Following release of Senate torture report, CIA goes on defense

The agency’s often-jokey Twitter account cut out the levity Tuesday and directed people to an online fact sheet about the detention program detailed in the report.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

The New York Times described the Select Senate Intelligence Committee’s recently released report on a CIA program of interrogation of terrorism suspects as “a withering judgment.”

That’s one of the most diplomatic descriptions of the document, which describes practices such as depriving detainees of sleep, “ice water baths,” “rectal feeding,” and threatening detainees’ children. Mother Jones called the actions described in the report “awful abuses,” and many referred to what took place as torture.

In response, the CIA has released a slew of information, not necessarily defending its actions, but defending the agency in general.

A statement from Director John O. Brennan includes the closest thing to a CIA apology as has been issued:

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.