Tuning Out the Impact of Torture

Harry Blaney
The Washington Post
April 26, 2007

Regarding the April 17 news story "CIA Chief Complains About Agency's Critics in Europe":

I was dismayed by the talk that CIA Director Michael V. Hayden gave to a group of European diplomats here in Washington. Gen. Hayden seems to be largely oblivious to how rendition programs and torture (or, as the administration likes to put it, "alternative procedures") used against terrorism suspects have affected relations with our allies. Having just come back from Britain, our closest ally, I can assure your readers and Gen. Hayden that the damage done to America's image and to cooperation with Europe far outweighs any short-term gains.

These foolhardy and unnecessary practices have endangered our intelligence cooperation with Europe. And the administration's decision makers have fostered strong anti-American feelings in every sector of European society.

America was once seen as opposing secret detention and illegal acts of torture. That there has been so much revulsion to these acts speaks better of our European friends than it does of ourselves.

We talk about the importance of humanitarian and democratic values, yet we continue to defend the indefensible even before those being asked to support those values in worldwide efforts to change authoritarian regimes.

HARRY BLANEY III

Senior Fellow
Center for International Policy

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