McCain: CIA Abuse Probe "Serious Mistake"

Says Abuse of Detainees Helped al Qaeda Recruit Terrorists, But Opposes Investigation into "Enhanced" Interrogations

(CBS)  Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he thinks it is a "serious mistake" for the administration to focus on the past when investigating the interrogation techniques of the CIA under President Bush on "Face the Nation" Sunday. "For us now to go back, I think, would be a serious mistake.

"I believe that the president was right when he said we ought to go forward and not back. I worry about the morale and effectiveness of the CIA. I worry about this thing getting out of control," the Arizona senator said.

On "Fox News Sunday," former Vice Former Vice President Dick Cheney said that the president's decision to appoint a special prosecutor to review the Bush administration's interrogation strategies "offended the hell" out of him.

McCain admitted that he was "radically opposed" to the interrogation techniques of the former administration and said, "I think it harmed us."

Host Bob Schieffer asked if the senator agreed with Vice President Cheney that the interrogations produced helpful information for the United States in fighting terrorism.

"I think these interrogations once publicized helped al-Qaeda recruit. I got that from an al Qaeda operative in a prison camp in Iraq," McCain said. "I think the ability to work with our allies was harmed."

During a trip to Iraq, McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) were told by an operative that the images of abuse at Abu Grhaib prison camp helped him recruit "thousands" of anti-American terrorists.

"The damage that it did to America's image in the world is still something that we are still on the way to repairing. This is an ideological struggle as well as a physical one," he said.

Later in the program, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said that while she was "horrified" by the treatment of detainees "the timing of this [special prosecutor investigation] is not very good." She said the investigation may interfere with an already under way study in her committee.

"Candidly, I wish that the Attorney General had waited," she said.

[OregonJames]

I ask again, why would any honorable American believe it should be permissible for any individual, regardless of rank or status, to break the laws of our nation or the treaties signed by our nation, without oversight or responsibility? That is just nuts!

Open the files and let the entire world know the truth. Prosecute everyone involved. If the actions were justifiable our president still has the ability to provide amnesty to those that deserve it.

No American should be afraid of the truth or honesty, even when it may be embarrassing for our nation. All Americans should recognize that it is a great honor as well as a great responsibility to live in a nation where no man is above the law. Without honor and equal justice for all we will no longer be the land of the free.

[wyzguy11]

At least Dubya like his predecessor, former VP Al Gore, has abided by the code of "honor" by not speaking about the next administration's policies for at least 1 year!!

But nooooo......not Dickey Cheney. He has to go on FoxNews, the day after Senator Kennedy's funeral, and spew his "opinions" to shamelessy plug his book, to the detriment of all American citizens.

[lolablev]

I believe that McCain is right minded, he truly opposes the torture that Cheney decided was necessary to safeguard this country. He has to, he experienced this stuff first hand himself. But!!! We can't turn our backs and let those responsible off the hook. And for me that means we start at the top - Bush (by nature of his listening to evil people), Chaney, et al. this needs investigation and resolution. period.

[RealityChek]

Hatred breeds hatred. If we torture 100 people and yield several thousands more in doing us harm, I cannot see the merit of such actions, legal or not. If we resort to torture, it tells our enemies we are desperate and have run out of intelligence channels to go after them. That is what keeps me awake at night, and torturing people adds blemishes to our conscience as well as our history books. I see no problem in realigning our government's checks and balance, a system set by our founding fathers for which we stand, and which our previous government has grossly violated.

[kenpo234]

They were not selling out our heritage, these soldiers were in fact putting their life on the line torturing these crepes who would like nothing better than to come over here and blow your sorry behinds to smitherings, why? because they hate you & me, America. These things that these soldiers do, helps all of us to be able to sleep in peace tonight; How about Obama standing behind these soldiers doing their jobs, getting the information needed to be able to come to a close; we didn't want war; but war came to us.

[JTDraper]

Yah, it takes a lot of balls to torture a man that's chained to floor. Exactly what risks did these criminals take by drowning men who are bound and gagged? Step away from the Kool-Aid son, and think for yourself. By the way, until they are tried and convicted, we don't know they did anything at all and we do know - in several cases - that innocent bystanders were rounded up and subjected to criminal torture for entertainment. If that makes you sleep in peace tonight, you need a doctor. And not a regular doctor either, but a very special one.

[captainkona]

I don't think that a man who couldn't climb into a cockpit without destroying the plane, or ship or whatever is around him, has any credibility when it comes to "mistakes".

The only mistake in this story is John McCain the Keating 5 thief.

[JTDraper]

All law enforcement involves 'looking back.' Should we let Phillip Garrido go, because his abduction and rape of Jaycee Dugard was 'in the past'? Dick Cheney is a pathological lunatic. The balls of that man to sit there and declare the US was safer because we tortured people is insane. What about summary executions or making sex slaves of the daughters of our enemies? Maybe that would make us even safer? Lest we ever forget: 9/11 happened on their watch and George Bush sat, while the country was under attack, reading stories to children.

[therealest4]

I am sick and tired of Cheney and the right wing wanna-be terrorists claiming that the Attorney General's probe will weaken our security and demoralize the CIA. I have been in situations where a small minority was breaking all the rules, pressuring me to do the same, and castigating me for not following suit. THAT kind of situation is demoralizing and that's exactly what went on at the CIA under Cheney & Co. Allowing that sort of situation to continue, without accountability is what will demoralize the CIA. For all of those CIA workers who actually followed the rules, seeing the wrong-doers held accountable will be nothing short of vindication for doing the right thing.

