Former CIA insider explains why Senate report is "deeply flawed"

Michael Morell, a former deputy director of the CIA told CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley that the agency never misled the government about its interrogation program. Morell is a CBS News contributor but is speaking in this instance as a defender of the CIA practices.

Morell claims the Senate's report excludes key discussions that occurred between the CIA and the leadership of the two intelligence committees in Congress.

On CBSN, Morell told Jeff Glor two of the report's main conclusions -- that the "enhanced interrogation techniques" did not lead to valuable intelligence, and that the CIA was not truthful about the program -- are "just wrong."

"The was not just a CIA decision, this was an Administration decision. President Bush made this decision, with many discussions within the Executive Branch," Morell said.

Morell, who helped write the CIA's response to the report, said he examined individual cases to determine whether the techniques were effective and that the difference after the enhanced interrogation techniques were imposed "was like night and day."

"I am absolutely certain that these techniques saved American lives because they stopped plots and they led to the capture of additional al Qaeda operatives."

Morell also criticizes the report for not considering several factors, including the the threats the U.S. faced after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

"I think this is the worst piece of Congressional oversight... and the worst piece of analysis I've ever seen," Morell said, adding that he worries about CIA officers' safety and morale within the agency.