Enhanced Interrogation Analysis

For many years, the US Government has used basic interrogation techniques in order to force information out of prisoners and terrorists. However, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the US Government initiated what they called “Enhanced Interrogation”. They initiated this process with the goal in mind to get more information out of terrorists or potential terrorists for the prevention of future attacks. No matter how controversial the methods, the CIA’s new methods may have good intentions, but proved ineffective when it mattered most. One method of interrogation used that most people are familiar with is a technique called “waterboarding”. Waterboarding involves a prisoner being restrained on his back with their feet at a level higher than their head, or tied upside down. A cloth is placed over the prisoner 's face or pushed into their mouth . . . Water is then poured on to

The main concern most people had was the rationalization of these torturing techniques and whether they were moral or not. In the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, it states that torture is “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession.” Which is basically what these “enhanced interrogation techniques” were. Simulated drowning to obtain information certainly falls under this category along with most of the other techniques. The justification for instituting these tactics, then? According to C.I.A. memos released by President Obama, “the Justice Department authors emphasized precautions the C.I.A. proposed to take, including monitoring by medical personnel, and the urgency of getting information to stop terrorist attacks.” So obviously their intentions were correct by trying to take precautions and so by doing this, they believed that their precautions justified the