Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program

Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program
Title	Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program
Date released	December 9, 2014
Commissioned by	United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Subject	CIA black sites and enhanced interrogation techniques
Pages	6,700
Related	Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture

Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program is the official name for a landmark investigative report produced by the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Chaired by Senator Dianne Feinstein, the committee's majority staff produced a comprehensive, classified review of the CIA's activities following the September 11 attacks. The declassified executive summary, released in December 2014, presented a highly critical assessment of the agency's post-9/11 detention and interrogation practices, sparking intense national and international debate.

Background and Authorization

The study was launched in 2009 following a bipartisan vote by the Senate Intelligence Committee, spurred by earlier revelations and investigations into the treatment of detainees in the War on Terror. The committee, under the leadership of its then-chairman, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, and its vice chairman, Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, authorized a full review of millions of pages of internal CIA documents. This investigation sought to provide congressional oversight of activities that had been largely shielded from public and legislative scrutiny since their inception under President George W. Bush and the administration of George Tenet. The probe focused on the network of secret black sites operated by the CIA in countries including Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Thailand, and Afghanistan.

Key Findings and Conclusions

The committee's report concluded that the CIA's use of enhanced interrogation techniques was not an effective means of acquiring intelligence or gaining cooperation from detainees. It found that the agency repeatedly provided inaccurate information to the White House, the Department of Justice, the Congress, and the public regarding the program's operation and effectiveness. A central conclusion was that the CIA's coercive methods did not produce unique, critical intelligence that disrupted specific terrorist plots, contrary to the agency's longstanding claims. The report also detailed the CIA's initial failure to properly notify the Congress about the program, in potential violation of the National Security Act of 1947.

Enhanced Interrogation Techniques

The study provided detailed accounts of the enhanced interrogation techniques employed by the CIA, which it stated constituted torture. These methods, approved by the Office of Legal Counsel in memoranda known as the Torture Memos, included waterboarding, prolonged sleep deprivation for up to 180 hours, confinement in small boxes, and painful stress positions. The report documented the application of these techniques on detainees such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaydah, and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. It concluded that the brutality of the techniques was far more severe and pervasive than the CIA had represented, and that they were used in violation of the Geneva Conventions and U.S. legal standards.

CIA Representations and Oversight

A major focus of the report was the CIA's management of information and its interactions with oversight bodies. The committee found that the agency systematically misrepresented the program's effectiveness and scope to the Department of Justice, the Director of National Intelligence, the White House, and congressional committees including the House Intelligence Committee. It also criticized the CIA for impeding the committee's own investigation by allegedly accessing its computer network and for providing incomplete documentation. The report highlighted failures in internal CIA oversight and the lack of adequate training for interrogators.

Release and Reactions

The declassified 525-page executive summary was released to the public on December 9, 2014, following a prolonged and contentious declassification process involving the White House and the CIA itself. The release prompted strong reactions globally. President Barack Obama, who had banned enhanced interrogation techniques upon taking office, stated the report documented conduct that was contrary to American values. The CIA, under Director John O. Brennan, and several former officials like George Tenet and Jose Rodriguez vigorously disputed the report's conclusions, defending the program as legal and valuable. International bodies like the United Nations and organizations such as Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union hailed the report as a vital step toward accountability.

Impact and Legacy

The study's legacy is profound and multifaceted. It fueled ongoing legal and ethical debates about torture, executive power, and congressional oversight in the United States. The report was cited in numerous subsequent investigations, including a review by the Department of Defense, and influenced policy debates on transparency and national security. It also had significant diplomatic repercussions, leading to investigations in Europe by bodies like the European Court of Human Rights regarding complicity of member states. The document stands as one of the most comprehensive official critiques of U.S. government actions in the post-September 11 attacks era, shaping historical understanding and continuing to inform discussions on the limits of state power during wartime.

Category:United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Category:Central Intelligence Agency Category:War on Terror Category:2014 in American politics Category:Human rights in the United States