American Offices Overseas Have Their Security Beefed Up Before Release Of CIA Interrogation Report

As the United States Government readies itself to present the much awaited report compiled by the Central Bureau of Investigation on the interrogation methodologies and their effectiveness post 9/11, it is quietly beefing up security at its facilities across the world.

The U.S government is well aware of the possibility of aggressive retaliation once the report is made publicly available. Hence, it has deployed additional security measures to protect Americans and U.S. facilities abroad. In accordance with the executive order, the military has put thousands of troops on alert ahead of today’s release of the report, which is expected to detail the CIA’s post-9/11 detention and interrogation program. Speaking about the same, White House press secretary Josh Earnest made a statement.

“There are some indications that… the release of the report could lead to a greater risk that is posed to U.S. facilities and individuals all around the world. So the administration has taken the prudent steps to ensure that the proper security precautions are in place at U.S. facilities around the globe.”

There have been ample warnings raised by multiple agencies and prominent personalities, who have strongly urged the administration not to make the document, a nearly 500-page summary of a 6,200-page report compiled by the committee’s Democrats, be made publicly available for scrutiny, reported Bloomberg. However, President Obama has disregarded the words of caution as he believes the Americans have a right to know what the American Government is willing to do to safeguard the American way of life and the sovereignty of the country, reported the Guardian.

However, it’s interesting to note that not only the report appears to conclude that the use of harsh interrogation methods was not effective, President Obama himself considers the techniques weren’t worth it, reported the Washington Post. Moreover, the President strongly felt these torture techniques did little to enhance the national security of the United States of America, shared Earnest.

Incidentally, it was the President himself who said that some of the interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding and sleep deprivation, amounted to torture.

Despite what the President feels, the CIA Interrogation Report is feared to generate a huge backlash from the current raging terror organizations, namely the Islamic State (IS). Hence, as part of the security enhancement plan, Army Gens. Lloyd Austin and David Rodriguez, the heads of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command, respectively, have ordered troops to be placed on a higher alert status after the Pentagon called for combatant commanders around the world to review security plans they had in place.

A majority of the troops that have been asked to be extra vigilant are United States Marines, shared a Pentagon official, under condition of anonymity. The units involved include a crisis-response unit that has Marines in Sigonella, Italy, and Moron, Spain; a second crisis-response unit with troops in Kuwait and Iraq; and fleet anti-terrorism security teams, 50-man units of Marines that are typically called upon to reinforce U.S. embassies. To help these soldiers, about 4,000 Marines and sailors with the three-ship Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, out of San Diego, also are currently in the Middle East.

Considering the sensitivity of the issue, it’s not a question of if there will be any violent retaliation, but how to minimize the casualties.

[Image Credit: AFP, PressTV]