Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Venice) released the following statement on the recently declassified CIA Inspector General’s report on the detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists:
"The public release of the 2004 Inspector General Report into the CIA interrogation program was a refreshing dose of transparency after years of Bush Administration efforts to keep secret the way America had veered off course in the wake of 9/11.
Although the report is not new, it is the public's first look into abuses by some interrogators who broke the law. My experience is that the vast majority of CIA officers are well trained patriots who perform dangerous jobs while strictly upholding the law. I have met with them in hardship locations all over the world and observed their courage, competence and loyalty to country. But when people violate the law, they should be held accountable. I support Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to investigate whether anyone should be prosecuted.
A few facts should be kept in mind:
First, the ultimate responsibility for this program lies not with the women and men of our intelligence community, but with the Bush Administration, which designed, implemented, and oversaw this program. As the incoming Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee in February 2003, I received a classified briefing about so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” and the CIA’s possession of a limited number of videotapes documenting the application of those techniques. I was extremely disturbed by the implications of the briefing, and immediately wrote the CIA’s General Counsel asking whether the techniques had been approved by the President, and if the White House had considered the policy implications of those techniques. In addition, I explicitly urged him not to allow the destruction of the videotapes. Finally, I repeatedly urged the Bush Administration to work with Congress on a strict legal framework around detention and interrogation policy – to avoid what I called the "fog of law." Sadly, they refused.
Second, President Obama did the right thing in ending the use of CIA black sites and enhanced techniques. I applaud the Obama Administration for moving the U.S. in a new direction – holding people accountable for actions in the past and providing clear rules for the future – and I’m confident that the law-abiding CIA workforce does too.
Finally, this tragic episode in American history should serve as a lesson to us all. In our zeal to stop the next attack, America lost its moral compass. At Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and in the abuses described by this newly released report, America did not live up to its values. As I've said repeatedly, I wish I could have done more to change those policies. What's needed now is an intelligence community that is ready to move forward in defending our security and our values."
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