CIA Tortures Immeasurable Damage To U.S. Global Leadership Huffington Post Last months revelations about CIA torture have hurt U.S. credibility worldwide. The Senate Intelligence Committees report on CIA Interrogation concluded the program created tensions with U.S. partners and allies..plicating bilateral intelligence relationships. It said the program caused immeasurable damage to the United States public standing, as well as to the United States longstanding global leadership on human rights in general.... Immeasurable is right -- in a literal sense its impossible to gauge just how badly Washingtons international U.S. image has been hurt by the CIAs torture. The CIA was never among the worlds most trusted global brands, even among U.S. allies, but torture revelations have diminished U.S. claims to moral leadership and reduced its soft power. An editorial in influential Spanish newspaper El Pais argued that the revelations mean the U.S. can no longer present itself as a beacon of freedom. Releasing the report isnt whats hurt Americas reputation -- making public and facing up to its mistakes are generally seen as a plus -- and the backlash attacks against American embassies and personnel overseas some warned would be triggered by the reports release hasnt happened. After Abu Ghraib and earlier revelations from Guantanamo its not much of a shock for foreigners that the CIA tortured detainees and lied about it to other parts of the U.S. government, though details of rectal feeding and other abuses refreshed memories of what went on during the Bush presidency.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 12:28:54 +0000