Ace of Spades HQ

May 20, 2011

WikiLeaks Bolsters Claim That Enhanced Interrogation Was Effective And Necessary
— Ace

And it didn't just lead to bin Ladin, but to other terrorists, and other plots.

Before the interrogations, the U.S. knew little about al Qaeda in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Years later, the CIA and military had accumulated a large database of ongoing plots and the identities of terrorists, the WikiLeaks files show.
Â“The WikiLeaks documents provide still additional evidence that intelligence gained from CIA detainees not only helped lead us to Osama bin Laden, it helped us disrupt a number of follow-on attacks that had been set in motion after 9/11,Â” said Marc Thiessen, a former Bush speechwriter.
Â“Without this program, we would not have gone nearly 10 years without another catastrophic attack on the homeland. This is quite possibly the most important, and most successful, intelligence program in modern times. But instead of medals, the people behind this program have been given subpoenas.Â”
He was referring to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.Â’s launch of a criminal investigation of CIA officers who conducted the Â“enhancedÂ” interrogations, some of which the Obama administration has dubbed Â“torture.Â”

That's the Washington Times making those conclusions, a conservative-leaning paper, and Marc Thiessen, conservative-leaning as well, but the evidence is the evidence.

John McCain recently wrote an op-ed claiming exactly none of the information necessary to get bin Ladin came from enhanced interrogations. The story is a little muddled, but Andrew McCarthy catches him misleading his audience, and basically rewriting Leon Panetta's statement to get to that conclusion.

Apparently a terrorist, not subject to Enhanced Interrogation, gave up the real name of al-Kuwaiti in 2002. But this was apparently overlooked, as no one really understood how important al-Kuwaiti was.

Only later did enhanced interrogation reveal al-Kuwaiti was crucial, and get his real name. For the second time, but the first time it was noticed. Apparently we only even know of the 2002 disclosure because the CIA, after getting that information in 2004, searched all its files for additional mentions of the name, and discovered they had actually had a reference to the name from a couple of years back.

But McCain casts this as if the CIA knew, as an organization, who al-Kuwaiti was, all from standard q-and-a interrogation. Not so. They had a stray mention of the name whose value eluded them. It was enhanced interrogation that generated both the name and the importance of the name.

So, casting back through old files, with lots of bits and pieces which weren't acted on, McCain now seizes on this unappreciated mention and says we knew the name from 2002, without EIT.

Not so. Or at least that's how it appears. It looks like McCain is doing what all of these jackasses do, simply changing the facts to support an untenable conclusion they need to be true.

Posted by: Ace at 08:42 AM | Comments (87)
Post contains 489 words, total size 3 kb.

1 i'd like to waterboard empire of jeff

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:43 AM (gM4zK)

2 McCain fucking sucks.

Posted by: Jack at May 20, 2011 08:43 AM (kCT7A)

3 It looks like McCain is doing what all of these jackasses do, simply changing the facts to support an untenable conclusion they need to be true.

Jealous much?

Posted by: Maureen Dowd at May 20, 2011 08:44 AM (BP6Z1)

4 I'm still available to run for the POTUS in 2012, BTW.

Posted by: John McCain at May 20, 2011 08:45 AM (136wp)

5 Campaign Finance, Illegal residents, and Interrogation. McCain is a lousy Senator and a dunce.

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:45 AM (gM4zK)

6 OFF TOPIC:

Macho Man Randy Savage...dead at 58. Heart Attack behind the wheel of his car in Tampa, FL.

Hot off the wire.

Posted by: Pipe Barackage at May 20, 2011 08:46 AM (4WbQ8)

7 6 OFF TOPIC:

Macho Man Randy Savage...dead at 58. Heart Attack behind the wheel of his car in Tampa, FL.

Hot off the wire.

Posted by: Pipe Barackage at May 20, 2011 12:46 PM (4WbQ

Ohh, NOOOO!

Posted by: The Robot Devil at May 20, 2011 08:47 AM (136wp)

8 What's this? Macho Man has shed his mortal coil???

(thanks to Tom in the other thread)

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:47 AM (gM4zK)

9 has the lead Wikileaks douchebag been waterboarded yet?

Posted by: negentropy at May 20, 2011 08:48 AM (27KAF)

10 6 OFF TOPIC:

Macho Man Randy Savage...dead at 58. Heart Attack behind the wheel of his car in Tampa, FL.

