President Obama, Operative in Chief, visits the CIA

Yesterday President Obama visited the Central Intelligence Agency’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia and delivered a message of reassurance and renewal. His speech at the CIA came in the wake of his administration’s release of the so-called torture memos. Those documents detailed the “enhanced interrogations techniques” that CIA operatives used to extract information from purported al Qaida operatives. The Obama administration has said these techniques might constitute illegal torture. In his speech, President Obama joined CIA Director Leon Panetta in telling the CIA that they supported them in their mission, but waterboarding and other harsh tactics devalues their work and America’s moral standing in the world. Joining The Takeaway to discuss the CIA’s reaction to the President’s words is Art Keller, a former CIA case officer.