“Actionable Intelligence”

Standard

Torture is immoral. The CIA being authorized to use torture is immoral. That’s why we shouldn’t do it. There is no argument for violent sadism as a preventive measure that preserves any moral high ground including an appeal to our fears of being attacked by a terror cell. We are state sponsors of violent sadism, no matter the outcome of the torturing of prisoners. And if that’s okay with you, then fine, but that’s exactly what it is.

But it’s clear it was a waste. It’s also clear tortured prisoners were savvy enough to screw with us:

Before I get into the weeds, let me be clear: there are almost no black Muslims in Montana. Just 0.6% of Montana’s roughly 1 million people are African American, or about 6,100 total. Just 0.034 Montanans identify as Muslim (or around 345 people). Montana has both the fewest African Americans and fewest Muslims. It is almost certainly the least likely state to find black Muslims seeking to wage jihad.

[..]

A year after CIA decided KSM was not really going to have a non-existent cell of black Muslims start forest fires, the FBI nevertheless warned a bunch of Rocky Mountain states, including Montana, to be on guard for the threat.

via KSM Had the CIA Believing in Black Muslim Convert Jihadist Arsonists in Montana for 3 Months | emptywheel

This information is why every state has swollen counter terrorism budgets from DHS through a funding source known as the “State Homeland Security Program” (SHSP). Even after program wide cuts to SHSP, Montana still got about $3.5 million in 2013 and $3.7 million in 2014.

This would be hilarious if it wasn’t TORTURE.