State Department, Pentagon Urge Preparation Overseas in Advance of Release of Senate Report on CIA Activities
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Pool Photo by David Burnett/Newsmakers(WASHINGTON) — Both the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon have issued advisories urging U.S. missions abroad to prepare in advance of the release of a Senate report on CIA interrogation techniques.
The report is expected to be released on Tuesday, and detail now-banned procedures used by CIA interrogators against terrorism suspects that included both waterboarding and sexually demeaning detainees.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Monday that the Obama administration “strongly supports release of this declassified report,” but acknowledged that actions were taken to ensure security.
The State Department said Monday that it had “reiterated” a request to mission chiefs in the Middle East to review their security posture. Spokesperson Jen Psaki also noted that Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to discuss the implications of the report’s release. Kerry’s message, she said, was that the timing of the release would be Feinstein’s choice, but that Kerry had hoped to discuss the potential results.
The Pentagon also sent out an advisory recently telling its military commands to undertake safety measures in advance of the report’s release. Spokesman Col. Steve Warren spoke about the importance of protecting American personnel and facilities around the world.
Earnest did say on Monday that the president believes that “the vast majority of men and women in our intelligence community are true patriots” who “contribute significantly” to the safety of Americans.
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