Thai PM: CIA’s interrogations in Thailand, an internal USA matter

[Toany]

And next thing is America will put Thailand on the watch list for offenses against human rights. How can a country that tortures people judge other countries?

[kaydee412]

As I have said several times, the report last week AT NO POINT mentioned Thailand in relation to rendition, safe house, interrogation, etc. You, me, the Washington Post... we are free to conclude what we want. But the one thing we are NOT free to do is to quote this report on how Thailand was a site for CIA interrogation. That is why Gen Prayut said, very carefully, what he said.

I didn't say the report did -- I said the Washington Post identified Thailand as the CIA green site. Here's a quote from an article in the New York Times:

The Senate report quotes a series of August 2002 cables from a C.I.A. facility in Thailand, where the agency’s first prisoner was held. Within days of the Justice Department’s approval to begin waterboarding the prisoner, [/size]Abu Zubaydah, the sessions became so extreme that some C.I.A. officers were “to the point of tears and choking up,” and several said they would elect to be transferred out of the facility if the brutal interrogations continued.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/world/senate-intelligence-committee-cia-torture-report.html

When the Thailand site was identified, Dick Cheney personally got involved to suppress the publication of that knowledge:

1. Cheney personally worked to quash press coverage of the CIA's secret prison network.

Abu Zubaydah, an Al Qaeda suspect captured by the United States in 2002, was subjected to years of detention and torture by the CIA. According to the Senate report, Cheney tried to prevent a newspaper from reporting Zubaydah's whereabouts at a CIA black site dubbed "DETENTION SITE GREEN," which theWashington Post reports was located in Thailand.

Source: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/dick-cheney-cia-torture-report

The report has the word "Thailand" many times. However, not one of those times is on, about, in relation to or connected with the CIA interrogation. The rendition of Hambali FROM Thailand was/is/will be clear public knowledge, something everyone involved was proud of. Part of the censorship process by the authors made that point. The reason was to provide plausible deniability. Americans are quite good at that smarmy stuff.

The report is a redacted version deemed appropriate for public release. However, it does clearly mention the green site. Given that you know what these sites are used for, I think it's pretty clear what happened there. If not, see above articles.

The dangers of quoting Wikipedia. magnified by your posting.

Not sure what you mean here. Are you saying the report (the original, unredacted version) was not produced by the intelligence committee? The report certainly has their name on it.

No sir, what was released to the public last week was NOT produced by that committee. It is a summary of a 6,700-page report that WAS produced by the committee, but which common folks can't see.

You can't release classified information to the public. That's why the released summary was redacted.

Edited December 14, 2014 by kaydee412

[kaydee412]

Let me get this right. Some Forum Board members are totally against "enhanced interrogation" techniques such as sleep deprivation, water boarding, electro shocking of the genitals, etc. All this because it violates the "Human Rights" of known or suspected terrorists whose only goal right now is to kill innocent civilians through acts of terror. The same ones who will chop your head off while praising "Allah". I am totally against those techniques my self, due to time constraints utilizing them. Hours, perhaps days wasted to gather necessary Intel to prevent an upcoming slaughter of innocents. What about the basic "Human Right" to Life for the intended victims of a Terror Attack?. Reading most of these Posts, they're mostly regarding the CIA, interrogation facilities, sovereignty of Thailand and the usual bashing of America, and really nothing about saving lives or preventing terror attacks. My solution is simple and quick. I'll gather up five suspected terrorists, who I am 100% sure they know something about to happen. I'll cuff them and blindfold them and place them in a chopper. My crew will fly out over the Sea at about 1500 meters in elevation. I'll open the chopper door and ask the one who I think is the toughest of the bunch of them, questions on what He knows. If He refuses to talk or spits in my face, I'll thrown him out the open door with the others watching. I guarantee you, the others will sing like canaries and valuable Intel will be gathered to prevent an upcoming terror attack. Fly back to base for debriefing. Mission Accomplished. I don't believe that anyone who is willing to kill innocent Men, Women, Children and Babies has any rights to be called "Human" in the first place. They lost that, along with any compassion or sympathy from me. Who has a quicker or better Intel gathering technique than mine? Let me know.