Hot off the wire.

Posted by: Pipe Barackage at May 20, 2011 12:46 PM (4WbQ

RIP, Macho Man. He was one of my favorite wrestlers when I was a young'un.

Posted by: MWR at May 20, 2011 08:48 AM (4df7R)

11 That post got garbled when I first posted it; it's corrected now, with the actual article I was headlining.

Posted by: ace at May 20, 2011 08:48 AM (nj1bB)

12 At this point who the hell knows. I think the civil Pakistani government rolled over on UBL, and all this stuff is smoke and mirrors. I think wikileaks is a front for mis/disinformation.

Posted by: blaster at May 20, 2011 08:49 AM (l5dj7)

Ohh, NOOOO!

Ohhhh, YEAHHH!

Posted by: Zombie Macho-Man Randy Savage at May 20, 2011 08:49 AM (VXClz)

14 So, where is al-Kuwaiti now? Is JEF suiting up to lead the SEAL team to capture him?

Posted by: The Robot Devil at May 20, 2011 08:49 AM (136wp)

What the hell is McCain trying to prove? Seriously? Does he honestly think waterboarding is torture? As someone who suffered himself during Vietnam, I'd think he'd notice and appreciate the differences. Or is he still trying to salvage his political career? If so, he'd do a lot more to help himself if he stopped preaching amnesty. Oh, and if he stuffed a bran muffin in his daughter's trap and told her to shut the hell up.

Just... what the hell?

Posted by: MWR at May 20, 2011 08:50 AM (4df7R)

16 Damn, Savage beat the Rapture.

R.I.P.

Posted by: logprof at May 20, 2011 08:50 AM (BP6Z1)

17 Very sad news. I remember going to the Boy's Club on Saturday mornings for breakfast and watching wrestling on a little tv.

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:51 AM (gM4zK)

18 Junk Yard Dog, the Hulkster, Jake the Snake, Jimmy Super Fly Snooka, the Iron Sheik

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:52 AM (gM4zK)

19 the Adonis, whatshisname

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:53 AM (gM4zK)

20 11 That post got garbled when I first posted it; it's corrected now, with the actual article I was headlining.

Posted by: ace at May 20, 2011 12:48 PM (nj1bB)

Thanks for the update, ace. I thought it was just me being dense the first time I read it and couldn't quite figure out who it was in reference to.

Posted by: MWR at May 20, 2011 08:53 AM (4df7R)

Juan McCain, chingadera de gallina.

Posted by: garrett at May 20, 2011 08:54 AM (VXClz)

22 Who is the Savage guy who keeps body slamming me into the lava flow...

Posted by: Osama Bin Laden at May 20, 2011 08:54 AM (136wp)

23 I think it's deliciously ironic that most of the WikiLeaks revelations are having an effect that is exactly opposite to what Little Julie intended.

Posted by: Nighthawk at May 20, 2011 08:55 AM (OtQXp)

24 Junk Yard Dog, the Hulkster, Jake the Snake, Jimmy Super Fly Snooka, the Iron Sheik

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 12:52 PM (gM4zK

Don't forget Andre the Giant!

Posted by: MWR at May 20, 2011 08:55 AM (4df7R)

25 Nature Boy Ric Flair FTW!

Posted by: blaster at May 20, 2011 08:55 AM (l5dj7)

26 Call me 'Hacksaw'.

Posted by: Jim Duggan at May 20, 2011 08:55 AM (VXClz)

27 Just dropping by to say, "screw John McCain".

Posted by: dagny at May 20, 2011 08:56 AM (h0kCd)

28 Mr Fuji!

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:56 AM (gM4zK)

29 Campaign Finance, Illegal residents, and Interrogation.

McCain is a lousy Senator and a dunce.

Posted by: Soothsayeah

All things pushed by the Beautiful People, the ruling class. And note how all three get kicked to the curb by them when their personal poll numbers sag. But its still part of their credo.

Posted by: Blue Hen at May 20, 2011 08:56 AM (Gzv/o)

30 The Grand Wizard

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:56 AM (gM4zK)

31 Lay off of Senator Maverick, guys! I'll have you know that Senator McCain was the Most Effective Presidential Candidate the Democrats EVAH ran!

Posted by: CoolCzech at May 20, 2011 08:56 AM (kUaEF)

Facts mean nothing to the left. Their deciders have already decided how they all feel about enhanced interrogations.

