Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

CIA torture: Former Vice President Dick Cheney says report is 'full of crap'

 

Victoria Richards
Thursday 11 December 2014 09:28 GMT
Comments
Former Vice President Dick Cheney says CIA torture report is 'full of crap'
Former Vice President Dick Cheney says CIA torture report is 'full of crap' (Fox News/YouTube)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Dick Cheney has dismissed a Senate report into the brutal interrogation techniques employed by the CIA as "full of crap."

The Former US Vice President said that the Senate Intelligence Committee report, which detailed claims that the intelligence agency tortured detainees in 'black site' prisons after the 2001 terror attacks on America, was "terrible" and "deeply flawed".

Mr Cheney admitted that he had not actually read the entire 6,000-page classified document – or the 500-page declassified and redacted executive summary.

But he told Fox News: "The notion that the agency was operating on a rogue basis was just a flat out lie."

Mr Cheney insisted that the methods were all legally justified and inconsistent with "torture" – though he admitted that he "didn't know all the allegations that are out there" and conceded that 'rectal rehydration' "was not one of the authorized or approved techniques".

He also rejected allegations that former President George W. Bush was unaware of events. "He was in fact an integral part of the program," he said. "He had to approve it before we moved forward with it. He knew everything he needed to know and wanted to know about the program."

Mr Cheney said he was bothered by criticism about the treatment of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was waterboarded 183 times.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is believed to now be in good health
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is believed to now be in good health (AP)

"He is in our possession, we know he’s the architect, what are we supposed to do? Kiss him on both cheeks?“ he said.

“How nice do you want to be to the murderers of 3,000 people on 9/11?”

And Mr Cheney insisted that the ends "justified the means".

"I’d do it again in a minute."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in