Okay, I'll bite:

So let's say you were picked up by foreign inteligence agents. This was clearly a mistake (to you anyway) since you're innocent and didn't do anything nor have you been planning to. Because of a mistake or misunderstanding (e.g. mistaken eye witness report, poor quality CCTV footage, language barriers, stupid joke overheard or intercepted, etc) the agents think you've got something of value to them, but suspect you are being difficult. So they decide to "help you help them" by waterboarding you and electrocuting your genitals. That didn't work -- you don't have anything to tell them. So they decide to throw you out of a helicopter and kill you.

Are you saying that's okay? You wouldn't mind this kind of treatment? You are after all a "suspected terrorist", even if you're innocent.

Edited December 14, 2014 by kaydee412

[KhnomKhnom]

If a USA citizen enters Thailand legally and carries on activities for which there is no police ccomplaint, and is operating as a NOC, there is no overt reason for Thailand to take an interest in the guy.

Thaivisa people are screaming about "illegal" Thai entries into their homes and about street stops, but both would need to be done to have overt proof of USA using Thailand for anything bad.

[kaydee412]

If a USA citizen enters Thailand legally and carries on activities for which there is no police ccomplaint, and is operating as a NOC, there is no overt reason for Thailand to take an interest in the guy.

That is false. It's a violation of the sovereignty of the nation to have foreign personnel performing acts on behalf of another country on their soil without their knowledge and consent. The country may not prosecute it, but the personnel is likely to be evicted and a formal complaint lodged with the offending nation. This happens often with spies under official cover. If a NOC (without official cover -- non-official cover) is caught they may be tried as foreign spies (which is serious).

[fobuff]

WHAT ThE f..... Oh I get it.... now we know how most of the generals in the thai military are all very very rich... The CIA does have alot of slush money...

Edited December 14, 2014 by fobuff

[connda]

lol, vassal state and has been since vietnam war days

lol, vassal state and has been since the WWII Japanese occupation days (or whomever showed up with the most firepower in the past).

Edited December 14, 2014 by connda

[connda]

Let me get this right. Some Forum Board members are totally against "enhanced interrogation" techniques such as sleep deprivation, water boarding, electro shocking of the genitals, etc. All this because it violates the "Human Rights" of known or suspected terrorists whose only goal right now is to kill innocent civilians through acts of terror. The same ones who will chop your head off while praising "Allah". I am totally against those techniques my self, due to time constraints utilizing them. Hours, perhaps days wasted to gather necessary Intel to prevent an upcoming slaughter of innocents. What about the basic "Human Right" to Life for the intended victims of a Terror Attack?. Reading most of these Posts, they're mostly regarding the CIA, interrogation facilities, sovereignty of Thailand and the usual bashing of America, and really nothing about saving lives or preventing terror attacks. My solution is simple and quick. I'll gather up five suspected terrorists, who I am 100% sure they know something about to happen. I'll cuff them and blindfold them and place them in a chopper. My crew will fly out over the Sea at about 1500 meters in elevation. I'll open the chopper door and ask the one who I think is the toughest of the bunch of them, questions on what He knows. If He refuses to talk or spits in my face, I'll thrown him out the open door with the others watching. I guarantee you, the others will sing like canaries and valuable Intel will be gathered to prevent an upcoming terror attack. Fly back to base for debriefing. Mission Accomplished. I don't believe that anyone who is willing to kill innocent Men, Women, Children and Babies has any rights to be called "Human" in the first place. They lost that, along with any compassion or sympathy from me. Who has a quicker or better Intel gathering technique than mine? Let me know.

No. Some of us just realize that torture simply elicits false confessions that are great for the propagation of propaganda, but of little use to the boots on the ground in the intelligence community. The various Intel communities need actionable intelligence, not BS. Politicians with an agenda need propaganda. Don't grasp that? That's ok. You're not suppose to.

[MaxLee]

Yep, our dear General is too busy to build the next North Korea empire....

Edited December 14, 2014 by MaxLee

[khaowong1]

So everything a foreign country does in Thailand soil is non of business of Thai government

This should be new TAT tourism slogan

"What happens in Thailand, stays in Thailand."