Posted by: kefka at May 20, 2011 08:56 AM (UwqBE)

33 Remember, John McCain is a Republican. Let that sink in.

Posted by: Fritz at May 20, 2011 08:56 AM (AN8d5)

34 Wrestling was better when it was like a cartoon. Now it's like a trailer-park soap opera.

Posted by: grognard at May 20, 2011 08:57 AM (NS2Mo)

35 McCan't is a squishy politco with no real backbone and he lies? Sayitaintso >sad face<

Posted by: The Great Satan's Ghost at May 20, 2011 08:57 AM (08Pe8)

36 Did you hear about Noot's ringtone? Even Ray "I Sound Kinda Gay" Arroyo was busting on Noot about it. (Dancing Queen)

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:57 AM (gM4zK)

37 Don't forget the Wild Samoans!

Posted by: Afa and Sika at May 20, 2011 08:58 AM (VXClz)

38 Greg the Hammer

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 08:59 AM (gM4zK)

39 Ricky the Dragon Steamboat ...and his shitty tag team partner, whathisname.

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 09:00 AM (gM4zK)

40 Jimmy Snooka wrestling in Portland before he went "big time". Pikers

Posted by: The Great Satan's Ghost at May 20, 2011 09:00 AM (08Pe8)

41 inconceivable!

Posted by: the state media at May 20, 2011 09:01 AM (dwIFq)

42 I used to love when they'd both run back and forth and bounce off the ropes and run right by each other two or three times.

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 09:01 AM (gM4zK)

43 The British Bulldogs

Posted by: Ghost of Lee Atwater at May 20, 2011 09:02 AM (JxMoP)

Don't forget Rowdy Roddy Piper. Didn't he do a couple bad movies also?

Posted by: yinzer at May 20, 2011 09:02 AM (/Mla1)

45 Team Ubama has not just permanently banned the Washington Times reporter from the WH press corps (pronounced corpse) but has disposed of him by taking him to a secret CIA prison in Finland, where he was questioned under duress, then mercifully put away with a double-tap to the head with an H&K machine pistol. The coupe de grace (pronounced coop duh grace) was administered by John Brennan, who is reporting he observed it all in real time, and that the reporter was using a woman for a human shield, and trying to fight back by reaching for his whatever.

Posted by: The Most Bitter Clinger of All at May 20, 2011 09:03 AM (4sQwu)

46 I still think that the only major difference between McLame and Obambi is that McLame would have immediately shut Gitmo down.

Posted by: RoadRunner at May 20, 2011 09:03 AM (oJln5)

47 if by bad, you mean good, then yeah

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 09:03 AM (gM4zK)

48 Sigh. OK, you forced this.

LINDA MCMAHON FOR PRESIDENT

^{/runs for the hills}

Posted by: AoSHQ's *second* worst commenter, DarkLord© at May 20, 2011 09:03 AM (GBXon)

49 This is all right-wing spin. You can't get reliable information from harsh interrogation. It can't be done and everyone knows it!

Posted by: Alan Colmes at May 20, 2011 09:03 AM (+lsX1)

OT, but this is hilarious.

First off, fuck you, Stephen Colbert, you're a dumbass shit stain.

There, with THAT out of my system, here's a link to Hotair with an embedded video from The Colbert Report, featuring John Lithgow dramatically reciting the infamous Gingrich aide press release. Fast forward to the 3:20 mark on the video.

Posted by: MWR at May 20, 2011 09:03 AM (4df7R)

Don't forget Rowdy Roddy Piper. Didn't he do a couple bad movies also?

I enjoyed They Live.

Posted by: Ghost of Lee Atwater at May 20, 2011 09:03 AM (JxMoP)

52 Blackjack Mulligan. Ivan Koloff. The Anderson Borthers. That's real wrasslin right there.

Posted by: blaster at May 20, 2011 09:04 AM (l5dj7)

53 Brings to mind one of my favorite quotes from Christopher Walken from "Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead":

[Walken's character assigns a task to have the boyfriend of his son's crush scared away so he can get a chance to win her back]

"I want him braced, Jimmy! I want this kid to think he'd sooner fuck the Fry-o-lator at McDonald's than to think of ever laying eyes on Meg again."

Posted by: EC at May 20, 2011 09:04 AM (GQ8sn)

54 They Live is not just a cult classic. It's a good flick.

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 09:04 AM (gM4zK)

Don't forget Rowdy Roddy Piper. Didn't he do a couple bad movies also?

