- Info
Director's Statement on the Veto of the Intelligence Authorization Bill
Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency,
General Mike Hayden on the Veto of the Intelligence
Authorization Bill
March 8, 2008
Following the
President’s veto today of the FY 2008 Intelligence Authorization bill, I am
sure that the executive and legislative branches will continue to exchange
ideas on the legal framework governing interrogations, including interrogations
of the most dangerous international terrorists.
Whatever the result, our Agency’s position is absolutely clear: CIA will continue to operate within the law,
strictly abiding by the decisions of the Republic we protect.
Some of the
public commentary has misrepresented the terms of the current debate, implying
that only two outcomes are possible—a blanket application of the Army Field
Manual or the legalization of torture.
As I have said in Congressional testimony, the Army Field Manual does
not exhaust the universe of lawful interrogation techniques. There are methods in CIA’s program that have
been briefed to our oversight committees, are fully consistent with the Geneva
Convention and current US law, and are most certainly not torture.
Although we
share the duty of defending America and America’s values, the US Army and CIA
clearly have different missions, different capabilities and therefore different
procedures. CIA’s program, a tightly
controlled and carefully administered national option that goes beyond the Army
Field Manual, has been a lawful and effective response to the national security
demands that terrorism imposes. It will
continue to be so as we work within the boundaries established by our nation’s
laws.
Mike Hayden
Posted: Mar 10, 2008 06:50 AM
Last Updated: Mar 10, 2008 06:51 AM
Last Reviewed: Mar 10, 2008 06:50 AM