[khaowong1]

Let me get this right. Some Forum Board members are totally against "enhanced interrogation" techniques such as sleep deprivation, water boarding, electro shocking of the genitals, etc. All this because it violates the "Human Rights" of known or suspected terrorists whose only goal right now is to kill innocent civilians through acts of terror. The same ones who will chop your head off while praising "Allah". I am totally against those techniques my self, due to time constraints utilizing them. Hours, perhaps days wasted to gather necessary Intel to prevent an upcoming slaughter of innocents. What about the basic "Human Right" to Life for the intended victims of a Terror Attack?. Reading most of these Posts, they're mostly regarding the CIA, interrogation facilities, sovereignty of Thailand and the usual bashing of America, and really nothing about saving lives or preventing terror attacks. My solution is simple and quick. I'll gather up five suspected terrorists, who I am 100% sure they know something about to happen. I'll cuff them and blindfold them and place them in a chopper. My crew will fly out over the Sea at about 1500 meters in elevation. I'll open the chopper door and ask the one who I think is the toughest of the bunch of them, questions on what He knows. If He refuses to talk or spits in my face, I'll thrown him out the open door with the others watching. I guarantee you, the others will sing like canaries and valuable Intel will be gathered to prevent an upcoming terror attack. Fly back to base for debriefing. Mission Accomplished. I don't believe that anyone who is willing to kill innocent Men, Women, Children and Babies has any rights to be called "Human" in the first place. They lost that, along with any compassion or sympathy from me. Who has a quicker or better Intel gathering technique than mine? Let me know.

Let me give you a real life situation, where this technique went wrong. True story..

Some people went into a building to rob a safe. They rounded up 8 people who lived there. Put them on the floor in a circle, tied their hands behind their backs. One of the robbers went up to the first person, asked him for the combination to the safe. The person wouldn't give it to him, so he was shot in the back of the head. The robber then went to the second person tied up, asked for the combination to the safe, the second person said, "You just shot the only one here with the combination.". The robbers shot and killed all 8 people, never getting the combination. The robbers and murderers were caught later and are now serving life without parole in prison. True story.. So your scenario not always works. Just saying. I understand what your talking about, and am not against getting information needed to prevent more lives being lost.

[DaveinAsia]

Let me get this right. Some Forum Board members are totally against "enhanced interrogation" techniques such as sleep deprivation, water boarding, electro shocking of the genitals, etc. All this because it violates the "Human Rights" of known or suspected terrorists whose only goal right now is to kill innocent civilians through acts of terror. The same ones who will chop your head off while praising "Allah". I am totally against those techniques my self, due to time constraints utilizing them. Hours, perhaps days wasted to gather necessary Intel to prevent an upcoming slaughter of innocents. What about the basic "Human Right" to Life for the intended victims of a Terror Attack?. Reading most of these Posts, they're mostly regarding the CIA, interrogation facilities, sovereignty of Thailand and the usual bashing of America, and really nothing about saving lives or preventing terror attacks. My solution is simple and quick. I'll gather up five suspected terrorists, who I am 100% sure they know something about to happen. I'll cuff them and blindfold them and place them in a chopper. My crew will fly out over the Sea at about 1500 meters in elevation. I'll open the chopper door and ask the one who I think is the toughest of the bunch of them, questions on what He knows. If He refuses to talk or spits in my face, I'll thrown him out the open door with the others watching. I guarantee you, the others will sing like canaries and valuable Intel will be gathered to prevent an upcoming terror attack. Fly back to base for debriefing. Mission Accomplished. I don't believe that anyone who is willing to kill innocent Men, Women, Children and Babies has any rights to be called "Human" in the first place. They lost that, along with any compassion or sympathy from me. Who has a quicker or better Intel gathering technique than mine? Let me know.

Yeah, many of us are against World Domination by your so called democrats and freedom lovers who are doing nothing else than 'protecting' their own warmongering and profiteering behinds. That's one of the reasons we came here, to get away from that disgusting policy. 9/11 was an inside job, even kids learn it in school these days. The muslim hate brainwashing obviously worked on you bud, feeling sorry for you now. I am not an American basher, I really like the nice ones I meet sometimes, the real democrats and freedom lovers, old hippies, Cajun loving rockers and artists, not the self-righteous arrogant sob's, so <deleted> a bit about being a great torturer and get me another Leo, I'm dry for 10 minutes already

[sirineou]

The Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was addressing the public regarding the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s report on the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) country interrogation site list, that includes Thailand as the location of a CIA detention center involving torturing activities.

Has Thailand abdicated it's sovereignty to the US and is no longer concerned what the US does with in Thai sovereign ground? Or are CIA detention centers in Thailand considered US territories such as an embassy and not governed by Thai laws?

[deepcell]

The real question they are avoiding is "did the Thai government know about this detention center and more to the point did they cooperate with the US". I'm sure that is what people want to know. The answer to these questions is NOT an internal US matter. Until they answer these questions I'm sure this will continue to be a controversial subject.

