Curt Torell: Kiriakou shows bravery

Thanks for publishing the Oct. 31 news article “Ex-CIA agent decries torture” and Ned Barnett’s Nov. 1 column “Blowing the whistle on fear” on the speaking tour of John Kiriakou, the CIA operative and only person prosecuted for torture, not because he participated in it but because he confirmed and condemned it.

His revelations led to exposure of crimes, lies and cover-up all the way to top of the Bush White House. They also brought the full weight of the federal government down on him.

We knew then that torture is illegal (against U.S. and international law), ineffective (no actionable intelligence) and immoral (brutally sadistic).

We know now from the Senate Intelligence Committee Summary Report, American Psychological Association’s Hoffman Report, flight logs of extraordinary rendition flights (many from Johnston County airport) and personal testimony that torture was widespread, systematic, orchestrated from the top, falsely justified by White House legal counsel and counterproductive to fighting terrorism.

Yet no one except the person who spoke “truth to power” is being prosecuted. Even George W. Bush and Dick Cheney boast in their memoirs that they endorsed torture.

Why are we not outraged at this tarnish on American ideals of justice and human rights? As Kiriakou said, “America deserves better.”

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Curt Torell: Kiriakou shows bravery."