Former Military Interrogator Matthew Alexander: Despite GOP Claims, "Immoral" Torture "Slowed Down" Effort to Find Osama bin Laden

Democracy Now by Amy Goodman | May. 4, 2011 (News Analysis)

(Multimedia) The death of Osama bin Laden has sparked a debate over whether torture of suspects held at places such as the U.S. military base at Guantánamo Bay helped track down and kill the Al Qaeda leader. Some claim the mission vindicated controversial Bush policies on harsh interrogation techniques. We speak with Matthew Alexander, a former senior military interrogator in Iraq. "I believe wholeheartedly [Bush-era] techniques slowed us down on the road toward Osama ... Full Story »

Posted by Dwight Rousu

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Subjects: World, U.S., Politics, Extra
Topics: Human Rights, Law, Bush Legacy
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Posted by: Posted by Dwight Rousu - May 4, 2011 - 2:18 PM PDT
Reviewed by: Dwight Rousu (review), Michael V. Marcotte (review), Randy Morrow (review), Fred Gatlin (review), Barry Grossheim (review)
Content Type: Multimedia
Edit Lock: This story can be edited
Edited by: Dwight Rousu - May 4, 2011 - 2:20 PM PDT

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Fred Gatlin
4.1
 by Fred Gatlin - May. 6, 2011

This story seems well written and informative. The conversation with Matthew Alexander is excellent

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Randy Morrow
3.8
 by Randy Morrow - May. 6, 2011

But Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had to have known his real name or at least how to find him, a location that we might look, but he never gave up that information. And so, what ... More »

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Barry Grossheim
4.0
 by Barry Grossheim - May. 6, 2011

This is an important interview. The Obama administration needs to get this information out to the public and should consistently use it to counter the Bush apologists who claim that torture in necessary and now that the death of bin Laden is proof that it works. This man speaks to the heart of the problem both from an efficacy point of view and from a moral point of view. Excellent.

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Dwight Rousu
4.7
 by Dwight Rousu - May. 4, 2011
Dwight posted this story.
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Michael V. Marcotte
3.3
 by Michael V. Marcotte - May. 6, 2011

It's one expert's view so fairness is limited in that respect. The program seems to be using him to rebut an argument but doesn't provide any rebuttal in turn.

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  • Bin Laden Raid Revives Debate on Value of Torture

    New York Times by Scott Shane, Charlie Savage | May. 4, 2011 (News Report)
    The raid that led to Bin Laden’s death has raised anew the issue of using torture to gain intelligence.
    Posted by Jon Mitchell
    3.7
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