What the new PM will never seem to understand is that there will always be tough questions to answer to the public and he cannot just duck the questions for the sake of a "peaceful country". He's living in a dream world if he thinks the public will accept these kinds of answers.

"The public"...Foreigners are a tiny minority in Thailand and as far as Thai people is concerned I suspect 99% of them don't give a sh#t about this issue. To the majority of the locals the past is irrelevant, the future is uncertain, and the only time frame that is worth thinking about is today and tonight:).

you are in a buddhist country. What are you expecting?

[tbthailand]

The Prime Minister of Thailand has commented on the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s report on a rumored CIA detention complex in Thailand, saying its an internal matter for the US and is unrelated to the Thai government.

Unrelated to Thailand ?

So lets just recap on that, what takes place on Thai soil by a foreign power is unrelated to the Thai Government and nothing to do with the Thai authorities ?

Okaaaay that works as an excuse.... not.

he said "unrelated to the Thai government", but he did not say "unrelated to the Thai military".

One has to pay attention to the different ways people can tell the truth while lying through their teeth.

[khaowong1]

The Prime Minister of Thailand has commented on the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s report on a rumored CIA detention complex in Thailand, saying its an internal matter for the US and is unrelated to the Thai government.

Unrelated to Thailand ?

So lets just recap on that, what takes place on Thai soil by a foreign power is unrelated to the Thai Government and nothing to do with the Thai authorities ?

Okaaaay that works as an excuse.... not.

he said "unrelated to the Thai government", but he did not say "unrelated to the Thai military".

One has to pay attention to the different ways people can tell the truth while lying through their teeth.

ie: "I did not have sex with that woman." "Define sex."

[Docno]

Yeap, when it comes to foreign country operations in another country I expect it comes down to being able to use a embassy/consulate/mission status loophole in international law and the host country basically goes into the Three Monkeys state of mind.

Capture.JPG

Even if foreign missions have the status of sovereign non-Thai territory, the question remains how the detainees were transported to the mission (and whether they were initially apprehended on Thai soil). As far as I know, beam-me-up-Scotty transporters have not yet been developed, which means that US agents (or Thais) must have held individuals against their will on Thai soil without due process. This is the equivalent of kidnapping, even if the individuals' ultimate destination was not Thai territory. The loophole only opens so far....

[JungleBoy2]

Had to like PIB's Three Monkey anology!!! The Fourth Monkey is "Do No Evil" with his hands folded

over his crotch!!

[DaffyDuck]

The real question they are avoiding is "did the Thai government know about this detention center and more to the point did they cooperate with the US". I'm sure that is what people want to know.

No, people don't care - particularly, Thai people don't care - and particularly, Thai people don't care one iota if some American or western busybodies care or not. Only you and some of your armchair activists seem to care, and as I pointed out, no one cares that you care.

[DaffyDuck]

Who said the Thai government allowed the torture facilities?

Maybe just one man in power did it, in exchange for other favours.

Exactly - plus, these few, fringe guys in these threads don't even have any direct proof - just insinuations and allegations.

[DaffyDuck]

I don't understand why some of you people are 'getting your nose out of joint' at what may or may not have happened to scumbags that would have slit your throat or blown your brains out given half a chance if they thought it would further their cause.

The reason you don't understand is that you cannot grasp what it may mean for civilisation ....

"What it may mean for CIVILISATION" --- Hahaha, ROTFLOL.

Yes, this is a matter by which all of human CIVILISATION will potentially come crashing down! Seriously - stop being so full of yourself.

[DaffyDuck]

Pages 464 to 473 specifically refer to Detention Site Green, which I acknowledge is not, within the report, identified a Thailand.

case close.

However it has been reported elsewhere many times that this site is in Thailand.

there is no 'however'.

'Elsewhere' is not a source.

[DaffyDuck]

Okay, I'll bite:

So let's say you were picked up by foreign inteligence agents. This was clearly a mistake (to you anyway) since you're innocent and didn't do anything nor have you been planning to. Because of a mistake or misunderstanding (e.g. mistaken eye witness report, poor quality CCTV footage, language barriers, stupid joke overheard or intercepted, etc) the agents think you've got something of value to them, but suspect you are being difficult. So they decide to "help you help them" by waterboarding you and electrocuting your genitals. That didn't work -- you don't have anything to tell them. So they decide to throw you out of a helicopter and kill you.