Maybe, but he also did Hell Comes to Frogtown, which is teh awesome.

Posted by: kefka at May 20, 2011 09:04 AM (UwqBE)

McCain is a lousy Senator and a dunce.

And he wasn't much of a pilot either.

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at May 20, 2011 09:04 AM (vko30)

57 Never vote for Naval Academy graduates. Just don't.

Posted by: blaster at May 20, 2011 09:05 AM (l5dj7)

Don't forget Rowdy Roddy Piper. Didn't he do a couple bad movies also?

I enjoyed They Live.

Posted by: Ghost of Lee Atwater at May 20, 2011 01:03 PM (JxMoP)

Yeah, They Live. I remember liking that movie, but from what I recall it was in a "so bad it's good" kind of way.

Posted by: yinzer at May 20, 2011 09:05 AM (/Mla1)

59 34 Wrestling was better when it was like a cartoon. Now it's like a trailer-park soap opera.

Posted by: grognard at May 20, 2011 12:57 PM (NS2Mo)

Wrestling in the 80s was great. I loved it, because it was fun. Now it's just sex and violence, and neither of them are very well done.

My father fondly remembers watching midget wrestling as a child. Those were the days.

Posted by: MWR at May 20, 2011 09:06 AM (4df7R)

60 Linda McMahon is too politically correct. Back in the good old days they had SGT. Slaughter and the Iron fucking Sheik! Now? Where's the Bin Laden punching bag? K-Daffy? This is what happens when you go public.

Posted by: Fritz at May 20, 2011 09:06 AM (AN8d5)

61 45

Don't forget Rowdy Roddy Piper. Didn't he do a couple bad movies also?

I'm have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum! - They Live!

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at May 20, 2011 09:07 AM (9hSKh)

62 I forgot that Randy's "Miss Elizabeth" died in '03.

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 09:07 AM (gM4zK)

63 But hey, McCain has won elections so he'll be a good president.

Posted by: SFGoth at May 20, 2011 09:07 AM (dZ756)

64 George the Animal

Posted by: Soothsayeah at May 20, 2011 09:08 AM (gM4zK)

65 Yeah, They Live. I remember liking that movie, but from what I recall it was in a "so bad it's good" kind of way.

Uh, John Carpenter movie. I can't think of good movie of his that doesn't apply to.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at May 20, 2011 09:08 AM (bjRNS)

66 But hey, McCain has won elections so he'll be a good president.

Posted by: SFGoth

That one's gonna sting.

Posted by: Horse at May 20, 2011 09:08 AM (Gzv/o)

67 67 But hey, McCain has won elections so he'll be a good president.

Posted by: SFGoth

That one's gonna sting.

///

Ain't gonna sting me.

Posted by: SFGoth at May 20, 2011 09:09 AM (dZ756)

Uh, John Carpenter movie. I can't think of good movie of his that doesn't apply to.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at May 20, 2011 01:08 PM (bjRNS)

Halloween?

Posted by: Ghost of Lee Atwater at May 20, 2011 09:10 AM (JxMoP)

69 66 Yeah, They Live. I remember liking that movie, but from what I recall it was in a "so bad it's good" kind of way.

Uh, John Carpenter movie. I can't think of good movie of his that doesn't apply to.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at May 20, 2011 01:08 PM (bjRNS)

Yea, I remember there was a Reagan slam in the movie. The main character was watching TV and there was a Reagan clone reading a speech. Kinda ruined it for me.

Posted by: The Robot Devil at May 20, 2011 09:10 AM (136wp)

I'm still available to run for the POTUS in 2012, BTW.

If I hear a single fucking word about that concept from anyone who isn't a member of the DNC, I'm going to be tempted to spit unpon my hands, hoist the black flag...

Posted by: sherlock at May 20, 2011 09:10 AM (H9eC4)

Feh. I support enhanced interrogations. It bothers me not one whit that KSM got waterboarded.

But...I'll cut McCain some slack here. Not too much. But if a guy who was horribly tortured on our behalf for years has a problem with waterboarding...well, I'd say he's earned that right.

Doesn't mean I'm going to agree with him. But I'm not going to give him any grief over it.

Need I remind you all, that guy also supported the surge in Iraq, loudly and publically, when NO ONE else seemed to. Bush was playing it close to the vest.

I don't know... All I know is that he was a terrible candidate for president, but I've got a lot of respect and affection for McCain.

Posted by: ed at May 20, 2011 09:15 AM (Y2WVW)

72 Juan McCain is "Gutsy"

Posted by: Jimi at May 20, 2011 09:16 AM (JMsOK)

73 BTW it is 6:16 PM in South Africa and we ain't raptured yet. Do I have to wait on you guys?

Posted by: Mr. Dave at May 20, 2011 09:17 AM (OhMfk)

"but I've got a lot of respect and affection for McCain."

Obviously you don't live in Arizona!

Posted by: Jimi at May 20, 2011 09:17 AM (JMsOK)

75 McCain has earned the right to bitch about "torture" - I can forgive him on this. Now the rest of the shit, esp. judges and immigration, those are unforced errors coming from an Arizona Senator.

Posted by: Jean at May 20, 2011 09:20 AM (WkuV6)

76 My father fondly remembers watching midget wrestling as a child. Those were the days. Posted by: MWR at May 20, 2011 01:06 PM (4df7R) Oh YEAH?? MY father fondly remembers screwing midgets in the ass as a child.

Posted by: Barry Gutsy Obama at May 20, 2011 09:22 AM (kUaEF)

77 But McCain was tortured in Vietnam and he has absolute moral authority to speak forth upon all things related to war (nevermind that his relevant experience was 40+ years ago, that he graduated in the bottom of his class).

Posted by: Jimmuy at May 20, 2011 09:23 AM (8gzIK)

Jimi at May 20, 2011 01:17 PM (JMsOK)

True dat.

Posted by: ed at May 20, 2011 09:24 AM (Y2WVW)

79 But McCain was tortured in Vietnam and he has absolute moral authority to speak forth upon all things related to war (nevermind that his relevant experience was 40+ years ago, that he graduated in the bottom of his class).

Posted by: Jimmuy at May 20, 2011 01:23 PM (8gzIK)

When did he move to NYC?

Posted by: Oldcat at May 20, 2011 09:24 AM (z1N6a)

80 BTW it is 6:16 PM in South Africa and we ain't raptured yet. Do I have to wait on you guys?

Posted by: Mr. Dave at May 20, 2011 01:17 PM (OhMfk)

Looks like you didn't make the cut. Sucks to be you.

Posted by: Oldcat at May 20, 2011 09:25 AM (z1N6a)

81 The pork....its all about the pork....if we just trim the pork.....

Posted by: Senator John "Mavericky" McCain at May 20, 2011 09:29 AM (6uiF7)

82 Gorgeous George

Posted by: Ronster at May 20, 2011 09:30 AM (NUo+O)

But McCain was tortured in Vietnam and he has absolute moral authority to speak forth upon all things related to war (nevermind that his relevant experience was 40+ years ago, that he graduated in the bottom of his class).

Jimmuy at May 20, 2011 01:23 PM (8gzIK)

Heh. You know who graduated at the top of his class? Barack Obama. Editor of the Harvard Law Review too.

So...hows that top of his class thing working out for us?

You know why I like McCain? He killed commies.

(Yeah, I know Kerry did too. So my qualifiers aren't 100% perfect.)

Posted by: ed at May 20, 2011 09:38 AM (Y2WVW)

I'm missing something.

You first say that a terrorist, not subject to enhanced interrogation, gave up the real name of al-Kuwati in 2002. You then say that later enhanced interrogation revealed al-Kuwati was crucial and get his real name.

Looks to me that the enhanced interrogation gave us information that al-Kuwati was crucial, but didn't first give us his real name.

Posted by: Jim at May 20, 2011 10:43 AM (49LlK)

F McVain. Can't the RNC tell him to stay off the TV now. Every time I see him 'LOSER' flashes in my head. Let someone else speak for the goddam party now.

Posted by: Schwalbe : The © at May 20, 2011 12:19 PM (UU0OF)

86 We broke John McCain in Hanoi Hilton over 40 year ago. He cry like little girl. Daddy no help. He serve us well ever since. You American are sucker for fake patriots. Cheers!

Posted by: LilGook at May 20, 2011 12:39 PM (bBjHO)

87 ghd hair and CHI flat irons are sold online at good prices and beautiful quality. cheap ghd Mini Styler, Purple Cheap GHD Hair Straighteners

Posted by: haomai at June 21, 2011 01:34 AM (fOq3O)

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