Taking to the Senate floor immediately after Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Tuesday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said he supports the release of the 500-page summary of CIA interrogation practices and that the truth is sometimes a “hard pill to swallow.”
“I’d like to begin by expressing my appreciation and admiration for the men and women who serve in our intelligence agencies, including the CIA,” McCain began his remarks. “They are out there every day defending our nation.”
“I have read the executive summary, and I also have been briefed on the entirety of this report. I rise in support of the release, the long-delayed release of the Intelligence Committee’s summarized, unclassified review of the so-called enhanced interrogation techniques that were employed by the previous administration to extract information from captured terrorists.”
“It’s a thorough and thoughtful study of practices that I believe not only failed their purpose to secure actionable intelligence to prevent further attacks on the U.S. and our allies, but actually damaged our security interests as well as our reputation as a force for good in the world.”
“I believe the American people have the right, indeed, responsibility, to know what was done in their name. How these practices did or did not serve our interests, and how they comported with our most important values.”
“I commend Chairwoman Feinstein and her staff for their diligence in seeking a truthful accounting of policies I hope we never resort to again. I thank them for persevering against persistent opposition from many members of the intelligence committee, from officials in two administrations, and from some of our colleagues.”
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