Are you saying that's okay? You wouldn't mind this kind of treatment? You are after all a "suspected terrorist", even if you're innocent.

It's amazing how convenient selective reading and cherry picking assists in moving goal posts, when your only concern is furthering your agenda.

I suggest reading his message again. I'm 100% in support of it. You, on the other hand, don't appear to actually care about saving or protecting innocent lives.

[kaydee412]

Pages 464 to 473 specifically refer to Detention Site Green, which I acknowledge is not, within the report, identified a Thailand.

case close.

However it has been reported elsewhere many times that this site is in Thailand.

there is no 'however'.

'Elsewhere' is not a source.

The location of the green site is not spelled out in the redacted summary that was published, but the Washington Post have published that the green site is in fact in Thailand citing cables from that facility in Thailand.

[chooka]

Weren't the Thais consulted and approved the use of thier soil or did the yanks just sneak in and set up these camps without Thailand Knowing. Thai's employed and the Thai economy benefiting.

Thailand does hold some responsibility for what happens on its soil.

Edited December 14, 2014 by chooka

[BritTim]

Let me get this right. Some Forum Board members are totally against "enhanced interrogation" techniques such as sleep deprivation, water boarding, electro shocking of the genitals, etc. All this because it violates the "Human Rights" of known or suspected terrorists whose only goal right now is to kill innocent civilians through acts of terror. The same ones who will chop your head off while praising "Allah". I am totally against those techniques my self, due to time constraints utilizing them. Hours, perhaps days wasted to gather necessary Intel to prevent an upcoming slaughter of innocents. What about the basic "Human Right" to Life for the intended victims of a Terror Attack?. Reading most of these Posts, they're mostly regarding the CIA, interrogation facilities, sovereignty of Thailand and the usual bashing of America, and really nothing about saving lives or preventing terror attacks. My solution is simple and quick. I'll gather up five suspected terrorists, who I am 100% sure they know something about to happen. I'll cuff them and blindfold them and place them in a chopper. My crew will fly out over the Sea at about 1500 meters in elevation. I'll open the chopper door and ask the one who I think is the toughest of the bunch of them, questions on what He knows. If He refuses to talk or spits in my face, I'll thrown him out the open door with the others watching. I guarantee you, the others will sing like canaries and valuable Intel will be gathered to prevent an upcoming terror attack. Fly back to base for debriefing. Mission Accomplished. I don't believe that anyone who is willing to kill innocent Men, Women, Children and Babies has any rights to be called "Human" in the first place. They lost that, along with any compassion or sympathy from me. Who has a quicker or better Intel gathering technique than mine? Let me know.

How are you 100% certain they know something? Are you aware that over 50% of those sent to Guantanamo were totally innocent, and turned in for reward money or to settle personal scores?

In your hypothetical scenario, the ones who are true believers (and probably know something) will embrace their chance of martyrdom. Bang goes your chance of learning anything useful there (and the reason fake executions are used but not real ones). The others (who likely know nothing) will tell you whatever they think you want to hear.

There is no evidence that torture, even using truth drugs, will elicit any information you can rely on. Meanwhile, you create sympathy for extremely dangerous groups, and reduce the chance of others coming forward to voluntarily provide genuinely useful intelligence. The use of torture was the biggest mistake the UK made in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. On practical, as well as moral, grounds, such methods should not be used.

[tonbridgebrit]

Let's get the focus of attention back on the USA. Remember, the USA carried out torture, not Thailand. A group of American soldiers on Thai soil is not the same thing as a load of American tourists on Thai soil. What about American soldiers in Germany ? Are they (were they) regarded the same as a bunch of American tourists in Germany ?

Actually, Thailand should use this event to extract some benefits from America. Yes, Thailand, go and say to America "look, you have made us look bad on the world stage due to this, make sure your war games on Thai soil next year will be on a greater scale, and tell your soldiers to spend more freely during the war games, and hand over a loan at a discount rate of interest to us."

Life, you ought to extract the benefits when you can.

[silent]

Didn't take long for all the usual haters to make this about Prayuth.

Well yes. Why doesn't he at last fess up instead off ordering first denials and then a half arsed admission? This man is Mr Super transparency right? Pff!

Because, at the end of the day, NO ONE CARES, and this issue has little to nothing to do with the actual, pressing, issues of the country.

It is, indeed, an internal US problem, one that doesn't concern Thailand.

