Reports are beginning to circulate claiming that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) provided critical intelligence to CIA interrogators that led to the assassination of Osama bin Laden (OBL). Apparently, during one of the 183 waterboarding TORTURE sessions that took place between 2003 and 2004, KSM revealed the existence of a courier in OBL’s inner circle that was used to pass information to and from the Al-Qaeda network. It won’t be long before Republicans start “I TOLD YOU SO-ing” the media to DEATH on the virtues of “Enhanced Interrogation”. DON’T BUY IT.
The thing is, if KSM provided ANY useful intel that contributed to the overall investigation, it still took 7+ YEARS for enough actionable intelligence to coalesce before President Obama could make an informed decision to strike the compound that ultimately led to OBL’s death. And, when it was all done and said, the CIA still didn’t know for sure that OBL was in that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Obama ultimately deduced, primarily from intelligence collected from the last 9 months, that OBL was likely to be there — and he ACTED on that intelligence.
The right-wing argument for TORTURE was always based on the premise that torture is useful to thwart IMMINENT THREATS. However, if the intel pried from KSM under extreme duress was really that intelligent, Osama Bin Laden’s head would have been mounted on the wall in George W. Bush’s Oval Office back in 2004.
Whatever leads were gleaned from KSM’s interrogation could have and should have been achieved by civil and humane means. Don’t believe the hype spewing from these right wing prick-douches or the media that facilitates their douche-baggery.
