Making Sense of the Memos

The release of four legal memos by the Obama administration detailing CIA interrogation techniques continues to create a storm of controversy.

Let’s begin with the BBC, ABC, FOX and CNN:

“I’m very encouraged that these memos have been released because transparency is the first step towards accountability.” (BBC)
 
“The problem with transparency is it’s transparency for the terrorists as well.” (ABC)

"What we have described for our enemies in the midst of a war are the outer limits that any American would ever go to in terms of interrogating an al Qaeda terrorist. That's very valuable information.” (FOX News)

“I think that argument is a lot of nonsense. Our enemies already know what these techniques because we have already carried out these techniques on the enemy.” (CNN)

On NBC’s Meet the Press, Time managing editor Richard Stengel said releasing the memos was the right thing for Obama to do.
 
“He's basically saying let bygones be bygones.  He's not prosecuting anybody.  He could prosecute people.  He could prosecute the former CIA director.  I mean, he's very Mandela-like in the sense that he's saying let the past be the past and let us move into the future.” (NBC)

The Wall Street Journal said the memos prove that detainees were not tortured.

“The four memos on CIA interrogation released by the White House last week reveal a cautious and conservative Justice Department advising a CIA that cared deeply about staying within the law…. These memos suggest that they achieved both goals in a manner fully consistent with American values.”
(Wall Street Journal)

ProPublica said the memos suggested that the Bush administration didn’t consider interrogations torture because medical professionals monitored them:

“The memos provide official confirmation of both much-reported and previously unknown roles of doctors, psychologists, physician assistants and other medical personnel with the CIA’s Office of Medical Services.” (ProPublica)

Newsweek reported that one detainee actually gave up the most useful intelligence before he was interrogated and noted:


“In the real world of a democracy struggling to deal with the threat of terrorism, torture is a much more complicated business.” (Newsweek)

Do you think the Obama administration should have released the memos? Does it make America more or less safe?