In place of a news article in today’s Daily News Article category, we have used an opinion piece - it is a rebuttal to the major news story of the week - the Senate making public its conclusions on the CIA treatment of terrorists. It is important for Americans to put this story in context. The questions we provide are opinion questions:

1. As the majority party until January 2015, the Democrats control the Senate Intelligence Committee. Under their control, the investigation they launched into CIA treatment of terrorists concluded that the CIA tortured terrorists but the treatment did not result in gaining any information that would protect Americans. Media outlets worldwide are condemning the U.S. and the CIA. Many Americans only read headlines or listen to “sound bites” of news, learning:

"Senate report: CIA misled public on torture" - CNN

"Torture Report Reveals CIA's 'Brutal' Interrogation Tactics" - ABC News

"CIA torture report released by Senate Intelligence Committee reveals horrors at hands of US agent" - AOL News

"Senate Report Says Torture Program Was More Gruesome, Widespread Than CIA Claimed" - Huffington Post

"Report says CIA lied about torture activities" - Slate

"Senate report on CIA program details brutality, dishonesty" - The Washington Post

Despite Democratic Senators’ conclusions that harsh interrogations were ineffective, “anyone who was around and involved in the program knows that’s not right,” said a former high-ranking U.S. intelligence official. “I don’t know how they could fail to say that actually it was effective, and you can separate that from whether you approve of it or not.”

The above commentary was written by former heads of the CIA. The Senate report accuses the CIA of lying. What do you think: are these men lying as they attempt to refute the accusations made by Democratic Senators?  Explain your answer.

2. Republican Senators are in the minority. They have written a rebuttal to the claim that the CIA did not gain any useful information from the terrorists they interrogated.  Only a few minor media outlets have reported:

"Republican Senate report: CIA 'saved lives'"

"Senate minority rebuts majority’s claims"

Is it for media outlets to give as much print/airtime to those who refute the accusations that:

• the CIA treatment of terrorists was “torture”
• the CIA treatment of terrorists was ineffective in gaining information from the captured terrorists

Explain your answer.

3. Will any harm occur from the media focus on CIA torturing and lying, without giving those accused a chance to defend themselves? Explain your answer.

4. The Senate report made many accusations against the CIA. It made no suggestions for how the CIA should change or how the problem should be solved. Many are afraid the release of this report will cause violence against Americans, especially overseas. What do you think:
a) Was the insistence that this report be made public productive?
b) Was it necessary?
Explain your answers.