And this business about weakening our security is a joke. Torture leads to false information. The tortured will say whatever they think will make the torture stop, regardless of the truth. Wasting time on that sort of false information actually reduces our security. Torture also motivates and emboldens our enemies. As soon as the tortured's friends, family, countrymen, etc. find out about the torture, rather than sitting on the sidelines, they will be motivated to jump into the fray. That also weakens our security. It prevents us from winning the hearts and minds of those who would otherwise oppose us. And there's practically no way to keep torture secret. It will leak, be it through word of mouth between captives, leaks to the media, court proceedings, or the results of investigations into lawbreaking.

Bush, Cheney & Co. poisoned 2-3 generations of foreigners against us. We will have to deal with their hatred for a long time to come. And that, my friends was the ultimate assault on our security.

Finally, what exactly does Cheney think is ok for the CIA to do and when is it ok to look into what the CIA is doing? Apparently chaining them to the floor and forcing them to lie in their excrement for 18 hours at a time isn't enough. Apparently threatening to rape detainees mothers isn't enough. Apparently wiping menstrual blood on them isn't enough. Apparently forcibly drugging them isn't enough. Apparently beating them isn't enough. Apparently drowning them isn't enough. Apparently threatening to kill them isn't enough. And based on some reports, apparently actually killing them isn't enough. He's on a slippery slope that leads straight to Hell. When do people just simply react with disgust to anything Cheney & Co. has to say?

[fredom856]

I guess it is lost on you that Bush-Cheney kept the country safe. The last time we had a democrat in the WH, he also tore down our intelligence capability. The result was 9/11. We all have very good reason to be very nervous. We will not see the result today or tomorrow, but years from now when the people who want to kill us succeed in taking more American lives. All I can say, is the way Obama is going and the dramatic reduction in public support for him, he will be a one term president. That will at least partially contain the damage he will do. The other way will be the electorate will start voting in more conservatives to replace the left wing lunatics in Congress in the mid-term elections in 2010. Same thing happened with Clinton. Unfortuantely he got re-elected to a second term and we all paid the price.

[fredom856]

Winston Churchill once said "If you are under 30 and not a liberal, you don't have a heart, and if you are over 40 and you are not a conservative, you do not have a brain".

So, for all of you liberals responding on these message boards, if you are under 30 you have an excuse (sort of) and hopefully as you grow and mature, pay taxes, raise a family, etc you will develop a brain. For those of you who are liberals and in between 30 and 40 you get a partial pass because your 30's is when you transition and actually gain some wisdom. If you are over 40 and are still a liberal, I think Winston Churchill has an apt description.

[jouett29]

I've wondered often where all the Obama voters and supports go for their message boards, their comments and rants. Geez, I think I've found out now. Okay,so ignore me... Oops, not my crowd. Man just passing through here.

[brenda_archimboldi]

You know what I like best about John McCain? The fact that he's not president, and that he made it abundantly clear in his campaign that he will throw away every last vestige of honesty and integrity in the pursuit of political power and an increased public profile. It makes it so much easier to ignore him when he says dumb crap like this.

HEY JOHN. YOU WERE TORTURED, AND YOU SPOKE OUT AGAINST TORTURE FOR YEARS. Congrats on selling out another one of your "deeply held principles" the second it becomes politically expedient, you worthless old poop.

[tiltjp]

as usual Senator McCain shows his ... never mind ... not worth my time.

[abby0802]

I guess McCain's old age has made him forget what it was like to be a p.o.w. I guess he's forgotten the Geneva Convention, International laws, and our own Constitution.

No one is above the law.

Unless you're a Republican....

[Ni_Hao]

Why is it a mistake to take what appears to be a serious breaking of American laws by a top administration official and determine the validity of the complaint? If no laws were broken, that comes out, and everyone goes home satisfied. If laws were broken, we, the American people, have a right to know. And justice should be served. This entire comment from McCain is inappropriate, and it reminds me of Animal Farm. "Some pigs are more equal than others."

[thebob-bob]

It was the revelation of abuses that weakened America, it was that the abuses were carried out in the first place and occurred at all. McCain, of all people, should understand that an ideology that accepts that kind of treatment of prisoners is fundamentally flawed.

If he was so ""radically opposed" to the interrogation techniques of the former administration and ... think it harmed us.", then his silence while it occurred and his willingness to support those who carried it out speaks volumes.

Torture is a war crime. Prosecute those who ordered it.

[searingtruth]

"Justice is simple. Beware of those who declare it is not."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave

[lucasnico]

by McHineguy August 30, 2009 4:22 PM EDT
I am amazed and disappointed by the liberals who would persecute fellow americans who only fought to keep us all safe. They may have done it in ways you do not aporove but they were successful. But I think your partisan predjudices keep you from understanding that united we stand.

Exactly.....united we stand, NOT united we torture.

[formrusmcsgt]

"For us now to go back, I think, would be a serious mistake.
---
To allow this black eye given to our national honor to occur without even a look-see would be a mistake, John.

I know it was repubs who did the deeds John, but nonetheless, the deeds must be examined and adressed, not swept under the rug as you would prefer....

If they were legal, the investigation will bear that out.

If they were crimes, the investigation will bear that out as well.

Let the chips fall where they may.

[the_majesty]

formusmcsgt ... They have already been investigated.
The investigation found no wrong doing.
This is just a political stunt by Obama to ivestigate
again. He said he was against investigating again, until
his approval ratings fell off the charts. I'm sure most
Americans can see this for what it is. A political stunt.
Look for Obama's ratings to fall more..........

[searingtruth]

"Crimes against humanity must be punished."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave

[searingtruth]

"An American stands for truth and justice.

An American stands for the rule of law and the right of the accused to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

An American stands for human rights and the humane treatment of even the most heinous criminal.

An American stands for our Constitution, and the just punishment of all those who would violate or subvert it.

As for those living on our soil who disavow these principals, I know not what they are, only that they are not American."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave