Vice President Biden acknowleged torture of detainees was a powerful recruiting tool for al-Qaeda at swearing-in of new CIA Director Leon Panetta

Missoula, Feb. 23 (Al-Masakin)–Vice President Joseph Biden at swearing in ceremony for new CIA director Leon E. Panetta Feb. 19 acknowleged torture and detainment of suspects at Guantanamo Bay prison was a powerful recruiting tool for al-Qaeda. 

Refering to Executive Order Ensuring Lawful Interrogations, which revoked Executive Order 13440 of July 20, 2007, the Executive Order to Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Facilities, Executive Order Review of Detention Policy Options, signed Jan. 22, 2009, the Vice President said. 

“He issued an executive order to reverse the policies that in my view and the view of many in this Agency caused America to fall short of its founding principles and which gave al-Qaeda a powerful recruiting tool. As a result of these orders, we will close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. We will have a single standard across the government for interrogation of – in armed conflict. And we’ll ensure the Red Cross access to all those who are detained in armed conflict,” the Vice President said.

EHC / EHC