In 'Hard Measures,' former CIA official Jose Rodriquez defends waterboarding
'Hard Measures' by former CIA official Jose Rodriguez also accuses Pakistan, Washington's current ally, of assisting terrorists.
Former CIA official Jose Rodriguez criticizes the FBI in his new book 'Hard Measures,' calling some of their methods ineffective.
CIA/AP
Talk about explosive. We can already see the policy arguments, newsroom discussions, and dinnertime brawls emanating from the latest terrorism book to hit shelves, one that already has the blogosphere buzzing.
In 鈥淗ard Measures: How Aggressive CIA Actions after 9/11 Saved American Lives,鈥� by former head of CIA鈥檚 clandestine service, Jose Rodriguez, and the CIA鈥檚 former top spokesman, Bill Harlow, Rodriguez argues for the use of 鈥渆nhanced interrogation techniques,鈥� like waterboarding, methods some consider torture.
In the book, Rodriguez, who for years was unable to publicly respond to criticism of his interrogation techniques, defends his waterboarding program and his order to destroy videotapes of harsh interrogation sessions in which suspected Al Qaeda members were held down and subjected to simulated drowning. He also goes on the counterattack, pointing a finger at those he says hindered the fight against Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
According to , which earlier obtained a copy of the controversial memoir, those targets include the government of Pakistan, Washington鈥檚 supposed ally in the war on terror, whom Rodriguez says is actually assisting terrorists.
鈥淲e got close to [9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed] a couple of times,鈥� Rodriguez writes. 鈥淎t one point we had narrowed down his whereabouts to a few square miles in Karachi. Working with Pakistani liaison, we tried to narrow it down. But then a corrupt Pakistani policeman who had somehow learned of the effort tipped off KSM. An email from the crooked cop was intercepted. In it, he told KSM, 鈥楾hey know where you are.鈥欌��
Rodriguez also goes after the FBI, whom he said publicly criticized the CIA鈥檚 interrogation methods and hampered its efforts. 鈥淐ould we have gotten the same information using FBI practices?鈥� Rodriguez asks. 鈥淢aybe. If we had all the time in the world, perhaps we could have. But we did not.鈥�
He also skewers CIA critics in Congress, none more so than House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, challenging her assertion that she was not informed about the use of waterboarding.
鈥淧elosi said that we only briefly mentioned waterboarding and left the impression that it had not been used,鈥� Rodriguez writes, explaining that he himself briefed her about waterboarding and its use, according to . He also says Pelosi posed no objection to the technique. 鈥淚 know she got it.鈥�
鈥淭here is no doubt in my mind that she, like almost all Americans less than a year after, wanted us to be aggressive to make sure that Al Qaeda wasn鈥檛 able to replicate their attack鈥�. Pelosi was another member of Congress reinventing the truth.鈥�
Rodriguez even goes after the CIA inspector general鈥檚 office, which reprimanded him for the destruction of the interrogation videotapes and the Obama administration, whom he says has become too reliant on missile-armed drones to kill, instead of capture, terrorists.
鈥淒rones can be a highly effective way of dealing with high-priority targets,鈥� Rodriguez writes in the book. 鈥淏ut they should not become the drug of choice for an administration that is afraid to use successful, legal and safe tactics of the past.鈥� He adds, 鈥淣eedless to say, there is no opportunity to interrogate or learn anything from a suspect who is vaporized by a missile launched by a keystroke executed thousands of miles away.鈥�
We鈥檙e pretty sure this won鈥檛 be the last we hear of 鈥淗ard Measures.鈥�
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.