The use of these techniques against these terrorists made us safer. It really did work.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
We worked to develop our own operations to advance U.S. counterterrorism objectives by penetrating terrorist safe havens and collecting intelligence that would inform policy and enable our own operations.
The same tools we need to use to keep this country safe by bringing terrorists to justice, because I guarantee you, if they have the opportunity and the means, they will take American lives.
We save limited resources in terms of who we are physically screening. The approach will allow us to pay more attention to those potential terrorists.
It was our view of the worst that could befall our people if they were taken captive. So, what was fascinating to me was that somehow it appears the techniques that we have feared most in the world would be used on our people, we are using on people in our custody.
The actions we took in the aftermath of 9/11 were harsh but necessary and effective. These steps were fully sanctioned and carefully followed. The detention and interrogation of top terrorists like Abu Zubaydah, Khalid Sheikh Muhammed and Abu Faraj al-Libbi yielded breakthroughs which have kept this country safe.
The whole purpose of those attacks was to drive those contractors out. Lots of them had to leave. They were terrified.
The terrorist uses surprise and stealth, and the only way to defeat that is by having accurate and timely intelligence.
Surely, it's one of terrorism's intended effects, to literally stun our morale, to blow up strength and will along with buildings, and the reaction is hard to counter.
Preventing radicalization that leads to violence here in America is part of our larger strategy to decisively defeat al Qaeda.
The bottom line is these techniques have hurt our image around the world, the damage they have done to our interests far outweighed whatever benefit they gave us and they are not essential to our national security.