Despite the continued outcry in the United States over torture, especially waterboarding, a new international poll of those in war torn nations shows growing support, and a former CIA interrogator Friday declared that it works.
James E. Mitchell, who waterboarded 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, claimed in a column for the Wall Street Journal that it worked to get the prisoner to cough up secrets of future attacks on the U.S.
He is the co-author of the CIA-cleared new book “Enhanced Interrogation: Inside the Minds and Motives of the Islamic Terrorists Trying to Destroy America,” that describes the approved tactics and results.
His comments were directed at Defense Secretary-nominee retired Gen. James Mattis who said torture doesn’t work, despite support for the tactics from President-elect Trump.
They follow a new international poll that shows growing support for torture among those in warring nations. The International Committee of the Red Cross just released their poll which shows support for war torture rising from 28 percent in 1999 to 36 percent today. Opposition dropped from 66 percent to 48 percent on this question:
“Can a captured enemy combatant be tortured to obtain important military information?”
Mattis has suggested softer methods work. He has said, “Give me a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers and I do better with that.”
But Mitchell, who has faced death threats for his CIA work, said, “I would ask Gen. Mattis this: Imagine being captured by America’s enemies. Would you give up important secrets that could get fellow Americans captured or killed in exchange for a Michelob and a pack of Marlboros?”
He was not advocating for waterboarding, but concluded, “In a ticking-time-bomb scenario, should CIA officers just do whatever is necessary and hope for clemency in the trial that would follow? As someone who was thrown under the bus by the Obama Justice Department, I believe it is unreasonable to expect CIA officers to put their lives at risk to protect a government that will not do its best to protect them in return. Overemphasize political correctness, and we will be standing on the moral high ground, looking down into a smoking hole that used to be several city blocks.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