Ah but you're wrong. It has tremendous concern to Thai Veesers with some kind of claim in Thailand doesn't it?

[khaowong1]

Let me get this right. Some Forum Board members are totally against "enhanced interrogation" techniques such as sleep deprivation, water boarding, electro shocking of the genitals, etc. All this because it violates the "Human Rights" of known or suspected terrorists whose only goal right now is to kill innocent civilians through acts of terror. The same ones who will chop your head off while praising "Allah". I am totally against those techniques my self, due to time constraints utilizing them. Hours, perhaps days wasted to gather necessary Intel to prevent an upcoming slaughter of innocents. What about the basic "Human Right" to Life for the intended victims of a Terror Attack?. Reading most of these Posts, they're mostly regarding the CIA, interrogation facilities, sovereignty of Thailand and the usual bashing of America, and really nothing about saving lives or preventing terror attacks. My solution is simple and quick. I'll gather up five suspected terrorists, who I am 100% sure they know something about to happen. I'll cuff them and blindfold them and place them in a chopper. My crew will fly out over the Sea at about 1500 meters in elevation. I'll open the chopper door and ask the one who I think is the toughest of the bunch of them, questions on what He knows. If He refuses to talk or spits in my face, I'll thrown him out the open door with the others watching. I guarantee you, the others will sing like canaries and valuable Intel will be gathered to prevent an upcoming terror attack. Fly back to base for debriefing. Mission Accomplished. I don't believe that anyone who is willing to kill innocent Men, Women, Children and Babies has any rights to be called "Human" in the first place. They lost that, along with any compassion or sympathy from me. Who has a quicker or better Intel gathering technique than mine? Let me know.

How are you 100% certain they know something? Are you aware that over 50% of those sent to Guantanamo were totally innocent, and turned in for reward money or to settle personal scores?

In your hypothetical scenario, the ones who are true believers (and probably know something) will embrace their chance of martyrdom. Bang goes your chance of learning anything useful there (and the reason fake executions are used but not real ones). The others (who likely know nothing) will tell you whatever they think you want to hear.

There is no evidence that torture, even using truth drugs, will elicit any information you can rely on. Meanwhile, you create sympathy for extremely dangerous groups, and reduce the chance of others coming forward to voluntarily provide genuinely useful intelligence. The use of torture was the biggest mistake the UK made in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. On practical, as well as moral, grounds, such methods should not be used.

BritTim, your full of crap..

[kaydee412]

Okay, I'll bite:

So let's say you were picked up by foreign inteligence agents. This was clearly a mistake (to you anyway) since you're innocent and didn't do anything nor have you been planning to. Because of a mistake or misunderstanding (e.g. mistaken eye witness report, poor quality CCTV footage, language barriers, stupid joke overheard or intercepted, etc) the agents think you've got something of value to them, but suspect you are being difficult. So they decide to "help you help them" by waterboarding you and electrocuting your genitals. That didn't work -- you don't have anything to tell them. So they decide to throw you out of a helicopter and kill you.

Are you saying that's okay? You wouldn't mind this kind of treatment? You are after all a "suspected terrorist", even if you're innocent.

It's amazing how convenient selective reading and cherry picking assists in moving goal posts, when your only concern is furthering your agenda.

I suggest reading his message again. I'm 100% in support of it. You, on the other hand, don't appear to actually care about saving or protecting innocent lives.

You're deflecting. The fictional example I gave was identical to the one SinCityGr8One gave, except for one crucial difference: he was the person detained. That's not "cherry picking", it's turning the tables. If you think it's fair to have one low standard for yourself, but a higher standard for everybody else, well, that's a double standard by definition.

And where do you draw the line? If these procedures are effective for the intelligence community, shouldn't we then consider them for the police as well? Surely suspected murderers, rapists and the like are right up there with suspected terrorists or at least not more than a hop, skip and a jump away. Do you think reports of police brutality deter or encourage protests? Now replace police brutality with torture and answer the same question for terrorism.

You do realize that you just said you're 100% in favor of war crimes like torture and murder, right? You should really take a moment to think about that. If you think that committing war crimes is a smart and effective way to win the war on terror, you're very much mistaken if that's not clear by now. A better approach, in my opinion, is to increase efforts like PSYOPS (psychological operations, e.g. winning the hearts and minds of the people) and thereby increasing both the quality and access to valuable intel, while at the same time denying the enemy these graphic reports that fuel their propaganda and recruiting.