 2006, per reports, it happened 2 years or more after KSM's waterboarding.
Which would say KSM withheld this information under waterboarding.

[endurorob_5]

abbe91 May 3, 2011 4:48 AM EDT
cbvill72,

Do you really believe that the CIA would candidly really tell us where the tips came from ? Especially if some can still be used. Nowadays, we don't out our CIA agents anymore ...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++No we just let the bad guys know exactly what we are willing and not willing to do so they can be better prepared.

[abbe91]

Looks like we don't just let them know, we show them.

[no_one_here]

Torture and/or waterboarding had nothing to do with this operation to find bin laden.
The detainees in guantanamo bay prison have been there for over eight years and would not have any current intelligence to pass onto the United States. All of their intel is out of date. They have been "out of the loop" for much too long now.
This is pure CIA Intel gathering at work. Period.

[endurorob_5]

The information was gathered several years ago and is what lead to the ability to track down Bin Laden. This didn't just happen over the past few months. This is the product of many years work.

[no_one_here]

Torture and/or waterboading had nothing to do with this operation to find bin laden.
The detainees in guantanamo bay prison have been there for over eight years and would not have any current intelligence to pass onto the United States. All of their intel is out of date. They have been "out of the loop" for much too long now.
This is pure CIA Intel gathering at work. Period.

[cbvill72]

......and after you actually READ the article, you'll see that you're wrong. They got information from Al-Libi and Khalid Mohammed that led to them finding the courier that eventually led them to OBL.

Read before you post your political agenda.

[abbe91]

cbvill72,

Do you really believe that the CIA would candidly really tell us where the tips came from ? Especially if some can still be used. Nowadays, we don't out our CIA agents anymore ...

[kesac4650]

Torture is breaking body or mind. Waterboarding does none of that. It creates a temporary irrational fear, but leaves the interoggated person with every skill and faculty, both mental and physical he ever had before.
It is the big boys version of paddling a child. It gets their attention, but does no harm, except to thier dignity.

[LadyGoodmann]

Peace cannot be won by becoming what you condemn; it cannot be won without moral credibility; it cannot be won by compromising your own laws, treaties to which you are a party and moral standards; it cannot be won by torture - period. We didn't treat the Nazis like this. The reason the U.S. had so much influence and credibility after WWII is because we stuck to our principles - and won. The Geneva Convention, into which the U.S. entered willingly, specifically states that the parties thereto will not use dogs to intimidate and will not use the tenets of a prisoner's belief system against him or her. For Muslim prisoners, that means we must not strip them naked in the presence of the opposite sex, among other things. These things are done irrationally out of fear, and evil must be confronted rationally and courageously. The U.S., like China and other bully governments, needs to remember that stability and the status quo are not the same as Peace, and to live up to the standards of equality and brotherhood and trust in the God of ALL of mankind upon which this country was founded.

[reluctantzealot]

We don't assasinate leaders of other countries either... we just bomb their grandkids at dinner time....

[reluctantzealot]

Obama is a hypocrite!