Poll Watch: 58 Per Cent Say Obama Release of CIA Memos Endangers National Security
Fifty-eight percent (58%) believe the Obama administration’s recent release of CIA memos about the harsh interrogation methods used on terrorism suspects endangers the national security of the United States. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 28% believe the release of the memos helps America’s image abroad.
Sizable majorities of Republicans and unaffiliated voters say the release of the CIA memos about the interrogations hurts national security. Democrats are evenly divided on whether the release hurt national security or helped the image of the United States abroad.
Seventy-seven percent (77%) of all voters say they have followed news reports about the release of the CIA memos detailing Bush administration interrogation techniques at least somewhat closely. Only six percent (6%) say they have not followed the reports at all.
On the subject of torture which underlines the issue of the CIA memos:
Among all voters, 42% say terrorism suspects were tortured by the United States, but 37% disagree. The number who believe America used torture is unchanged from October 2007.
Most Democrats (54%) and a plurality of unaffiliated voters (46%) believe the United States did torture terrorism suspects. Fifty-five percent (55%) of GOP voters do not believe torture was used.
Only 28% of U.S. voters think the Obama administration should do any further investigating of how the Bush administration treated terrorism suspects.
There appears to be considerable risk to the Obama Administration by releasing the CIA Memos. And, now, former Vice President Cheney and others are calling for a full declassification and release of CIA memos that show the success of the enhanced interrrogation methods.
A full and thorough public investigtion of the issues raised by the enhanced interrogation program would be the most appropriate here as well as an investigation as to whether President Obama has further endangered Americans national security during his Presidency.
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, CIA, Enhanced Interrogation Techniques
10 Comments
Michael
It seems Obama and the press are still trying to spear George Bush. The real issue is what information did we get from using these techniques that we would have not gotten otherwise. We the public will never know. They may have saved thousands of lives.
Alex
Michael, you need to also figure on what the use of those techniques lost. In the past, people have been prosecuted for using those techniques and torture is in fact a violation of international law.
Flap
Which people have been prosecuted?
Have some links?
Alex
Post WWII War Crimes trials. Then there are all those nasty international laws about torture and such that resulted from such trials.
Flap
Uh Huh……
Which ones?
And, what international laws?
Got some references?
Alex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Nielsen
And as to the laws, oh, there’s the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Convention Against Torture, you know, those things.
Flap
From your link he testified about Water boarding techniques in a war crimes trial in China against the Japanese? And, that means what?
And, those commissions apply to the United States?
It is United States law?
Uh No…..
Alex
So, you’re suggesting Waterboarding is legal under domestic United States law?
Flap
Yes and there are legal memos to support that position.
However, since the government stopped Waterboarding many years ago during the Bush Administration, it is no longer at issue.
Flap
By the way, Alex, you are now on moderation.
Too much left-wing trolling.
If you say something that is noteworthy I will publish it.
Read my terms of use above if you are confused.